What does an AI SDR really cost, all in?
More than the plan price. Add setup, sending domains and mailboxes, warm-up time before you can send at volume, data, and the hours your team spends reviewing messages and handling replies. A $900-a-month plan can easily become a four-figure monthly line plus several hours of someone's week.
Part of Answers
Our view
- The sticker price is what gets an AI SDR approved. The rest of the bill shows up in month two. Here is what to put in the budget before you sign.
- 1. The plan. Published tiers run from a few hundred dollars a month to $2,500 or more; many vendors are quote-only. Check the contract length: AiSDR's Explore and Scale plans are quarterly, so a "$900 plan" is a $2,700 commitment.
- 2. Setup. Some vendors include onboarding; others charge for a managed setup or per-campaign help. AiSDR lists a per-campaign managed service at +$149 a campaign on Explore and a fully managed service at +$2,500 a month on Scale.
- 3. Domains and mailboxes. Cold email is usually sent from separate domains, each with a few mailboxes. Each mailbox is typically a paid seat (Google lists Business Starter at $7 per user a month on an annual plan), plus a registrar fee per domain each year. Check how many your plan includes: AiSDR lists 1 domain and 3 mailboxes on Solo, 2 and 6 on Explore, 6 and 18 on Scale.
- 4. Warm-up time. New mailboxes need weeks of gradual sending before volume. You pay for those weeks.
- 5. Sending and data tools. If your AI tool doesn't send or doesn't include data, add a sequencer (Instantly lists its Growth plan at $47 a month billed monthly) and enrichment credits.
- 6. Your team's hours. Someone has to approve targeting, read what goes out, handle escalated replies and accept or reject opportunities. Price those hours at a real hourly cost. This is usually the biggest hidden line.
- When an AI SDR is the right buy: a proven offer, a clear ideal customer, high-volume and lower-touch outreach, and a named person who will review it every week. If those aren't true yet, see AI SDR alternatives.
What the evidence says
- Published AI SDR plans and inclusions — AiSDR pricing page (link), checked October 12, 2026: Solo $250/mo (1 domain, 3 mailboxes, 1 LinkedIn account), Explore $900/mo (2 domains, 6 mailboxes), Scale $2,500/mo (6 domains, 18 mailboxes); Explore and Scale on quarterly contracts; managed add-ons +$149/campaign (Explore) and +$2,500/mo (Scale). The same page says it "takes 30+ days to safely get multiple inboxes ready" and that teams see their strongest results after about six weeks. AiSDR sells an AI SDR.
- Quote-only vendors — Artisan's pricing page (link) is quote-based, scoped by leads contacted (checked October 5, 2026); 11x had no public pricing page when we checked in September 2026. We don't invent numbers for them.
- Mailbox seats — Google Workspace pricing (link), checked October 12, 2026: Business Starter $7 per user per month with a one-year commitment (a lower introductory price was shown for new customers). Microsoft 365 is the other common choice.
- Sequencer, if you need one — Instantly pricing (link), checked October 12, 2026: Growth $47/month billed monthly ($37.60/month billed yearly), with unlimited email accounts and warm-up; data credits are a separate plan. Instantly sells email outreach software.
- Hire vs AI cost math — AI SDR or a junior SDR first? compares published AI SDR plans with junior SDR pay and ramp (we sell in this category).
Common questions
How much does an AI SDR cost per month?
Published plans we checked on October 12, 2026: AiSDR lists Solo at $250/month, Explore at $900/month and Scale at $2,500/month (Explore and Scale on quarterly contracts). Many vendors, including Artisan and 11x, don't publish prices. The plan is only the first line of the bill.
What costs are not included in the AI SDR plan price?
Typically: extra sending domains and mailboxes (each mailbox is usually a paid Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 seat; Google lists Business Starter at $7 per user per month on an annual plan), domain registration, a separate sequencer if the tool doesn't send, data or enrichment credits, managed-service add-ons, CRM seats, and your team's time.
How long before an AI SDR can send at full volume?
Usually weeks, not minutes. AiSDR's own pricing page says it takes 30+ days to safely get multiple inboxes ready for the volume you need and that teams see their strongest results after about six weeks. Budget a month or more of paid time before you judge results.
How many hours a week does an AI SDR take to manage?
Plan on a few hours a week at minimum: reviewing new messages, approving targeting, answering replies the AI escalates, and checking that accepted opportunities are real. Teams that skip review are the ones that cancel. Write down who owns this before you buy.
How should I compare an AI SDR's cost with a hire or an agency?
Use the all-in monthly figure (plan + infrastructure + data + your team's hours at a real hourly cost) divided by opportunities your sales team accepts. Run the same math for a hire and an agency over the same window.
Want the whole picture in one place?
The pipeline guide covers the three usual fixes, what counts as an accepted opportunity, a 90-day plan, and eight questions to ask any pipeline partner.