WHAT DOES AN AI CHATBOT STACK REALLY COST? A 2026 BUDGET CALCULATOR GUIDE

Buy vs. build: 12-month AI chatbot cost

2,000 resolutions
100 resolutions10,000 resolutions
Buy (Intercom Fin, annual)$2,328/yr
Build (open-source + API)$45,040/yr

At low volume, buying per-resolution beats a $30-60k build cost; build only pays off at very high sustained volume.

iToolPotion research pack, Q3 2026 ToolPotion.ai