What Should You Charge for an AI Feature?
Unlike normal software, an AI feature has a real cost every time it runs, so pricing it is a margin problem, not a guess. This guide walks the math from per-use cost to a defensible price.
Start from per-use cost
Work out what one use of the feature costs in tokens, then decide your target gross margin. Dividing cost by one minus that margin gives the minimum price the feature must earn to stay profitable.
Protect against the heavy tail
Averages lie: a few power users can consume most of the cost. Add fair-use limits or usage-based charges above a threshold so your heaviest users do not quietly turn the feature into a loss.
Calculators for this topic
Frequently asked questions
How do I price an AI feature?+
Find its per-use cost, apply a target margin, and guard against heavy users with caps or metered overage.
What margin should I target?+
Pick a gross-margin goal, then set price to cost divided by (1 minus that margin) as a floor.