Pricing

    Pricing built for Australian small businesses

    Most consulting engagements feel like a blank cheque. You agree to start, the hours add up, and the invoice arrives later with a number you did not expect. We do not work that way. Every engagement is free, a fixed price agreed before work begins, or a clearly scoped estimate you approve before we start. You always know what you are committing to.

    In short

    Free Me Up AI prices every engagement up front. Most prospects start with a free AI Risk Snapshot, a paid Readiness Check at $500, or our 90-Day AI Pilot from $5,500 plus GST. Fixed-scope projects start at $5,500 plus GST. Ongoing advisory retainers start at $1,500 per month. Hourly advisory work sits at $200 per hour for anything outside a fixed scope. No hidden costs. No invoice surprises. No hourly drift.

    What you'll pay

    Engagements fall into three buckets. Most prospects start with the first bucket. The path through the next two depends on what your business actually needs.

    START HERE

    AI Risk Snapshot

    free

    Eight short questions. One personalised page in your inbox within 24 hours. Names where AI saves your team time, where the risk sits, and what to do next. No call required, no obligation.

    AI Readiness and Risk Check

    $500 one-off + GST

    60 to 90 minutes. We map two or three places AI realistically saves your team time, the governance you'd need to do it safely, and a clear next step. Comes with a written summary you can share with the board.

    MAIN ENGAGEMENT

    90-Day AI Pilot, Essential

    from $5,500 + GST

    Up to 20 staff

    One live workflow implemented end-to-end, governance framework tailored to your tools, team training and adoption support, board-ready summary at 90 days.

    90-Day AI Pilot, Full Stack

    from $8,500 + GST

    20 to 50 staff

    All Essential pilot deliverables, plus multi-team workflow design and rollout, extended governance and policy artefacts, and stakeholder briefings across the organisation.

    BEYOND THE PILOT

    Fixed-scope project

    from $5,500 + GST

    4 to 12 weeks

    Scoped after the Readiness Check. One workflow, fully implemented and trained. Suits organisations that already know which problem to solve and want a finished result, not a roadmap.

    Ongoing advisory retainer

    from $1,500 per month + GST

    Monthly commitment

    For organisations scaling AI use over time. Regular reviews, new use cases each month, and a sounding board when something new lands. Suits operations leads who want a second pair of eyes without hiring in-house.

    Payment and Terms

    Straightforward terms. No surprises.

    Clear, predictable arrangements that work for Australian small businesses and not-for-profits.

    Hourly rate

    $200 per hour plus GST for work outside a fixed-price scope. Advisory calls, ad hoc questions, or work where requirements are genuinely unclear upfront. We'll always tell you before a piece of work is billed hourly. In practice, most of our work is fixed-price.

    Payment terms

    For fixed-price projects over $2,000 plus GST, our standard terms are 50% on commencement and 50% on delivery. For projects under $2,000, payment is on delivery. Other arrangements can be discussed at the scoping stage.

    GST and invoicing

    All prices exclude GST. GST at 10% is added for Australian clients and shown on every invoice. We invoice through our own system and accept bank transfer and major credit cards.

    FAQ

    Frequently asked questions about pricing

    If your question isn't here, mention it on your free Snapshot or discovery call. We'll always give you a straight answer.

    No. The Snapshot is free, manually fulfilled within 24 hours, and there is zero obligation to proceed. If our recommendations aren't useful, we'd rather you tell us than sit on a sales sequence. Most prospects who do continue start with the Readiness Check ($500) before committing to a full Pilot.

    For most engagements, we deliver a written fixed-price proposal within 5 business days of the scoping session. Bespoke builds with complex scope (multi-system integrations, custom AI assistants) may take 7-10 business days. We'll always tell you the timeline at the end of the scoping call.

    Scope changes happen. When they do, we pause, document the variation, and provide a written addendum with the cost impact before any additional work begins. You approve the variation in writing or we stop. We never invoice for work you haven't signed off.

    Yes. Our advisory retainer starts at $1,500 per month plus GST and suits organisations scaling AI use over time. We agree the scope at engagement, review monthly, and adjust as priorities change. Most retainer clients use us for 1-2 strategic decisions per month plus 2-3 hours of ad hoc advisory.

    Yes. Our AI consultant cost guide for Australia breaks down typical engagement costs across small business, not-for-profit, and professional services contexts, with worked examples. Most readers find it helpful for the budget conversation internally before they speak with us.

    The 90-Day Pilot Essential at $5,500 plus GST is our smallest commitment. Below that, the Snapshot (free) and Readiness Check ($500) are our entry points. We don't accept engagements below $5,500 because we can't deliver real outcomes inside the scope and time those budgets allow. We'd rather tell you that honestly than take a small budget and underdeliver.

    Not sure where to start? Start with the Snapshot.

    Eight short questions. A one-page personalised Snapshot in your inbox within 24 hours. We name where AI saves your team time, where the risk sits, and what to do next. No call required, no obligation.

    Or book a 30-min discovery call if you would prefer a conversation