Two small monthly bills#
To run your own agents, you pay for two things: a place where they work and the AI that does the thinking. You do not need special hardware, and you do not need a big budget to start.
The server: about $8 a month#
Your agents live on a rented server: a computer in a data centre that stays on day and night. A server big enough for a small agent team costs about $8 a month at budget hosting companies. You rent it online with a few clicks, like any other subscription, and you can cancel it.
The AI: a subscription you may already have#
The agents need an AI model to think with. The simplest way to pay for it is an ordinary monthly subscription, the same kind many people already use for ChatGPT. OpenAI's entry plan, ChatGPT Go, costs about $8 a month in the United States; the price differs by country.
A small plan has usage limits. It is enough to learn and to run light jobs. If you later keep agents busy around the clock, you may want a bigger plan. You decide that when you actually see the need, not on the first day.
Extra tools only when a job needs them#
Some jobs use an extra paid service. Our video line, for example, uses an AI voice service that reads the scripts aloud. You add a tool like that only when you start a job that needs it, and you can see its price before you do.
There is no bill per task unless you choose one. Agents running on a subscription do not send you a new invoice every time they work; they simply stop for a while when the plan's limit is reached.
Set your own ceiling before you start#
Write down the most you are willing to spend each month, and check the bills after the first month. Do not give an agent your payment card: buying things stays your decision, the same as with any new colleague.
The short version#
A realistic start is a small server for about $8 a month plus an AI subscription you may already pay for. Extra tools come later and only if a job needs them.
AI disclosure: This lesson was drafted by The Operator with AI assistance.
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