Transparent pricing.
Real outcomes.
Six ways to work with us. Start where it makes sense, move between offerings as your business evolves. No lock-ins, no surprises.
The Value Ladder
Most clients start with a Discovery or Project Build and grow from there. CAO clients can shift to Managed Automation anytime they reach steady state. Click any step to learn more.
Get a custom quote
Know what you need? Share a few details and we'll craft a personalized automation proposal for you.
Discovery
Before we build anything, we need to understand everything. A paid Discovery ensures you get a concrete plan with real numbers, not a generic pitch.
Lighter Touch
Process Assessment
$1,500 – $3,000
CAD, one-time
We walk through your key pain points with you, then hand back your top 3–5 automation opportunities, ranked, with a rough ROI estimate for each and a recommended next step.
- ✓ Your top 3–5 opportunities, ranked
- ✓ A rough ROI estimate for each one
- ✓ Clear recommendation on which tier fits
- ✓ Takes 2–3 hours of your team's time
Full Deep Dive
Discovery Sprint
$3,000 – $5,000
CAD, one-time
A deep dive across your departments. You get the full Automation Prioritization Roadmap: every opportunity ranked, an ROI estimate per process, a fixed price for each build worth doing, and a phased plan your decision-makers can approve. It becomes the operating document for everything that follows.
- ✓ Full Automation Prioritization Roadmap
- ✓ ROI estimate per process
- ✓ A fixed price for each build worth doing
- ✓ Process maps and a phased build plan with timeline
- ✓ Takes 5–6 hours of your team's time, across departments
- ✓ The roadmap is yours to keep, whoever builds it
Project Build
A well-defined deliverable. Fixed scope, fixed price. We build it, you benefit from it.
Process Automation
Connect disconnected systems. Eliminate manual data entry. Automate workflows across QuickBooks, CRMs, and industry platforms.
Get a Quote Learn more →AI Proof of Concept
Test an AI or automation idea with a real, functional prototype. Clear success metrics and a path to production.
Get a Quote Learn more →Data & Document Intelligence
Clean databases, extract insights from documents, or build AI-powered analysis pipelines.
Get a Quote Learn more →Not Sure Yet?
Book a no-pressure exploration call. We'll identify opportunities and give you budget ranges before you commit to anything.
Schedule CallSave on your build when you add Managed Automation
Every Project Build includes 60 days of complimentary monitoring. Add a 6-month Managed Automation commitment at delivery and receive a discount on your build fee. Your automations stay healthy, and you never have to think about maintenance.
All projects are scoped at a fixed price after a discovery conversation. No hourly billing.
Comparing quotes? Compare what's included.
A build price only means something next to what it covers. Here's a Project Build beside the two usual alternatives. All three can be the right call.
DigitalStaff Project Build Best when: you want a known price and a system that works, not a timesheet
- How you pay
- One fixed price, agreed before work starts
- Process mapping
- Part of the job: we map how the work really happens before we build
- Exceptions and edge cases
- Designed in. Anything the automation can't handle goes to a person
- Testing
- Tested with your real data before launch
- Documentation and training
- Documented, and your team trained at handover
- Monitoring after launch
- 60 days included
- Hosting
- On our Canadian infrastructure by default
- When something breaks
- We monitor for the first 60 days. After that, Managed Automation includes fixes
Hourly contractor Best when: you have a small, well-defined task and someone to manage it
- How you pay
- By the hour, so the final bill depends on how long it takes
- Process mapping
- Usually builds to your description. Mapping is extra hours
- Exceptions and edge cases
- Covered if they're in the spec. Anything missed is more hours
- Testing
- Depends on the contractor and the budget
- Documentation and training
- Extra hours, if you ask for it
- Monitoring after launch
- Not usually included
- Hosting
- Usually on your accounts, set up and paid for by you
- When something breaks
- The contractor, if they're available, at their hourly rate
Internal hire Best when: automation is a full-time job inside your business
- How you pay
- A salary and benefits, plus recruiting and ramp-up time
- Process mapping
- Yes, once they have learned how your business runs
- Exceptions and edge cases
- Handled as they come up, by one person
- Testing
- Up to them, often without a second reviewer
- Documentation and training
- Depends on the person. Often it lives in their head
- Monitoring after launch
- Part of their job, alongside everything else
- Hosting
- Your infrastructure, which they set up and look after
- When something breaks
- Your hire, if they notice and still work there
| Criteria | DigitalStaff Project Build | Hourly contractor | Internal hire |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | One fixed price, agreed before work starts | By the hour, so the final bill depends on how long it takes | A salary and benefits, plus recruiting and ramp-up time |
| Process mapping | Part of the job: we map how the work really happens before we build | Usually builds to your description. Mapping is extra hours | Yes, once they have learned how your business runs |
| Exceptions and edge cases | Designed in. Anything the automation can't handle goes to a person | Covered if they're in the spec. Anything missed is more hours | Handled as they come up, by one person |
| Testing | Tested with your real data before launch | Depends on the contractor and the budget | Up to them, often without a second reviewer |
| Documentation and training | Documented, and your team trained at handover | Extra hours, if you ask for it | Depends on the person. Often it lives in their head |
| Monitoring after launch | 60 days included | Not usually included | Part of their job, alongside everything else |
| Hosting | On our Canadian infrastructure by default | Usually on your accounts, set up and paid for by you | Your infrastructure, which they set up and look after |
| When something breaks | We monitor for the first 60 days. After that, Managed Automation includes fixes | The contractor, if they're available, at their hourly rate | Your hire, if they notice and still work there |
| Best when… | You want a known price and a system that works, not a timesheet | You have a small, well-defined task and someone to manage it | Automation is a full-time job inside your business |
Monthly Automation Plans
Predictable monthly investment. We host it, run it, and keep it healthy. Move between tiers anytime.
Operations
Managed Automation
Keep it running. We handle the rest.
From $1,000/mo
Priced on portfolio complexity and value maintained
We monitor, maintain, fix, and continuously improve your deployed automations. Predictable monthly cost. No surprise bills when something breaks.
- ✓ 24/7 monitoring of all automations
- ✓ Proactive maintenance and fixes included
- ✓ Vendor change response
- ✓ Monthly performance reporting
- ✓ Secure Canadian infrastructure
- ✓ Add new builds anytime via Project Build
Strategy
Advisory
You have the team. We bring the map.
$1,500 – $2,000/mo
Strategy and roadmap, no build
For companies with internal technical capacity that need strategic direction. Monthly strategy sessions, a maintained Automation Prioritization Roadmap, and async access between meetings.
- ✓ Monthly 90-min strategy session
- ✓ Maintained Prioritization Roadmap
- ✓ Build vs. buy guidance
- ✓ Async access for questions
- ✓ Quarterly review of roadmap progress
Strategy + Build + Operations
Fractional Chief Automation Officer
Your automation department. On demand.
$4,000 – $6,000/mo
Scoped during Discovery Sprint
A senior automation leader embedded in your business. We sit with your team, identify opportunities, prioritize by ROI, and continuously ship automations. Everything, under one fee.
- ✓ Everything in Managed Automation, plus:
- ✓ Biweekly strategy sessions
- ✓ Automation Prioritization Roadmap with ROI
- ✓ 1–2 new automations shipped per month
- ✓ Custom apps and dashboards as needed
- ✓ Quarterly ROI review with leadership
- ✓ No per-process quoting
- ✓ Scale to Managed Automation anytime
Enterprise
Larger organizations with complex, multi-department needs. Custom scoping, dedicated support, on-premise options available. Starting at $8,000+/month.
Not sure where to start?
Three quick questions. Thirty seconds. We'll recommend the right offering for your situation.
Or skip the quiz and book a call to talk it through.
Where are you in your automation journey?
Why businesses choose DigitalStaff
Predictable Costs
Flat monthly fees. Fixed project pricing. No hourly billing surprises.
We Build and Run It
Your automations live on our infrastructure. Hosting, monitoring, and maintenance included.
Compounding Returns
Every automation compounds. Month 12 looks radically different from month 1.
No Lock-In
Scale up, scale down, or pause. Your business changes. Your plan should too.
Canadian Infrastructure
Data can stay in Canada. Support from a real person in London, Ontario.
Partner, Not Vendor
We learn your business. We think about your problems. We act like we work there.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which offering is right for me?
Start with a Discovery. The Process Assessment ($1,500–$3,000) gives you clarity on what to automate and which tier fits. If you already know what you need, you can go straight to a Project Build or Managed Automation. The quiz above can help point you in the right direction, or just book a call and we'll figure it out together.
Can I switch between plans?
Yes, anytime. Most Fractional CAO clients run the engagement for 12–18 months during active building, then shift to Managed Automation at a lower monthly rate when things stabilize. When new opportunities come up, they scale back up. Project Build clients often add Managed Automation after delivery. There are no penalties for moving between tiers.
Do you charge by the hour?
No. Discoveries and Project Builds are fixed price. Managed Automation and CAO are flat monthly fees. Advisory is a flat monthly fee. We track outcomes, not timesheets.
What happens to my automations if I cancel?
All automations are built and hosted on DigitalStaff infrastructure by default. If you move to a lower tier, everything keeps running. If you cancel entirely, we work with you on a transition plan. IP transfer and on-premise deployment are available as premium options for clients who need full ownership. More on who owns the code.
Do I keep the roadmap if I don't build with you?
Yes. The roadmap is yours, whoever builds it: your team, another vendor, or us. Discovery is priced as its own deliverable, so you're never paying for a plan you can only use with DigitalStaff.
What's the difference between Advisory and Fractional CAO?
Advisory is strategy only. You get monthly sessions, a maintained roadmap, and expert guidance, but your internal team handles the building. The Fractional CAO includes everything: strategy, building, deployment, monitoring, and maintenance. If you have developers in-house, Advisory might be enough. If you don't, the CAO is the complete package.
What industries do you specialize in?
Accounting firms, construction, equipment dealerships, healthcare, and mid-market businesses doing $5–50M in revenue. We specialize in connecting disconnected systems like QuickBooks, Xero, Buildertrend, Expensify, and industry-specific platforms. For an accounting example, see how we automated HR reporting for Davis Martindale, a London, Ontario firm.
How does the Managed Automation pricing work?
The monthly fee is based on the complexity and value of your automation portfolio, not a flat per-process charge. A single simple automation costs less to maintain than a suite of interconnected systems. We scope it during a conversation so the price reflects your actual situation, with a minimum starting at $1,000/month. Read more about how Managed Automation works.