Criterion 01
Fixed price, fixed scope
Not "€200/hour". Not "€10-30K depending on complexity". A real delivery firm quotes a specific price for specific outcomes. Hourly billing rewards delay.
AI Automation Agency · From €2,500 · 14-day deploys
An AI automation agency that ships agents, not workflow glue.
Most "AI automation" agencies stitch existing SaaS tools together with a chat wrapper on top. theagency47 builds actual software: custom AI agents with reasoning, tool use, memory, and eval suites — priced fixed, delivered in 14-30 days, owned by you. The right fit if your workflow needs judgment, not just plumbing.
What is an AI automation agency?
An AI automation agency is a delivery firm that builds and deploys AI-driven workflow automation for client businesses. In 2026 the category splits into two practical shapes. SaaS-glue agencies chain existing tools (Zapier, Make, n8n) with light AI steps — fine for standard glue-work, weak when the workflow needs judgment. AI agent agencies build custom software systems with autonomous reasoning, tool use, and evaluation discipline — the right fit when the workflow requires decisions the automation cannot script. theagency47 is the second kind. We ship agents from €2,500 (Spark, 14 days) to €25K+ (Scale package), fixed price, owned by you, with the deployment discipline that separates AI projects that work from the ones that do not.
Christos Papadimitriou, theagency47 · Updated July 2026 Automation vs Agents
Two different shapes of "AI automation" — pick the right one.
| SaaS-glue automation | Custom AI agents (us) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Zapier / Make / n8n flows with LLM steps | Custom software with reasoning, tools, memory, evals |
| Best for | Trigger-and-transform between SaaS tools | Workflows requiring judgment or multi-step decisions |
| Handles edge cases | Poorly — needs a new rule per case | Well — reasons about the case, escalates the ambiguous ones |
| Build cost | €500–€5,000 | €2,500–€25,000+ |
| Monthly running cost | €20–€200 (SaaS subscription) | €20–€500 (API + optional retainer) |
| Ownership | Renting the SaaS platform | Full source files, no vendor lock-in |
| Ships in | 1–3 days | 14–30 days for a specialized agent |
| Fails when | Workflow needs judgment | Workflow is pure if-this-then-that (over-engineered) |
Both are legitimate for different workflows. If your case is glue between HubSpot and Slack with no decisions, use n8n and a good SaaS agency. If your case involves reading, deciding, and drafting, you need agents. Already running RPA bots? See how agents work alongside RPA.
How to pick a real one
Six criteria to separate real delivery firms from repackaged consultancies.
The AI automation category has been mid-inflation for 24 months. Use this list to filter finalists.
Criterion 02
Case studies with KPIs
Not "we helped a Fortune 500 leader transform." Real ones say "reduced Tier-1 response time from 4h to 20min, cut ticket volume by 30%." Numbers or it did not happen.
Criterion 03
Ships an eval suite
20-40 test cases delivered with every build, runnable on demand. Without evals you cannot verify the agent works, and the vendor cannot defend accuracy claims. Non-negotiable.
Criterion 04
Transfers ownership
You get the source files: system prompts, tool code, config, integrations. Editable by you or another vendor if you switch. No "platform lock-in", no rented IP.
Criterion 05
Documented methodology
A published deployment process (ours is our 5-phase methodology), not "we figure it out per client". Methodology is what makes delivery repeatable.
Criterion 06 · The one that hurts
Money-back guarantee if evals fail
The strongest signal a firm believes in its own work. If the deployed agents fail acceptance criteria, you get your money back. theagency47 offers this on Workforce Starter (€7,500) and above.
What we deliver
Four engagement shapes, all fixed price.
14 days
Spark
€2,500
One specialized agent for one workflow. Proof-of-concept. Credit rolls into Starter.
30 days
Workforce Starter
€7,500
Three agents across all three organizational tiers. First real AI workforce. Money-back guarantee.
60 days
Workforce Pro
€15,000
Five orchestrated agents covering one full department. Production-ready workforce.
90+ days
Scale package
€25,000+
Multi-department, custom integrations, SLA contract, executive sponsor process.
Verticals we've productized
Pre-built packs for four industries.
Where we have shipped enough deployments to productize the pattern.
Accounting firms
Five agents for practice management, €8,500. Bookkeeping automation, tax-prep workflows, client communication.
Law firms
Five agents for boutique practices, €9,500. Case-file summarization, contract review, legal research. Privilege-preserving.
E-commerce brands
Five agents for Shopify/WooCommerce brands, €7,500. Support triage, returns, product-listing generation.
SEO / GEO agencies
Five agents for search/GEO agencies, €8,500. Client reporting, keyword research, GEO citation tracking.
FAQ
Common questions from AI automation buyers.
What is the difference between AI automation and AI agents?
Automation is the parent category; agents are one implementation. Automation typically uses low-code tools (Zapier, n8n) for glue between SaaS. Agents use custom software with reasoning, tool use, and evals — for workflows that need judgment. See what is an AI agent.
How do I pick the best AI automation agency?
Six criteria: fixed price/scope, KPI case studies, eval suite included, ownership transfer, documented methodology, money-back if evals fail. If any two are missing, keep looking.
What does an AI automation agency cost?
SaaS-glue: €500-€5,000 per workflow. Custom agents: €2,500-€25,000+ per project. Monthly running: €20-€2,000. Retainers: €500-€5,000/month. Beware "€200/hour" pricing — rewards delay, not delivery.
Which industries do you serve?
Productized packs for accounting (€8,500), law (€9,500), e-commerce (€7,500), SEO/GEO agencies (€8,500). For healthcare, real estate, hospitality, consulting, we scope custom using the standard Spark/Starter/Pro/Scale package pricing.
Do you offer no-code/Zapier-style automation too?
Rarely. If your workflow is pure glue between SaaS tools with no decisions, an n8n or Zapier freelancer is cheaper and faster. We take it on only when it is part of a broader agent engagement.
How fast can you start?
Discovery call within 3 business days. SOW signed inside 1 week. Spark builds start same week, ship in 14 days. Workforce Starter ships in 30 days from SOW signing.
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