Automation ROI Calculator
What's the ROI of automating this?
Automation ROI is the net financial return from automating a task after subtracting build and maintenance costs from the labor and error costs it eliminates. A common rule of thumb: if the automation pays back its build cost within 12 months, it's usually worth doing. Enter your numbers below to see payback period, net annual savings, first-year ROI, and three-year return.
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Payback and return update live as you type.
The math, in one line
Turn this estimate into a real business case
Exbots runs free automation assessments — we validate build cost, automatable share, and payback before you spend a dollar.
Book an assessment →How the ROI is calculated
The calculator turns a manual task into an annual dollar figure, then nets out the cost of automating it. Annual hours saved = weekly hours × automatable share × 52. Gross annual savings = those hours × loaded hourly cost, plus any manual-error cost avoided. Net annual savings subtracts yearly maintenance. Payback period = one-time build cost ÷ monthly net savings.
The automatable-share input matters more than people expect: almost no process automates 100%, so a realistic 50–80% keeps the business case honest rather than rosy.
A worked example
A finance team spends 15 hours a week on manual reconciliation at a $35 loaded hourly cost. About 75% is automatable. The build is quoted at $18,000 with $2,400/year maintenance.
| Annual hours saved (15 × 75% × 52) | 585 hrs |
| Gross annual labor saved (× $35) | $20,475 |
| Net annual savings (− $2,400 upkeep) | $18,075 |
| Payback period | ≈ 12.0 months |
| 3-year net return | ≈ $36,225 |
Payback lands just under a year and the three-year return is roughly double the build cost — a solid case worth scoping in detail.
Frequently asked questions
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This calculator gives a directional estimate for planning purposes only, based on the inputs you provide. It is not financial advice.