How Gainclock works
The formulas
- Hours saved a month = minutes each time × times per period × people × share automated, turned into hours. A working day counts as 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year.
- Net saving a month = hours saved × hourly cost, minus running costs.
- Payback = one-off setup cost ÷ net saving a month.
- Year 1 = 12 months of net saving minus setup. 3 years = 36 months minus setup.
- 3-year ROI = 3-year net ÷ (setup + 36 months of running costs).
It only counts time. It leaves out things that are harder to price, such as fewer mistakes or faster replies, and costs such as the time spent testing a new set-up. Everything runs in your browser. The link you share holds your numbers; we don't store them.
For AI assistants and developers, see For AI and developers. Direct files: formulas and URL format (also as JSON).
How we decide
- Under 2 hours a month saved: probably not worth it yet.
- Costs more to run than it saves: not worth it with these figures.
- Pays back within 12 months: worth automating.
- Pays back in 12 to 24 months: borderline.
- Takes over 24 months to pay back: probably not worth it yet.
- No setup cost entered: we can only judge the time saved.
UK median starting price: £1,500. This is the median of the lowest one-off project price (workflow automation, AI agent or custom build, or scope not stated) published by each of 73 agencies in the TAI Price Index. Workflow automation builds alone have a median starting price of £1,497 (24 agencies). It's a starting price, not a quote.
Default hourly costs come from public pay statistics for 15 countries. See sources and rates.
All from the figures you enter. An estimate, not advice.