How much does a decision engine cost? What drives the price

What cost lines make up a decision engine project?

A decision engine project carries four cost lines. The first is the engagement fee or licence paid to the provider. The second is the time your own team spends on briefing, interviews, and document gathering. The third is the effort to act on the result. The fourth is follow-up, when the score is refreshed after the first delivery. Each line can be estimated in hours or in US$ before the first call.

Listing the four lines before you ask for quotes makes offers comparable. A low fee with heavy internal effort can cost your team more hours than a fuller package, so write both columns, fee and hours, on the same sheet. The rest of this guide focuses on the fee and the drivers behind it.

Which factors drive the price of a decision engine?

Five factors move the price. Depth of analysis comes first: a light audit costs less than a model that also projects scenarios. Volume of data follows, since integrating many documents takes more computation and review. Delivery time matters, because a result in 24 hours uses capacity differently from one in 6 weeks.

The last two factors are the depth of human review and the follow-up. The EQOS Asia method states that review is lighter on entry-level tiers and complete on Study, Diagnostic, Mapping, and Mission tiers (EQOS Asia method page, as of October 2026). Monthly follow-up adds a recurring line to the budget.

What does each tier of the EQOS Asia decision engine grid include?

The grid has 8 tiers, and the difference comes from how many pillars activate and at what depth. A Reading at US$358 is a lightweight audit with a mathematical answer in 24-48 hours. A Decision at US$910 adds modelling of your documents in 48-72 hours. A Study at US$1,369 activates audit, modelling, and prediction in 5-7 days (EQOS Asia pricing page, as of October 2026).

A Diagnostic at US$2,288 takes the three pillars in depth over 2 weeks, with external data and a 60-minute video debrief. A Strategic Diagnostic at US$4,586 adds three validated scenarios and a Comex presentation in 2-3 weeks. A Mapping at US$22,976 integrates 100% of your data over 6-8 weeks. The pricing page details each tier.

How does the market price level change a decision engine quote?

The EQOS Asia grid is stated for Singapore in US$, and each market has its own price level. A Reading runs from US$136 in India to US$420 in Hong Kong, with Japan at US$376, Korea at US$328, and China at US$280 (EQOS Asia pricing page, as of October 2026). The Singapore Reading sits at US$358.

For a team working across several countries, invoices are issued in US$ so the group reports one clear figure. When your decision spans two or three markets, ask which price level applies to the entity that orders, and confirm it in writing before the kickoff.

How are monthly follow-up and long missions priced?

Sentinel keeps the model updated monthly after a Study, Diagnostic, or Mapping. It is priced on quote, with indicative ranges from US$1,100 per month for a simple individual or small business follow-up, rising to several thousand US$ per month for enterprise follow-up with external data, and a 6-month minimum commitment (EQOS Asia pricing page, as of October 2026).

Mission is the 12-month supported transformation, priced on quote from US$100K. It combines an initial Mapping, monthly follow-up, and quarterly workshops. Most readers of this guide start much lower: a single decision rarely calls for a recurring line, and Sentinel can be added after the first result if the situation keeps moving.

How is payment organised for a decision engine engagement?

Payment follows the size of the engagement. Reading, Decision, and Study can be paid immediately online by Stripe or by bank transfer in US$. Diagnostic and Strategic Diagnostic are paid by bank transfer, 50% on order and 50% on delivery. Mapping, Sentinel, and Mission are paid by bank transfer in US$, with quarterly instalments possible (EQOS Asia pricing page, as of October 2026).

EQOS Asia guarantees delivery of the mathematical verdict within the stated time, under NDA, and refunds 100% if the deliverable does not match the ordered service. Read the guarantee wording on the pricing page and compare it with the terms of every other provider on your list.

How do you match a tier and a budget to one decision?

Match the tier to the question. One specific question, such as whether to accept a position, suits a Reading. A structural choice such as a partnership, a contract, or a key hire suits a Decision. A succession, a buyout, or an offer pivot suits a Study, the first level that activates all three pillars (EQOS Asia pricing page, as of October 2026). Write the decision in one sentence first, then read the examples for each tier.

Two free steps help before you commit. The Λ simulator lets you rate 9 dimensions and read a score in real time, and the free 30-minute pre-diagnostic by video, in Singapore time (SGT, UTC+8), identifies the right level (EQOS Asia contact page, as of October 2026). Bring the decision, its deadline, and your budget range.

Frequently asked questions

About the author

Stéphane Jambu

President, EQOS Forecast Asia

Stéphane Jambu leads EQOS Forecast Asia and works as a consultant in e-commerce, search visibility, and AI. LinkedIn profile