I built a free ROI calculator for the question I get asked most: "should I even automate this?"
After 120+ automation projects, the pattern is clear — clients waste more time deciding whether to automate than actually automating.
Most calculators exist to sell you software. This one doesn't.
Enter your hours, hourly cost, error rate, and tools. It calculates what the process is actually costing you, which tool fits (Apps Script, Make, AppSheet, Custom, or AI), and whether the build cost is justified — with break-even in months.
Free. No signup. Built from real project data.
→ alpray.com/automation-calculator.html
Would love feedback from anyone who's dealt with this decision.
This is super useful. Most ROI calculators are basically sales tools, so having one that’s neutral and based on real project data is refreshing.
I really like that you factor in hours, hourly cost, error rate, and even suggest the right level of tool (Apps Script vs Make vs custom vs AI) instead of pushing everything toward one solution. That mirrors how real automation decisions are made.
Interesting build.
One thing I'd be careful with:
The expensive mistake may not be automating a process that shouldn't be automated.
It may be becoming confident in the wrong reason for automating it.
Those sound similar, but they tend to create very different decisions downstream.
I wouldn't make that call casually from a calculator alone.