How much an AI manager in Direct costs compared to a human manager
A Craft AI agent reply in Instagram Direct and Telegram costs from 1 credit. We work out what a thousand replies cost and what an AI manager won't replace.
In short: a Craft AI agent reply costs from 1 credit, and a credit costs 1.70 to 2.49 ₽ in packs. So 1,000 replies on the recommended model come to roughly 1,700–2,490 ₽ on top of your plan, or fit into your plan's credits. We don't know your manager's salary — plug in yours and compare. AI covers the first line; leave the deal to a person.
Who it's for#
Anyone deciding whether to hire a manager for Instagram Direct and Telegram or put AI there. It suits a creator, a shop or a manufacturer alike: the agent works by your rules and knowledge base.
What the price is made of#
- The plan. Solo is 1,990 ₽ a month with 450 credits. Credits are shared: they pay for chat, images and agent replies
- Agent replies. Every reply sent spends credits. The price depends on the model and on the size of the communication rule plus knowledge base:
| Model | up to 15,000 chars | up to 105,000 chars |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 5.5 — recommended | 1 | 1 |
| DeepSeek V4.1 Flash | 1 | 2 |
| Gemini 3.8 Flash | 1 | 3 |
| Claude Sonnet 5 | 2 | 10 |
| Claude Opus 5.5 | 5 | 20 |
Full table: AI agent in Instagram Direct.
- Extra credits, if the plan's aren't enough:
| Pack | Price | Per credit |
|---|---|---|
| 100 credits | 249 ₽ | 2.49 ₽ |
| 500 credits | 990 ₽ | 1.98 ₽ |
| 1,500 credits | 2,690 ₽ | ~1.79 ₽ |
| 5,000 credits | 8,490 ₽ | ~1.70 ₽ |
Purchased credits don't expire at the end of the month. More in Credits.
Example#
- 1,000 replies on Claude Haiku 5.5 — 1,000 credits. That's Solo's 450 credits plus a top-up, or about 1,700–2,490 ₽ at pack prices
- 1,000 replies on Claude Sonnet 5 with a knowledge base up to 15,000 characters — 2,000 credits, about 3,400–4,980 ₽
- Trial — 15 credits: 15 replies on a 1-credit model
Compare that with what a first-line manager costs you. Also count what the AI price doesn't include: training, sick days, night shifts.
💡 Credits are spent only for a reply that reached the person. If it wasn't sent — a failure, the customer wrote more, a staff member replied, or the Instagram window closed — the credits come back.
🔴 Out of credits — the agent stays silent. Craft warns you by email, in Telegram and in the bell at most once a day, but there are no replies until you top up.
⚠️ A big knowledge base on an expensive model raises the reply price noticeably. Start with the recommended model and switch if replies feel weak — the conversation isn't lost when you change models.
What an AI manager does and doesn't do#
It does: replies in Instagram Direct and Telegram in the customer's language, understands voice messages and photos, sends videos and catalogues from your funnels, hands a ready customer to staff with a summary, and can pause and show "typing…" like a person. The agent page shows how many replies it sent, how many it handed over and how many credits it used.
A human is needed for the deal, custom terms and complaints. So turn on "Hand ready-to-buy leads over to you" — see AI agent in Instagram Direct for how, and the manufacturing case for an example.
How to start#
- Open Automations → AI agent and pick the account
- Write the communication rule and upload the knowledge base — the exact reply price shows as you type
- Choose the model at the bottom of the page — your credit balance is there too
- Turn on handover and the agent
Not available yet#
- The agent isn't in VK, MAX or WhatsApp — only Instagram and Telegram
- The agent doesn't read stickers or reposts
- The agent doesn't make or see calls
- No more than 3,000 replies a day per account
FAQ#
How much does one AI agent reply cost?#
From 1 credit on Claude Haiku 5.5. Other models cost up to 20 credits, depending on the model and knowledge base size.
Will the plan's credits be enough?#
Solo gives 450 credits a month — up to 450 replies on a 1-credit model if you don't spend credits on chat and images. Top up with packs beyond that.
Do I pay for replies that weren't sent?#
No. Credits for an unsent reply come back.
Can AI fully replace a manager?#
The first line, yes: routine questions, product matching, materials, collecting contacts. Leave deals and complaints to a person.