How we built the ROI calculator, and why the real number is usually higher
Our methodology for calculating time and margin recovery, plus what builders consistently under-estimate.
The ROI calculator on our home page gives a conservative estimate. Here's the methodology behind it, and why most builders who switch tell us the actual return is higher than the calculator suggests.
What we measure
The calculator measures time recovered and its financial value. Inputs: invoices per week, minutes per invoice, and your hourly value. The output is hours recovered per month, the financial value of that time, and the net return after the cost of AI Plus ($199/month).
What we don't measure
The calculator doesn't capture: margin recovered from variations that would otherwise be missed, margin recovered from cost overruns caught earlier, the cost of errors (wrong job coding, duplicate payments, missed credits), or the cost of staff time that would otherwise be redirected to AP. When builders have tracked these, they typically add 30–60% to the headline number.
The comparison we use
A part-time construction bookkeeper in Australia costs $25–$40/hour. For the AP workload of a typical Ready Team builder, that's 8–12 hours per week, or $1,000–$1,800/month. AI Plus is $199/month. The comparison isn't time value, it's direct cost replacement.
The builders who see the highest ROI are those who have been paying for bookkeeping support and switch to Betty. The ones who see a more modest ROI are those who were doing it themselves and value their time conservatively. Both numbers are real.