Guide
AI Agency vs AI SaaS: Which Makes More? Verified Revenue Compared
Should you sell AI as a service or as software? We compared 46 verified AI agencies and service businesses with 1,230 AI SaaS products.
The classic advice is “start with an agency, then turn it into software.” Our data says the first half of that advice holds up well.
Our directory of 2,111 AI business stacks includes 46 agencies and service businesses and 1,230 SaaS products with monthly recurring revenue (MRR) verified on TrustMRR, which reads the number straight from the payment provider.
Head to head
| AI agency or service | AI SaaS | |
|---|---|---|
| Verified businesses with MRR | 46 | 1,230 |
| Median MRR | $837 | $294 |
| Share at $1,000+ MRR | 46% (21) | 28% (347) |
| Businesses at $10,000+ MRR | 9 (20%) | 86 (7%) |
| Top verified MRR | $167,833 | $863,632 |
| Scales without hiring? | Not easily | Yes |
Revenue verified on TrustMRR, October 29, 2026. Verified only.
What the numbers say
Agencies get paid sooner and more. The median agency makes almost three times the median SaaS product, and one in five passes $10,000 a month. A client paying $2,000 a month for a done-for-you service is worth a hundred $20 subscribers, and you only need to find one.
SaaS has the higher ceiling. The biggest SaaS earner makes five times the biggest agency. Software scales without adding people; services do not.
The sample is small. 46 agencies is enough to see a pattern, not enough for precise numbers. Most agencies do not connect revenue to TrustMRR, so the ones here are the confident ones.
Top verified AI agencies and services
- AI search (AEO) optimization agency: $167,833 MRR.
- Hybrid live tutor + AI language platform: $154,171 MRR.
- Done-for-you faceless video studio: $66,233 MRR.
- Reddit + AI recommendation agency: $34,750 MRR.
- AI e-commerce automation services: $27,601 MRR.
- Clinical mentorship membership: $25,773 MRR.
- Managed AI support agent for Shopify brands: $17,837 MRR.
- AI + expert e-commerce growth studio: $13,129 MRR.
- Done-for-you AI SEO automation service: $13,015 MRR.
- Solo AI-assisted SEO consulting: $5,763 MRR.
- AI-assisted cold email and LinkedIn agency: $5,616 MRR.
- Convert AI-built sites to WordPress: $3,359 MRR.
- AI social media to bookings for hotels: $2,148 MRR.
What the winning agencies sell
- Visibility. AI search, Reddit and SEO agencies dominate. Companies will pay a lot to be the answer ChatGPT gives.
- A managed AI worker. A support agent for Shopify brands, run and tuned for them. The client wants the outcome, not the software.
- Content at volume. Faceless video studios produce finished videos every week.
- AI plus a human. The tutoring platform and the growth studio mix AI with expert people, and charge for both.
How to choose
Start an agency if you need income this quarter, you have a skill (SEO, ads, support, video) and you can sell to a few clients directly. Use AI to deliver three times the work. See the AI automation agency stack.
Build SaaS if you can reach many small buyers cheaply (SEO, an app store, a community) and you are willing to wait a year for meaningful revenue. See AI micro SaaS ideas.
Or do the classic path: run the service by hand for five clients, notice what you repeat, and turn that into software. Several SaaS products on this site started that way.
More in the revenue study and best AI tools for small business.
Every stack in this guide, side by side
This guide links 13 stacks. 13 have payment-verified revenue. The typical stack is about 50% automated, so plan on doing the rest yourself. "MRR" means monthly recurring revenue, what subscribers pay each month. Revenue figures come from each stack's source and date; tap a name for the full breakdown.
| Stack | Revenue (as reported) | Startup cost | Difficulty | Automated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Search (AEO) Optimization Agency | $167,833 MRR (Stripe-verified, TrustMRR) | Not disclosed | Medium | 50% |
| Hybrid Live Tutor + AI Language Platform | ~$154,171 MRR; $597,771 verified revenue last 30 days (TrustMRR/Stripe, Oct 23, 2026) | Not disclosed | Hard | 50% |
| Done-for-You Faceless Video Studio | $66,233 MRR (Stripe-verified, TrustMRR, Oct 2026) | Not disclosed | Medium | 75% |
| Reddit + AI Recommendation Agency | $34,750 MRR (Stripe-verified, TrustMRR, Oct 2026) | Not disclosed | Hard | 50% |
| AI E-commerce Automation Software & Services | ~$27,601 MRR; $38,092 verified revenue last 30 days (TrustMRR/Stripe, Oct 23, 2026) | Not disclosed | Hard | 50% |
| Clinical Mentorship Membership for Healthcare Pros | ~$25,773 MRR; $37,454 verified revenue last 30 days (TrustMRR/Stripe, Oct 23, 2026) | Not disclosed | Hard | 50% |
| Managed AI Support Agent for Shopify Brands | $17,837 MRR (Stripe-verified, TrustMRR, Oct 2026) | Not disclosed | Hard | 70% |
| AI + Expert E-commerce Growth Studio | ~$13,129 MRR; $14,749 verified revenue last 30 days (TrustMRR/Stripe, Oct 24, 2026) | Not disclosed | Medium | 50% |
| Done-for-You AI SEO Automation Service | ~$13,015 MRR; $15,264 verified revenue last 30 days (TrustMRR/Stripe, Oct 24, 2026) | Not disclosed | Medium | 50% |
| Solo AI-Assisted SEO Consulting Practice | ~$5,763 MRR; $5,730 verified revenue last 30 days (TrustMRR/Stripe, Oct 24, 2026) | Not disclosed | Medium | 50% |
| AI-Assisted Cold Email & LinkedIn Agency | ~$5,616 MRR; $6,728 verified revenue last 30 days (TrustMRR/Stripe, Oct 23, 2026) | Not disclosed | Medium | 50% |
| Convert AI-Built Sites to WordPress | ~$3,359 MRR; $4,424 verified revenue last 30 days (TrustMRR/Stripe, Oct 23, 2026) | Not disclosed | Medium | 50% |
| AI Social Media to Bookings for Hotels | ~$2,148 MRR; $2,158 verified revenue last 30 days (TrustMRR/Stripe, Oct 23, 2026) | Not disclosed | Medium | 50% |
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