SDR Cost vs AI Lead Generation Calculator

Calculate the true cost of hiring SDRs versus using AI-powered lead generation. See your potential savings instantly.

100% Free Tool
No Credit Card Required
Instant Results

Your Details

20

How many qualified sales meetings do you want per month?

Where would you hire SDRs?

How many SDRs do you currently have?

What's your average annual contract value?

4

How long until new SDRs are fully productive?

25%

What % of SDRs leave each year?

Annual Cost Comparison

Traditional SDR Team
$243,000
3 SDRs required
AI Lead Generation
$38,500
punchDev service
💰 Your Annual Savings
$204,500
84% cost reduction

Key Metrics

SDR Cost/Meeting
$1,013
AI Cost/Meeting
$160
Break-even
< 1 mo

3-Year Cost Projection

Get Your Detailed ROI Report

Download a personalized PDF report with full cost breakdown, 3-year projections, and implementation recommendations.

How This Calculator Works

Our calculations are based on real-world data from B2B SaaS companies and industry benchmarks. Here's what we factor into the numbers.

SDR Salary Data

Base salaries sourced from Glassdoor, Built In, and RepVue salary databases (2025 data). We add 25% for benefits (health insurance, 401k, payroll taxes) based on BLS employer cost averages.

  • US: $70K base salary
  • UK: £45K (~$55K USD)
  • EU: €45K (~$50K USD)
  • Other: $45K (APAC/LATAM avg)

Ramp Time Costs

New SDRs take 3-6 months to reach full productivity. During ramp, they generate 50% fewer meetings while earning full salary. We calculate lost opportunity cost at $500 per missed meeting.

This reflects the average value of a qualified meeting that could have been booked by a fully-ramped SDR.

Turnover Impact

Average SDR turnover is 25-35% annually (Bridge Group, 2024). Replacement costs include recruiting fees (50% of base salary), lost productivity during ramp, and knowledge loss.

Higher turnover rates compound costs significantly—a 40% turnover rate can add $30K+ per SDR annually.

Hidden Costs

We include often-overlooked expenses:

  • Sales tools: $200/mo per SDR (CRM, sales engagement, data providers)
  • Management overhead: $80K manager salary divided across team (if >3 SDRs)
  • Desk space: Not included (varies widely by location)

AI Pricing Model

Our AI lead generation pricing is based on punchDev's actual service tiers:

  • ≤15 meetings/mo: $3,000/mo
  • 16-25 meetings/mo: $4,500/mo
  • 26-35 meetings/mo: $6,000/mo
  • 35+ meetings/mo: $7,500/mo

Includes $2,500 one-time setup fee (CRM integration, messaging templates, ICP research).

Performance Assumptions

We assume an average SDR books 15 qualified meetings per month at full productivity. This is based on the Bridge Group's SDR Metrics Report (2024) median across B2B SaaS.

Your actual SDR performance may vary by ICP complexity, deal size, and market maturity. Enterprise ICPs typically yield 8-12 meetings/mo; SMB can exceed 20/mo.

Data Sources

  • Salary data: Glassdoor, Built In, RepVue (2025 Q1 data)
  • Benefits costs: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employer Costs Report
  • SDR performance benchmarks: Bridge Group SDR Metrics & Compensation Report 2024
  • Turnover rates: LinkedIn Workforce Report, Sales Talent Agency data
  • Tool costs: G2, Capterra public pricing (Outreach, SalesLoft, Apollo, ZoomInfo averages)

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these calculations accurate for my situation?

The calculator provides industry-average estimates based on real data from hundreds of B2B SaaS companies. Your actual costs may vary based on:

  • Geographic location and local salary markets
  • Your specific ICP complexity (enterprise vs SMB)
  • Current sales processes and conversion rates
  • Existing infrastructure and tooling

For a customized analysis specific to your company, book a free strategy call where we'll review your actual numbers.

What's included in the SDR cost calculation?

We calculate the true fully-loaded cost of an SDR, not just base salary:

  • Base salary (location-adjusted)
  • Benefits (25% of salary: health, 401k, payroll taxes)
  • Ramp costs (lost productivity during 1-6 month ramp period)
  • Turnover costs (recruiting, training, knowledge loss)
  • Tools & software ($200/mo: CRM, engagement platform, data)
  • Management overhead (if team >3 SDRs, proportional manager cost)

We do NOT include desk space, onboarding costs, or commission (since that's performance-based and applies to both SDR and AI models).

How did you determine the AI pricing?

The AI costs shown are punchDev's actual service pricing:

  • $2,500 one-time setup (CRM integration, messaging templates, ICP research)
  • $3,000-$7,500/month based on meeting volume tiers

This includes everything: AI research, email personalization, reply handling, meeting booking, CRM updates, and ongoing optimization. No hidden fees, no per-seat charges, no tool stack costs.

Other AI SDR platforms may have different pricing structures. Contact us to discuss custom volume pricing.

Can I customize the calculation assumptions?

The calculator uses industry-standard assumptions to provide quick, reliable estimates. If you need custom assumptions (different SDR productivity rates, specific tool costs, unique benefits packages), book a strategy call.

We'll create a fully customized financial model based on:

  • Your actual or target SDR performance data
  • Specific salary ranges for your market
  • Your current tool stack costs
  • Historical turnover and ramp time data

Why is turnover such a big cost factor?

SDR turnover averages 25-35% annually, which means:

  • You lose a fully-ramped SDR every 3-4 years (on average)
  • Replacement costs ~50% of base salary in recruiting fees alone
  • 3-6 months of lost productivity during new hire ramp
  • Knowledge and relationship loss with prospects

For a $70K SDR with 25% turnover and 4-month ramp, you're paying an extra $20K+ annually just from churn. This compounds with larger teams.

AI lead generation has zero turnover cost—the "team" never quits, never needs vacation, and maintains institutional knowledge indefinitely.

What if my situation is different from the defaults?

The calculator is designed for typical B2B SaaS companies targeting mid-market or enterprise accounts. It may underestimate or overestimate costs if you:

  • Sell to enterprise: SDRs may book fewer meetings (8-12/mo), increasing cost per meeting
  • Sell to SMB: SDRs may exceed 20 meetings/mo, making them more cost-effective
  • Have very low turnover: If you retain SDRs >3 years, your costs will be lower than shown
  • Pay above/below market: Adjust the "location" setting to approximate your salary range

For a detailed analysis of your specific situation, schedule a free consultation.

Does AI actually work as well as human SDRs?

This is the most common objection we hear. The short answer: it depends on what you're optimizing for.

AI excels at:

  • Volume prospecting (100s-1000s of personalized emails per month)
  • Consistent quality (no "bad days" or performance variance)
  • Speed (instant reply handling, 24/7 operation)
  • Data-driven optimization (A/B testing every variable)

Human SDRs excel at:

  • Complex objection handling and nuanced conversations
  • Building relationships over long sales cycles
  • Adapting to highly dynamic/emerging markets
  • White-glove, fully custom outreach (5-10 touches per prospect)

Most B2B SaaS companies find that AI can handle 70-80% of outbound prospecting while human SDRs focus on high-value, high-touch accounts. This is often the best of both worlds.

See our blog post on 5 signs you need AI lead generation to assess fit for your situation.

What happens after I download the report?

You'll receive:

  • Instant PDF download with your personalized results
  • 5-email educational sequence over 10 days covering AI lead generation strategy, implementation, and case studies
  • No sales calls unless you book one—we won't spam you

You can unsubscribe from the email sequence at any time. We respect your inbox.

Built by Founders, For Founders

This calculator was created by Georges Duplessy, founder of punchDev Marketing, after working with dozens of B2B SaaS companies struggling with SDR hiring, retention, and costs.

The formulas reflect real-world data from:

  • 50+ conversations with VP Sales and CROs about SDR team costs
  • Industry salary and performance benchmarks (Bridge Group, Glassdoor, RepVue)
  • 3+ years operating AI-powered lead generation for B2B SaaS clients

We built this calculator to help founders make informed decisions about how to scale outbound—whether that's hiring SDRs, using AI, or a hybrid approach.

50+
B2B SaaS Companies Analyzed
78%
Average Cost Reduction with AI
< 30 days
Average Implementation Time