About Us
Most AI offers are priced for large companies. We set out to change that for small and mid-size businesses and the firms that advise them, and this page explains what we stand for and how you can hold us to it.
Our mission
Make AI affordable for small and mid-size businesses and for CPA firms. That means showing the cheapest option first, quoting plainly and saying so when you do not need to spend more. It also means a certain kind of restraint. We do not push the largest package. We do not use jargon to impress. And we do not pretend that AI will solve problems it will not.
What we noticed
The people we want to help usually describe the same experience. They hear about AI everywhere and are not sure what it means for them. They are offered either nothing or something far larger than they need. They worry about cost, accuracy and being tied to a supplier they do not understand. Meanwhile, the work that eats their time is ordinary: documents, messages, records, reports. A good answer to that kind of problem rarely needs a research team. It needs someone willing to look at the task, find the cheapest workable fix and be honest about what it will and will not do.
How we work
These are the rules we hold ourselves to.
- Cost first: three levels for every need, cheapest on the left.
- Plain English: no jargon, no hype.
- Specific: real scopes and written quotes.
- Honest: we do not claim clients, awards or certifications we do not have.
What the rules mean in practice
| Rule | What you will see |
|---|---|
| Cost first | A Launch Kit or ready-made agent offered before a custom build |
| Plain English | Proposals you can read without a glossary |
| Specific | A written scope, deliverables and price before work starts |
| Honest | Examples labeled as illustrative, and no invented testimonials |
| A person in control | Review steps designed into every solution |
R&D tax credit software
Our R&D tax credit offering includes white-label versions of TaxTrex and creditARMOR, which are Swanson Reed products. Details are on our R&D Tax Credit AI pages. We are careful about what we say: the products are described only as far as Swanson Reed has provided, terms are proposals until confirmed, and we do not give tax advice. A licensed CPA or enrolled agent reviews every claim.
What we do not claim
This site does not publish client names, testimonials, awards, rankings or statistics, because we will not include them until they are real and approved. We do not claim security certifications. We do not claim to be an insurer. We do not guarantee savings, credits or outcomes. When we give an example, we label it as illustrative. If that makes the site look plainer than some, we accept the trade.
What working with us looks like
- 1
A free call
We learn how your work flows and tell you honestly where AI could help and where it could not.
- 2
A written scope
If there is something worth doing, you receive a scope and a quote, with the cheapest route first.
- 3
Small steps
We build or advise in stages, so you see results early.
- 4
Handover
You receive the work, documentation and training, and you are free to continue without us.
Where to find us
Cost Guru | Affordable AI Implementation, 1120 South Freeway, Suite 123, Fort Worth, TX 76104. Email hello@cost.guru or call (480) 696-8863. We do not use contact forms. You can also book a free call using the link on the site.
Why we are plain about what we are
A newer business has a choice. It can dress itself up with borrowed credibility, or it can say what it is and let its work speak. We chose the second. That makes this page shorter than it might be, and it means you will not find a gallery of logos or a wall of quotations. What you will find is a description of how we work and what you can hold us to. As we do more and as clients are willing to be named, we will add them. Until then, we would rather you judged us on a conversation than on a claim.
What you can hold us to
- We will show you the cheapest workable option first.
- We will put scope and price in writing before paid work begins.
- We will tell you when you do not need what we sell.
- We will label examples as illustrative and not present them as results.
- We will not claim certifications, clients or awards we cannot support.
A word on size
We are a small business serving other small businesses. That has advantages: a short chain between you and the person who does the work, and no incentive to push a bigger package to hit a target. It also has limits, which we try to be honest about. We cannot take on everything, and we will tell you if a job is outside what we can do well. If that happens, we would rather point you elsewhere than stretch ourselves.
About questions
Who is behind Cost Guru?
We have not published names or biographies on this site yet. Contact us and you will speak with the people who do the work.
Are you connected to Swanson Reed?
TaxTrex and creditARMOR are Swanson Reed products, and we present white-label versions. Please ask us if you want to know more about the relationship.
Do you work with large companies?
Our focus is small and mid-size businesses and the firms that advise them. If you are larger, contact us and we will say whether we are a good fit.
Why no client logos?
Because we will not display what we cannot support. We will add them when they are real and approved.
Find out what AI would cost you
Book a free call. We will map three opportunities and give you a rough idea of cost and payback.