Have you ever been startled by the automatic charges on your credit card at the start of each month?

In an era where every service has shifted to a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) monthly subscription model, it’s easy to fall into the “just a little bit of everything” trap. $10 for this AI tool, $20 for that video editor, plus a few dollars for extra cloud storage… It seems affordable at first glance, but add it all up and the total is anything but small. And when you calculate the annual cost, it’s truly a staggering figure!

This article compiles all the pricing for the most popular tech services available today. At the end, you can check off the services you’re using to calculate exactly how much you’re spending every month.

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Newest — and Most Expensive — Category

Over the past six months, AI assistants have become indispensable for tech professionals, developers, and content creators. But this is also the category draining your wallet the fastest.

  • ChatGPT (OpenAI):
    • ChatGPT Go: ~$8/month – The budget-friendly option that covers basic needs.
    • ChatGPT Plus: ~$20/month – For those who need the latest models and custom GPTs.
    • ChatGPT Pro: ~$100 - $200/month – High-end configuration for power users.
  • Claude (Anthropic):
    • Claude Pro: ~$20/month – Beloved by developers and document handlers for its extensive context and natural responses.
    • Claude Max: ~$100 - $200/month
  • Google Gemini:
    • Gemini Plus: ~$4.99/month
    • Google AI Pro: ~$19.99/month – The biggest advantage is the bundled 2TB Google One storage.
  • Coding & Image Generation:
    • Cursor Pro / GitHub Copilot: ~$10 - $20/month – Essential for speeding up your coding workflow.
    • Midjourney / Leonardo AI: ~$10 - $30/month – For graphic design and rendering.

2. Video Editing & Content Creation Tools

Creating short videos (Reels, TikTok, Shorts) or YouTube content is no longer exclusive to professional editors.

  • CapCut Pro: ~$4.50 - $6/month – A popular choice thanks to its rich effects library and highly accurate automatic Vietnamese subtitles.
  • Adobe Creative Cloud (Premiere, After Effects, Photoshop): ~$25/month (single app) or ~$60/month (all apps) – The industry-standard toolkit for professional work.
  • Descript: ~$12 - $24/month – Edit videos by editing text, perfect for podcasts or vlogs.

3. Productivity, Management & Design Software

Tools that keep your daily work running smoothly without data loss:

  • Canva Pro: ~$6/month – Create slides, YouTube thumbnails, and social media banners in minutes.
  • Notion Plus / AI: ~$10 - $18/month – Your second brain for project management, notes, and work documents.
  • Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, OneDrive): ~$7/month – Still the irreplaceable standard in enterprise environments.
  • Google Workspace: ~$6 - $18/month/user – For those using custom domain email.

4. Social Media, Utilities & Entertainment

Small recurring expenses that continue every single month:

  • YouTube Premium: ~$3.20/month (Individual) or ~$6/month (Family) – Ad-free viewing and background music playback.
  • Zalo Business (Basic / Pro): ~$1.20 - $8/month – Essential if you sell products or manage customers through Zalo.
  • Spotify / Apple Music: ~$2.40 - $4/month – High-quality music streaming.
  • LinkedIn Premium / X (Twitter) Premium: ~$8 - $40/month – For personal branding or job hunting.

5. Infrastructure & Security (The Hidden Cost for Coders)

Beyond user-facing apps, tech professionals often have additional fixed costs for underlying infrastructure:

  • Cloud Storage (iCloud / Google One): ~$2 - $9/month (200GB to 2TB) – Extra storage so you never run out of phone space.
  • Hosting, Domain & Server (Vercel, Cloudflare, VPS): ~$0 - $20/month – To maintain blogs, websites, or personal applications.
  • Password Manager (1Password / Bitwarden): ~$3 - $5/month – Securely store hundreds of accounts.
  • VPN (NordVPN, Surfshark…): ~$3 - $12/month – Secure your connection and access geo-restricted services.

Calculate How Much You’re Spending Each Month

Below is an interactive cost calculator. Simply check off the services you’re paying for, and the system will automatically calculate your total monthly spending, displaying it in a sticky banner at the bottom of your screen!

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