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Fractional CTO

Fractional vs full-time CTO: year-one cost calculator

Hiring a full-time CTO costs more than the salary: recruiting fees, benefits, equity and the months it takes to get someone in seat. Adjust the numbers to your situation.

Example values. Change any of them to match your situation.

Year one

Full-time CTO
$304,167
Fractional CTO
$192,000
Fractional saves
$112,167

Months without senior technology leadership: 4 with a full-time hire, about two weeks with a fractional CTO.

Pricing for Digital Foundry engagements is by conversation. Contact us for pricing.

Start with a 30-day CTO Diagnostic

How this is calculated

  • Full-time, year one: recruiting fee (a % of base salary) plus loaded cost (base salary, benefits and payroll taxes, and annual equity value) for the months the hire is in seat (12 minus months to hire).
  • Fractional, year one: monthly retainer times the months of leadership you need (up to 12). The retainer default is an example, not a Digital Foundry price; pricing for our engagements is by conversation.
  • Recruiting fee, salary, equity, retainer and timing defaults are example values, not market data or quotes. This compares cash cost only, not fit, availability or long-term needs.