Fractional CTO vs Consultant
One leads your team and owns outcomes. The other delivers advice and leaves. Here's how to choose the right model for your startup.
Book a Free ConsultationThe Fundamental Difference
Fractional CTO
Hired to lead your technology function part-time. Joins your team, attends your meetings, manages your engineers, represents you to investors, and owns the outcomes.
Their job is to make your company successful. Their accountability is ongoing.
Consultant
Hired to provide expert advice on a specific problem. Analyzes your situation, delivers recommendations in a report or slide deck, and moves on to the next client.
Their job is to be right. Their accountability ends when the engagement ends.
Think of it this way: a consultant is like a doctor who diagnoses your illness and writes a prescription. A fractional CTO is like a doctor who monitors your vitals daily, adjusts your treatment as needed, and stays until you're healthy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Fractional CTO | Consultant | |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship | Part of your team | External vendor |
| Duration | Ongoing (months/years) | Project-based (weeks/months) |
| Accountability | Owns outcomes | Owns deliverables |
| Team leadership | Yes—leads engineers | No—advises leadership |
| Investor meetings | Represents company | Not typically |
| Decision authority | Makes decisions | Recommends decisions |
| Typical cost | $5K-$15K/month | $200-$500/hour or project fee |
When to Hire Each
Hire a Fractional CTO When...
Your technical co-founder left and you need someone to lead the team immediately
You're a non-technical founder who needs a technical partner
You're raising funding and need someone to answer VC technical questions
You're scaling and things are breaking—you need someone who's seen this before
You can't afford a full-time CTO at $300K-$500K+ annually
Hire a Consultant When...
You need a one-time audit: security assessment, code review, architecture evaluation
You need specialized expertise you'll never need again (specific migration, compliance)
You need a second opinion to break a tie on a technical decision
You're buying credibility—you need a big-name firm's stamp of approval
You have internal capability to implement whatever they recommend
The Economics
Typical Consultant Engagement
$200-$500/hour × 20 hours/week × 12 weeks
$48,000 - $120,000
At the end: a report. Maybe some implemented changes. The consultant moves on.
Typical Fractional CTO Engagement
$5,000-$15,000/month × 3 months
$15,000 - $45,000
At the end: a functioning technology organization, an ongoing relationship, and someone who knows your business deeply.
The fractional model is often cheaper and more valuable. You're not paying for advice. You're paying for outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a fractional CTO and a consultant?
A fractional CTO is embedded in your team, leads engineers, represents your company to investors, and is accountable for outcomes. A consultant provides expert advice, delivers reports or recommendations, and typically has a defined end date with no ongoing accountability.
How much does a fractional CTO cost compared to a consultant?
Fractional CTOs typically charge $5,000-$15,000 per month on retainer for ongoing leadership. Consultants often charge $200-$500 per hour or project-based fees starting at $10,000-$50,000. The fractional model is more cost-effective for ongoing needs, while consulting works better for specific, time-bound projects.
Can a fractional CTO replace a full-time CTO?
Yes, for most startups from seed through Series A, a fractional CTO can provide the same strategic value at 20-40% of the cost. The fractional model works best when you need senior technical leadership but don't have enough work or budget to justify a $300K-$500K full-time executive salary.
Can I use both a fractional CTO and consultants?
Absolutely. Many clients bring me in as their fractional CTO for ongoing leadership, then hire specialized consultants for specific projects I identify—security penetration testing, FinOps optimization, regulatory compliance. The fractional CTO is the general contractor; consultants are the specialists brought in for specific jobs.
Not Sure What You Need?
Let's talk. I'll give you an honest assessment of whether you need a fractional CTO, a consultant, or something else entirely—even if that means I'm not the right fit. See how I've helped US startups.