Canada (CAD)
United States (USD)
Estimate the all-in US-dollar cost of a fractional CTO versus a full-time hire. A fractional CTO gives you senior technical leadership at a fraction of a loaded full-time salary — without the equity, benefits, and severance overhead. Free, no email required — these are estimates, not financial advice.
Your estimate
USD- Fractional CTO
- $12,000/mo · $144,000/yr
- Full-time CTO (loaded)
- $33,333/mo · $400,000/yr
These figures are estimates for planning only — not a binding quote. Actual pricing is scoped to your engagement. Costs vary with scope and market — not financial advice.
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A fractional CTO and a developer — for less than one full-time CTO
At a startup or SMB, a full-time CTO often spends roughly 80% of their time on hands-on development and only 20% on strategy — CTO pay for work a developer can do. For less than that single salary, a fractional CTO can own strategy and architecture while a dedicated full-stack developer ships the roadmap: the right person on each job, not one expensive generalist stretched across both.