Fractional CTO
Fractional CTO vs hiring a VP of Engineering
A VP of Engineering runs a team you already have: sprint planning, hiring, performance, delivery cadence. A fractional CTO is for when you do not have that team yet, or when the open question is strategy rather than execution. Many companies hire the fractional CTO first to set direction and then bring on a VP of Engineering to run the build.
Related questions
- What is a fractional CTO?
A fractional CTO is a senior technology executive who works with a company part time on an ongoing basis while holding full CTO responsibility: strategy, architecture, vendor decisions, team structure, and board communication. The difference from a full-time CTO is cost and time to onboard, not seniority or scope of authority.
- How much does a fractional CTO cost?
Fractional CTO engagements generally range from $5,000 to $25,000 per month depending on seniority and time commitment. PrecisionLogic engagements run $12,000 to $15,000 per month. For comparison, a full-time CTO at equivalent seniority costs $350,000 to $500,000 loaded and takes four to six months to hire.
- When should a company hire a fractional CTO?
When technology decisions are becoming expensive to reverse and nobody senior owns them. Common triggers are an ATS or ERP replatform, an AI vendor evaluation, a board or PE sponsor asking about technology strategy, or growth that has outpaced the systems.
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Last updated: November 2026