Fractional CMO Pricing: Every Rate, One Page
AI Growth Systems operator. Two product ladders, all rates public. Classic fractional CMO pricing: Diagnostic $6-8K, Operator $8-18K/mo, Advisory from $3K/mo. AI systems track: Audit $3K, Foundation $7,500/mo, Premium $12-20K/mo. No contact-us-for-pricing theater.
AI Growth Systems: the operating layer between your ads account and your bank account. Three choices, three accountability levels. Diagnose the leaks: Audit or Diagnostic, one week to 30 days, you get the ROI map and implementation roadmap - keep it whether you continue or not. Install the machine: Foundation at $7,500/mo, I build the automation stack and attribution pipeline on your accounts, you own it at the end. Own the growth number: Premium/hybrid or Operator at $8-18K/mo, one senior operator takes accountability for the revenue line and runs the machine. Same capabilities underneath, different scope, different price. Month-to-month after the install period.
The comparison is not fractional CMO vs agency. It is fractional CMO vs a full-time CMO at $300-500K loaded, six months to ramp, and twelve months notice period. Fractional CMO pricing at the Operator level runs $8-18K per month: $96-216K per year, no equity, no benefits, week-one start. The AI track starts at a $3,000 one-week audit. I don't rent you ChatGPT. I install a growth machine.
Fractional CMO Pricing: Diagnostic, Operator, Advisory
Published rates. Month-to-month. No retainer lock-in. Source: engagement models.
AI Growth Systems Pricing: Audit, Foundation, Premium
Published rates. You keep the machine when the engagement ends. Source: AI marketing systems.
Good, Better, Best: One-Screen Decision
| Good | Better | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | AI Marketing Audit | AI Foundation | AI Growth OS (Hybrid) |
| Price | $3,000 | $7,500/mo | $12-20K/mo |
| Includes | Map + ROI + roadmap | Automations + attribution + content system | Foundation + paid ownership + GEO + agents + exec cadence |
| Outcome | Clarity | Machine running | Number ownership + machine |
| Classic parallel | Diagnostic $6-8K | Operator $8-18K/mo | Hybrid Operator + AI |
Who This Is For and Who It Is Not For
Good fit
B2B SaaS post-PMF spending $20K+ per month on paid with no clean attribution.
CEOs who fired their agency and need systems, not another retainer.
Companies that cut marketing headcount and need the output without the seat.
Funded startups 3-6 months from a raise who need CAC and payback the board can underwrite.
Israeli companies selling into the US or Europe who want both contexts in one operator.
Not a fit
Pre-revenue consumer products without activation math. Diagnostic first.
Free advisory board requests. I don't take equity-only ongoing work.
Full-time UA lead searches at the mid-band. Different product, different market.
Teams that want cheaper agency media buying. Agency Replacement is systems, not cheaper ads.
Companies that want ChatGPT seats, not a machine. The AI track installs infrastructure.
What These Engagements Do Not Cover
Fractional CMO pricing at the Operator and AI Premium level does not include media spend. Budget flows through your own ad accounts; I manage the strategy and the attribution layer, not the payment method. Creative production beyond brief and iteration notes is out of scope unless a Creative Factory module is added. Legal, HR, and product roadmap decisions stay with your leadership. I own the growth number, not the company.
Advisory engagements ($3K/mo and above) do not include execution. One weekly session and async access is the scope. If you need hands in your stack, that is the Operator or Foundation track.
Every engagement ends with documentation and transfer, not a dependency on me personally. That is explicit in the scope. The machine keeps running when I step back.
Proof Behind the Pricing
"A full-time UA lead at mid-band runs campaigns. I am not in that market. I install a growth system - measurement, paid discipline, and AI ops - that replaces multiple junior seats. Different product, different price."
At Elementor I grew acquisition from $200K to $20M ARR. At Riverside I ran $450K/month in paid while delivering +337% MRR. cnvrg.io was acquired by Intel after I built the demand generation function. The fractional CMO pricing reflects what that track record can do in a part-time footprint at your company. See case studies for the verified numbers.
Fractional CMO Pricing vs Your Real Alternatives
The comparison is not fractional CMO vs agency. It is fractional CMO vs a full-time hire and what you lose in the gap.
A VP of Marketing in the US costs $180-280K base plus benefits, equity, and 3-6 months to ramp. A CMO is $300-500K all-in, typically with a 12-month notice period. US fractional firms (Chief Outsiders, similar) charge $12-20K per month for partner-level strategy without hands. Fractional CMO pricing at the Operator level removes that gap: same person, strategy plus execution, $8-18K per month.
The AI Foundation at $7,500/mo installs the machine a junior growth hire would spend 12 months building, if they could build it at all. The AI Premium/hybrid band at $12-20K/mo replaces three full-time junior seats at $60-80K each in salary, benefits, and management overhead. The math closes fast. See the engagement models page for the full comparison table.
Hourly work is available at $300/hr for scoped one-off sessions. Hourly does not work for ongoing growth ownership because growth compounds and hourly billing does not. The Diagnostic at $6-8K is the lowest-risk entry in the market, not a free discovery call from a firm selling you a $20K retainer. For a breakdown of what drives rates in the market, see BLS marketing manager compensation data and HBR on C-suite skill leverage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fractional CMO Pricing
What does fractional CMO pricing cover vs what is extra?
All engagement rates cover my time, strategy, and hands-on execution. They do not include media budget (flows through your ad accounts), legal or HR decisions, or product roadmap work. AI Foundation and Premium include the automation infrastructure I build on your stack. You own it at the end. Anything outside that scope is scoped separately before the engagement starts.
Why publish fractional CMO pricing instead of scoping each deal?
Because hiding prices is a sales tactic, not a client benefit. Published rates filter for clients who know what they are buying and respect the work. Those engagements produce results. The firm that says "let us scope it together" almost always means "let us find your ceiling." My ceiling is published here.
How does the Diagnostic become an Operator or Foundation engagement?
The Diagnostic ends with a prioritized revenue plan. If the highest-leverage moves require ongoing execution, the next conversation is about Operator or Foundation. If you can execute the plan internally, you keep it and we stop. No pressure path. Most clients who complete a Diagnostic choose to continue; about 20% execute the plan with their own team. Both outcomes are in scope from day one.
ILS, VAT, and contracts: what Israeli companies need to know
Rates are in USD. Israeli business entities can request ILS billing; the rate is converted at the transfer-day bank rate and stated in the contract. VAT at the current statutory rate applies to engagements billed to Israeli businesses under Israeli law; international clients pay USD ex-VAT. Contracts run month-to-month after an initial install period (typically 30-90 days depending on track), with 30 days written notice to exit. There is no lock-in after that. I communicate with Israeli clients via WhatsApp and in Hebrew or English, whichever you prefer. IL operating context - budget seasonality, agency market dynamics, US and EU expansion mechanics - is native to this work, not an add-on.
What is the AI Growth OS Hybrid and how does it differ from AI Premium?
AI Premium installs the AI systems and manages marketing ops. The Hybrid layer adds full Operator-level involvement: I own the revenue number, manage paid channels directly, and run the growth function as a fractional CMO/CGO with the AI stack underneath. Price band is $12-20K/mo depending on scope. Book a scoping call and I will tell you which track fits your stage.
What does "you keep the machine" mean?
Every AI systems engagement is documented and transferred at the end. The n8n workflows, attribution pipelines, dashboards, and content systems are built on your accounts, not mine. When I step back, nothing stops. That is the explicit design: a growth system that outlives the person who built it. I grew the Elementor organic engine the same way. It kept compounding after I left. See the case studies for how that plays out in practice.
Start with the free AI Visibility Audit or book the $3K stack audit
The free AI Visibility Audit runs in under two minutes and scores your brand across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and AI Overviews. If the score is low, the $3,000 AI Marketing Audit maps exactly what needs to change and why. That is the lowest-risk entry point in fractional CMO pricing. Most clients who complete it move to Foundation or Operator within 30 days.