What is a fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing operator who joins your company part-time and owns the entire growth function end-to-end. Not a strategist who delivers decks. An operator who runs paid, writes the emails, sets up tracking, and is accountable for revenue.
When to hire a fractional CMO
- Post-PMF, $500K-$20M ARR, no full-time marketing leadership
- Existing marketing team needs senior direction
- Acquisition has plateaued and you need a senior diagnostic
- You’re scaling toward Series A/B and need defensible growth metrics
When NOT to hire one
- Pre-product startup still searching for ICP
- You only need paid media management (hire an agency)
- You want brand strategy decks (hire a brand consultant)
- Enterprise sales motion with $100K+ ACVs (different operator profile)
Pricing in 2026
$5K-$25K/month depending on scope, hours, and seniority. See the full fractional CMO pricing breakdown.
Compare options: fractional CMO vs agency | fractional CMO vs full-time CMO.
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