Fractional CMO pricing, in full
Fractional CMO Pricing: Scope and Engagement Options
AI Growth Systems operator. Two product ladders: Diagnostic, Operator and Advisory, plus the AI Audit, Foundation and Premium track. Compare responsibilities, outputs, client inputs and handover. Product marketing, paid media, measurement, website build and brand build can shape the agreed scope; they are not automatically included in every track. Pricing depends on the engagement.
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, 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, one senior operator takes accountability for the revenue line and runs the machine. Same capabilities underneath, different scope, different price. Duration and terms depend on the engagement.
Compare the full cost and coverage of the options: salary or fees, benefits, equity, recruitment, ramp time and who implements the work. I bring senior growth leadership and hands-on execution in one engagement, with responsibilities and commercial terms agreed around your business needs. Where equity fits the engagement, equity-based structures are the third option. The AI track starts with an audit on an agreed timeline, with pricing dependent on the engagement. I don't rent you ChatGPT. I install a growth machine.
Classic engagement models
Fractional CMO Pricing: Diagnostic, Operator, Advisory
Compare the engagement scopes below. Duration and pricing depend on the engagement. Source: engagement models.
Diagnostic
Scope-dependent
one-time
- Delivery schedule agreed before work starts. Full funnel audit, tracking diagnosis, prioritized revenue plan. Exit: keep the plan even if we stop there. Most clients who complete a Diagnostic move to Operator. Some execute the plan internally. Both outcomes are fine.
Operator
Scope-dependent
per month
- Fractional CMO/CGO. Strategy plus execution plus attribution, one owner. This includes my hands in your stack and a revenue number I own, with pricing dependent on the engagement. Duration and pricing depend on the engagement.
Advisory
Scope-dependent
per month
- Weekly session plus async access. Board-level perspective when you have in-house execution but want senior judgment on strategy. Cash compensation is required; equity may supplement it. A standing relationship where the value is precision, not hours.
AI systems track
AI Growth Systems Pricing: Audit, Foundation, Premium
Compare the scopes below. You keep the machine when the engagement ends. Source: AI marketing systems.
AI Marketing Audit
Scope-dependent
one-time
- Full marketing stack audit. Automation readiness score. AI opportunity map with ROI projections per automation. Implementation roadmap. Delivery schedule agreed before work starts. Entry point before committing to a Foundation or Operator engagement.
AI Foundation
Scope-dependent
per month
- Custom n8n automation build, attribution pipeline setup, AI content production system, real-time dashboards, weekly strategy calls. The machine runs when nobody is prompting. Delivery schedule agreed before work starts. You own the stack at the end.
AI Premium
Scope-dependent
per month
- Foundation plus full marketing ops: paid channels on Google and Meta, SEO and GEO, lifecycle automation, monitoring coverage and executive reporting cadence agreed for the engagement. Systems-only or with full Operator accountability (revenue number ownership): scope and pricing depend on the engagement.
Good, Better, Best: One-Screen Decision
| Good | Better | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | AI Marketing Audit | AI Foundation | AI Growth OS (Hybrid) |
| Price | Scope-dependent | Scope-dependent | Scope-dependent |
| 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: scope-dependent pricing | Operator: scope-dependent pricing | Hybrid Operator + AI |
Fit guide
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. Advisory requires cash compensation; equity-only ongoing work is not offered.
- ✗ 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 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% Net 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 CMO is $300-500K all-in, typically with a 12-month notice period. Fractional CMO pricing at the Operator level removes that gap: same person, strategy plus execution, with pricing dependent on the engagement.
Compare the full cost and coverage of the options: salary or fees, benefits, equity, recruitment, ramp time and who implements the work. I bring senior growth leadership and hands-on execution in one engagement, with responsibilities and commercial terms agreed around your business needs. See the engagement models page for the full comparison table.
Pricing for scoped one-off sessions depends on the engagement. Hourly does not work for ongoing growth ownership because growth compounds and hourly billing does not. For a breakdown of what drives rates in the market, see BLS marketing manager compensation data and HBR on C-suite skill leverage.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Fractional CMO Pricing
What does fractional CMO pricing cover vs what is extra?
Each engagement covers the time, responsibilities and deliverables agreed for its scope. Hands-on execution is included only where expressly agreed. 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.
What determines pricing for an engagement?
Pricing depends on the scope of the engagement. Use these tracks to identify the work you need, then discuss the scope.
How does the Diagnostic become an Operator or Foundation engagement?
The Diagnostic produces a prioritized plan. I can then own the strategy and hands-on implementation, or equip your team to execute it. We agree the responsibilities, timing and next review before the next phase starts.
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. Engagements are month-to-month with no minimum term; either side can end with 30 days notice. 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. The local-market view sits on fractional CMO Tel Aviv.
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. Pricing depends on the engagement. 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.
Who is this pricing for, and who is it not a fit for?
The listed good fits include B2B SaaS post-PMF spending $20K+ per month on paid with no clean attribution, and CEOs who fired their agency and need systems, not another retainer. It is not a fit for teams that want cheaper agency media buying, because Agency Replacement is systems, not cheaper ads. It is also not a fit for companies that want ChatGPT seats, not a machine.
Does Advisory include hands-on execution?
No. Advisory engagements do not include execution. The scope is one weekly session and async access, with a board-level perspective when you have in-house execution but want senior judgment on strategy. If you need hands in your stack, that is the Operator or Foundation track.
Compare proposals by the work still left to do
Two SEO or GEO proposals can have similar fees but very different responsibilities. One may end with recommendations; another may include content, development and retesting. Normalize the work before comparing the totals.
I specify the diagnosis, build or operation I will personally deliver and the inputs and approvals needed from the team. Deliverables, tools, additional expenses and handoff are agreed for your chosen scope. Your engagement determines the price and terms.
- Required inputs
- Implementation owner
- Retained deliverable
- Acceptance check
What the team retains
- Included pages, templates, languages and systems, with excluded work stated.
- Who produces content, develops, pays for tools/media and approves facts.
- What the company retains, how it is accepted and what ongoing operation requires.
Illustrative example: the cheaper proposal excludes developer time and data collection. Put those inputs in the same table and period before deciding whether to narrow the scope, add capacity or choose another option.
Record currency, period, delivery and review cost. Unmeasured return remains unknown. A staged investment can answer one important decision before expanding activity beyond the team’s ability to operate it.
Next step
Start with the free AI Visibility Audit or book the 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 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.
Who leads and implements the work
10+ yrs operatingI’m Yaniv Goldenberg. I lead strategy and personally implement the agreed work, with clear responsibility for approvals, acceptance and ongoing operation.