What Bolster offers and what it charges
Bolster combines an AI platform with recruiters for executive search, board search and fractional or interim hires. As published on bolster.com in November 2026, executive search costs $90,000 for the first search and $75,000 for each additional search, paid 50% upfront and 50% at close. Board search is $10,000 to $40,000 depending on company revenue. Fractional and interim hires are from $2,500 upfront plus a 20% markup.
It states 5 days to first interview and under 75 days to hire, and has a G2 score of 4.8 from 13 reviews. As of November 2026 its public site does not show named executives with their rates and availability before you speak to it. On the fractional side, its published pricing has two parts, an upfront amount and a percentage markup, so ask Bolster what the markup is charged on and for how long before you compare it with a day rate.
The alternatives
- getoperators: an executive search practice for senior fractional and permanent hires. The bench of verified fractional executives is open without an account, most profiles show the executive's own day rate, and availability is shown. Permanent roles run as retained search, with a researched shortlist in five business days.
- Business Talent Group: owned by Heidrick & Struggles since April 2021, a marketplace of consultants, experts and interim executives with a curated slate after you submit a need. It says it replies within one business day and claims a 99% fill rate. Prices not published.
- TechCXO: a US firm of partner-executives across nine C-suite seats plus Fractional Operating Partners for private equity. Named partners listed, no rates published.
- Go Fractional: a marketplace of fractional, interim and contract-to-hire executives. According to its help centre there is no search fee for companies and retainers are monthly.
- Fractionus: curated matching for fractional and interim C-suite with matches in 48 hours, a First 30 no-commitment trial, and no placement fee; its FAQ says it takes a share of engagement revenue.
- Toptal: a global freelance marketplace with COO and finance role pages, a $0 recruiting fee and a trial of up to two weeks.
Bolster and getoperators compared
| Bolster | getoperators | |
|---|---|---|
| Services | Executive search, board search, fractional and interim | Retained search and a fractional bench across eleven seats |
| Search fee published | Yes, $90,000 first search | Not on this page; set out when you brief |
| Fractional pricing | From $2,500 upfront plus 20% markup | Executive's own day rate on most profiles; company fee per Terms of Business |
| Named people before a call | Not shown as of November 2026 | Yes, open without an account |
| Speed stated | 5 days to first interview, under 75 days to hire | Search shortlist in five business days; fractional in the seat in one to three weeks |
| Board search | Yes | Outside the eleven seats |
What a COO or CTO costs in the US
A permanent COO in the US is paid $200,000 to $380,000 in base, and a CTO $220,000 to $420,000. On a mid-market COO base of $240,000, employer costs take the ongoing figure to about $274,061 a year; on a CTO base of $260,000, about $295,151.
Fractionally, a COO charges $900 to $1,800 a day, about $6,900 to $13,800 a month at two days a week, and a CTO $1,000 to $2,000 a day, about $7,667 to $15,333 a month. Many companies start a COO or CTO fractionally to learn what the seat really needs, then run a permanent search once the shape of the job is clear. It helps if the same practice can do both.
Who Bolster suits better
Bolster is the better fit for a company that wants the search fee fixed and published before it starts, and for one running several searches a year, where its lower price for additional searches matters. It also covers board search, which sits outside the eleven seats on getoperators, so a company filling an executive seat and a board seat together may prefer one vendor for both.
getoperators is the better fit when you want to see named executives with their rates and availability before you speak to anyone, engage a fractional executive directly, or start fractional and move to a permanent search without changing practice.
Common questions
How much does Bolster charge for an executive search?
As published on bolster.com in November 2026, Bolster charges $90,000 for the first executive search and $75,000 for each additional one, paid 50% upfront and 50% at close. Board search is $10,000 to $40,000 depending on company revenue.
What does Bolster charge for a fractional executive?
Bolster publishes fractional and interim pricing from $2,500 upfront plus a 20% markup, as published on bolster.com in November 2026. Ask whether the markup applies to the executive's rate and for how long it runs.
Is there a Bolster alternative that shows executives before a call?
Yes. On getoperators the bench is open without an account, and most profiles show the executive's own day rate and availability. For permanent roles it runs retained search with a researched shortlist in five business days.
More of them, on hiring, contracts and what a fractional engagement costs, on the fractional executive FAQ.