What a fractional CFO costs in the UK
A fractional CFO in the UK costs £8,817 a month at a typical £1,150 day rate and two days a week, as of 2026, according to the getoperators day-rate dataset. What that comes to at other day counts, and how it compares with the full-time version of the same seat once employer costs are counted, is below.
| Day rate | ½ day a week | 1 day a week | 2 days a week | 3 days a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower end£800 a day | £1,533£18,400 a year | £3,067£36,800 a year | £6,133£73,600 a year | £9,200£110,400 a year |
| Typical£1,150 a day | £2,204£26,450 a year | £4,408£52,900 a year | £8,817£105,800 a year | £13,225£158,700 a year |
| Higher end£1,500 a day | £2,875£34,500 a year | £5,750£69,000 a year | £11,500£138,000 a year | £17,250£207,000 a year |
Monthly figures are the annual cost spread evenly, based on 46 billable weeks a year rather than 52, because operators take holidays too.
Against the full-time version of the same seat
A full-time CFO in a UK company of this size sits around £140,000. That is not what they cost.
| Base salary assumed | £140,000 |
| Employer National Insurance 15% above £5,000 | £20,250 |
| Pension statutory minimum, capped | £1,321 |
| Recruitment fee 20%, one-off | £28,000 |
| First year, all in | £189,571 |
Where it stops being cheaper
At £1,150 a day, a fractional CFO and a full-time one cost the same at about 3.6 days a week. Below that, fractional wins on cost and on speed. Above it, you are paying full-time money for part-time attention, and you should hire somebody. When that is the answer, we find full-time executives too, with the fee on the page.
That is the honest edge of this. Work it through for your own numbers in the cost calculator, which will tell you the same thing.
What the day rate does not include
VAT, if the operator is registered, which most are. Travel and expenses for on-site days, agreed before they start. Nothing else: no employer National Insurance, no pension, no holiday or sick pay, no equipment, no notice period to buy out, and no commission to us at any point.
Employment status is worth a word. A genuine fractional arrangement usually involves real independence, several clients and control over how the work is done, but status depends on the facts of each engagement rather than the label on it. Take proper advice rather than relying on a word. This is general information, not tax advice.
Common questions
How much does a fractional CFO cost per month in the UK?
At a typical £1,150 day rate, two days a week works out at about £8,817 a month. One day a week is roughly £4,408, and half a day a week about £2,204. There are no employer costs on top and no commission, because you pay the operator directly.
Is a fractional CFO cheaper than hiring one full-time?
Up to about 3.6 days a week, yes. A full-time CFO on £140,000 costs roughly £189,571 in the first year once employer National Insurance, pension and a recruitment fee are counted. Past that break-even the full-time hire is better value and gets you five days rather than two.
What does the day rate not include?
VAT if the operator is registered, which most are. Travel and expenses for on-site days, agreed in advance. And nothing else: no employer National Insurance, no pension contribution, no holiday or sick pay, no equipment, and no notice period to buy out.
What moves a fractional CFO to the top of the band?
Higher end for fundraise or exit work, and for regulated sectors.
Where these numbers come from
The band is the one published for every seat on the 2026 UK day rates page, where the method is stated and the data is free to download. The employer costs are current statutory UK rates. The salary and the recruitment fee are assumptions, marked as such, and both are set where they make the fractional side look worse rather than better.
Verified fractional fractional CFOs, booked direct
Every operator checked by hand against their LinkedIn and CV before they appear. You book them directly and they keep their whole rate. See the seat or read how to hire one.