Agency, freelancer, IT consultancy or fractional CTO: which one?
A fractional CTO brings technical decision-making and accountability, an agency a delivery team, a freelancer specific skills for a defined scope, and an IT consultancy consultants billed by the day. The right choice depends on what you're missing: someone to make the calls, or someone to build what you've already decided. I build your apps at a fixed price, and I can be your fractional CTO, from €700/month excl. VAT.
At a glance
What each one brings.
| Criterion | Fractional CTO | Agency | Freelancer | IT consultancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | Technical decisions, a roadmap, and often the build | A team that delivers a defined project | A developer for a precise scope | Consultants embedded in your teams |
| Who you deal with | The person who decides, and often the one who builds | A project manager between you and the developers | The developer | A salesperson, then the consultant |
| Usual billing | Monthly retainer, fixed-price projects | Fixed-price projects, changes billed extra | Day rate or fixed price | Day rate, time and materials |
| If the person leaves | Code, access, documentation and agents' instructions handed over with every delivery, with trusted specialists to take over | The team may change mid-project | High risk | Consultant replaced, knowledge lost |
| Choose if… | You have no head of tech and technology decisions are starting to cost you | Your project is well defined, stable, and needs several skill sets | You know what you want and someone in-house can manage it | You are a large organisation with an IT department that manages its suppliers |
| Main limitation | One person's capacity, even with backup | Cost, and little strategic advice | No big picture | Cost, and diluted accountability |
My limits
When I'm not the right choice.
I'd rather tell you up front.
- You need a team of ten developers for two years. An agency or IT consultancy will suit you better.
- You want to buy developer days, or someone in your office. I work remotely from Mauritius and I don't do time and materials: a freelancer or IT consultancy is a better match.
- You only need a small fix, or a heavyweight software package (configuring an ERP, for example). A freelancer or a specialist integrator will do it better.
Frequently asked questions
Before you choose.
Fractional CTO or agency: which is better for a 30-person company?
If nobody in-house can make technology decisions, start with a fractional CTO: they work out what needs building, then build it or choose who will. If your requirements are already written down and stable, and someone can manage the project, an agency may be enough.
Should I hire a CTO or use a fractional one?
Hire an in-house CTO when technology is your product and keeps someone busy every day. Before that, hiring costs a senior executive salary, months of searching and the risk of a bad fit. A fractional CTO structures your tech and prepares the ground: from €700/month excl. VAT. Details: Offers and pricing.
Can we combine a fractional CTO with a freelancer?
Yes, and it often works well. The fractional CTO writes the brief, reviews the work and decides the architecture; the freelancer delivers. You keep a freelancer's flexibility without leaving them alone with the big decisions.
Not sure which option fits?
30 minutes to describe your situation. If I'm not the right answer, I'll say so, and point you to who is.