| Full-time CTO | Fractional CTO | Technical partner (agency) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | ~$157K average startup base; ~$293K cash at Series A (Kruze) | $5K–$15K/month; 69.5% charge $5K–$10K (Frak) | Project or retainer; see /pricing |
| Time per month | Full-time | 10–20 hours (2–3 clients each) | A delivery team |
| Writes code | Sometimes | Rarely | Yes |
| Hiring risk | 40%+ of executive hires fail within 18 months (Leadership IQ) | Low; ends with the retainer | Low; ends with the scope |
| Best stage | Product-market fit, building a team | Pre-seed to Series A, small team | No technical co-founder, product to ship |
When a full-time CTO is the better choice
- •Technology is the core of your company's value.
- •You're hiring 5+ engineers this year.
- •Investors expect a technical co-founder-level leader.
When fractional, or a technical partner, is the better choice
- •You need architecture calls and vendor checks for a few hours a week.
- •An agency quote landed and you can't judge it.
- •You need the product built and someone accountable for the technical decisions.
Where SociiLabs fits
We're the third column. Navia's founder had no technical co-founder. We made the stack call (off WordPress) and shipped four AI modules in four months. If you only need a fractional CTO, start with a 1–2 week diagnostic, usually $3K–$8K, before you sign a retainer.
Navia: no technical co-founder
Four AI modules live in four months, owned 100% by the founder.
Read the case studyFAQ
Questions about fractional cto vs full-time cto
Architecture and stack calls, hiring and vendor evaluation, and a technical roadmap, usually 10–20 hours a month.