Last reviewed: by Anna Stafford, Founder. Prepared with our qualified accountants.
What does a fractional CFO really cost?
Our Fractional CFO starts from £3,000 + VAT a month: entry Finance Operations plus two days a month of CFO time. Extra CFO days are £1,000 a day, or £800 from day 6. Here is what that covers and how it compares with a full-time finance director.
If you run an owner-managed business turning over £1m to £15m, you probably want senior finance input without the cost of a full-time finance director. The first question is what it costs. Here is the straight answer, starting with our own price.
The short version
- Our Fractional CFO starts from £3,000 + VAT a month: entry Finance Operations plus two days a month of CFO time.
- Extra CFO days are £1,000 a day, or £800 a day from day 6. CFO-only work, without Finance Operations, uses the same day rates.
- A full-time finance director is typically paid £80k to £230k a year in salary alone (Robert Walters, 2026), before National Insurance and benefits.
What our Fractional CFO costs
Fractional CFO starts from £3,000 + VAT a month. That is our entry Finance Operations service, which keeps your bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, year-end and monthly management accounts in order, plus two days a month of CFO time.
Your two days can cover
- Budgeting, forecasting & financial modelling
- Cash flow planning & scenario planning
- Hiring, spending & growth decisions, backed by the numbers
- Profit extraction & tax planning (salary versus dividends)
- Board & investor reporting where it is needed
- Strategic finance meetings
We agree what your two days cover each month. Extra CFO days are added at £1,000 a day, or £800 a day from day 6. CFO-only work, without Finance Operations, is priced on the same day rates.
| CFO days a month | CFO only | With entry Finance Operations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £1,000 | From 2 days |
| 2 | £2,000 | £3,000 |
| 3 | £3,000 | £4,000 |
| 4 | £4,000 | £5,000 |
| 5 | £5,000 | £6,000 |
| 6 | £5,800 | £6,800 |
| 7 | £6,600 | £7,600 |
| 8 | £7,400 | £8,400 |
Finance Operations pricing rises with turnover: add £750 a month at £3m to £5m and £1,500 a month at £5m to £8m, and above £8m we quote. The package rises by the same amount. All prices + VAT a month. These are estimates; we confirm the final price after a call.
What fractional CFOs charge in the UK
There is no official survey of fractional CFO fees in the UK, so treat any precise market range with care. The closest independent benchmark is interim management. The Institute of Interim Management survey for 2026 found an average day rate of £907 across all interim roles, and £1,004 in the private sector.
Those figures cover every kind of interim role, not finance alone, so use them as a guide. Our CFO day rate of £1,000, falling to £800 from day 6, sits close to that private-sector average, and our package price also includes your Finance Operations work.
Monthly fee or day rate?
A monthly fee suits most owner-managed businesses: your CFO knows your numbers, the work is planned, and the cost is predictable. A day rate suits a one-off piece of work, such as a forecast for a lender or a pricing review. We offer both: Fractional CFO from £3,000 + VAT a month, or CFO-only work at £1,000 + VAT a day (£800 from day 6).
What affects the cost
How many CFO days you need
Two days a month suits most businesses in steady growth. A refinancing, an acquisition or a sale can need more for a few months; extra days are £1,000 each, or £800 from day 6.
The state of your numbers
When the books and monthly reporting are reliable, CFO time goes on decisions rather than clean-up. That is why our Fractional CFO is built on Finance Operations.
Complexity
Several companies in a group, stock, foreign currency or more than one site all add work.
Scope of the role
Board and investor reporting, lender negotiations or preparing for a sale take more time than a monthly review and forecast.
Fractional CFO against a full-time finance director
A full-time finance director in the UK is typically paid £80k to £230k a year in salary alone, depending on region and company size (Robert Walters, UK finance director salaries 2026). Employer National Insurance at 15% on salary above £5,000, pension, benefits and any recruitment fee come on top.
Our Fractional CFO starts from £36,000 a year (£3,000 + VAT a month), and that includes entry Finance Operations. Use the calculator to compare with your own figures, or see all our fixed fees on the pricing page. Not sure what you need yet? Start with a free Finance Gap Analysis.
Finance Operations pricing rises with turnover.
UK range, Robert Walters salary survey 2026.
ASSUMPTIONWe start at 10% of salary. Change it to match your own package. Employer National Insurance is added separately at 15% on salary above £5,000.
Your estimated monthly cost
Finance Operations plus 2 CFO days a month.
Full-time finance director, all-in
£149,250 a year
Salary £120,000 + employer NI £17,250 + on-costs £12,000
Difference against the package
£113,250a year, comparing with your estimated package of £3,000 a month
At 2 days a month, a full-time finance director costs about £6,219 for each day you actually need.
Estimate, not a quote. Prices + VAT. Days 6 and above are £800 a day. Finance Operations pricing rises with turnover. We confirm the final price after a call.
Book a 15-minute callWhat is included at AI Accounts
AI Accounts is a team of qualified accountants working with owner-managed UK businesses turning over £1m to £15m. Our three services build on each other: Finance Foundations from £450 + VAT a month, Finance Operations from £1,500 + VAT a month (entry level, rising with turnover), and Fractional CFO from £3,000 + VAT a month. See all our pricing.
Find the right finance support in 2 minutes
Foundations, Operations or Fractional CFO? Take our quick quiz and we'll point you to the level that fits your stage, team and plans. No sign-up needed.
Take the finance service quiz →Frequently asked questions
How much does a fractional CFO cost in the UK? +
Our Fractional CFO starts from £3,000 + VAT a month. That is entry Finance Operations plus two days a month of CFO time. Extra CFO days are £1,000 a day, or £800 a day from day 6. There is no official survey of fractional CFO fees in the UK; the Institute of Interim Management survey for 2026 puts the average interim day rate at £907, or £1,004 in the private sector.
What do the two CFO days cover? +
Your two days can cover budgeting, forecasting and financial modelling, cash flow and scenario planning, hiring and growth decisions, profit extraction and tax planning, board and investor reporting where it is needed, and strategic finance meetings. We agree what your two days cover each month.
What if I need more than two days a month? +
Extra CFO days are £1,000 + VAT a day, or £800 + VAT a day from day 6. For example, four days a month with entry Finance Operations is £5,000 + VAT.
Can I have CFO support without Finance Operations? +
Yes. CFO-only work is £1,000 + VAT a day, or £800 + VAT a day from day 6. Two days a month, for example, is £2,000 + VAT.
Is a fractional CFO cheaper than a full-time finance director? +
For most owner-managed businesses, yes. A full-time finance director in the UK is typically paid £80k to £230k a year in salary alone (Robert Walters, 2026), before employer National Insurance, pension and benefits. Our Fractional CFO starts from £36,000 a year, and that includes entry Finance Operations.
Do I need to sign a long contract? +
No. We work on a monthly rolling basis with 30 days' notice in writing.
Explore Fractional CFO support
Forecasting, board and investor reporting and strategy: senior finance input from £3,000 + VAT / month, with no long contract.
Explore Fractional CFO →Last updated: June 2026. Figures are general UK market ranges and not a quote. For pricing tailored to your business, book a free intro call.
