Plain-English breakdown of what fractional CFOs cost — pricing tiers, what's included, what to actually budget.
Fractional CFOs charge $8K-$20K/month for 1-2 days/week.
Three tier patterns dominate in 2026:
Most B2B mid-market companies should budget for the team tier — not enterprise. Enterprise pricing only becomes justified above 50-100 seats or when specific compliance requirements force it.
For solo operators and small teams: start with the Pro tier. Upgrade to Team only when collaboration features become necessary (sharing prompts, admin controls, etc.).
Don't just budget the subscription. Real-world costs include:
All-in budget for a small team running serious AI workflows: $200-$1,500/month total. ROI usually positive within 30-60 days.