Comparison
Fractional Executive vs Consultant
Understanding the Key Differences
£800-2,000
Day Rate
2-6 weeks
Time to Hire
50-70%
Cost Savings
↓
Scroll to explore💰
Executive Calculator
Interactive cost estimator
£
Quick adjust:£800-£2,000
💰 Take-Home Pay Analysis
Live updates as you adjust rates
📈 OUTSIDE IR35 (Contractor)
Weekly take-home:£1,829
Monthly take-home:£7,928
Annual take-home:£95,131
⚠️ INSIDE IR35 (Employed)
Weekly take-home:£1,734
Monthly take-home:£7,516
Annual take-home:£90,192
👔 Permanent Employee
Weekly take-home:£2,431
Monthly take-home:£10,535
Annual take-home:£126,422
Outside IR35 advantage: +5%
Extra £4,939/year vs inside IR35
Exceptional Executive Talent
Join the fractional revolution - work with multiple companies, maximize your impact, maintain work-life balance
📖1 min read
📅Updated 12 Apr 2026
💷
£800-1500
Day Rate
📅
1-3
Days/Week
💰
50-70%
Cost Savings
🎯
Est. April 2026
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Key Takeaways
- 1Fractional CFOs work 1-3 days per week, providing senior expertise without full-time costs
- 2UK day rates range from £800 to £1500, depending on experience and sector
- 3Typical engagements save 50-70% compared to full-time executive hires
- 4Ideal for startups, scale-ups, and SMEs needing strategic leadership
- 5No employment overhead: no pension, NI, benefits, or notice periods
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Fractional executives and consultants both provide external expertise, but they serve different purposes. Understanding the distinction helps you choose the right model.
When to Use Each
Choose Fractional Executive When
You need ongoing leadership accountability. You want someone integrated into your team. You need both strategy and execution.
Choose Consultant When
You have a specific project or question. You need external perspective without ongoing commitment. You have internal capability to execute.
💰
Executive Cost Calculator
Executive leadership
£
Quick adjust:£800 - £2000 typical range
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Industry Benchmarks
FTSE 250 Average:£1440/day
Scale-up/PE-backed:£1200/day
SME/Growth stage:£1020/day
Your rate (£1200/day) is at market average
Your Day Rate
£1,200/day
2 days per week
Full-Time Equivalent
£773/day
(£170,000 ÷ 220 days)
Weekly Earnings
£2,400
(48% more efficient)
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Time Allocation
How fractional executives spend their time
Strategy30%
Operations25%
Leadership20%
Governance15%
Technology10%
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