How much does an outsourced CFO cost?

Outsourced CFO day rates typically range from £800-1,600 depending on experience and complexity of requirements. A typical engagement of 1-2 days per week costs £3,500-12,000 per month, or £42,000-144,000 annually. This compares to £150,000-250,000+ for a permanent CFO when including salary, bonus, benefits, and employer costs.

What is the difference between outsourced and fractional CFO?

The terms are often used interchangeably. Both refer to CFO services provided on a part-time basis. Fractional CFO emphasises working a fraction of full-time hours, while outsourced CFO emphasises that the service comes from outside your organisation. Virtual CFO emphasises remote delivery. The underlying service is essentially the same.

When should I hire an outsourced CFO vs permanent?

Consider outsourced when: your revenue is under £15-25m, you need CFO expertise for specific projects like fundraising, you cannot justify £150k+ permanent cost, or you want to test the CFO relationship. Consider permanent when: you need daily CFO presence, finance complexity requires full-time attention, or you are approaching scale where permanent makes economic sense.

What qualifications should an outsourced CFO have?

Look for: professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA), prior CFO or FD experience at permanent roles, relevant sector experience, and specific expertise in your priorities (fundraising, M&A, systems). Big 4 training is common but not essential. Most importantly, look for someone who has operated at the level you need and can communicate effectively with your stakeholders.

How quickly can you provide an outsourced CFO?

We can typically introduce 2-3 suitable candidates within 5-7 working days. After chemistry meetings, most engagements start within 2-3 weeks of initial enquiry. For urgent requirements, we can often arrange interim cover within days while finding the right long-term fit.

How much does an outsourced CFO cost?

Outsourced CFO day rates typically range from £800-1,600 depending on experience and complexity of requirements. A typical engagement of 1-2 days per week costs £3,500-12,000 per month, or £42,000-144,000 annually. This compares to £150,000-250,000+ for a permanent CFO when including salary, bonus, benefits, and employer costs.

What is the difference between outsourced and fractional CFO?

The terms are often used interchangeably. Both refer to CFO services provided on a part-time basis. Fractional CFO emphasises working a fraction of full-time hours, while outsourced CFO emphasises that the service comes from outside your organisation. Virtual CFO emphasises remote delivery. The underlying service is essentially the same.

When should I hire an outsourced CFO vs permanent?

Consider outsourced when: your revenue is under £15-25m, you need CFO expertise for specific projects like fundraising, you cannot justify £150k+ permanent cost, or you want to test the CFO relationship. Consider permanent when: you need daily CFO presence, finance complexity requires full-time attention, or you are approaching scale where permanent makes economic sense.

What qualifications should an outsourced CFO have?

Look for: professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA), prior CFO or FD experience at permanent roles, relevant sector experience, and specific expertise in your priorities (fundraising, M&A, systems). Big 4 training is common but not essential. Most importantly, look for someone who has operated at the level you need and can communicate effectively with your stakeholders.

How quickly can you provide an outsourced CFO?

We can typically introduce 2-3 suitable candidates within 5-7 working days. After chemistry meetings, most engagements start within 2-3 weeks of initial enquiry. For urgent requirements, we can often arrange interim cover within days while finding the right long-term fit.

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Outsourced CFO Services

Strategic finance leadership for growing businesses. Access experienced CFO expertise without the full-time commitment.

£800-2,000

Day Rate

2-6 weeks

Time to Hire

50-70%

Cost Savings

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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

CFO & Finance Director Opportunities

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What Is an Outsourced CFO?

An outsourced CFO provides Chief Financial Officer expertise to businesses that need strategic finance leadership but are not ready to hire a full-time executive. Whether you call it outsourced, virtual, fractional, or part-time—the concept is the same: accessing senior financial expertise on a flexible basis.

Our outsourced CFOs have typically held permanent CFO and Finance Director roles at companies ranging from VC-backed scale-ups to FTSE organisations. They bring this experience to your business for 1-4 days per week, providing the strategic guidance you need at a fraction of full-time cost.

Outsourced vs Fractional vs Virtual CFO

You may see these terms used interchangeably. Here is what they typically mean:

What Does an Outsourced CFO Do?

Outsourced CFOs provide the same strategic value as permanent CFOs, focused on your highest-priority needs:

When Do You Need an Outsourced CFO?

Common triggers for engaging an outsourced CFO include:

Outsourced CFO Day Rates 2024

Current market rates for outsourced and fractional CFOs in the UK:

Our Outsourced CFO Network

We connect you with experienced CFOs who match your specific requirements:

Find Your Outsourced CFO

Tell us about your business and finance challenges. We will introduce you to experienced CFOs who match your requirements, sector, and budget.

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Cost Comparison

Fractional vs Full-Time Executive

Full-Time Executive£286k/year

Salary + Benefits + Overhead

Fractional Executive£106k/year

1-2 days/week average

Your Potential Savings

£180k+

63%

saved

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Time Allocation

How fractional executives spend their time

Strategy30%

Operations25%

Leadership20%

Governance15%

Technology10%

UK Fractional Executive Day Rates

Compare day rates across C-suite roles

CFOThis Role£800 - £1500/day

£1100

CTO£900 - £1600/day

£1200

CMO£750 - £1400/day

£1000

COO£800 - £1400/day

£1050

CDO£900 - £1450/day

£1150

CISO£900 - £1550/day

£1200

Rate Range

Average

Source: UK Market Data 2025

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Fractional vs Interim vs Full-Time

Choose the right engagement model

Aspect	Fractional	Interim	Full-Time
Time Commitment	1-3 days/week	4-5 days/week	5 days/week
Duration	Ongoing/flexible	3-12 months	Permanent
Annual Cost	£50-150k	£150-300k	£200-400k+
Best For	SMEs, startups, scale-ups	Crisis, transitions	Large enterprises
Flexibility	★★★ High	★★☆ Medium	★☆☆ Low

Costs are indicative UK market rates. Actual costs vary by role, experience, and sector.

Calculate Your Day Rate

Fractional CFO Earnings

Calculate Your Potential Income

Your Day Rate

£1,000

£750Avg: £1000£1500

Days Per Client/Week

2.5 days

1 day5 days

Number of Clients

2 clients

Weekly

£5,000

Monthly

£21,650

Annual

£240,000

Based on 2.5 days/week x 2 clients x 48 working weeks. CFO UK average day rate: £1000.

BetaThis calculator provides rough estimates for illustration only. Actual rates and salaries vary based on location, experience, industry, and market conditions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know

An outsourced CFO is a Chief Financial Officer who works for your business on a part-time or project basis rather than as a full-time employee. They provide strategic financial leadership, board-level expertise, and guidance on fundraising, M&A, and growth—typically for 1-3 days per week. This model gives growing businesses access to senior finance expertise at 30-50% of the cost of a permanent CFO.