The comparison that matters
The real alternative is a full time CFO
Base salary alone runs about $195,000 to $322,000, per the Robert Half Salary Guide. Fully loaded, once you add bonus, benefits, payroll taxes, equity, and recruiting, a full time CFO commonly reaches $250,000 to $450,000 or more a year, and higher in technology and high cost markets. Every tier below is a fraction of that, for the same caliber of judgment.
Base salary range per the Robert Half Salary Guide. The all in figure adds bonus, benefits, payroll taxes, equity, and recruiting, which is standard when costing a full time hire.
How our pricing works
Clear scope, a flat monthly retainer, a relationship that escalates with your success
We price the value and the risk we remove, never the hours. You are placed into the tier that matches where your company is and what the work requires, and as your company grows, you move up. No hourly billing, no invoice surprises.
| Tier | Monthly range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Discover | $1,000 to $2,000 per month | Squeaky clean books you can finally trust, and a clear monthly picture. |
| Embark | $2,000 to $3,500 per month | The step up in rigor before full CFO advisory begins. |
| Launch | $3,500 to $5,000 per month | A steady hand and a clear monthly picture, not yet a full board grade finance function. |
| Scale | $5,000 to $7,500 per month | A company answering to a board and managing a runway clock. |
| Exit | $7,500 to $10,000 or more per month | The raise, the lender, the sale, the moment the stakes are highest. |
Full scope for each tier is on the services page.
What is not included
Where we stay in our lane
Attest and audit, legal advice, and investment advice sit outside our lane, and for those we point you to the right licensed professional and work alongside them. Tax is handled for you: we coordinate it through a tax partner we trust, under a separate engagement and direct payment, so you keep one point of contact, Island Waters, through preparation and filing.
Questions founders ask
Pricing questions
- How much does a fractional CFO cost?
- Fractional CFO retainers in the market generally run a few thousand to roughly fifteen thousand dollars a month. At Island Waters, retainers run from $1,000 to $10,000 or more across five tiers, priced to value rather than by the hour.
- Is a fractional CFO priced hourly or on a retainer?
- We price on a flat monthly retainer, never by the hour. Hourly billing punishes you for asking questions and rewards slow work. You know your number, we know our scope, and the relationship grows as your company does.
- Why do you not charge by the hour?
- Because you are paying for judgment and outcomes, not time. An hourly meter makes you hesitate before calling with the question that actually matters. A flat retainer keeps the focus on your business.
- Do you charge a setup or cleanup fee for messy books?
- When inherited books need real cleanup first, that one time project is scoped and priced separately from the monthly retainer, and we tell you plainly before any work starts.
- Can I move between tiers as my company grows?
- Yes, and most clients do. You start where you fit today and graduate as your needs deepen. That path is the point.
The first step
See where you fit.
Tell us a little about your company, and we will point you to the right tier on a short call.
See If We Are a Fit (15 minutes)