How Much Does a Fractional Head of Marketing Cost?

For B2B tech startups, hiring senior marketing leadership is often less about whether it’s needed and more about whether it’s affordable. Founders know marketing needs direction, but a full-time Head of Marketing can feel like a big financial and operational risk.

This leads to a common question: how much does a Fractional Head of Marketing actually cost?

Typical cost of a Fractional Head of Marketing

In the UK, a Fractional Head of Marketing typically charges between £400 and £800 per day, depending on experience, scope, and level of involvement.

Most engagements sit somewhere between:

• 1–2 days per week
• £3,000–£6,000 per month

This gives startups access to senior-level thinking and leadership without committing to a full-time salary.

By comparison, a full-time Head of Marketing often costs £90k–£130k+ per year once salary, tax, pension, and benefits are included, before any marketing budget is spent.

What influences the cost?

Several factors affect how much a Fractional Head of Marketing will charge:

1. Experience level
Someone with experience scaling B2B SaaS, working with sales teams, and operating at board level will command higher day rates, but usually delivers impact faster.

2. Scope of work
Costs vary depending on whether the focus is strategic direction, hands-on execution, team leadership, or all three.

3. Time commitment
One day per week is often enough for strategic oversight, while two or three days allows for deeper involvement and faster progress.

4. Stage of the business
Early-stage startups may need clarity and foundations. Later-stage companies may require optimisation, alignment, or preparation for scale.

What are you actually paying for?

A common misconception is that fractional means “less involved”. In reality, you’re paying for experience, focus, and leverage, not hours.

A Fractional Head of Marketing typically delivers:

• Clear positioning and messaging
• A focused go-to-market strategy
• Channel prioritisation (what to do — and what to stop)
• Sales and marketing alignment
• Better use of existing budget and resources
• A plan for future hires or agency support

In many cases, the cost of fractional leadership is offset by reduced wasted spend elsewhere.

Fractional vs agency costs

Some founders compare fractional leadership to hiring an agency. While agencies can be effective for execution, they rarely own strategy end-to-end.

A Fractional Head of Marketing:

• Works inside the business
• Aligns marketing with commercial goals
• Manages agencies and freelancers more effectively
• Is accountable for outcomes, not activity

This often results in better ROI, even at a similar monthly cost.

Is a Fractional Head of Marketing worth the cost?

Fractional leadership is usually worth it when:

• Marketing feels important but underperforming
• Spend is increasing without clear results
• Founders are still driving marketing decisions
• The business isn’t ready for a full-time hire
• You need clarity before scaling execution

For many B2B tech startups, the real risk isn’t the cost of fractional leadership, it’s continuing without senior direction.

The short answer

A Fractional Head of Marketing typically costs a fraction of a full-time hire, while delivering senior expertise exactly where it’s needed.

If your startup needs marketing leadership but not yet a permanent role, fractional can be the most cost-effective way to unlock focus, momentum, and growth.