Fractional CTO ServicesandVirtual CTO Leadership
DAG Tech's fractional CTO services give your company senior technology leadership without a full-time executive salary. Our CxO™ leaders build your IT roadmap and budget, make vendor and security decisions, manage projects, and report to your board in plain business terms.
Custom proposal within 1 business day · No obligation
The Short Answer
What Is a Fractional CTO?
A fractional CTO, also called a virtual CTO, is an experienced technology executive who works part-time for your company. They own technology strategy, budgets, vendor selection, security direction, and leadership reporting for a monthly fee, giving you executive judgment without the cost of a full-time hire.
Who Fractional CTO is for
- Growing companies without a technology executive
- CEOs and CFOs making large IT decisions alone
- Boards and investors asking for a technology plan
- Firms preparing for a merger, raise, or audit
Is This You?
6 Signs You Need a Fractional CTO
When technology decisions get expensive, they need an executive, not a guess.
Technology spend keeps rising with no plan
The fix: A roadmap and budget tie every IT dollar to a business goal.
Vendors are making your decisions
The fix: Independent selection and negotiation on your side of the table.
Your board or investors want a technology plan
The fix: Board-ready reporting on technology, risk, and spend.
Security decisions have no owner
The fix: Fractional CISO leadership on risk, policy, insurance, and incidents.
A major project is coming
The fix: Migrations, mergers, and new systems scoped and overseen by an executive.
Your IT team needs a leader, not another tech
The fix: A CxO™ leader directs internal staff and outside providers.
What's Included
What Our Fractional CTO Services Include
Delivered by DAG Tech engineers under one agreement and one accountable team.
Technology Roadmap
A multi-year plan tying every IT investment to business goals.
IT Budget & Spend Control
Forecasts, renewals, and cost reviews that keep technology spend predictable.
Vendor Management
Selection, negotiation, and oversight of software, carriers, and service providers.
Security Leadership
Fractional CISO guidance on risk, policies, insurance, and incident readiness.
Board-Ready Reporting
Clear reporting for leadership, investors, and boards on technology and risk.
Project Oversight
Major initiatives scoped, sequenced, and managed through delivery.
How It Works
How DAG Tech Delivers Fractional CTO
- Step 1
Discover
Interviews with leadership and a review of your technology and spend.
- Step 2
Plan
A roadmap and budget prioritized by risk and business impact.
- Step 3
Lead
Ongoing leadership meetings, vendor decisions, and project oversight.
- Step 4
Report
Quarterly reporting to leadership and the board.
Pricing
How Much Does a Fractional CTO Cost?
Fractional CTO services are a monthly retainer, a fraction of a full-time executive's cost. Your price depends on three things:
Hours per month
From a few strategy sessions to embedded weekly leadership.
Roles covered
CTO, CIO, CISO, or a combination.
Active initiatives
Mergers, migrations, or audits add project oversight.
Full side-by-side breakdown: compare flat-rate IT plans
Related plans & products
LeadershipCxO™
Fractional CTO, CIO, and CISO leadership: roadmaps, budgets, vendor decisions, and board-ready reporting.
LEARN MORE →
AssessmentState of The Technology™
A plain-English assessment of your systems, security gaps, and IT spend with a prioritized fix list.
LEARN MORE →
ComprehensiveA+ Animal™
Managed IT, cybersecurity, unlimited helpdesk, onboarding, and a named account team on one flat monthly rate.
LEARN MORE →Scale hours up or down · Proposal within 1 business day
GET STARTED
Get Your Fractional CTOProposal
Tell us about your business. A senior engineer reviews every request and sends a custom fractional CTO proposal within one business day.
- Custom proposal within 1 business day
- No obligation, no pressure
- A+ BBB rated · 4.6★ on Google
Compare Your Options
Fractional CTO vs. Full-Time CTO
| Feature | DAG Tech CxO™ | Full-Time CTO | No Tech Leadership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Monthly fee | Executive salary + equity | Hidden cost of bad decisions |
| Time to start | Weeks | Months to recruit | — |
| Bench behind them | Full DAG Tech team | Must build a team | None |
| Flexibility | Scale hours up or down | Fixed | — |
| Board reporting | Included | Included | Ad hoc |
Industries We Serve
Fractional CTO by Industry
The same accountable team, tuned to the compliance and uptime demands of your industry.
Fractional CTO for Private Equity Portfolio Companies
Technology diligence, integration roadmaps, and portfolio reporting.
Fractional CTO for Growing Mid-Market Firms
Executive technology direction before you're ready for a full-time hire.
Fractional CTO for Healthcare Organizations
Technology strategy that balances patient care, HIPAA, and budget.
Fractional CTO for Financial Services
Technology leadership aligned to regulators, clients, and growth.
Fractional CTO for Professional Services
Roadmaps that make billable teams faster and more secure.
Fractional CTO for Nonprofits
Mission-first technology planning with board-ready reporting.
Where We Work
Fractional CTO Near You
Remote support everywhere, plus on-site engineers in every city below. Each location page has the local office, service area, and reviews.
Why DAG Tech
The Fractional CTO Partner Businesses Trust
“Amazing IT Firm — the best in NYC!!!”Kadeem F.DAG Tech Client · Verified Google Review
“DAG has been the exclusive IT and VOIP provider for my CPA/tax firm for several years now. Switching to them was one of the best decisions.”Anil M.DAG Tech Client · Verified Google Review
FAQ
Fractional CTO: Frequently Asked Questions
What does a fractional CTO do?
A fractional CTO sets technology strategy, builds the IT roadmap and budget, selects and manages vendors, directs security, oversees major projects, and reports to leadership and the board, working part-time on a monthly engagement instead of as a full-time employee.
What is the difference between a fractional CTO and a virtual CTO?
The terms are used interchangeably. Both describe a part-time technology executive engaged on retainer. Virtual CTO and vCIO are more common in managed IT, while fractional CTO is more common among startups and private-equity-backed companies.
How much does a fractional CTO cost?
A fractional CTO is a monthly retainer sized to the hours and roles you need, typically a fraction of the salary, benefits, and equity of a full-time executive. Request a proposal and you'll have a quote within one business day.
When should a company hire a fractional CTO?
Consider a fractional CTO when technology decisions are getting expensive, when investors or clients ask for a technology plan, before a major migration or merger, or when your IT provider is executing without a strategy behind it.
Can a fractional CTO work with our existing IT team?
Yes. Our CxO™ leaders regularly lead internal IT staff and outside vendors, including other managed service providers, and set direction while your team executes.
Do you also offer fractional CISO services?
Yes. CxO™ engagements can include fractional CISO leadership covering security strategy, policies, risk assessments, cyber-insurance, and incident response planning.
How many hours does a fractional CTO work?
Engagements are scoped to need. Some clients want a monthly strategy session and quarterly board reporting; others want a leader embedded several days a week during a merger or migration. Hours can scale up or down as priorities change.
Is a fractional CTO the same as an IT consultant?
No. A consultant usually delivers recommendations and leaves. A fractional CTO owns outcomes over time: the roadmap, the budget, vendor decisions, and accountability to leadership, backed by DAG Tech's team to execute.
Get a Technology Leader Without the Full-Time Cost
Tell us what you need. A senior engineer will send a custom proposal within one business day.
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Learn More About Fractional CTO
About DAG Tech Fractional CTO
DAG Tech provides fractional CTO and virtual CTO services for companies that need senior technology leadership without a full-time executive. Our CxO™ bench also covers vCIO and fractional CISO roles, delivering technology roadmaps, IT budgets, vendor management, security leadership, and board-ready reporting.
Fractional CTO and technology consulting from DAG Tech is backed by a full engineering team, so strategy turns into execution. Pair CxO™ leadership with a State of The Technology™ assessment for a data-driven starting point, or request IT services for a proposal within one business day. Find fractional CTO services in New York City, or near you in Washington DC, Los Angeles, and our other locations.
Our CISO guidance is built on the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and CISA. Ready to talk? Request IT services and a senior engineer will send a custom proposal within one business day.