How Much Does a Fractional CMO Cost in Canada? (2026, in CAD)
· 2 min read
Short answer: in Canada, a part-time fractional CMO typically costs somewhere between about CAD 3,000 and CAD 8,000 per month, and hourly rates for fractional marketing leaders start around CAD 150 to 200. Fully embedded programs cost more. The price depends on how many hours you need, how much execution is included, and how complex your business is.
What a fractional CMO is
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader who works with your company part-time, on a retainer or by the hour, instead of joining as a full-time executive. You get strategy, positioning, budget decisions and team leadership without carrying a full-time executive salary. We explain why this model suits growing companies in Why the fractional CMO model works for mid-size companies.
What published Canadian prices look like
Very few Canadian firms publish pricing, and most quote case by case. Among those that do, as of October 2026 and taken from each firm's own materials:
- Bold Ink (Vancouver): CAD 5,000 to 8,000 per month
- Cresivo (Toronto): CAD 180 per hour
- Outsourced Marketing Inc (Bradford, Ontario): from CAD 3,995 per month
For comparison, US firms publish ranges in US dollars. Kalungi lists roughly USD 2,000 to 5,000 per month for advisory, 5,000 to 12,000 for strategic engagements and 12,000 to 25,000 or more for fully embedded work. US figures are not a direct guide for a Canadian budget because of exchange rates and market size, so treat them as context, not a quote.
What drives the price
- Scope: advice only, or strategy plus hands-on execution and team management.
- Hours per week: a few hours of advisory is very different from 15 to 20 hours embedded.
- Business stage: a B2B SaaS company with a sales team needs different work than a local service business.
- Execution: ad spend, content, creative and video are usually separate from the CMO fee.
- Contract length: most engagements run at least three to six months so strategy has time to work.
Fractional CMO vs the alternatives
A full-time CMO is a salary-plus-benefits hire, which for most small and mid-sized companies is a much larger fixed commitment. A marketing agency delivers execution but usually does not provide leadership inside your business. A fractional CMO sits between the two: senior direction without the full-time cost.
Who a fractional CMO is right for
- B2B SaaS companies and startups with a product but no marketing leader.
- Mid-sized companies whose marketing is run by a coordinator without senior direction.
- Local and regional businesses in Southwestern Ontario ready to grow beyond word of mouth.
How to get a real number for your business
The honest answer to the cost question is that it depends on your goals and starting point. Brango Solutions is a growth company in London, Ontario. We embed into your business and build the growth engine end to end: positioning, campaigns, creative, partnerships and the operational backbone. If you want to know what that would look like for you, Book a free consultation and we will tell you plainly whether a fractional CMO is the right fit.
