How Much Does an Outsourced CFO Cost in Australia? Retainers, Salaries and Cost Drivers
Last updated: 25 October 2026.
If your business or charity has outgrown “keep the books and lodge the BAS” but cannot justify a full-time finance executive, an outsourced CFO (also called a fractional, virtual or part-time CFO) is the middle path. The first question is always cost. There is no official price list, so in this guide we put two kinds of published figures side by side: what providers publish for monthly retainers, and what a full-time CFO costs to employ. Then we explain what moves the price and what to ask for.
All figures below are indicative market information from the sources named, checked on 25 October 2026. They are not quotes, and they are not our prices.
The short version: two Australian providers publish indicative retainers of roughly A$2,000 to A$15,000+ per month, with A$3,000 to A$10,000 the common range for SMEs. A full-time SME CFO is benchmarked by Robert Half at A$200,000 to A$240,000 a year before bonuses, benefits and super. Scope, the quality of your books and how often the CFO is involved matter more than turnover.
What an outsourced CFO is (and is not)
The CFO Agency describes a fractional CFO as an experienced finance leader who works part-time or flexibly instead of joining as a full-time executive. It notes that “virtual” generally describes where the CFO works and “fractional” describes how much of their time the business uses, and that the terms overlap. Typical responsibilities it lists include cash-flow management and forecasting, budgeting and scenario planning, management and board reporting, profitability and pricing analysis, KPIs, financial modelling, and supporting funding and investment decisions.
It is a different job from bookkeeping or compliance. See bookkeeper, accounting services provider or CFO for how the roles fit together.
What providers publish for monthly retainers
| Source | Indicative monthly range | What it says it covers |
|---|---|---|
| The CFO Agency (Melbourne) | Light-touch A$2,000 to A$4,000; fractional or virtual A$3,000 to A$7,000; embedded A$6,000 to A$10,000+; highly involved or complex A$10,000 to A$15,000+. Summarised as roughly A$3,000 to A$10,000 for many Australian SMEs. | From periodic reviews and management meetings up to finance-team leadership and board support. It says these are “indicative ranges, not fixed market rates”. |
| Diamond Advisory | Three levels “from” A$3,000, A$7,000 and A$12,000 per month plus GST. | From monthly CFO meetings, management reporting with commentary and a rolling 13-week cash forecast, to fortnightly meetings, board-ready reporting and oversight of the finance team. Fees are fixed once scope is agreed; ongoing services start with an initial three-month engagement. |
A few cautions. Both are providers describing their own services, not independent surveys. Diamond Advisory’s page is also internally inconsistent: it says “starting from $4,000 per month” in one place and “from $3,000” in another, so we quote only its three-tier headline figures. Neither source’s pricing includes bookkeeping or payroll: Diamond Advisory states its CFO fee does not include bookkeeping, payroll or tax compliance, and The CFO Agency says that if the primary need is bookkeeping, tax compliance or preparing financial statements, CFO-level support may be premature.
What does a full-time CFO cost?
Robert Half Australia’s salary guide (updated for 2026) shows the national range for a Chief Financial Officer in an SME at A$200,000 (25th percentile), A$220,000 (50th) and A$240,000 (75th) a year. It states that these are gross salaries that do not include bonuses, benefits or superannuation. For context it lists a Finance Manager at A$125,000 to A$160,000, and a Financial Controller at A$165,000 to A$210,000.
The employer super guarantee rate is currently 12%. Using the median salary as a simple illustration: A$220,000 plus 12% super is A$246,400 a year (our calculation), before bonus, recruitment, leave loading, equipment and management time.
| Comparison (our calculation) | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|
| Outsourced CFO at A$3,000 per month | A$36,000 |
| Outsourced CFO at A$10,000 per month | A$120,000 |
| Full-time SME CFO at median salary plus 12% super | A$246,400 |
That is arithmetic on the published figures, not a guarantee of savings. A fractional arrangement buys fewer hours of CFO time. The CFO Agency makes the same point from the other direction: the comparison should include recruitment, leave, incentives and equipment, but the value depends on matching the scope to your needs.
What drives the fee
The CFO Agency says fees depend less on revenue and more on complexity, the quality of financial information, how involved the CFO needs to be, and the capability of the existing finance team. Diamond Advisory lists very similar fee drivers. Put together:
- Frequency of involvement. Monthly review versus fortnightly or weekly meetings.
- Number of entities, programs or funding streams. This is typical for charities with multiple grants and funds.
- Quality and timeliness of your accounts. If books need repair first, that work is scoped separately.
- Forecasting and reporting. A rolling 13-week cash forecast and board packs take more time than an annual budget review.
- Board or committee attendance.
- Leadership of the finance team.
- Active issues. Cash pressure, funding, restructuring or a sale.
- The CFO’s experience. The CFO Agency notes “fractional does not mean junior” and that capability differs.
Typical inclusions to ask for
- Regular CFO meeting and written commentary on the management report.
- A cash flow forecast and how often it is updated. See our cash flow forecasting guide.
- Budget, variance analysis and KPI dashboard.
- Board or committee reporting. For charities, see our board finance reporting pack.
- Pricing, margin and profitability analysis.
- Coordination with your bookkeeper and any specialist providers.
- Decision support when you are hiring, investing or applying for funding.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What exactly is included each month, and what is a separate project?
- How many meetings, forecasts and reports per month?
- Is there a minimum term? (Diamond Advisory, for example, starts with three months.)
- What do you need from my team, and what condition do my books need to be in?
- Is bookkeeping, payroll or tax compliance included or extra?
- Is the fee fixed once scope is agreed, and is it GST-inclusive?
- Who actually does the work: the person I am meeting, or a junior team?
- How will we know it is working? What decisions will it improve?
When it is probably too early
If your books are behind, your BAS is late or you cannot trust your reports, fix the foundations first. Start with the catch-up plan or monthly bookkeeping. The CFO Agency’s list of triggers for considering CFO support includes: revenue growing but cash difficult to predict, margins falling while sales rise, missing or unreliable forecasts, major investments, and preparing for funding or sale. See also why a profitable business can run out of cash.
How we price outsourced CFO support
We do not publish a fixed rate card, because scope varies so much. After a short scoping call about your goals, reporting, forecasting needs and the state of your books, we propose a fixed monthly retainer in writing, with what is included, how often we meet and what is out of scope. You can scale it up or down as your needs change.
How we help
We provide outsourced CFO support for Sydney small businesses and not-for-profits: cash flow forecasting, budgets, management and board reporting and decision support, built on books we keep current. We quote a fixed monthly retainer after a quick scope call. See our outsourced CFO service and small business accounting page, or email info@guidancegrowth.com.au.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fractional CFO cost per month in Australia?
The CFO Agency gives an indicative range of about A$3,000 to A$10,000 per month for many Australian SMEs, from around A$2,000 for light-touch support to A$15,000+ for complex engagements. Diamond Advisory publishes three levels from A$3,000, A$7,000 and A$12,000 per month plus GST. These are indicative provider figures, not quotes.
How much does a full-time CFO cost in Australia?
Robert Half’s 2026 salary guide benchmarks an SME CFO at A$200,000 to A$240,000 a year (25th to 75th percentile), excluding bonuses, benefits and super.
Is an outsourced CFO cheaper than a full-time CFO?
Usually the annual cost is lower because you buy fewer hours, but you also get less time. The comparison should include super, leave, recruitment and management time on the full-time side.
Does the CFO fee include bookkeeping and BAS?
Typically not. Diamond Advisory states its CFO fee excludes bookkeeping, payroll and tax compliance, which are separate operational services.
What factors make an outsourced CFO more expensive?
Frequency of involvement, number of entities or funding streams, the state of the books, forecasting and board reporting needs, finance-team leadership and the CFO’s experience.
Sources and further reading
- The CFO Agency: How much does a fractional CFO cost in Australia? (checked 25 October 2026)
- Diamond Advisory: Fractional CFO pricing (checked 25 October 2026)
- Robert Half Australia: Chief Financial Officer (SME) salary, updated for 2026 (checked 25 October 2026)
- ATO: Work out if you have to pay super (checked 25 October 2026)
This article is general information, not personal advice. Rules and dates can change, so check ato.gov.au or acnc.gov.au for the latest, or speak to us about your situation.