Fractional VP of Sales cost: what you will actually pay

By Kerry Sullivan, fractional Head of Sales · Updated October 12, 2026

Founders usually ask about price first, so this page answers it directly with published market data, explains what moves the number up or down, and shows my own pricing so you have one concrete reference point.

Published market ranges

There is no official rate card for fractional sales leaders, but a few sources publish ranges worth knowing. All figures below come from the linked sources, not from me.

Fractional Jobs, a marketplace for fractional roles, reports a posted median rate of $204 an hour for fractional head of sales or VP of sales roles in 2026. Source: Fractional Jobs, What Fractional Executives Cost by Role in 2026.
Adam Fineberg, who publishes on fractional sales leadership, puts most fractional VP of sales engagements between $4,000 and $15,000 a month, with many in the $6,000 to $10,000 range for 10 to 20 hours a week. Source: Fractional VP of Sales Cost: What to Expect in 2026.
The CRO Report quotes a higher band of $10,000 to $25,000 a month for VP level fractional leaders. Source: Fractional vs Full Time VP Sales.

The honest summary is that the market is wide. The spread comes from scope and time, not from the title on the contract.

What drives the price

Days per week

This is the biggest lever. Half a day a week of advice costs far less than two or three days of building and running the sales function. Ask any candidate exactly how many days or hours you are buying.

Build vs. maintain

Building a sales process from nothing, hiring the first reps and getting the CRM in shape takes much more time than coaching a team that already has a playbook. Expect to pay more in the first few months and less after.

Hands on vs. advisory

Some fractional leaders only advise the founder. Others sit in on calls, run pipeline reviews, interview candidates and coach reps every week. The second kind costs more and usually gets more done.

Team size

Coaching one rep is a different job from managing eight. Larger teams need more time for one on ones, forecasting and hiring.

How to compare it to a full time VP of Sales

A fair comparison looks at the whole cost of each option, not just the monthly fee.

Full time: base salary, bonus or commission, equity, benefits, payroll taxes, a recruiting fee if you use a recruiter, and several months of ramp before they are fully productive. If the hire does not work out, you also carry the cost of starting over.
Fractional: a monthly fee and a short notice period. No equity, no benefits, and you can stop or scale down when the system is in place.

The real question is not which is cheaper in the abstract. It is which one fits your stage. If your sales motion is not written down yet, a full time VP will spend their first months figuring out what you do. A fractional leader can build that foundation first, so a full time hire later steps into something that works.

Questions to ask before you sign

How many days or hours a week am I buying, and what happens if we need more?
What exactly will exist at the end of 90 days? Ask for a list of deliverables.
Will you coach my reps directly, or only advise me?
Which CRMs have you worked in?
What is the minimum commitment and how do I cancel?
What do you guarantee, and what do you not guarantee? Be careful with anyone who guarantees revenue, since revenue depends on your product, market and team.

My pricing, for reference

I publish my prices so founders do not have to book a call to find out.

Option	Time	Price
Free Sales Teardown	30 minute video call	Free
The Founder Handoff, months 1 to 3	About 2 days a week	$7,500 a month
Ongoing fractional Head of Sales	About 1 day a week	$4,500 a month
Rep Coaching	Weekly coaching	$1,500 a month

The Founder Handoff covers the playbook, deal stages, guidance to optimize your CRM, hiring support for your first or next rep, and weekly coaching. The audit comes with a money back guarantee if it does not find real problems, and you can cancel after month 1 with 30 days notice. Full details are on the homepage.

Is it worth it?

It is worth it if the founder’s time on sales is the bottleneck, and if you will actually use what gets built. It is not worth it if you have not found product market fit yet, or if nobody on the team will follow the process once it exists. A free 30 minute Teardown is a low risk way to find out which side of that line you are on.

Want help handing off sales?

Book a free 30 minute Sales Teardown. You walk me through how you sell today, and I email you the top 3 things slowing your sales down.

Book your free Sales Teardown

Not ready for a call? Get the free Founder Sales Handoff Checklist: 21 things to have in place before your first sales hire.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fractional VP of Sales cost per month?

Published 2026 ranges run from about $4,000 to $15,000 a month for many engagements, with some sources quoting up to $25,000 for VP level scope. Days per week and scope drive the number.

What is the hourly rate for a fractional sales leader?

Fractional Jobs reports a posted median of $204 an hour for fractional head of sales or VP of sales roles in 2026.

What does Kerry Sullivan charge?

The Founder Handoff is $7,500 a month for months 1 to 3 at about 2 days a week. Ongoing fractional leadership is $4,500 a month at about 1 day a week, and Rep Coaching is $1,500 a month.