You have an idea for a product. You might already know who it’s for, what it needs to do, and why people would pay for it. The part you’re less sure about is getting it built.
Finding a technical co-founder or hiring a full-time CTO can be a good next step. But either can take months, and you may want to try the idea with customers before committing to a permanent hire.
That’s where a CTO for hire can help. I work with founders through Blueprint Ventures Inc., taking care of the technical decisions and building the product for a monthly retainer. Here’s what that looks like, what the fee covers, and when I’d suggest hiring someone full-time instead.
What a CTO for hire actually does
These titles can be confusing, partly because people use them to mean different things. A fractional CTO works with a business for part of the week or month. Some mainly advise; others build software or manage developers too. An interim CTO fills the role temporarily. An agency usually brings a team, while a freelance developer takes on development work, with the wider responsibilities depending on what you agree.
In my case, I help you work out what to build first, choose the tools, and plan how the product will fit together. I also write the code and look after its security and reliability. You can come to me with a product question or a technical one, and I’ll explain the choices in terms that make sense to you. How I work goes into more detail about the day-to-day arrangement.
One fixed monthly retainer
It’s easier to plan a product when you know what the next month will cost. We agree the work and the retainer before we start, and that amount stays the same for the month. You can then look at your budget and decide how much development you can afford. When the work is finished, the retainer ends, with no notice period or severance to budget for.
Comparing that with an employee or an agency takes a little care. An employee’s salary is one part of the cost. An agency might charge by the hour, or quote for a defined project and charge separately for changes. It helps to ask what’s included in each proposal before comparing the prices.
| Full-time CTO | Agency | CTO for hire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Salary, usually with equity | By the hour or the project, with changes priced separately | One fixed monthly retainer |
| On top of that | Payroll taxes, benefits, equipment and recruiting may add to the cost | Team management and overhead are generally included in the rate | My equipment and development tools are covered; we agree product hosting and third-party services separately |
| Time to start | Recruiting can take months, followed by a notice period | Usually weeks, depending on team availability | Usually weeks, depending on my availability |
| Commitment | Ongoing employment | The agreed contract term | Month to month; stop when the project is done |
| Who builds it | The CTO and/or an engineering team, depending on the role | The team assigned to your project | Me, directly |
Development services through Blueprint Ventures Inc. start at $15,000 USD a month. You can read more about what the retainer covers and how payment works in the FAQ.
No payroll, benefits or office to run
If you’ve hired someone before, you’ll know there’s a fair amount to arrange around the work itself: payroll, benefits, equipment, software licences, and perhaps a workspace or remote-work allowance. For your first employee, you may be setting all of that up for the first time.
Working with me is simpler to administer. Blueprint Ventures Inc. handles my equipment, tools, insurance and time off. You receive one monthly invoice for the retainer, and you don’t have an employment arrangement to unwind when we finish.
Several careers for the price of one
Early on, the questions tend to spill beyond development. What belongs in the first version? Will people understand how to use it? How will you charge for it? And how much should you spend before you know whether the idea has a future?
I’ve spent 25 years working through those questions from different sides of a business. I’ve been the programmer, designer, CEO, CTO and, for a while, the accountant. I founded my first company at 15, grew it to more than 500 paying subscribers and sold it. Later, I led a team of fifteen engineers at Datadog. I’m also building my own products, Uplevel and Howdy.
That experience comes into our conversations. If a feature looks expensive for what it gives your first customers, I’ll say so and help you find a smaller starting point. I’ll think about whether a screen is easy to use, and how you’ll support and sell what we’re building. You don’t need to have all those answers before we start; working them out together is part of the job.
Asynchronous by default
I’ve worked remotely and asynchronously for 25 years. In practice, that means most of our conversations happen in writing, and neither of us needs to be online at exactly the same moment to keep things moving.
You can send me a rough description of what you need, and I’ll work through the details. If something needs your input, I’ll ask a specific question as it comes up. We keep in touch over Slack, keep the plan in Linear, and share working software as it’s ready.
You decide what matters and try what I’ve built through updates you can respond to when it suits you. With progress and decisions captured in writing, you can spend more of your day on customers and the business.
AI speed with an experienced reviewer
I use AI every day. It helps me get from an idea to something we can try much faster, and it’s become a useful part of how I build software.
My review covers how the feature behaves beyond the demo: who can access it, how it handles data and what happens as more people use it. Experience helps me identify those requirements and check them during the build.
I use AI to get a first draft together, then review and test the work. I’m responsible for what I deliver, including anything AI helped produce. The aim is to give you the benefit of faster development while still doing the checks your product needs. There’s more on how I use AI in the FAQ.
Working software several times a week
Once we’re building, you can expect several updates a week. That might be a new feature to try, a change based on your feedback, or a fix for something you spotted. Updates go to a test environment where you can use them before they go live for customers.
I find these small, frequent updates make it much easier to work out what a product needs. A screen you can click through often answers questions that a long specification doesn’t. And if something feels wrong, we can change it while it’s still a small piece of work.
For a focused first release, I aim for a 90-day launch. We agree what belongs in that release together, based on what your first customers need.
Security and automated releases from day one
Some of the first work on a project happens behind the scenes. I set up automated tests to check changes, a test environment that closely matches the live product, and a way to undo a release if something goes wrong. Monitoring helps us spot problems early.
I also build in access controls, secure handling of passwords and keys, encryption, dependency updates and backups from the start. These are easier to get right while we’re building than to squeeze in just before launch.
Together, those foundations help us catch mistakes before release, understand problems through monitoring and recover through backups or a rollback. We can keep improving the product with a clear way to check and release each change.
Plain English, in your time zone
I’m a British Canadian based in Toronto and a native English speaker. If you’re in North America, our working days will overlap; my hours also overlap the European afternoon.
You can describe what you want as you would to a colleague. You don’t need to learn technical terminology first, and if I use a term that needs explaining, just ask. I’ll usually reply the same day or the next business day, so a question doesn’t have to hold things up for long.
When a full-time CTO is the better choice
There are times when I’d suggest hiring a full-time CTO. For example:
- You need someone to recruit and lead an in-house engineering team, and that has become a full-time job. It depends on what the team needs, rather than a particular headcount.
- The technology itself is central to the business, such as deep research or a novel platform, and needs a permanent owner at founder level.
- Your investors or board require a full-time technical executive as a condition of funding.
- You want someone working alongside the team in person every day.
You may still find it useful to work with me while you get there. I can build the first version, help you try it with customers, then help you recruit and hand over to your own team. You own the code and infrastructure from day one. The FAQ explains how handover works.
CTO for hire, fractional CTO, agency or freelancer?
Here’s a quick comparison. The titles aren’t used consistently, so always ask the person or team what they’ll actually take responsibility for.
| Makes the technical decisions | Writes the code | How you pay | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTO for hire, as I offer it | Yes | Yes | Fixed monthly retainer | A founder who needs help leading the technical side and building the product |
| Fractional CTO | Usually | Sometimes; depends on the arrangement | Retainer, equity or a combination | A team that needs technical direction without a full-time CTO |
| Agency | As agreed with the team | Yes | Hourly or per project | A project suited to delivery by a team |
| Freelance developer | Depends on their experience and the scope | Yes | Hourly or per project | A defined piece of development work |
Questions to ask before you choose a CTO for hire
These are the things I’d want to understand before agreeing to work with someone. I’ve included my answers to give you a starting point.
- Will you be doing the building yourself? I do the work myself, either solo or with a small team you’ll know about. Some providers manage subcontractors, so it’s worth asking who you’ll be working with.
- What does the retainer include, and what would cost extra? Mine covers planning, design, development, testing, deployment and launch. We agree hosting and third-party services separately before we start.
- Who owns the code, the accounts and the infrastructure? You do, from the start.
- How will I see progress? You’ll get working software to try as features are ready, short updates on Slack and a shared plan in Linear.
- How do you use AI, and who reviews the result? I use it every day, and I review all the work it helps me produce.
- What happens to security, testing and releases? I start setting these up in the first week, so they’re part of the work throughout the project.
- What happens when I want my own team? I document the system as I build it and help your team take over when you’re ready.
How an engagement with me starts
Tell me a little about what you’re working on: who it’s for, what you’d like it to do, and the budget you have in mind. A few paragraphs are enough. You don’t need a specification or a pitch deck.
I’ll read it and reply personally within a few days. I’ll let you know whether I think I can help, ask any initial questions and tell you when I could start.
If it feels like a good fit on both sides, we can begin with a one-month trial on the standard retainer, then continue month by month. A couple of practical details to know upfront: I don’t sign NDAs or take part in interviews or technical tests. You’re engaging me to deliver a service, much as you would an agency, and the paid trial gives us a chance to see how we work together.
When you’re ready, tell me about your project.
Common questions
How much does a CTO for hire cost?
It depends on the person and the work involved. My development services through Blueprint Ventures Inc. start at $15,000 USD a month, paid upfront. That covers the development work without payroll, benefits or hourly extras; we agree hosting and third-party services separately. For a focused first version, a typical total budget is $50,000 to $100,000 USD or more, depending on scope.
Is a CTO for hire the same as a fractional CTO?
The roles can overlap. A fractional CTO provides ongoing technical leadership for part of the week or month; some also build the product. My CTO for hire service starts with me making the decisions and doing the development through Blueprint Ventures. If it makes sense for both of us, I can remain involved personally as a fractional CTO, with any ongoing development still going through Blueprint Ventures. What Is a Fractional CTO? explains that relationship, including fees and equity.
Can a CTO for hire replace a full-time CTO?
Often, yes, particularly while you’re taking an idea through to a product with customers. The arrangement can keep working beyond that too. If leading your in-house team becomes a full-time job, or the technology needs a permanent owner at founder level, I can help you hire someone and hand over.
How quickly can a CTO for hire start?
I can usually start within weeks, depending on my availability. I’ll give you a likely start date in my first reply so you can see whether it works with your plans.