Compare a full-time CISO against a fractional (virtual) CISO retainer. Every figure below is yours to edit; the defaults are editable estimates, not market claims. The math updates in real time.
Editable estimate. Enter the number that fits your market and stage.
Payroll taxes, benefits, equipment, etc. as a % on top of salary.
Editable estimate. Agency fees, search time, ramp. Set to 0 to ignore.
How much executive security time you truly need each month.
Editable estimate. Replace with a real retainer quote when you have one.
All figures are your inputs or editable estimates. Nothing here is presented as a market salary fact. Replace any default with your own numbers or a real quote.
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CISO-as-a-Service
Senior security leadership on a retainer, scoped to your cadence.
Explore CISO-as-a-Service →See what a retained security leader would actually cost for your cadence. Book a free call and we will scope it to your real needs, led by a published CVE researcher.
Explore CISO-as-a-ServiceEvery dollar figure comes from you. You enter the full-time CISO salary you would expect to pay, the benefits and overhead load, and how many days of security leadership you actually need each month. The defaults are editable estimates, not market claims, so you can replace them with your own figures.
A fractional CISO (also called a virtual CISO or vCISO) is a senior security leader engaged on a part-time, retained basis rather than a full-time hire. You get executive security judgment scoped to the cadence you actually need, without carrying a full salary, benefits, and equity.
Yes, it is free with no payment or signup required. It is a planning aid to help you frame the cost tradeoff between a full-time and fractional security leader.
When you need senior security leadership for compliance, audits, or enterprise deals, but the workload does not yet justify a full-time executive salary. Fractional leadership also suits bridging a gap while you hire, or guiding a small team through SOC 2 or a specific project.