Is the fractional CTO fee billed monthly?

Yes, monthly in advance. After the first month it runs one month at a time, with notice before the next billing date.

Can I change the number of days later?

Yes. Move between one, two and three days a week from the next billing month, as the product needs change.

Is the Discovery Sprint credited to a fractional CTO engagement?

Yes. The RM 300 Sprint fee is credited in full against the first monthly invoice.

Is SST charged on the fractional CTO fee?

No SST is charged. The monthly prices are in Ringgit Malaysia (RM).

What is not included in the monthly fee?

Hosting, software licences and other vendors' fees are billed to your accounts by those providers. Larger builds can run as a separate fixed-scope project.

Cost guide

How much does a fractional CTO cost in Malaysia?

By Pali (Wan Muhamad Fadzli), product builder, Penang.

Last updated 2 October 2026

A fractional CTO in Malaysia costs RM 1,000 to RM 2,700 a month with Pali, for one, two or three days a week. A full-time CTO engagement starts from RM 4,500 a month. Most early-stage companies pay for fractional leadership until the product and revenue justify a full-time hire. No SST is charged.

What does each fractional CTO tier cost?

Plan	Time each week	Monthly price
Fractional CTO	1 day	RM 1,000
Fractional CTO	2 days	RM 2,000
Fractional CTO	3 days	RM 2,700
Full-time CTO engagement	5 days	from RM 4,500

Prices are in Ringgit Malaysia (RM) and come from the published rate card. No SST is charged.

What is included in the monthly fee?

Architecture and technology decisions, written down and explained.
Vendor and freelancer oversight, including code and design reviews.
A roadmap and requirements your team or vendor can build from.
Hands-on building: prototypes, fixes and features, not only advice.
Malaysian compliance built in where it applies: LHDN e-invoice, SST handling, SSM details and PDPA consent.

How does a fractional CTO compare with hiring a full-time CTO?

A full-time CTO costs a senior salary plus employer contributions such as EPF, SOCSO and EIS, usually equity, and months of recruiting. A fractional CTO starts next week on a monthly fee you can stop. The trade-off is availability: a fractional CTO has fixed days, so urgent work outside them waits or is scheduled. Most early-stage companies switch to a full-time hire once engineering is a full-time leadership job.

Which tier should I choose?

1 day a week: an early product, a vendor to supervise, or a roadmap to write.
2 days a week: a team shipping every week that needs reviews and decisions on time.
3 days a week: a rebuild, a launch, or a period of heavy hiring.

Not sure yet? Price each tier in the calculator, read what a fractional CTO does, or see the fractional CTO service.

How do I start?

Book the one-week Discovery Sprint for RM 300. It ends with a written plan and a recommended tier, and the fee is credited against your first month.