CISO vs vCISO
Cost Calculator

An interactive spreadsheet that breaks down the true cost of a full-time CISO versus fractional vCISO services. Make data-driven security leadership decisions for your organization.

  • Full-time CISO costs including salary, benefits, tools, and hidden expenses
  • vCISO pricing breakdown across advisory, standard, and embedded tiers
  • Side-by-side comparison with ROI analysis for your company size
  • Decision framework to determine which model fits your organization

What's Inside the Calculator

Full-Time CISO Costs

Complete breakdown of salary ($200-400K), benefits (25-35%), tools ($50-150K), training, and opportunity costs.

8 cost categories

vCISO Pricing Tiers

Advisory, Standard, and Embedded tier comparisons with hours, rates, and monthly costs.

3 tiers compared

Total Cost Comparison

5-year cost projection comparing full-time hire versus fractional services.

5-year model

When to Choose Each

Company stage, revenue, headcount, and complexity indicators for each model.

Decision matrix

Your Custom Calculation

Input your specific numbers to get a personalized cost comparison for your organization.

Interactive

Executive Summary

Board-ready output comparing options with recommendations based on your inputs.

Presentation-ready

Created by security professionals who advise companies on security leadership models

Security Experts
Data-Driven Analysis
Updated for 2026

Ready to Explore vCISO Services?

The calculator helps you compare costs, but if you want to discuss how fractional security leadership could work for your organization, let's talk.

Schedule a Free Consultation