Fractional Controller
Fractional Controller Services
A fractional controller owns the accuracy of your accounting — managing month-end close, supervising bookkeepers, setting up internal controls, and producing reliable financial reports. They sit between the bookkeeper and the CFO.
What's Included
- Month-end close ownership
- Bookkeeping team supervision
- Account reconciliation review
- Internal controls and process design
- Financial statement preparation
- Coordination with CPAs, auditors, and lenders
Who This Is For
- Companies that have a bookkeeper but need senior oversight
- Businesses that aren't yet ready for a CFO but need accounting leadership
- Companies preparing for an audit or financing event
- Multi-entity businesses needing consolidated reporting
- Practices transitioning from outsourced to in-house accounting
- Companies between full-time controllers
How to Choose
- CPA license or equivalent senior accounting experience
- Prior controller experience in your industry
- Familiarity with your accounting system
- Audit and financial statement experience if relevant
- Clear engagement model and reporting cadence
- Coordination with your bookkeeper and CFO or CPA
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a fractional controller cost?
Fractional controllers typically charge $2,500 to $10,000+ per month depending on company complexity and hours.
Do I need a controller and a CFO?
Larger or more complex companies benefit from both. Smaller businesses can often combine the roles in one fractional resource.
How is a controller different from a bookkeeper?
Bookkeepers record transactions and reconcile. Controllers own the close, review the bookkeeper's work, and produce reliable financial statements.
Can a fractional controller help with an audit?
Yes. Controllers prepare audit-ready schedules, coordinate with auditors, and respond to information requests during the audit.
When should I hire a fractional controller?
When the books need senior oversight, the close is unreliable, or you're preparing for an audit, financing, or sale event.
Related services
How they compare
Controller vs CFO
Controllers own the accuracy of what happened. CFOs own what should happen next. Growing companies typically add a controller first, then a fractional CFO once strategy questions get harder than close questions.
| Consideration | OperationalController | StrategicCFO |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Accurate historical financials and controls | Forecasting, fundraising, KPIs, board strategy |
| Owns | Monthly close, GAAP compliance, audit prep | Budgets, cash strategy, capital allocation, investor reporting |
| Typical revenue range | $1M–$25M+ | $3M–$100M+ (or pre-revenue with funding) |
| Pricing (fractional) | $2k–$6k/month | $3k–$12k/month |
| Reports to | CFO or owner | CEO, board, and investors |
| Best for | Companies whose books are unreliable or slow to close. | Companies fundraising, planning, or scaling past the owner's spreadsheet. |
Bottom line: If the close is late, hire a controller. If the strategy is unclear, hire a CFO. Many companies need both.
Advisor-grade guides
Downloadable ebooks & templates
CPA-ready playbooks and templates you can use today — instant downloads, no signup required.
The Small Business Tax & Profit Playbook
A CPA-ready guide to deductions, quarterly taxes, S-Corp strategy, owner pay, cash flow, and year-round tax planning.
Business Tax Deduction Checklist
A CPA-curated checklist of 80+ business deductions most owners miss — organized by category so you can sweep it before filing.
The Definitive Bookkeeping Cleanup & Recovery Guide
The CPA's step-by-step playbook for diagnosing messy books, reconstructing missing history, and restoring a clean, audit-ready ledger.
The Freelancer Tax Guide
The practical tax playbook for freelancers, contractors, and solo creatives — deductions, quarterly estimates, and self-employment strategies.
The Year-End Tax Planning Guide
The CPA's December playbook — practical strategies to reduce your tax bill before the year closes.
The Premium Bookkeeping Template Pack
Automated dashboards, multi-account reconciliations, and CPA-ready reporting workbooks for serious owners and bookkeepers.
Tax & Bookkeeping Resource Library
Our complete advisor-grade collection — every premium asset an owner needs to run clean books, lower taxes, and recover messy ledgers, in one bundle.