VibeAudits

Fractional CTO alternative

A technical partner for your startup, without a fractional CTO retainer

Most early-stage founders don't need a CTO 20 hours a month. They need someone senior in the code at the moments that matter: before launch, when it breaks, and while it grows. Partner puts us in the code with you. Mentor is there when you only need answers.

Book a Partner call Or Mentor, $29/mo

When a fractional CTO is more than you need

You build the product with AI

The code is getting written. What's missing is someone senior to check it, fix what's risky and take it live, not someone to run a team you don't have.

The work comes in bursts

A launch, an audit, a big feature, then quiet. A fixed monthly block of hours doesn't fit that.

Retainers start in the thousands

Fractional CTO rates are usually quoted per day or as a monthly retainer, well above what a pre-revenue startup can carry.

You need it written down

Audit reports, reviews and answers you can search later, instead of advice from a call you half remember.

What you get instead

  1. 01

    Partner: we take it on with you

    We audit the code, fix it, take it to launch and can stay on as your technical lead. Fixed quote per project, from $1,000.

  2. 02

    Mentor: an expert on call

    If you'd rather build it yourself, ask senior engineers questions and get pull requests reviewed for $29 a month.

  3. 03

    No long contract

    Partner work is scoped per project. Mentor is monthly and you can cancel any time.

Fractional CTO vs a technical partner

A good fractional CTO does things we don't: hiring your first engineers, sitting in investor meetings, owning the long-term roadmap. If you need those, hire one. If what you need is someone senior to audit, fix, ship and maintain the product with you, Partner covers it for a fixed project price.

If you do bring in a fractional or full-time CTO after you raise or hire, a codebase that has been audited and maintained properly makes their first month a lot easier.

What a fractional CTO costs

Rates vary a lot by region and experience, but monthly retainers commonly run into the thousands of dollars. Partner engagements start at $1,000 and are quoted per project. Mentor is $29 a month. See the pricing page for exactly what each includes.

Questions people ask us

Related

Finish line serviceCode auditFor non-technical foundersHow it worksPricing

Two ways to work with us

The same senior engineers either way. Pick how involved you want us to be.

Mentor

$29/month

You're building it yourself and know roughly what you're doing. You want a senior engineer to ask when you're stuck, check your work and point you the right way.

  • 20 quick questions a month, answered within 4 working hours
  • 4 code reviews a month on your pull requests
  • 2 progress check-ins: what to fix first
  • Read-only access to your repo, so answers are about your code
Start 7-day free trial

Early access: no card needed

Partner

From $1,000

You want us in the code with you. We audit it, fix it, take it live and keep building and maintaining it as your technical partner.

  • Security and code audit with a written report and verified fixes
  • We take a stuck or vibe-coded app to launch
  • We build and maintain it with you, as your technical lead or fractional CTO
  • Fixed-scope quote after a free call
Book a free call

30 minutes, no obligation

Building it yourself? Mentor. Want us to take it on with you? Partner.