Forward-Deployed Engineer
If the problem is concrete, you want the output to be code. FDEs deliver; consultants deliver plans.
| Dimension | AI Consultant | Fractional CTO | Forward-Deployed Engineer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary deliverable | Strategy deck, roadmap | Engineering org, hiring | Shipped production code |
| Typical rate (US boutique) | $150–$300/hr | $300–$500/hr | $150–$250/hr |
| Monthly cost (SMB) | $4k–$15k | $8k–$20k | $2k–$8k (fractional) |
| Best when you're… | Unclear on what to build | Scaling team/architecture | Clear problem, need shipping hands |
| Ships code? | Rare | Sometimes | Weekly |
| Handoff shape | Doc + deck | Hired team + processes | Runbook + repo + retained eng |
| Risk | Buy a plan that never ships | Expensive if no team to build | Low — output is the code |
AI Consultant
You don't know what to build yet, or need an outside opinion to unblock a leadership decision.
Fractional CTO
You have 10+ engineers and org-shaped problems (hiring, architecture, IC management).
Where we sit
Forward-Deployed Engineering at country-affordable rates.
Our Fractional AI Engineer retainer is the clearest expression of this. We don't sell strategy decks and we don't sell org-transformation; we sell weeks of shipping.
FAQ