The best fractional CMO companies in 2026.

Nine firms, grouped by how they work. We publish this list and we are on it, so we show how we chose and where each fact comes from.

Which fractional CMO company is best?

It depends on what you need. For leadership plus the team that does the work: AdamX, Kalungi, or Marketri. For an executive from an established firm: Chief Outsiders, Authentic, or yorCMO. For an independent CMO you pick yourself: MarketerHire, Toptal, or CMOx.

AdamX publishes this list and is on it. The firms are grouped by model, not ranked. Every firm was checked against its own website on November 12, 2026.

The nine firms at a glance.

Fractional CMO companies: what each is best for, how it works, and who it serves
	Best for	How it works	Who it serves
AdamX	B2B companies that need the plan and the execution from one team	A senior team sets the plan, and AI agents do the work across every channel	B2B companies, from founders with no marketing team to CMOs who need more capacity
Kalungi	B2B SaaS companies that want an outsourced marketing department	CMO-as-a-Service, with a full-service agency team behind it	B2B SaaS companies, with different programs by stage
Marketri	Mid-market B2B companies that want fractional leadership with an employed execution team	A senior marketer leads each account, with an execution team of employees	Mid-market B2B companies in professional services, financial services, technology, and manufacturing
Chief Outsiders	Midsized companies, including private equity portfolio companies, that want an experienced executive	Fractional CMOs matched to the client, who join the leadership team part-time	Midsized companies in many industries, including private equity portfolios
Authentic	Growing and PE-backed companies that move from founder-led sales to a marketing function	Fractional CMOs who are employees of the firm, with a network of specialists for execution	Small and mid-sized businesses and PE-backed companies
yorCMO	CEOs of $5M to $50M companies who act as their own head of marketing	A fractional CMO from the firm’s bench, matched by industry and stage	Companies with $5M to $50M in revenue
MarketerHire	Growth-stage companies that want a vetted fractional CMO quickly	A marketplace that matches you with a vetted marketer, month to month	Growth-stage businesses
Toptal	Companies that want a freelance fractional CMO with a trial period	A talent network of freelancers, hired hourly, part-time, or full-time	Growth-stage companies, startups, and larger brands
CMOx	Startups, small and midsize businesses, and portfolio companies that want a part-time CMO	Fractional CMOs for 5 to 25 hours a week	Startups, small and midsize businesses, and private equity portfolio companies

Descriptions of other firms come from each firm's own website, checked on November 12, 2026.

How we chose.

Most lists of this kind are written by a fractional CMO firm that puts itself first. We sell marketing services too. So here are the three tests we used.

It offers senior marketing leadership: The firm sells part-time or outsourced marketing leadership as a named service on its own website. AdamX is the one exception, and its profile says so.
It serves B2B companies: The firm works with companies that sell to other businesses. Some firms on the list also serve consumer brands.
We could check it: We opened each firm's website on November 12, 2026 and confirmed every statement on this page there. If we could not open a site, the firm is not on the list.

Leadership plus the team that does the work.

Choose this group when you have nobody to carry out the plan. You get senior marketing leadership, and the same firm does the work.

AdamX

Our firm. Best for: b2B companies that need the plan and the execution from one team.

AdamX is our firm, and it is not a fractional CMO firm. It is on this list as the alternative for a company that needs leadership and the work. A senior team sets the plan and reviews what goes out. AI agents run the website, SEO and AEO, social, content, video, ads, and pipeline.

A good fit when a part-time leader alone would leave the work undone. You can start with one piece of work or hand over the whole function. Not the right fit if you already have a team and only want a senior person to lead it.

Kalungi

Best for: b2B SaaS companies that want an outsourced marketing department.

Kalungi is a B2B SaaS marketing agency. Its site lists CMO-as-a-Service, CMO coaching, account-based marketing, paid media, content and SEO, and web development.

Its site describes a full-service program for SaaS teams and says pay-per-performance is available. A fit only if you are a software company.

Marketri

Best for: mid-market B2B companies that want fractional leadership with an employed execution team.

Marketri describes itself as a B2B marketing firm that provides strategy, execution, and analytics to mid-market companies on a retainer.

Its site says the core team is employees, not independent contractors. It says it is not a fit for companies that sell mainly to consumers.

A firm with its own bench of fractional CMOs.

Choose this group when you have a team or agencies to do the work, and you need an experienced executive to lead them.

Chief Outsiders

Best for: midsized companies, including private equity portfolio companies, that want an experienced executive.

Chief Outsiders provides fractional chief marketing officers who work inside the client company part-time. Its site describes a matching process to pair each client with an executive.

Its site describes a network of more than 120 experienced executives. It also names execution resources that support the CMO.

Authentic

Best for: growing and PE-backed companies that move from founder-led sales to a marketing function.

Authentic provides fractional CMO leadership. Its site says every Authentic CMO is a W2 employee of the firm.

The CMO leads strategy and brings in execution from your team, your partners, or the firm’s network of specialists.

yorCMO

Best for: cEOs of $5M to $50M companies who act as their own head of marketing.

yorCMO is a fractional CMO firm. Its site says it matches each client with a CMO from its bench who takes over the marketing function.

Its site says plainly that it is not an agency. A fit when the CEO wants to hand marketing leadership to one accountable person.

A match with an independent fractional CMO.

Choose this group when you want to pick one person, start fast, and keep the terms flexible.

MarketerHire

Best for: growth-stage companies that want a vetted fractional CMO quickly.

MarketerHire matches businesses with vetted marketing experts, among them fractional CMOs. Its site says it matches a client within 48 hours.

Its site describes month-to-month terms with no long-term contract. You can also hire specialists for execution from the same marketplace.

Toptal

Best for: companies that want a freelance fractional CMO with a trial period.

Toptal is a network of freelance talent. Its site lists freelance fractional CMOs that a company can hire on demand.

Each engagement starts with a trial period. A fit if you want one person and are ready to manage the engagement yourself.

CMOx

Best for: startups, small and midsize businesses, and portfolio companies that want a part-time CMO.

CMOx offers fractional CMO services. It also runs an accelerator for marketers who want to become fractional CMOs.

Its site describes engagements from 5 to 25 hours a week and a separate offer for private equity firms.

Five questions to ask any of them.

Ask us the same five. The answers tell you more than a list can.

Who does the work?: A fractional CMO sets the plan. Ask who builds the website, writes the content, and runs the campaigns, and what that costs.
Who is the person?: Ask to meet the CMO before you sign. Ask which companies of your size and type that person has led marketing for.
How many hours do you get?: A fractional CMO serves several clients. Ask how many hours a week are yours, and how fast you get an answer.
What happens if the person leaves?: Ask who holds the plan, the accounts, and the knowledge of your business if the CMO moves on.
How is success measured?: Ask for goals on pipeline and revenue for the first two quarters. A plan document alone is not a result.

Questions about this list.

What is the best fractional CMO company?

It depends on what you need. If you need leadership and the team that does the work: AdamX, Kalungi, or Marketri. If you have a team and need an executive from an established firm: Chief Outsiders, Authentic, or yorCMO. If you want to pick an independent CMO: MarketerHire, Toptal, or CMOx. AdamX publishes this list and is on it.

What does a fractional CMO company do?

A fractional CMO company gives you a senior marketing executive for part of the week. That person sets the strategy, leads the team or the agencies, and reports to the CEO. In most cases the execution is a separate budget.

What is the difference between a fractional CMO firm and a marketplace?

A firm has its own group of CMOs and its own method, and it matches one of them to you. A marketplace connects you with an independent CMO, and you manage the engagement yourself.

Does a fractional CMO do the marketing work?

Usually not. A fractional CMO leads. Your team, freelancers, or agencies do the work. A few firms on this list pair the leadership with an execution team, and the first group shows them.

Is this list ranked?

No. The firms are grouped by how they work, because the right choice depends on what you need. Within a group, the order is not a ranking.

Did any company pay to be on this list?

No. No firm paid to appear, and we have no referral arrangement with any firm on the list. AdamX publishes the list and is on it.

Why are there no prices on this list?

We left out other firms' prices and client results. Both change often, and we could not confirm them ourselves. Our guide to fractional CMO cost gives published ranges with their sources.

How do we ask for a correction?

If a statement about your firm is wrong or out of date, write to hello@adamx.ai and we will check it and correct it.

Keep reading.

A fractional CMO, plus the team that does the work
What a fractional CMO covers, what is left over, and how AdamX does both.
What a fractional CMO costs
Published retainers and hourly rates, and the execution budget most comparisons leave out.
CMO, fractional CMO, agency, or first hire
What each option gives you, what it leaves for you to do, and which one fits your situation.

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