The Short Answer
Managed IT keeps your existing systems running. A Fractional CTO decides what those systems should be in the first place.
If your laptops, email, and network mostly work but you're wondering *"where should our tech go next?"* — that's a CTO problem, not a helpdesk problem.
What Managed IT Services Actually Do
You need this if: you have more than ~10 employees and no dedicated IT person, or your current IT person is drowning.
What a Fractional CTO Actually Does
You need this if: you're making decisions above $25K that involve technology and don't have anyone senior enough to make them confidently.
The Overlap
Some Fractional CTOs (Sifo included) can bundle managed IT underneath so you get one accountable partner. That's usually cheaper and cleaner than juggling two vendors.
Cost Reality
Compared to hiring in-house (a full-time CTO is $200K+ base, IT manager is $110K+), fractional is 60–80% cheaper for companies under ~150 employees.
Which Should You Start With?
If daily IT issues are hurting productivity → managed IT first.
If you're making a big platform decision or preparing for a raise/audit → CTO first.
If both are true → bundle.
Book a free 30-minute consultation and we'll tell you honestly which one you actually need — even if it isn't us.
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