The short answer
An interim CFO in Germany costs 1,400 to 2,500 euros per day across the market, interim controlling 800 to 1,200 euros, interim accounting 880 to 1,120 euros. CFO as a service is billed as a monthly retainer: 2,500 to 15,000 euros depending on scope. From around 12,000 euros per month the model is on par with the full cost of an in-house CFO position.
The ranges are market values from public studies (as of August 2026) and give the frame within which our offers move as well. The specific offer depends on role, scope, duration and location. The first conversation is free and non-binding; afterwards you receive an offer with a day rate or monthly retainer, scope and duration.
Day rates in interim management
Role | Day rate | Typical trigger |
|---|---|---|
Interim CFO, head of finance function | €1,400–2,500 | Leadership vacancy, funding round, transaction |
Interim CFO in restructuring or corporate group | from €3,000 | Turnaround, carve-out, post-merger integration |
Interim controlling | €800–1,200 | Setting up reporting, project controlling, system migration |
Interim financial accounting | €880–1,120 | Bridging the closing, parental-leave cover, clearing backlog |
Interim HR leadership | €800–1,500 | HR leadership vacancy, building HR processes |
Rates move down with longer engagements and predictable utilisation, part-time instead of full-time, and remote work. They move up with P&L responsibility, restructuring, corporate-group settings and short-notice starts. Through a provider, expect a mark-up of typically 25 to 35 percent on the rate of the person placed – in return the provider handles selection, contracting and cover in case of absence.
Monthly retainers for CFO as a service
Scope | Monthly retainer | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
A few days per month | €2,500–5,000 | Sparring, reporting review, working with the tax advisor |
One day per week | €5,000–9,000 | Ongoing controlling, financial planning, bank meetings |
Two to three days per week | €9,000–15,000 | De-facto finance leadership, fundraising support |
CFO as a service is bought in modules that can be switched on and off individually: ongoing bookkeeping, reporting and controlling, financial planning, liquidity management, investor and bank communication, and processes and systems. Annual accounts, special projects and system implementations are usually not included in the retainer and are quoted separately.
The three billing models
Day rate: the standard in classic interim management and sensible with fluctuating demand or unclear scope. Monthly retainer: common for longer engagements with stable utilisation and for part-time models such as CFO as a service – predictable, peaks and troughs even out over the term. Project price: for clearly defined work such as a financial model, a financial due diligence or a system implementation; requires a clean scope description.
Worked example: six months of finance leadership
Assume the head of finance leaves and the role has to be bridged for half a year. Four days per week equal roughly 104 working days.
Scenario | Calculation | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Lower end | 104 days × €1,400 | €145,600 |
Middle | 104 days × €1,950 | €202,800 |
Upper end | 104 days × €2,500 | €260,000 |
Reduced to 3 days per week | 78 days × €1,950 | €152,100 |
For comparison: the median for CFO positions is around 114,400 euros gross annual salary according to StepStone salary data. With employer contributions, bonus and workplace, the full annual cost is roughly 140,000 to 190,000 euros in the Mittelstand, i.e. around 12,000 to 16,000 euros per month – plus a one-off 25 to 30 percent of an annual salary for recruiting and six to nine months until the position is filled. An honest comparison uses a 24-month horizon and counts the vacancy months.
When which model pays off
Interim management pays off when a role has to be filled immediately and at or near full time – during a vacancy, a funding round, a transaction or a restructuring with a clear end date. CFO as a service pays off as long as the finance function does not permanently need a full-time person. Three signs that this point is reached: the monthly retainer approaches 12,000 euros, the external person is de facto in the company every day, and tasks keep arising that require internal presence – such as leading a growing finance team.
Frequently asked questions about costs
What does an interim CFO cost per day?
Across the German market 1,400 to 2,500 euros, with entry from around 1,500 euros. In restructuring and corporate-group projects, 3,000 euros and more are common.
What does CFO as a service cost per month?
2,500 to 15,000 euros per month. A few days a month for sparring and reporting review sit at the lower end, two to three days per week with de-facto finance leadership at the upper end.
What does an interim controller or accountant cost?
Interim controlling 800 to 1,200 euros per day. Interim accounting 880 to 1,120 euros per day, which equals 110 to 140 euros per hour.
Is there a minimum term?
Interim engagements usually run three to twelve months and are billed by actual working days. With CFO as a service the monthly retainer runs on an ongoing basis; term and notice period are stated in the offer.
Is an interim CFO more expensive than a permanent hire?
Per day yes, over the term usually not: a permanent hire costs 140,000 to 190,000 euros a year in full cost, but is only filled after six to nine months and brings recruiting costs of 25 to 30 percent of an annual salary. The interim CFO delivers from day one and ends when the job is done.
Can the consulting be subsidised?
For consulting services, the German BAFA programme for entrepreneurial know-how may apply; nugrow is listed as a consulting firm. Details are on our BAFA page. Classic interim management generally does not count as consulting under the programme.
Further reading
Sources: DDIM market study 2026 (market average and utilisation), Interim Profis (day-rate ranges by function), Robert Walters (entry rate interim CFO), Effizienzbuchhalter (hourly and daily rates in accounting, provider mark-up), MRH Beratung (monthly retainers and full costs), StepStone (CFO salary median). All figures as of August 2026.