LOJIK or a hire?
Short answer
Hire when software is your product, or when the backlog is large and permanent. Bring in a fractional CTO for strategy and to manage a team you already have. Choose LOJIK when you need specific systems built and kept running without recruiting, payroll or managing developers.
- A developer on payroll
- A fractional CTO
- LOJIK
Your own developer knows your business every day, and a fractional CTO brings senior judgment. Both are right for some companies. For a business that needs a few systems built and kept running, the cost and the single point of failure often don’t pay off.
Side by side
What you get, what you pay
Plans, prices and who does the work, row by row. Numbers link to the page they came from.
| A developer on payroll | A fractional CTO | LOJIK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | The median US software developer earned $135,980 in May 2025, before benefits and recruiting.1 | One vendor says most US companies pay $9,000 to $22,000 a month on retainer.2 | Sprints from USD 5,000. Operate is a monthly plan per live workflow. |
| What you get | Daily capacity, and deep knowledge of your business. | Strategy and oversight. | Built, tested and running systems. |
| Time to start | Weeks to months of recruiting. | Weeks. | A written plan right away. |
| If they leave | Their knowledge leaves with them. | Same, and someone else still has to build. | The scope, the code and the notes stay with the project, and your team can run it with a documented handoff. |
| Who manages the work | You do. | They advise. Someone else builds. | LOJIK does. You approve each version. |
LOJIK’s Sprint price is a starting price. Your price is set in writing for your scope before work begins, and you approve it.
Honest answer
When each one is the better choice
Each option wins somewhere. Two or more of these holding is a good sign it fits.
A developer on payroll
Two or more of these hold:
- Software is your product.
- You have a permanent backlog.
- You can manage engineers.
A fractional CTO
Two or more of these hold:
- You have a team to lead.
- Investors want technical diligence.
- You need a senior view, not more hands.
LOJIK
Two or more of these hold:
- You need specific systems built and run.
- You would rather pay per result than per month of salary.
- You don’t want to recruit or manage developers.
Questions
Asked and answered.
Tell us about the job. We will say plainly whether a tool is enough.
Talk it throughIs it cheaper to hire a developer or use a studio?
For a few defined systems, a studio often is. The median US software developer earned $135,980 in May 2025 before benefits, while LOJIK’s Sprints start at USD 5,000 with a price set per scope. If the work is permanent and large, hiring can cost less over time.1
What does a fractional CTO cost?
Fractionus, a fractional-CTO vendor, says most US companies pay $9,000 to $22,000 a month on retainer.2
Can a studio replace a CTO?
No. A studio builds and runs specific systems. It does not set your company’s technical direction. If you need that, a fractional CTO or a hire is the right call, and a studio can build what they plan.
Sources
Every figure, dated
Each number on this page links here. Prices change, so every source shows when we last read it.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Software developers checked Sep 17, 2026
- Fractionus on fractional CTO cost checked Oct 18, 2026
Product names are trademarks of their owners. LOJIK is not affiliated with them.
Compare
Keep comparing
- LOJIK or Lovable?Lovable is a fast way to build a first version yourself, billed in credits. LOJIK finishes, connects, secures and runs the system for you at a written price. When to choose each.LovableLOJIKChecked Oct 18, 20265 dated sources
- LOJIK or an AI agency?AI agencies and consultants implement AI for businesses. Here is what to ask any of them, how LOJIK answers, and when a larger agency is the better choice.An AI agency or consultantLOJIKChecked Oct 18, 20263 dated sources
- LOJIK or a freelancer?A freelancer sells skilled hours that you manage. LOJIK sells a written scope at a set price and keeps the system running. When each one fits.A freelancerLOJIKChecked Oct 18, 20261 dated source
Weighing something else?
Apps, automations, integrations or a whole system: tell us what you are choosing between. We will say when a tool is enough and what a build would cost.