Education Centre Tools & Templates
Fractional vs Full-Time Calculator
Salary is only the start. Compare the full year-one cost of a senior sales hire with a fractional leader, using 2026 Australian figures you can change.
At a glance
The Fractional vs Full-Time Calculator by Promptwise Advisory compares the full year-one cost of hiring a Head of Sales in Australia, including super, recruiter fees, payroll tax and ramp-up, with the cost of a fractional sales leader on a monthly retainer.
- Full-time inputs
- Salary, commission, super, recruiter fee, equipment, ramp-up
- Fractional inputs
- Monthly retainer, months engaged
- Figures
- 2026 Australian salary, super and payroll tax rates
- Cost
- Free
Full-time hire
Fractional leader
Full-time, year one
What the numbers don’t show
- Full-time makes sense when you have a sales process that already works, three or more reps who need managing every day, and the runway to absorb a slow ramp.
- Fractional makes sense when you need the strategy, process and first hires set up properly, but not 40 hours a week of leadership yet.
- A bad hire costs more than the salary. The months of lost pipeline and the restart usually hurt more than the recruiter fee.
Sources: Payscale Australia (Sydney sales director salaries, 2026); ATO super guarantee rate; Revenue NSW payroll tax 2026–27; Scale Suite and 9cv9 recruiter fee guides (2026); Fractionus fractional executive cost guide (2026). Estimates only. Talk to your accountant before you decide.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Head of Sales cost in Sydney?
Payscale’s 2026 data puts the median base salary for a sales director in Sydney at about A$147,000. With commission, 12% super, a recruiter fee and equipment, the year-one cost is typically A$250,000–260,000.
How much does a fractional Head of Sales cost in Australia?
Senior fractional sales leaders in Australia typically charge A$7,000–18,000 a month on retainer, or about A$1,200–2,500 a day, with no super, payroll tax or recruiter fee.
What is the super guarantee rate in 2026?
The super guarantee has been 12% since 1 July 2025, and the ATO confirms it stays at 12% for 2026–27.
When does payroll tax apply in NSW?
In New South Wales, payroll tax is 5.45% of wages above A$1.2 million a year. If your total payroll is below that threshold, it doesn’t apply.
Not sure where to start?
That’s exactly what the first conversation is for. It’s free.