Fractional AE vs Full-Time AE: Which Do You Need?
A complete comparison to help you make the right sales hire for your stage.
Quick Answer
Choose a Fractional AE if you need lead research and qualification at 10x lower cost, with no management overhead. Choose a Full-Time AE if you need someone to own the entire sales cycle from prospecting to closing.
Fractional AE
- Focus: Research & qualification
- Commitment: Month-to-month
- Ramp time: 1 week
- Management: Minimal
- Closes deals: No
Full-Time AE
- Focus: Full sales cycle
- Commitment: 12+ months
- Ramp time: 3-6 months
- Management: Significant
- Closes deals: Yes
| Factor | Fractional AE | Full-Time AE |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | $12,000 - $30,000 | $120,000 - $200,000 |
| Benefits | None (contractor) | $15,000 - $30,000/yr |
| Hiring risk | Low (cancel anytime) | High (bad hire = 6mo+ lost) |
| Time to first output | 1 week | 3-6 months (ramp) |
| Scalability | Instant | Slow (hiring takes months) |
When to Choose Each
Choose Fractional AE If:
- • You're pre-Series B
- • Founder is still doing sales
- • You have closers but no researchers
- • Testing a new market/ICP
- • Need to scale pipeline fast
- • Can't risk a bad full-time hire
Choose Full-Time AE If:
- • You need full sales cycle ownership
- • Complex deals require relationship building
- • You can invest in 3-6mo ramp
- • Consistent, predictable pipeline needs
- • Building institutional sales knowledge
- • Enterprise sales motion
Real-World Scenarios
Scenario 1: Seed-stage startup, founder doing sales
You're a technical founder spending 15 hours/week on lead research instead of building product.
Verdict: Fractional AE. Get your time back for $1.5k/month.
Scenario 2: Series A with 2 AEs who can't find enough leads
Your AEs are great at demos and closing, but they're spending 40% of their time on LinkedIn trying to find the next meeting.
Verdict: Fractional AE. Free your closers to close.
Scenario 3: Series B ready to build a sales team
You have product-market fit, predictable revenue, and budget for proper sales headcount.
Verdict: Full-Time AE. You're ready for the investment.