Outsourced CFO services in India: what they cover and what they cost

An outsourced CFO gives a growing company senior finance leadership without a full-time appointment. This note explains what the role covers, how it differs from an accountant or auditor, and what Indian companies pay for it in 2026.

What an outsourced CFO actually does

The role sits above bookkeeping. The books may be kept by your own accounts team or by the provider, but the CFO function is accountable for what the numbers say: a monthly close on a fixed date, management information (profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow and budget against actual), a rolling cash-flow forecast, reporting to lenders and investors, and oversight of statutory compliance so that GST, TDS, payroll and company law filings are done on time and reconciled.

In practice this means one named senior person who reviews the numbers, explains them to the owner each month, and raises problems early: a customer paying late, input credit that does not match GSTR-2B, a supplier payment approaching the 45-day limit under Section 43B(h), or a covenant with the bank at risk.

How it differs from a chartered accountant or auditor

A statutory auditor gives an independent opinion on the annual accounts and must stay independent of management. A tax consultant files returns and handles notices. An outsourced CFO is part of management: involved monthly, forward-looking, and responsible for the finance function running well between audits. Most companies keep their auditor and often their existing CA, and add the CFO function on top.

Who it suits

Companies with roughly Rs 10 crore to Rs 200 crore in turnover, an in-house accounts team of one to five people, several GST registrations or entities, and either bank borrowing or outside investors. Below that size a good accountant usually suffices; above it a full-time CFO becomes affordable. The common trigger is a specific event: a bank asking for monthly MIS, a GST notice, a fund-raise, or a founder spending evenings on reconciliations.

What it costs in 2026

Indian retainers for outsourced CFO services typically run from about Rs 35,000 a month for a light-touch advisory arrangement to Rs 3.5 lakh or more for group-level work with lender and investor reporting. The variables are the number of entities and registrations, transaction volumes, how much of the accounting the provider takes on, and the seniority of the person on the account.

Our own packages are Rs 1,20,000 (one entity, in-house accounts team), Rs 2,20,000 (several entities, cash forecasting and payables control) and Rs 3,50,000 (group consolidation and lender or investor pack) per month, plus GST, invoiced monthly in advance. Each proposal states the entities and volumes covered and the exclusions, so the fee does not move during the year.

What to ask any provider

Who exactly will be on the account, and how senior are they. What is in scope and what is excluded (statutory audit, appeals and litigation, new registrations are usually separate). How filings are confirmed, and whether acknowledgements are shared. What the monthly close date is. How the fee changes if volumes change. A provider who answers these in writing before you sign is the one to choose.