CDOaaS
Internal CDO
IT Consultant
Monthly Costs
Starting mid three-digit range/month
11,750-20,300 EUR/month (full cost)
1,500-3,000 EUR/day
Recruiting Costs
None — available immediately
25,000-50,000 EUR + 3-6 months
None — project-based
Strategic Responsibility
Full strategic responsibility
Full strategic responsibility
No strategic scope
AI Competence
Specialized in AI and automation
Depends on profile
Usually no AI specialization
Process Automation
n8n, Zapier, Make — included
Depends on skills
Only if commissioned (daily rate)
Software Development
Next.js, React, Node.js — included
Rarely a developer profile
Only if commissioned (daily rate)
Flexibility/Cancellation
Cancel monthly
6-month notice period typical
Project-based flexibility
BAFA Subsidy Eligibility
Up to 50% BAFA subsidy
Not eligible
Partially eligible
CDOaaS wins in 6 of 8 categories
Vorteile
- 78-91% cheaper than a full-time CDO
- Cancel monthly — no long-term risk
- All-in-one: strategy, AI, automation, software
- Up to 50% BAFA subsidy possible
- Available immediately — no recruiting needed
Nachteile
- Not a full-time on-site employee
- Shared capacity with other clients
Best for: SMEs with 10-500 employees who need strategic digitalization leadership without the fixed costs of a full-time hire.
SME with 10-500 employees without a CDO
CDOaaS (Wito AI)Strategic digitalization leadership at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CDO. Cancel monthly, BAFA-eligible, available immediately.
Corporation with 500+ employees and 2M+ IT budget
Internal CDOAt this company size, the complexity of the internal IT landscape justifies a full-time executive with direct team responsibility.
Single project with defined scope and timeline
IT ConsultantFor clearly defined projects like ERP migration or infrastructure audit, a specialized IT consultant on a daily rate basis is the pragmatic choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
CDO-as-a-Service (CDOaaS) means you get an external Chief Digital Officer on a retainer basis. Unlike an IT consultant, the CDOaaS takes strategic responsibility for your entire digital transformation — strategy, AI implementation, process automation, and software development all in one. Cancel monthly.
An internal CDO costs 141,000-244,000 EUR in the first year (salary, recruiting, onboarding, ancillary costs). CDOaaS at Wito AI starts in the mid three-digit range per month. That results in savings of 78-91% with comparable strategic output.
For SMEs with 10-500 employees: Yes. Most SMEs don't need a 40-hour executive for digitalization, but strategic impulses, implementation support, and operational expertise. An external CDO also brings cross-industry experience.
All developed strategies, documentation, and implemented systems belong to you. There is a structured handover with complete documentation. Cancellation is possible monthly — no lock-in.
Yes. Wito AI consulting services are eligible through the BAFA program 'Promotion of Business Consulting for SMEs.' This means up to 50% subsidy (max. 1,750 EUR per consultation in western Germany, max. 2,800 EUR in eastern Germany).
Related Topics
More information on digital transformation
