Hire a freelancer when the story and numbers already work and the slides don't. Hire an agency or a modelling firm when the numbers behind the deck need building. Hire a fractional CFO when you need finance run month to month, beyond a one-off raise.
Most founders who ask "who should build my pitch deck?" are really asking two questions. Who makes the slides, and who makes the numbers? Some suppliers do both. Many do one and quietly hand the other back to you. The table below shows which is which, so you can match the help to the gap.
At a glance
The five options at a glance
The column that matters most is the third one. If nobody builds the model, the numbers on your slides are only as good as the spreadsheet you hand over.
| Option | What they build | Builds the model? | Deck numbers match the model? | Typical price type | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance designer | Slides from your content | Rarely | Only if you give them final numbers | Typically hourly or per deck, often the lowest cost | Founders whose story and numbers are done |
| Pitch deck agency | The story and the design | Some do. Many format yours | Only if they build the model too | Typically a fixed project fee, above a freelancer | Founders who need the story written |
| Fractional CFO | Monthly finance: reporting, budgets, cash, often the model | Usually | Yes, if they also make the deck | Typically a monthly retainer | Companies with monthly books to run |
| Template or DIY | You fill in a ready-made sheet and slides | You do | Only if you keep them in step by hand | Typically a small one-off cost, plus your time | A first pass, or a very early raise |
| Financial modelling firm (Smart Deck) | The model first, then the deck, valuation and memo from it | Yes | Yes. Slide numbers come from the model | From $1,000 / from $4,000 | Founders whose numbers need building |
Prices for the first four options vary a lot by country, experience and scope, so we've described them without figures. Ours are on our pricing page: from $1,000 for a model, deck and teaser, and from $4,000 for the full Smart Deck.
Option 1
Freelancer
A freelance pitch deck designer, found on a marketplace like Upwork or Fiverr or through a referral, is the fastest and cheapest way to get good-looking slides. It works well when you already know your story and your model is done. The risk is the gap between design and numbers. A designer lays out what you give them. They won't usually tell you that your churn looks too low or your hiring plan doesn't match your burn.
- Ask to see decks they've designed for your stage and sector
- Agree up front whether they write the words or only lay them out
- Get the editable source file as well as the PDF
- Send final numbers before they start, so you don't pay twice
Option 2
Pitch deck agency
A pitch deck agency usually writes the story as well as designing it. That's useful if you know your business inside out but struggle to explain it in 15 slides. The question to ask is what happens to the numbers. Some agencies build a financial model. Many take your spreadsheet and format the charts, which leaves the model itself unchecked.
- Ask whether they build the model or format yours
- Ask who on their team works on the numbers
- Check that you can edit the deck after they hand it over
- Find out how many rounds of changes the price includes
Option 3
Fractional CFO
A fractional CFO is a part-time finance lead. They run budgets, monthly reporting, cash and board packs, and many will build or own the financial model. Do you need a fractional CFO? For a single raise at pre-seed or seed, usually not. You'd be paying every month for work that's mostly a one-off. Once the company has monthly books, a payroll and a board, it's a different story.
You probably need one if:
- You have monthly accounts and payroll to run
- Your board or investors want monthly reporting
- You manage cash week by week
- You're past seed and building a finance function
We've worked as a part-time CFO ourselves. Our hardware start-up case study shows what that work looks like over a year.
Option 4
Template or DIY
A financial model template and a slide template are fine for a first pass. They show you the tabs a model needs and the slides a deck needs, and they cost little. Templates break when your business doesn't match the one the template was built for. A marketplace, a hardware company and a lender all make money in different ways, so their revenue tabs look nothing alike. If you go this route, read what goes into a startup financial model first, and plan to rebuild the revenue tab around your own drivers.
Option 5
Financial modelling firm
A modelling firm builds the numbers first and the deck from them. That fixes the most common problem in a raise, which is a deck that says one thing and a model that says another.
That's what we do. We build your financial model in Excel or Google Sheets, then the pitch deck, valuation and investor memo from it, all on one private link. You still get the PDF and an editable PowerPoint. The entry package is a model, deck and teaser from $1,000. The full Smart Deck starts at $4,000. We don't find investors or charge success fees. See the pitch deck and financial model service.
Before you hire
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
Ask all six, whoever you're talking to.
- Will you build the financial model, or only design the deck?
- Can I edit the model myself after you hand it over?
- Do the numbers on the slides come straight from the model?
- Do I get both a PDF and an editable PowerPoint?
- Who owns the files when the job is done?
- Do you charge a success fee, or promise investor introductions?
A good answer to the last one is no. We explain why in the FAQ below. If you're curious how AI fits into any of this, see how we use AI for pitch decks and models.
Decision tree
A three-question decision tree
Answer these in order and stop at the first one that points you somewhere.
- Do you need finance run every month? Yes: a fractional CFO. No: go to question 2.
- Is your financial model built and checked? No: a financial modelling firm, or a template if the budget is tight and you have the time. Yes: go to question 3.
- Is your story clear? No: a pitch deck agency or a writer. Yes: a freelance designer.
Most pre-seed and seed founders land on question 2. The model is where the work is, and it's where investors push hardest.
Your questions
Questions founders ask
Should I hire a pitch deck agency or a freelancer?
Hire a freelancer if your story and numbers are done and you only need the slides to look good. Hire an agency if you also need the story written. If your financial model isn't built yet, ask either one whether they build it. If they don't, you'll need a modelling firm or a fractional CFO for the numbers.
Do I need a fractional CFO to raise a seed round?
Usually not. A fractional CFO is paid monthly to run finance, and a seed raise mostly needs a one-off model and deck. A fractional CFO starts to make sense once you have monthly accounts, payroll and a board that wants regular reporting.
How much does a pitch deck consultant cost?
It varies a lot with country, experience and scope. Freelancers often charge by the hour or per deck, agencies usually charge a fixed project fee, and fractional CFOs charge a monthly retainer. Our prices start at $1,000 for a model, deck and teaser, and at $4,000 for the full Smart Deck. Whoever you use, ask whether the price includes the financial model.
Can I use a financial model template for investors?
For a first pass, yes. A template shows you the tabs investors expect. The revenue tab is where templates break, because your business won't make money the same way as the one the template was built for. Rebuild revenue around your own drivers, and label every assumption with its source before an investor sees it.
Do pitch deck agencies find investors?
Good ones say no. Building materials and finding investors are different jobs, and in some countries arranging investment for a fee needs a licence. We don't do investor outreach or charge success fees. We build the model, deck and supporting documents, and you or your adviser take them to investors.
Next step
Tell us what's broken
Send us your current deck and model, even if they're rough. We'll tell you which part needs the work, and whether you need us at all.
Want to check your model yourself first? See what goes into one.