Most consultants don’t publish pricing. Here’s why that should worry you, not reassure you.
If a price isn’t published, it usually means it’s negotiable, variable, or dependent on how the conversation goes — not a sign of premium service. Real numbers, so you’re comparing apples to apples before you ever get on a call.
The three ways consultants actually bill
Hourly
$50–150/hr for general business consulting; $150–300+/hr for certified specialists (Lean Six Sigma, Master Black Belt-level credentials). The risk: you don’t know the total until it’s over, and the clock keeps running whether or not the fix is actually working.
Retainer
$2,500–12,000/month depending on scope and access level. The risk: you’re paying whether or not there’s active work that month, and it rarely comes with a defined, guaranteed deliverable.
Fixed-price, defined scope
One problem, one price, known before you start. The risk is almost entirely removed — you know exactly what you’re paying and exactly what you’re getting before you commit a dollar.
Why this matters more than it sounds like it should
Open-ended hourly billing punishes you for a consultant working slowly, and rewards them for it. A fixed price does the opposite — the incentive is to solve it efficiently, because the price doesn’t change either way.
What 3P actually charges
Four fixed-price fixes — $249 to $649 — each with a defined scope, a set delivery timeline of 3–5 business days, and a guaranteed deliverable before you spend a dollar. No hourly clock. No open-ended retainer. You know the number before you decide anything.
The real comparison
A single hour of a certified specialist’s time, at market rate, can cost more than an entire 3P fix — delivered, complete, guaranteed. That’s not a discount gimmick. It’s what a defined scope actually makes possible.