Are we too small for a Big 4 engagement?

Most SMBs are. Big 4 economics are built for enterprise budgets, and the multi-month strategy phase is the wrong shape for a team that needs a working system this quarter.

Do we lose strategic thinking by skipping the strategy phase?

No. 48X scopes the metric, the workflow, and the data on the first call. That is the strategy that matters for a 48-hour build. We do not write a fifty-page deck before shipping.

What if we need both, a roadmap and a working system?

Use 48X to ship the first system and prove what works. Use the evidence from that ship to inform any larger programme. The order matters: build the small thing first, then write the roadmap with real data.

How does the price compare?

A Big 4 engagement typically sits in the six- to seven-figure range over a year, paid for hours, decks, and a roadmap. The first 48X build is outcome-tied: you pay only if the metric we agreed on the first call moves. Expansion after that runs on conventional pricing: monthly engagement or fixed project fee depending on scope. The outcome guarantee is the entry point, not the forever model.

Who is on the project team?

The people you meet on the first call. No partner-led sales motion handing off to junior delivery. Founder-led on every project.

Compare

48X vs Big 4 AI consulting: outcome in 48 hours, not strategy in 6 months

Big 4 AI engagements are partner-led, multi-month, and start with a strategy phase before any system ships. That model is built for large enterprises and large fees. 48X is built for serious SMBs. You want the Brain of your business or your codebase live this week, paid by the metric it moves. Not by hours and decks.

Apply for a 48-hour build See AI for Code

When each fits

The honest answer up front

Pick 48X

Pick 48X when you want the Brain of your business (or your codebase) wired into a working system in 48 hours, with the first build's cost tied to a metric you agreed on the first call.

Pick Big 4 AI consulting

Pick a Big 4 consultancy when you need an enterprise-wide AI strategy, board-level governance frameworks, and a multi-year change programme.

Side by side

48X vs Big 4 AI consulting

Dimension	48X	Big 4 AI consulting
Time to first working system	48 hours.	Typically 3-6 months after kick-off, often longer for production deployment.
Pricing model	Outcome-tied milestones. No SOW, no retainer.	Fixed-fee SOW or time-and-materials. Six- to seven-figure total.
Who does the work	A small senior team. The people you meet are the people who ship.	Tiered staffing: partner, manager, associates. Delivery sits with junior staff.
First deliverable	A live workflow.	A strategy deck and current-state assessment.
Best-fit company size	20-500 employees, occasionally up to 1,000.	Typically 1,000+ employees, often regulated industries.
What you actually pay for	The metric moving.	Hours, decks, and a roadmap.

FAQ

Questions buyers ask about 48X vs Big 4 AI consulting

Other comparisons

Also comparing 48X

Stop paying for the strategy phase. Ship the system.

Tell us the metric. We agree it on the first call and ship in 48 hours.

Apply for a 48-hour build See AI for Code