Offer A
$
$
$
$
$
VS
Offer B
$
$
$
$
$
Calculating...
$0
more total value over 4 years

4-Year Base Salary

Offer A
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Offer B
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Equity Value Today

Offer A
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Offer B
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Equity % of Company

Offer A
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Offer B
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Total 4-Year Value

Offer A
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Offer B
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Compensation Breakdown Over Time

Detailed Comparison

Metric Offer A Offer B Winner

Upside Scenarios (at different exit valuations)

Exit Valuation Offer A Offer B Winner

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How do you compare two startup equity offers?

Comparing startup offers means looking at total compensation over the vesting period, not just annual salary. The formula:

Total Value = (Salary + Bonus) × Vesting Years + Stock Options Value

Stock options value depends on the spread between current fair market value (FMV) and your strike price. Option Value = (Number of Options) × (FMV − Strike Price). If FMV ≤ strike price, options have no immediate value. Factor in exercise cost (Options × Strike Price) and taxes.

Risk adjustment: Early-stage startups offer higher equity % but lower exit probability. Later-stage offers lower equity % but higher salary and exit probability. Calculate expected value: (Equity Value × Your Exit Probability Estimate) + Guaranteed Salary.

Worked example: Offer A: $150K salary, 10,000 options at $2 strike, $50M FMV, 4-year vest. Offer B: $180K salary, 5,000 options at $5 strike, $100M FMV, 4-year vest. Option A value = 10,000 × ($50M valuation / 10M shares implied − $2) ≈ $30K spread. Total A = ($150K × 4) + $30K = $630K. Option B value = 5,000 × ($100M / 10M − $5) = $45K. Total B = ($180K × 4) + $45K = $765K. Offer B wins by $135K.

Frequently Asked Questions

What matters more: salary or equity?
It depends on your risk profile and exit probability. High salary + low equity = lower downside. Low salary + high equity = higher upside but more risk. Calculate risk-adjusted expected value: (Equity Value × Exit Probability) + Guaranteed Salary. Also consider role growth, company trajectory, and personal runway.
How do stock options affect offer value?
Stock option value = (Number of Options) × (Current FMV - Strike Price). If FMV ≤ strike price, options have no immediate value (underwater). Consider potential future growth and exit scenarios. Factor in exercise cost (options × strike price) and tax implications (ISO vs NSO). Lower strike price = more value per option.
Should I choose early-stage or later-stage startup equity?
Early-stage: higher equity % (1–5% typical), lower salary, lower exit probability (5–20%). Later-stage: lower equity % (0.1–0.5%), higher salary, higher exit probability (40–80%). Compare expected value: (Equity Value × Exit Probability) + Salary. Also consider role seniority, learning opportunities, and company momentum.
What is a good equity percentage for a startup job offer?
Benchmarks by role and stage: Seed/C-level: 1–5%; Series A/C-level: 0.5–2%; Series B+/C-level: 0.25–1%. Seed/Engineer: 0.25–1%; Series A/Engineer: 0.1–0.5%; Series B+/Engineer: 0.05–0.2%. Use the Equity Score calculator to compare your offer against industry benchmarks for your role and company stage.

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