Startup Equity Calculator
See typical equity ranges for every role at every stage - co-founders, early engineers, VPs, advisors, and contractors. Stop guessing what the market expects.
Grant details
Add one or more roles to see typical equity ranges
Standard vesting terms
- 4-year vesting with a 1-year cliff is the market standard for all roles
- Monthly vesting after the cliff is typical for employees; quarterly for advisors
- Double-trigger acceleration is standard for acqui-hire protection
- Advisor grants typically vest monthly over 2 years with no cliff
Equity range summary
VP / Head of
Seed stage - 4-year vest, 1-year cliff
How to use these numbers
- 1.Use the midpoint as your starting offer. High end for a competitive market or critical role; low end for a large option pool with many hires planned.
- 2.Convert percentages to share counts before discussing with candidates - percentages are meaningless without context on total shares outstanding.
- 3.Refresh grants matter: plan for top performers to receive additional grants at 2-3 year marks to stay competitive with market rates.
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Start Free TrialWhat founders need to know about equity compensation
Equity grants are one of the most consequential decisions an early-stage founder makes. Underpay and you lose the talent that could define your company. Overpay and you dilute your cap table before your first institutional round - signalling to investors that you lack discipline. The ranges in this calculator are based on market data from seed-stage and Series A companies across software, fintech, and consumer.
All percentages assume a standard 4-year vesting schedule with a 1-year cliff. This is the market norm. Deviating from it in either direction - shorter vesting or no cliff - will raise questions from any sophisticated investor reviewing your cap table during due diligence.
Co-founder equity
Co-founder splits are not about fairness - they are about future motivation. Equal splits often feel right at the start but create problems if one founder contributes disproportionately later. Consider vesting schedules even between co-founders, and document your split in a founders agreement before raising any money.
Option pool planning
Investors will require you to top up the option pool before closing a round - and this dilution comes out of the founders pre-money, not the new money. Model your hiring plan for the next 18 months and size your pool accordingly. A 10-15% pool is typical at seed; 15-20% at Series A.
Advisor vs employee equity
Advisors receive less equity than employees because they carry no execution risk. A typical advisor grant is 0.1-0.5% at seed, vesting monthly over 2 years with no cliff. Be selective: too many advisors with too little engagement is a cap table red flag. Three engaged advisors beat ten passive ones.
Frequently asked questions
- How much equity should I give my first engineer?
- At pre-seed, a first engineer (often employee number one) typically receives 1-3% equity. At seed, the range drops to 0.5-1.5%. The wide range reflects how critical the role is relative to the founding team. If this person is effectively a third co-founder doing founding-level work, grant accordingly. If they are joining a team with strong technical leadership already in place, the lower end is appropriate.
- How much equity do advisors get at a startup?
- Advisor equity at seed stage typically ranges from 0.1% to 0.5%. The amount depends on the advisor's expected time commitment and the strategic value they bring. Domain experts who make introductions and close deals command the high end. Brand-name advisors who appear on a deck but provide little ongoing help should receive the low end - or nothing at all. Advisor grants usually vest monthly over 2 years with no cliff.
- What is a standard vesting schedule for startup employees?
- The market standard is 4-year vesting with a 1-year cliff. This means no shares vest in the first year, then 25% vest at the one-year mark, followed by monthly vesting of 1/48th of the total grant for the remaining three years. Any significant deviation from this standard - such as a 3-year vest or no cliff - will require explanation during investor due diligence.
- Should I offer equity to contractors and freelancers?
- Usually not. Contractors are typically compensated in cash, and offering equity complicates your cap table and tax situation. The exception is a critical fractional hire - a part-time CFO or CTO who is deeply embedded in your team and could not be replaced with a market-rate cash hire. In that case, a small grant of 0.05-0.2% over 2 years is reasonable. Always get legal advice before granting equity to contractors, especially in jurisdictions where it can create employment classification issues.
- How do equity ranges change after a Series A?
- They compress significantly. A VP-level hire at pre-seed might receive 3-5%, but the same hire post-Series A would typically receive 0.5-1.5%. This is because the company is worth substantially more, so even a smaller percentage represents a larger absolute value. Candidates who join at Series A and beyond typically understand this. The pitch shifts from percentage to projected dollar value at exit.
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