Turn offers into comparable present-value compensation totals fast. Adjust growth, bonus, vesting, and exit timing. Download results, share scenarios, and negotiate with confidence today.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Offer salary | $120,000 |
| Alternative salary | $140,000 |
| Bonus | 10% |
| Equity percent | 0.25% |
| Shares outstanding | 10,000,000 |
| Strike price | $0.50 |
| Dilution | 15% |
| Vesting / cliff | 4 years / 12 months |
| Exit valuation | $150,000,000 |
| Exit probability | 35% |
| Discount rate | 12% |
Across growth-stage companies, total compensation often blends cash and equity. A common HR planning anchor is a 70/30 to 90/10 cash‑to‑equity split by level, with greater equity weight in early roles and revenue‑linked roles. Use the calculator to test how a 10% salary gap compares to a 0.10%–0.50% ownership range under realistic dilution.
Vesting converts a headline grant into earned value over time. A 4‑year schedule with a 12‑month cliff means 0% is earned before month 12, then it typically accrues monthly. If your expected exit is in year 2, only about 50% may vest, which materially reduces expected proceeds. Adjust exit timing to match retention risk and career plans.
Dilution reduces effective ownership as new rounds are raised. Modeling 10%–25% dilution is typical for a multi‑round path, and it can outweigh small improvements in valuation. Options also carry a strike price, so the economic gain is exit price minus strike. If strike is close to today’s implied price, exercise cost can be meaningful.
HR teams increasingly use probability-weighted outcomes for offers, especially in volatile markets. A single valuation number can mislead. Try three exit probabilities—10%, 35%, and 60%—to see how risk appetite changes the expected PV. This makes compensation discussions consistent across candidates and prevents overpaying for unlikely upside.
Discounting converts future payouts into today’s equivalent value. A 12% discount rate is a practical starting point for private-company risk, but finance partners may prefer 15%–25% for early-stage uncertainty. In the calculator, higher discount rates compress both future salary and equity, but they usually penalize equity more because equity concentrates later.
When the net expected advantage is negative, you can change inputs that matter most: reduce strike or request RSUs, increase the grant, improve salary, or negotiate acceleration terms. Break-even valuation helps anchor a discussion: it shows what valuation is required for equity to compensate for cash. Export the table to share a clean rationale. using clear data assumptions using clear data assumptions using clear data assumptions using clear data assumptions using clear data assumptions using clear data assumptions using clear data assumptions
It is the equity payout after exercise cost and capital gains tax, multiplied by exit probability, then discounted back using your discount rate.
Select Percent ownership. Enter your percent and the company’s shares outstanding. The tool converts the percent into an equivalent share count.
This calculator assumes a simple common-share outcome without preference stacks. If preferences are heavy, payouts can be lower; reduce exit valuation or probability to stress‑test.
Not always. Salary is typically taxed as income, while equity gains can be capital gains. Use rates that match your jurisdiction and personal situation.
It approximates the valuation where the equity PV equals the after‑tax cash gap between offers. Above it, equity is more likely to offset lower cash.
Yes. Treat the alternative salary as Offer B’s cash baseline, then adjust equity inputs for Offer A. Re-run with swapped roles to compare both directions.
Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.