Offer 1
Offer 2 (optional)
Offer 3 (optional)
Fill in at least one offer, then click Compare offers.
Result
Offers compared
| Offer | Year 1 | 4-year average | After tax, 4 years | True hourly |
|---|
How it is calculated
Yearly total = base + target bonus + retirement match (base x match percent, up to the cap) + other benefits + sign-on (year 1 only) + equity. Equity vests in even yearly slices over the vesting years, each slice grown by the yearly growth rate and multiplied by your confidence; a refresh grant is added from year 2 at the same confidence. The comparison uses the average of years one to four. True hourly rate = average yearly total / ((52 weeks - paid days off / 5) x (hours + commute hours per week)). The counteroffer base is found by searching for the base at which an offer's four-year average matches the best offer's.
Not modelled: state and federal tax beyond the flat rate you enter, how equity is taxed at vest, health insurance differences, cost of living, vesting cliffs, refresh grants beyond one flat amount, stock option strike prices. Unverified: checked by hand calculation and unit tests only.
Common questions
How do I compare job offers with equity?
Turn each offer into a yearly total: base, target bonus, sign-on in year one, retirement match, and the equity that vests each year. Then cut the equity by how confident you are it will be worth that much. This tool does that for up to three offers and shows the four-year average, so a big sign-on or a back-loaded grant does not distort the comparison.
How should I value startup equity in an offer?
With a large haircut. Private company shares are illiquid and most grants end up worth far less than the paper value. Setting confidence to 25 to 50 percent gives a cautious figure; setting it to zero shows the cash-only offer. The tool flags any offer where equity is over 30 percent of the four-year value.
What is the true hourly rate of a job?
Total yearly pay divided by the hours you actually give the job, including the hours you work each week, your commute, and your paid days off. A lower-paid job with shorter hours and more time off can pay more per hour than a higher-paid one.
How do I use this to negotiate?
The tool computes the base salary each lower offer would need to match the best one over four years. That is a concrete counteroffer number rather than a guess.
Should I count a sign-on bonus?
Yes, but only in year one, and only if you are willing to stay. Many employers claw it back if you leave early. The tool puts it in year one and the four-year average spreads it out.
How is a retirement match counted?
As a percentage of base up to an optional dollar cap, added to your yearly total. It is free money only if you contribute enough to receive it.
Does it work out taxes?
Only as a flat rate you choose, to give an after-tax view. Real tax depends on your state, filing status and how equity is taxed at vest, which this tool does not model.
Is my information uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything you type stays in this browser tab. There are no accounts, cookies or analytics vendors.