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Vesting Schedule Visualizer

See your equity vest month-by-month with a clear visual. Useful for understanding cliff economics, planning exits, and comparing offers.
Value at full vest + exit
$2.5M
Cliff vest amount
12,500 shares
Per-month vest after cliff
1,042 shares
Vesting curve
Month 0
$0
Month 2
$0
Month 4
$0
Month 6
$0
Month 8
$0
Month 10
$0
Month 12
$613K
Month 14
$715K
Month 16
$817K
Month 18
$919K
Month 20
$1.0M
Month 22
$1.1M
Month 24
$1.2M
Month 26
$1.3M
Month 28
$1.4M
Month 30
$1.5M
Month 32
$1.6M
Month 34
$1.7M
Month 36
$1.8M
Month 38
$1.9M
Month 40
$2.0M
Month 42
$2.1M
Month 44
$2.2M
Month 46
$2.3M
Month 48
$2.5M
How vesting worksStandard schedule: 4 years total, 1-year cliff. Nothing vests for the first 12 months. At the cliff, 25% vests at once. After that, the rest vests monthly until fully vested at year 4.

What is the vesting schedule visualizer?

Vesting is how equity grants are earned over time. The standard for early-stage equity is a 4-year vest with a 1-year cliff: nothing vests for 12 months, then 25% vests at the cliff, then the rest vests monthly until fully vested at year 4.

This visualizer shows the curve and the dollar value of your vested shares at any month, given a projected exit FMV.

Why this matters for founders & operators

Vesting is the most underappreciated part of equity. Many founders and employees don't realize:

  • Leaving a day before the cliff = zero shares.
  • Founder vesting protects the company AND the remaining founders if someone leaves.
  • The dollar value at exit assumes the company actually exits — most don't.
  • Standard vesting is 4 years; some companies do 5-6 years for senior late-stage hires.

How to use this calculator

  1. 1
    Visualize your specific grant

    Enter your shares, strike, vest years, and cliff. The curve shows what you've earned vs what you'd earn over time.

  2. 2
    Test exit scenarios

    Adjust the exit FMV to see how the dollar value of your vested shares changes.

  3. 3
    Compare offers

    Plug different offers in and compare the curves. More shares with longer vest can be worse than fewer shares with shorter vest.

FAQ

What's a typical vesting schedule?+
4 years total with a 1-year cliff is the default for almost all early-stage equity. After the cliff, monthly vesting.
What happens to my unvested shares if I leave?+
They return to the company (or the option pool). You keep only what's vested. This is why the 1-year cliff matters.
Can I negotiate vesting?+
Sometimes. Common asks: extended PTE window, accelerated vesting on acquisition (single or double trigger). Total vest length is rarely negotiable.
What's 'acceleration'?+
Vesting that speeds up under specific conditions. Single trigger = vests on acquisition. Double trigger = vests on acquisition + termination. Double is standard at Series A+.