Co-founders
Founder Equity Calculator
Agree the split on clear criteria, not a handshake.
Score each founder from 0 to 10 on six criteria and set how much each criterion matters for your team. The tool shows the split and a four-year vesting schedule. The result supports your decision; it is not legal advice.
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- Free
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Result
This tool supports your decision; it is not legal advice.
Everything is calculated in your browser. We do not save your figures; they are only written into this page's address so you can share it. If you ask for the result by email, your figures go to our server only to create that email and are not stored. Results are estimates based on your assumptions; they are not financial or legal advice.
Vesting: earn your stake over time
Rather than handing over the whole stake on day one, a common pattern is to let founders earn it over time: four-year vesting with a one-year cliff.
- 1
First 12 months
The cliff period. A co-founder who leaves during this time earns no shares.
- 2
Month 12
The cliff ends; the co-founder vests a quarter of their stake.
- 3
Months 13 to 48
One forty-eighth of the stake vests each month.
- 4
Month 48
By the end of year four the whole stake has vested.
Example schedule for your team
The table applies four-year vesting with a one-year cliff to the split above and shows how much of the company each founder has vested by which month. How vesting is written into the agreement is a legal matter; talk to a lawyer.
How it is calculated
The formula in plain English; each step builds on the one before.
- 01
Weighted score
For each criterion: score × weight
Each founder's score on the six criteria is multiplied by that criterion's weight and added up.
- 02
Share
Founder's weighted score ÷ All founders' total
Shares are the ratio of weighted scores; the rounded percentages always add up to 100.
- 03
Weight
From 0 to 10
If a criterion does not matter for your team, set its weight to 0 and it drops out. Equal weights count every criterion the same.
Frequently asked questions
Can't find your answer here? Write to us.
Is an equal split better?
Often it is a good starting point. According to Failory, Michael Seibel of Y Combinator says an unequal split declares one founder more valuable than another, and that this hurts productivity. If you do need an unequal split, this tool helps you name the reason.
I came up with the idea. Should I get more?
On its own, that is not seen as enough. According to Failory's guide, having the idea first, starting a few months earlier or putting in the first money are small advantages on a long journey. You may want to give these criteria a low weight.
Why does vesting matter?
If shares are handed over in full on day one, a co-founder who leaves a few months later takes their whole stake with them. Vesting means shares are earned over time; the common pattern is four years with a one-year cliff.
How do I make the result official?
Write the agreed shares and vesting rules into a founders' agreement and always show it to a lawyer before signing. This tool supports your decision; it is not legal advice.
Related articles
We explain the thinking behind the numbers on our blog, in Turkish.
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