A startup equity benchmark helps employees compare equity grants across similar departments, seniority levels, and company stages. The Equitybee Benchmark is built from joining equity grants submitted through Equitybee.

A joining equity grant is the first equity grant an employee receives when joining a company. For startup employees, this is often a stock option grant.

In Equitybee's dataset of 9,000+ verified joining grants, the median joining grant FMV was approximately $59K in 2025 and $65K in 2026 year-to-date. Values vary widely: median grants range from roughly $20K at Seed / Series A companies to $62K at Series D+, and from about $15.2K for ICs to $215K at the VP & C-Level.

There is no single right amount. Equity depends on role, seniority, company stage, industry, and the salary trade-offs in the offer. Startup equity is often discussed as an ownership percentage, but percentages are difficult to compare across companies with different share counts and valuations. The Equitybee Benchmark approaches the question through grant value, Options Granted × FMV per Share at Grant, so you can compare a specific offer with verified joining grants from a similar cohort.

In Equitybee's dataset, AI & Data companies show a median joining grant FMV of approximately $73K from 2024 through 2026 YTD, compared with a $52K median across all other industries. Higher recent grant values are not limited to AI: Aerospace, Defense & Deep Tech ($89K) and Cybersecurity & Security ($72K) also benchmark above that level.

In Equitybee's dataset, median joining grant FMV rose from about $12K in 2016 to approximately $59K in 2025, peaking during the 2021-2022 funding boom. Values declined in 2023 but did not return to earlier levels; the median has remained near $60K since 2024.

In Equitybee's dataset, the median joining grant FMV at Series B companies is approximately $29K, compared with $20K at Seed / Series A and $62K at Series D+. Whether a specific offer is competitive depends on department, seniority, salary, and the rest of the compensation package; the full Benchmark shows the distribution for a specific cohort.

Not necessarily. FMV at grant reflects the company's share value when the employee joins, so later-stage grants naturally show higher grant-date values and typically higher exercise costs. Earlier-stage grants carry lower strike prices with more risk and a wider range of possible outcomes. The Benchmark is designed to compare grants within a similar company stage, not to judge one stage against another.

It depends on seniority. Among ICs in Equitybee's dataset, Engineering's median joining grant FMV is $23.2K versus $14K for Marketing, a 67% difference. At the VP & C-Level, the medians are $236.7K and $229.2K, a gap of only about 3%.

Tools like Levels.fyi rely largely on self-reported total compensation data, and Carta's benchmarks are built from company-side cap table records. The Equitybee Benchmark is built from joining equity grants submitted through Equitybee by employees, focuses specifically on startup equity rather than total compensation, and compares grants using FMV at grant. Each source has a different scope, and they can be complementary.

Consider the number of options, FMV or strike price at grant, company stage, department, seniority level, salary, and other compensation terms. The Equitybee Benchmark compares grants using Options Granted × FMV per Share at Grant.

Grant Value is calculated as Options Granted × FMV per Share at Grant. It provides a standardized way to compare equity grants across companies with different share prices and option counts.

FMV at grant provides a standardized comparison point across companies. Ownership percentage can be harder to compare because companies have different share counts, capitalization structures, funding histories, and valuation timelines.

No. The Benchmark is built from joining equity grants. It may still provide useful directional context for promotion, refresh, or internal equity conversations, but those grants can be structured differently.

Yes. You can compare the first equity grant you received when you joined the company. You can also use the data as directional context for what employees receive when hired into the role you already hold.

The Benchmark is derived exclusively from Equitybee's platform data and is based on equity grant information submitted through Equitybee. The dataset has not been independently verified and may not represent the full startup market.

Salary benchmarks focus on cash compensation and often rely on survey responses. The Equitybee Benchmark focuses specifically on startup equity and is built from employee grant information submitted through Equitybee.

Yes. The Benchmark is free to use. An account is required to access detailed cohort results.

No. The Equitybee Benchmark is provided for informational purposes only and should be used as market context, not as financial, tax, legal, or compensation advice.