Hiring & Team
What is the typical equity range for early-stage engineers in 2026 startups?
Answer:
Early-stage engineer equity in 2026 startups generally ranges from 0.1% to 1.5% for the first technical hire, depending on the company's stage, role seniority, and compensation level. Pre-seed founding engineers might receive between 0.5% and 2%, with a four-year vesting schedule and a one-year cliff. Seed-stage hires usually get between 0.1% and 0.5%. Equity ranges have narrowed in 2026 as salary expectations for remote engineers have decreased compared to US benchmarks.
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