Enter the cash trade-off
The cash fee you'd otherwise charge is your true cost of the trade.
EQUITY-FOR-DEV CALCULATOR
Equity-for-Development Calculator
Explore the implied value and risk of accepting equity in place of development fees.
- Uses your inputs in a transparent calculation
- Instant result with practical next steps
- No signup required
Planning guidance only. Validate important decisions with customer evidence and your delivery team.
YOUR INPUTS
Build your result
Complete every field. The result updates only when you choose Calculate.
How it works
Add equity terms and valuation
Equity percentage and company valuation set the nominal value.
Risk-adjust for success probability
Most equity-for-services deals should assume significant failure risk.
Continue learning: Hidden costs in MVP pricing · Fixed-fee vs hourly MVP pricing
Frequently asked questions
Is equity-for-services ever a good idea?
It can be, for a genuinely promising opportunity and a founder you trust — but treat it as speculative upside, not guaranteed compensation.
What success probability should I use?
Most early-stage startups fail — a conservative estimate (often well under 50%) is more realistic than founder optimism suggests.
Should I ever take equity in place of my own salary?
Generally no — cover your real costs and living expenses with cash; treat equity as additional upside only.
How We Compare
| Feature | MVPHub | Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk-adjusted value calculation | Included | Limited | Limited |
| Instant multiple comparison | Included | Not included | Not included |
| Guided single-scenario input | Included | Not included | Not included |
| No setup required | Included | Not included | Not included |
Excel and Sheets can model multiple equity scenarios in detail. MVPHub gives an instant risk-adjusted sanity check before you build that model.
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