Equity Vesting Calculator: Cliff, Schedule & What's Vested
See how much of your equity grant is vested today using a standard cliff-then-monthly schedule. Nothing vests before the cliff — then it vests month by month.
Tip: If you're reviewing an offer or grant agreement, see our employment agreement review to understand the full terms.
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How to use this vesting calculator
- Enter your total grant (the full number of shares or units) and the vesting period in years.
- Set the cliff in months (commonly 12) and how many months have elapsed since your vesting start date.
- Optionally add a price per share to estimate the current dollar value of what's vested.
The calculator assumes nothing vests before the cliff; on the cliff date the cliff's worth vests at once, then the rest vests monthly. Always confirm the exact mechanics in your grant agreement.
Equity vesting terms to know
- Cliff: An initial period (often 12 months) where nothing vests; leave before it and you typically forfeit everything.
- Vesting period: The total time over which the full grant vests (commonly 4 years).
- Monthly vesting: Equal installments that accrue each month after the cliff.
- Unvested shares: The portion you have not yet earned and could forfeit if you leave.
- Instrument type: RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, and profits interests vest similarly but are taxed very differently.
Unsure what a term means? Browse plain-English definitions in our glossary.
Equity vesting calculator FAQs
This calculator is an educational estimate and is not financial, tax, or legal advice.