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The equity calculator you cannot fill in alone
Work out how to split equity in a project that cannot pay yet. Then invite your partner: they answer the same questions without seeing your numbers — and you both find out where your views diverge.
The calculation stays in your browser. We do not store it and never send it to a server.
How this is calculated
How this is calculated
Everything reduces to a single unit — a contribution point. That makes it possible to add time, cash, assets and results on one scale and, more importantly, to recalculate shares over time. The coefficients are open and editable: a hidden formula turns the tool into a black box.
Time × 2
Hours × the market rate for the role. An unpaid hour is riskier than a paid one: there is no money, and there may never be.
Cash × 4
The amount put in. Cash is non-refundable and arrives earliest of all, so it weighs more than time.
Assets × 2
Market rent per month × the period. Space, equipment, servers, existing code, a domain, a trademark.
Results × 4
Customers, investment and partnerships brought in. Early on, one contact often weighs more than a month of development.
Idea — 10% maximum
A one-off share for authorship with a hard cap. Without it, “it was my idea” eats the entire calculation and the model stops being honest.
What this is based on
The model builds on publicly known principles: dynamic accounting for contribution in the spirit of Mike Moyer’s Slicing Pie, and the division of capital into financial, sweat and social. Independent estimates followed by a comparison is a common approach to partnership negotiations. This is DevStake’s own implementation, not a reproduction of anyone’s proprietary method.
Frequently asked questions
Why not just split it 50/50?
You can, and sometimes that is the right answer. The problem is different: people usually land on equal shares not because they did the maths, but because the conversation is awkward. A year later it turns out the contributions diverged several times over while the split stayed put. Run the numbers — and if it comes out 50/50, that will be a decision rather than an avoidance.
Can my partner see my answers inside the link?
No. The invitation carries only names, roles and the time period — your numbers are physically not in it. Your partner answers blind and sends their estimates back, and the comparison is assembled in your browser.
Do you store the calculation?
No. Everything is computed in the browser and the draft sits in your device’s local storage. Data travels between you and your partner inside the link itself, in its hash fragment, which by design is never sent to a server with the HTTP request.
What if my partner put in money and I only put in time?
That is exactly what the coefficients are for. By default cash weighs twice as much as unpaid time, because it is non-refundable. If that does not hold in your case, change the multipliers and the calculation updates immediately.
What if someone leaves after three months?
Open the “What if your partner leaves” block. The leaver’s contribution freezes on their exit date while everyone else keeps accruing points, so their share dilutes on its own. That is fairer than a fixed percentage assigned on day one.
How many people can I calculate for?
Up to four. The common case is two, occasionally three. Larger teams usually stop splitting equity this way.
Put what you agreed on the record
This calculation lives in your browser and disappears with the tab. In DevStake the agreement becomes a project: roles, tasks, a history of contribution and confirmations — so that six months from now you are not arguing from memory.
Move this into a projectThis is a calculation, not a contract
The calculator is advisory. It is not legal, tax or investment advice and does not replace a founders’ agreement or a shareholders’ agreement. Talk to a lawyer before fixing any equity split legally.