Vesting Schedule Calculator
Equity vesting calculation.
Calculate equity vesting schedule with cliff period and remaining time to full vest, given total units and total vesting years.
What this tool does
Vested units at a given employment month account for the cliff period (no vesting before the cliff) and linear vesting after. Given total units, vest period in years, cliff in months, and months employed, this calculator returns the vested unit count to date. The result shows how many of your total units have vested based on time served and the vesting schedule structure. The calculation depends most heavily on months employed relative to the cliff date and the total vest period length. For example, an employee with a four-year vest period and a one-year cliff will see zero vesting until month 12, then vesting accelerates linearly across the remaining 36 months. The output assumes continuous employment and does not account for acceleration events, departures, or changes to the grant. Results are for educational illustration of how standard equity vesting schedules typically operate.
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Formula Used
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Calculations or display — let us know.
Disclaimer
Results are estimates for educational purposes only. They do not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
Standard equity vesting: 4-year schedule with 1-year cliff. 0% vested before 12 months, then linear monthly vest after cliff. Most companies use this structure for RSUs and options. Calculator shows vested portion at any month + remaining time to full vest.
10,000 units, 4-year schedule, 12-month cliff, 24 months employed. Past cliff: yes. Vested: 24/48 × 10,000 = 5,000 units. 50% vested. Remaining 5,000 units. 24 months until full vest. Critical for: planning departure timing (vest before leaving), negotiating accelerated vesting on M&A, understanding equity value.
Vesting variations: 3-year vest with 6-month cliff (faster). 5-year vest with 12-month cliff (slower). 'Back-loaded' vest (10/20/30/40% per year - common at FAANG). Cliff-only vest (100% at month 12, then 100% at month 24, etc - rare). Standard 4-year/1-year is overwhelming default - any deviation worth understanding before accepting offer.
Quick example
With total units of 10,000 and vest period of 4 years (plus cliff of 12 months and months employed of 24 months), the result is 5000 / 10000. Change any figure and watch the output shift — it's often more useful to see the pattern than to memorise the formula.
Which inputs matter most
You enter Total Units, Vest Period (years), Cliff (months), and Months Employed. Not every input has equal weight. Adjusting one input at a time toward extreme values shows which ones move the result most.
What's happening under the hood
If past cliff: vested = (employed months / total months) × total units. Else: 0. The formula is listed in full below. If the number looks off, you can retrace the calculation by hand — that's the point of showing the working.
Where this fits in planning
This is a "what-if" tool, not a forecast. Use it to test ideas before committing: what happens if the rate is 2% lower than hoped, what happens if you add five more years. The value is in the scenarios you run, not the single answer you get from the defaults.
What this doesn't capture
Steady-rate math ignores real-world volatility. Actual returns are lumpy; sequence-of-returns risk matters most in drawdown; fees and taxes drag on compound growth; and behaviour changes in drawdowns can reduce outcomes below the projection. The number represents one scenario rather than a forecast.
10,000 units, 4y vest, 12mo cliff at 24mo = 5000 / 10000.
Inputs
This example uses typical values for illustration. Adjust the inputs above to match a specific situation and see how the result changes.
Sources & Methodology
Methodology
The calculator determines vested equity by comparing months employed against the vesting schedule terms. If the employee has not yet reached the cliff period (the initial waiting period before any vesting begins), the vested amount is zero. Once the cliff is satisfied, vesting accrues linearly: the calculator divides months employed by the total vesting period in months, then multiplies this fraction by the total units granted. The result is capped at the total units, meaning no more than 100% of the grant vests. The model assumes uniform monthly vesting after cliff, with no acceleration events, forfeitures, or partial month rounding rules applied.
References
Frequently Asked Questions
Why 1-year cliff?
Can cliff be waived?
What if I leave before cliff?
Acceleration on M&A?
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