Base salary vs equity: which lever to push in a tech offer

Last updated: June 2026 · ~6 min read · Tied to: Counter-Offer Kit

Short answer

Default to base. Base compounds — every future raise, bonus, promo, and your next offer baseline is a percentage of base. Equity is a one-time bet on the share price between vest dates. Push base when you have leverage (competing offer, in-band ask, public-company offer). Push equity only when the company is pre-IPO with a clear liquidity event in the next 24 months.

The 3-step base-push script

Pull the base band first. Look up Levels.fyi for your role + level + city. Find the 75th percentile base only — ignore total comp for now.
Quantify the dollar gap. If the offer is $190k and the 75th is $208k, the gap is $18k. That is your specific ask, not "more base."
Frame the ask as a base-only delta — keep RSU and signing as fallback levers. The email below makes it easy for the recruiter to say yes to base without rewriting the whole package.

The exact email to send

Subject: Re: [ROLE / LEVEL] offer — base question

Hi [RECRUITER],

Thank you for the offer for [ROLE] at [COMPANY]. The team and the RSU package are great.

One question on base. Looking at Levels.fyi for [LEVEL] in [CITY / REMOTE] with [X] years in [SPECIALTY], base typically sits at $[LOW]–$[HIGH]. Current offer is $[OFFERED_BASE].

Would you be able to revise base to $[BASE_TARGET]? I'd prefer to keep the RSU and signing structure as offered — base is the lever that matters most for the long term.

If base is fixed at this band, I'm open to revisiting RSU or signing instead. Could you come back by [DATE — 3 business days]?

Thanks,
[YOUR_NAME]

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When equity actually beats base

Pre-IPO startup with a credible liquidity event in 24 months and a clean cap table.
Public tech company in a confirmed up-cycle, with a 4-year vest you intend to stay through.
Refresh grants are part of the band and tied to performance review — not deferred raises.
You already have a high base at your current job and the move is lateral on cash.

What NOT to say

"Can you do better on base?" — vague. Always give a number anchored to a band.
"I just want more base." — sounds greedy without the data. Show the gap.
Threatening to take a competing offer that you do not actually have.
Naming a base target above the 90th percentile without scope evidence. Recruiters know the bands cold.

An illustrative example

Illustrative example (not a customer result) · Senior SWE, public SaaS company, remote

Senior SWE got an offer at $185k base / $360k RSU (4yr) / $20k signing. Levels showed senior remote U.S. at 75th: $210k / $400k / $30k. They asked only for base — $205k — and kept the RSU/signing structure. Recruiter came back at $200k base + $25k signing as a sweetener. +$15k base + $5k signing = +$65k over 4 years on cash alone, plus a higher comp baseline for their next move.

Before you push base — quick check

Do you know the 75th percentile base for your level + city?
Is base your weakest lever (vs RSU and signing)?
Would a 5–12% base bump change your decision to accept?

If yes to all three, the email above is exactly what to send. Don't overthink the wording — that's what the kit is for.

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5 fill-in-the-blank emails: base-only push, 3-lever counter, competing offer, low offer, exploding deadline. Built for tech.

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FAQ

Should I take more base salary or more equity?

Base if you need certainty. Base compounds every future raise, bonus, and your next job's offer baseline. Equity is a bet on the share price — at public companies it's predictable; at startups it's a lottery ticket. Default to base unless the equity has a clear liquidity path.

How much more base can I realistically ask for?

5–12% over the opening base offer is typical at public tech companies. Pre-IPO startups have less base flex but more equity flex. Anchor every ask to a Levels.fyi or peer data point — recruiters dismiss anything else.

Will the recruiter rescind the offer if I ask for more base?

Almost never. Rescindments happen for tone, not asks. A polite, anchored ask gets re-priced; a vague "can you do better?" gets a no-thanks. The kit's wording was built around exactly this distinction.