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Create a compensation plan that works for you and your employees.

Aligning your compensation philosophy with your business strategy can help you hire, retain, and reward top talent. Get compensation right from the start with our expert-reviewed guides and exclusive templates.
Guide to compensation

Getting started

Carta logo
Author: The Carta Team
Date: April 2023
featured article
Employee compensation
Knowing employee compensation basics can be the difference between a thriving company and a failed startup. Learn everything you need to get comp right.
Compensation philosophy
Compensation
July 2022
Compensation philosophy
A good compensation philosophy outlines your strategy to hire, retain, and reward talent. It can help you hire affordably, competitively, and fairly.
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Compensation plan
Compensation
July 2022
Compensation plan
A compensation plan outlines salaries, bonuses, and equity. Total rewards plans (comp plus benefits) help companies attract and retain employees.
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Job leveling
Compensation
April 2021
Job leveling
Creating a job leveling framework to fairly compensate employees is an often-overlooked part of team building. Download a free job leveling guide to get started.
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Compensation and equity

Startup employee equity: What founders should know

How much should I pay my first employees? Compensation strategy for founders

How do I teach my employees about equity?

State of Startup Compensation

Authors: Kevin Dowd & Peter Walker
Date: March 2024
featured article
State of startup compensation, H2 2023
Headcount contracted across the startup ecosystem as companies continue to adjust compensation strategies in response to economic headwinds.
State of startup compensation, H1 2023
Data & Research
September 2023
State of startup compensation, H1 2023
The past year's decline in startup fundraising had major effects on startup employee compensation.
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State of startup compensation, H2 2022
Data & Research
February 2023
State of startup compensation, H2 2022
Startups in 2023 are facing compensation markets unlike any in recent memory.
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The state of startup compensation, H1 2022
Compensation
June 2022
The state of startup compensation, H1 2022
Carta’s first startup compensation report looks at headcount, payroll, and equity benchmarks—plus trends in remote hiring, and salary across the U.S.
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Understand how to issue equity in your LLC with Carta’s LLC Blueprints
LLC Blueprints
Bring the power of employee ownership to your company with this guide on six LLC equity types and how to implement them.
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LLCs and equity incentives

Understanding equity incentive plans for LLCs

Profits interests for LLCs

What is phantom equity?

Latest articles

Executive compensation
Compensation
July 2024
Executive compensation
Understand the basics of executive compensation so you can build an effective compensation plan and packages for executives in your C-suite.
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State of startup compensation, H1 2024
Featured
July 2024
State of startup compensation, H1 2024
Carta data shows that companies have become leaner and salary benchmarks have remained flat across much of the ecosystem.
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Variable compensation
Compensation
July 2024
Variable compensation
Learn how variable compensation works, including how to motivate your employees with variable pay, pros and cons, and the different types of variable comp.
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Compensation strategy
Compensation
June 2024
Compensation strategy
In this guide, we'll delve into what a compensation strategy is, how it differs from other compensation-related terms, and provide a step-by-step approach to creating a competitive compensation strategy.
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New attitudes toward equity are changing the compensation equation
Data & Research
April 2024
New attitudes toward equity are changing the compensation equation
In a new-look venture climate, stock options and other types of company equity might be losing some of their luster in the eyes of employees.
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Equity refresh
Equity Education
April 2024
Equity refresh
An equity refresh grant is a stock grant issued to tenured employees. Equity refreshes help retain top performers and offset the costs of recruiting.
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LLC distributions
Limited Liability Companies
March 2024
LLC distributions
LLC distributions are profits paid directly to the company’s members. Learn about tax implications for single-member and multi-member LLCs.
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Total rewards statements
Compensation
March 2024
Total rewards statements
A total rewards statement shows employees the annual value of their total compensation package. See examples to get started.
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Equity compensation
Compensation
March 2024
Equity compensation
Equity compensation is a non-cash part of overall compensation and benefits. Learn the different types of equity startup leaders can offer to their teams.
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