Absolutely no: no salary makes you a co-founder (who should have a large equity stake). No equity makes you a contractor/consultant (who should receive an above

Absolutely no: no salary makes you a co-founder (who should have a large equity stake). No equity makes you a contractor/consultant (who should receive an above market salary, as they receive no equity or benefits). The options are (pre-series A): large chunk of equity (1-2%), a below market salary. Post-series A: market salary, good amount of equity. Series-B and above: above market rate (you're longer offering a "life changing" amount of equity, yet you aren't offering the benefits/bonuses/etc.. that larger corporations can), some equity. If a company is offering something significantly below this (co-founders without equity, salary significant lower than other same-stage companies) they won't be able to hire people who have other options. This sounds just strange: either the co-founders are very inexperienced, or they're deliberately looking for people who can't get _any other job_ (why else would someone take this?) The only exception to this is if you really can't get another job, but want one: if you have no professional programming experience, studying CS isn't an option for you, yet you have the confidence that you'll be able to learn and grow in that position until you're able to get a better job. The founders have to also consciously realize that this is what they're offering you (so that they can serve as a reference when you apply to future jobs). Think of it as a (more intense) form of internship.