Financing Comparison Tool
See exactly what you'd keep under different financing models — at every exit scenario from 0x to 10x. Transparent pricing, no hidden fees.
Understanding Your Financing Options
When exercising stock options, you have three primary paths to fund the exercise cost and associated taxes. Each model has different risk profiles, costs, and optimal scenarios.
Self-Funding
Using your own savings gives you maximum upside — you keep 100% of proceeds minus taxes. However, this puts your personal capital at risk. If the company fails, you lose your entire investment with no recourse.
Non-Recourse Loan
A non-recourse loan provides the capital to exercise while protecting you from downside risk. If the company fails, you owe nothing — the lender absorbs the loss. You pay fixed interest, so your returns at high exit multiples are nearly as good as self-funding.
Prepaid Variable Forward Contract (PVFC)
Also called a profit-split, the PVFC model means the financing provider pays your exercise cost in exchange for a percentage of your future proceeds. You pay a small origination fee upfront and share a portion of the upside. This model is ideal when you want zero risk and zero out-of-pocket cost.