# 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.

## Getting started

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Author: The Carta Team  
Date: March 2026  
Featured article  
Employee compensation: A founder's guide to compensation packages  
Learn how to build a competitive employee compensation package to attract top talent and stay compliant as you scale.

Compensation  
March 2026  
Compensation philosophy: Creating a framework for compensation  
Learn how to create your first compensation philosophy, a clear framework that will help you make consistent decisions regarding compensation as you build your team.

Compensation  
March 2026  
Creating a compensation plan that wins top talent  
Learn how to build and manage a strategic compensation plan that attracts and retains top talent, manages your burn rate, and builds a culture of ownership.

Compensation  
October 2025  
Job leveling: The solution to compensation and career growth pains  
Creating a job leveling framework to fairly compensate employees is an often-overlooked part of team building. Explore our free job leveling guide to get started.

## Compensation and equity

[**Startup employee equity: What founders should know**](/content/learn/startups/compensation/employee-equity/index.html)

[**How much should I pay my first employees? Compensation strategy for founders**](/content/uk/en/learn/startups/compensation/early-employees/index.html)

[**How do I teach my employees about equity?**](/content/uk/en/learn/startups/compensation/employee-equity/education-program/index.html)

## 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.

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.

Data & Research  
February 2023  
State of startup compensation, H2 2022  
Startups in 2023 are facing compensation markets unlike any in recent memory.

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.

LLC Blueprints

Bring the power of employee ownership to your company with this guide on six LLC equity types and how to implement them.

## LLCs and equity incentives

[**Understanding equity incentive plans for LLCs**](/content/uk/en/learn/startups/compensation/equity-incentive-plans/index.html)

[**Profits interests for LLCs**](/content/uk/en/learn/startups/compensation/equity-incentive-plans/profits-interest/index.html)

[**What is phantom equity?**](/content/uk/en/learn/startups/compensation/equity-incentive-plans/phantom-equity/index.html)