OFFER CHECK
Lowball Offer Calculator: Check the Gap Before You Accept
A lowball offer rarely announces itself. It usually arrives politely, with a smile, a deadline, and just enough excitement to make you forget that rent is still undefeated.
A job offer is probably lowballing you when the salary is below realistic market range for the role, city, experience, and scope, and the company is not making up the difference with bonus, equity, benefits, flexibility, or a written compensation path.
The right question is not only "Is this salary low?" It is "Is the whole offer fair for the job I am being asked to do?" Public sources like BLS wage data for salary negotiations can anchor the range, but the offer still has to match scope, location, and total compensation. If you want a quick calculator-style read, use Lowball Check with the offered salary as your current base.
What to put into a lowball offer check
- Job title and level.
- Location or remote market.
- Years of relevant experience.
- Base salary offer.
- Bonus, commission, equity, or refresh grants.
- Company stage and funding context.
- Expected ownership, workload, travel, and on-call duties.
- Deadline pressure or exploding offer terms.
Lowball offer signs
| Signal | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| The offer is below the posted range | Ask what level or location adjustment explains the gap. |
| The base is low and equity is vague | Ask for grant size, vesting, strike price, refresh policy, and realistic value. |
| The company says there is no room | Ask whether sign-on, bonus, PTO, remote flexibility, or review timing can move. |
| The offer expires too quickly | Ask for more time. Rushed decisions rarely improve your leverage. |
Counteroffer script
Use this when you like the job but the number feels wrong.
"Thank you for the offer. I am excited about the role and the problems the team is working on. Based on the scope we discussed, my experience, and the market range for comparable roles, I was expecting a base salary closer to [target ask]. Is there room to move the offer to that level?"
For more language, use the salary negotiation script.
How to compare total compensation
- Start with base salary because it is the most reliable part of the offer.
- Add guaranteed bonus, not aspirational bonus.
- Treat private-company equity carefully unless the company gives enough information to value it.
- Include benefits that matter to you: healthcare, PTO, remote work, commute, learning budget, or visa support.
- Compare the offer against both public salary data and real recruiter conversations.