# RSU calculators compared: vest math, sell-vs-hold, and lot order | OptionsAhoy

> Most RSU calculators answer one question: what is this vest worth after taxes? That is the easy third of the problem. The decisions that move real money are whether to hold after vest (the sell-vs-hold cliff at 12 months) and which lots to sell first when unwinding a position. Here is what each free tool computes, and which decisions each one can and cannot answer.

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# RSU calculators compared: vest math, sell-vs-hold, and lot order

Most RSU calculators answer one question: what is this vest worth after taxes? That is the easy third of the problem. The decisions that move real money are whether to hold after vest (the sell-vs-hold cliff at 12 months) and which lots to sell first when unwinding a position. Here is what each free tool computes, and which decisions each one can and cannot answer.

By Andrew Korytko , Founder & CEO , AlphaLatitude Inc. · Published August 14, 2026 · [Alternatives, Which lots first, and others →](https://optionsahoy.com/learn)

RSU tools mostly answer the easy question: what is this vest worth after taxes? It matters, but it is a third of the problem. The decisions that move real money come after the vest: whether to hold (and cross the 12-month long-term cliff carrying single-stock risk) and, when you unwind, which lots to sell first. The table below sorts the free tools by which of those decisions each one computes. Last verified August 14, 2026 ; every claim links to the tool's own page.

| Calculator | What it computes | Cost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Equity Simplified's RSU calculator](https://equitysimplified.com/) | Federal, state, and payroll taxes on a vest, with the math shown | Free |
| [Range's equity compensation calculator](https://www.range.com/financial-calculators/equity-compensation-calculator) | Current and future value estimates across RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, and ESPPs; informational, with a pointer to Range's advisors | Free |
| [myStockOptions myTools](https://www.mystockoptions.com/mytools/) | Grant tracking and return modeling alongside its education library | See their site |
| **[OptionsAhoy RSU Sell-vs-Hold Calculator](https://optionsahoy.com/tools/rsu-sell-vs-hold)** | The after-vest decision: after-tax outcome of selling at vest vs. holding, for your income, state, and horizon, including the short-term vs. long-term cliff at 12 months and what holding actually costs. **[Verified to the cent](https://optionsahoy.com/verification)** | Free |
| **[OptionsAhoy RSU Lot Order Calculator](https://optionsahoy.com/tools/rsu-lot-order)** | The unwind decision: **[optimizes](https://optionsahoy.com/methodology)** which vested lots to sell, on which dates, to divest a chosen fraction at the lowest computed tax, with the dollar saving vs. a FIFO order | Free |

**A vest calculator is enough** when the question is what lands in your account next vest day, and several free ones answer it well. **It is not enough** for the two decisions that follow: hold or sell is a risk-and-tax trade-off with a 12-month cliff in the middle, and lot ordering is an optimization across bases, holding periods, and tax years. Those need tools built for the decision, not the arithmetic.

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Educational content for general information, not personalized tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation. See [Terms](https://optionsahoy.com/terms).

Related questions

**What is the best RSU calculator?**

It depends on which decision you are making. For "what is this vest worth after tax," several free tools answer it, including Equity Simplified’s RSU calculator and Range’s equity compensation calculator. For "should I sell at vest or hold for long-term rates," you need a tool that models the 12-month cliff and the risk of holding, which is what OptionsAhoy’s RSU Sell-vs-Hold Calculator computes. For "which lots do I sell first," you need specific-lot optimization across tax years, which is what the RSU Lot Order Calculator computes, with the saving quantified against a FIFO sell order. All three OptionsAhoy tools are free and the tax math is verified to the cent against independent engines.

**Should I sell RSUs at vest or hold them?**

It is a computable trade-off, not a rule of thumb. At vest, RSU value is taxed as ordinary income whether or not you sell, so holding is equivalent to buying your company’s stock with after-tax cash. Holding past 12 months converts further gains to long-term rates but carries single-stock risk the whole way. The RSU Sell-vs-Hold Calculator computes the after-tax outcome of both paths for your income, state, and horizon, including the short-term versus long-term cliff, so the decision is a number rather than a slogan.

**What is RSU tax-lot ordering and why does it matter?**

When you sell part of a position built from many vests, you choose which shares to sell (specific-lot identification). Different lots carry different bases and holding periods, so the order changes the tax bill. The RSU Lot Order Calculator computes which vested lots to sell, on which dates, to divest a chosen fraction at the lowest computed tax, and shows the dollar saving versus first-in-first-out, computed for your actual lots rather than assumed.

**Do RSU calculators handle the withholding gap?**

Most employers withhold RSU income at a flat supplemental rate (22% federal below $1M), which is usually below the marginal rate the income actually lands in, leaving a bill at filing time. Simple vest calculators that use the withholding rate understate the true tax. OptionsAhoy computes tax at your actual marginal rates, federal and state, and our withholding-gap article walks through the mechanics.

[All equity-comp questions →](https://optionsahoy.com/tools-faq)

Run the numbers

## Run your vest math with your own grant

The article lays out the framework. The rsu sell-vs-hold calculator runs it for your specific numbers in seconds. Free, no signup.

[Open the RSU Sell-vs-Hold Calculator →](https://optionsahoy.com/tools/rsu-sell-vs-hold)

Read next

- [Compare OptionsAhoy alternatives: equity planning tools and services compared Secfi’s calculators, Carta’s and ESO Fund’s AMT estimators, Equity Simplified, advisor software, wealth managers: this page compares products that share OptionsAhoy’s objective, *planning* your equity. Products with different objectives (financing an exercise, pooling shares, managing wealth at large) are out of scope no matter who sells them. Head-on tables, when each alternative is the better choice, and every factual claim linked to its source.](https://optionsahoy.com/learn/optionsahoy-alternatives)
- [Restricted stock units Which RSU lots should you sell first? Diversifying a concentrated stock position? The lots you sell, and the years you sell them in, change the tax bill. Specific identification, long-term timing, and bracket spreading, versus your broker's first-in-first-out default.](https://optionsahoy.com/learn/which-rsu-lots-to-sell-first)
- [Restricted stock units Sell RSUs at vest or hold? And why 22% withholding isn't enough Sell RSUs at vest, for most people: the tax is locked in either way. And 22% withholding is not enough at a 32-35% marginal rate. Find your specific April gap.](https://optionsahoy.com/learn/rsu-withholding-gap)

## You read the framework. Beta runs it on every grant you own.

OptionsAhoy plans every ISO, NSO exercise, RSU vest, hedge, and sale jointly across years and across bullish, neutral, and bearish scenarios. Free during beta.