About ShareBased

Independent guides to share-based pay · est. 2026

Share-based compensation has become a huge slice of how modern companies pay people — and the explanations available to the people receiving it are mostly written by lawyers for companies, by brokers for compliance teams, or by strangers on forums at 2am. ShareBased exists to fix the recipient's side of that equation.

Our editorial mark — a nod to the engraved share certificates this subject began with.

What we publish

Long-form, plain-English guides to RSUs, stock options, ESPPs and the UK's share schemes (EMI, CSOP, SIP, SAYE) — each with worked numerical examples, the current year's figures, key takeaways and honest FAQs. Two series, one standard: if a careful reader follows the arithmetic, they should reach the same answer we did.

Our editorial standards

Recipient's seat only. We write for employees and option holders, never for plan issuers; we sell no schemes, platforms or advice.
Figures are sourced and dated. Rates and thresholds are checked against IRS and HMRC publications, labelled with their tax year, and revisited when rules change. Every guide shows its update date.
Education, not advice. We explain how rules work; we don't tell you what to do. Decisions with deadlines or large sums deserve a qualified professional who knows your facts. (Full disclaimer.)
Transparent funding. The site is supported by clearly-marked Amazon affiliate links on book recommendations — never by the subjects we cover. (Disclosure.)

Corrections

Spotted an error or an out-of-date figure? We genuinely want to know: hello@sharebased.com. Verified corrections are made promptly and the guide's update date is refreshed.