If you're applying to non-public companies where the stock isn't liquid, it's very hard to compare different packages across companies.

Benefits are another story, and I'd love to see triplebyte release some data about those.

Many people, myself included, find base salary the most meaningful indicator.

For every company that uses perks as a cash replacement in a healthy way, there's another that expects you to overlook poor absolute numbers in favor of wishy washy things like illiquid equity and coldbrew kegs.

Unless your stock is very liquid, cash is king. Everything else is a distant second.