Many startups will pay salaries that match (or almost-match) those of larger companies, but the work at a startup is likely to be much more interesting - you'll usually move faster and learn more than at a larger organisation.
https://devauc-static.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/2013/10/Late-Sta...
Is this really true? I've heard of larger companies justifying lower salaries through the value of stability.
Startups generally try to match salaries now, however, that is not enough considering the 1 year lifespan of most startups today, they need to raise in 1 year after the last round. The risk is the economic cycle where we seem to be near the top.
With startups I can actually negotiate and get results. With big companies every major hike in the offer needs to go through a long approval chain. In a few instances I've been off the market by the time they came back to me.
I've also had less jerking around with the aforementioned bonus structures from startups. With big companies I've consistently gotten "$Y base plus up to $Z discretionary", where Y + Z adds up to my asking. I've taken one such offer before and gotten completely shafted (i.e., highly positive performance review, bonus nowhere to be found). Startups are much, much more willing to simply pay my asking salary as base.
My impression with big companies is that their recruiters are their greatest liability. I've had recruiters ask for my salary be lowered because they're paying for my move. No thanks, I know exactly how much a move costs and it's nowhere near the (permanent! not one time!) reduction in salary. Things like that make a negotiation go south quickly. When it comes to smaller companies I've never been treated by HR/recruitment like I was born yesterday, whereas that experience is the norm with big companies.
I heard of 200/300k for iOS devs though, so keep looking :)
I also have no complaints about my pay ;) But my experiences with big companies have left with me little desire to talk to them. It's always been a frustrating experience full of low-ball offers and treating me like an idiot.
Every time I've dealt with big-company salary negotiations it's felt like buying a used car. "Oh, we absolutely cannot go higher than that ceiling" "Welp, sorry then" "No wait, we talked to our VP..." - startups (or really, just smaller companies) have always been much more transparent and much more direct in their dealings.
Never underestimate the power of underpaying but deeply investing personally in your employees at a startup. Many people will produce better work at 70-80k with serious facetime with the CEO and complete control over product or business strategies. People appreciate agency over their work a lot more than many assume.