Sales Development Rep (SDR/BDR)
SDR commission plan template
A meetings-based SDR plan: 15 qualified meetings a month, $80k OTE on a $55k base, with the $/meeting rate implied by variable comp rather than set by hand.
$55k base + $25k variable at $80k OTE — an implied $138.89 per qualified meeting against a 15/month target
- Monthly target
- 15 meetings
- OTE / base
- $80,000 / $55,000
- Implied rate
- $138.89 per meeting
| Attainment | Payout rate | Kicker |
|---|---|---|
| 0% – 100% | 1× | — |
| 100%+ | 1.25× | 10% at 100% |
Drag the attainment slider, edit the tiers, and see the payout and cost curves respond.
Why the plan is shaped this way
Derive the rate instead of picking it
Many SDR plans start with a round number like $100 per meeting, and someone discovers at year-end that it added up to more or less than the OTE that was promised. This template works in the other direction: $25,000 of variable comp divided by 180 annual meetings gives $138.89 per meeting. The OTE is the input, so the budget can't drift from it.
Why the mix leans on base
At roughly 70/30, the mix is gentler than an AE plan because SDRs control less of the outcome than anyone else in the funnel: a good month of outreach can still produce few held meetings if AE calendars are full or the territory is cold. The general rule is to pay more fixed salary where the person has less control over the measured result.
Define the unit before anything else
What counts as a qualified meeting matters more than any number on this page. If a no-show or an unqualified prospect counts, the plan pays for booking activity rather than pipeline. Write the definition down before the first payout: held, with the right person, meeting your qualification bar.
How the calculator models it
Unit mode prices this the same way the product prices a tiered unit plan: attainment against the meeting target, tiers on attainment, kicker at 100%. The cost panel shows cost per meeting instead of a percentage of revenue; at target, this plan works out to $458 per qualified meeting including base salary.
What breaks this plan
- Raising the target without touching OTE. Moving from 15 to 18 meetings cuts the per-meeting rate by 17%, and reps do the division themselves. The implied-rate line in the calculator shows the effect immediately.
- Paying on booked meetings instead of held ones.
- Capping the plan. The accelerator dollars are small at SDR rates, and the role runs on volume; a cap saves little and reads badly.
These numbers are a conventional starting point, not a benchmark. Adjust them to your team; the reasoning is what carries over. Related templates: SaaS AE commission plan template · CSM commission plan template. Or read how comp plans are built in Earnest.
Set it up for a real team
The same tiers, kickers, and caps configured here run actual payouts in Earnest — free for up to 5 users, no credit card required.
Start for free