How to design an SDR or BDR compensation plan (with 2026 OTE benchmarks)
A comp plan tells your SDRs what you really value, whatever the kick-off deck says. Pay on bookings and you'll get bookings. Pay on meetings that turn into pipeline and you'll get pipeline.
SDR (sales development representative) and BDR (business development representative) are the same job at most companies: the reps who create first meetings for account executives. Some firms use SDR for inbound and BDR for outbound. Everything here applies to both.
SDR and BDR pay benchmarks: UK, US and Europe
| Market | Base | OTE | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK SaaS, average | £33K | £49K | Sales Recruit UK, 2026 |
| UK, broader range | £28K-£45K (London +15-20%) | £40K-£70K | Citrus Connect, 2026 |
| US, survey median | $55K | $80K (68:32 split) | Bridge Group, 2025 |
| US, rep-reported median | $60K | $85K-$90K | RepVue, 2025 |
| Germany, B2B SaaS | €40K-€58K | €55K-€85K | Skipcall, 2026 |
| Netherlands, B2B SaaS | €36K-€58K | €48K-€80K | Skipcall, 2026 |
| France, B2B SaaS | €30K-€50K | €38K-€70K | Skipcall, 2026 |
What to pay on
Companies split roughly three ways: about 43% pay on introductory meetings, 42% on semi-qualified opportunities and 15% on fully qualified opportunities (Bridge Group data, via CaptivateIQ). Our view:
- Pay on held and accepted outcomes, never on bookings.
- A 70/30 blend of meetings and qualified opportunities is a sensible default for B2B outbound.
- Keep closed-won to a small share. The Bridge Group has warned against tying more than 20% of SDR variable pay to won deals: the SDR can't control the close.
Six design rules ✅
- Three components or fewer. If a rep can't work out their pay on a napkin, it won't motivate them.
- Split base and variable around 70/30. That's the norm in the UK and Europe; US plans run a little more variable.
- Use 2-4 accelerator tiers. More creates confusion.
- Aim for 60-70% of reps at quota. Much lower and the quota maths or lead supply is broken.
- Model the cost at 50%, 100% and 150% attainment before launch, and again after the first quarter.
- Publish the crediting rules with the plan: what counts as held, who accepts and by when.
Worked example (illustrative)
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| OTE | £50,000 (£35,000 base, £15,000 variable) |
| Monthly variable at 100% | £1,250 |
| Monthly quota | 10 held and accepted meetings |
| Rate per meeting | £125 |
| Accelerator above 100% | 1.5x, so £187.50 per extra meeting |
| Payout at 12 meetings | £1,250 + (2 x £187.50) = £1,625 |
For new hires, guarantee most of the variable in month one, then pay the greater of a floor or actual earnings in month two, and move to the full plan by month four.
Sources
- The Bridge Group, SDR Models, Motions & Metrics 2025 Research Report
- Sales Recruit UK, SDR/BDR salary benchmarks 2026
- Citrus Connect, UK Sales Salary Guide 2026
- RepVue, SDR salary in the United States, 2025
- Skipcall, SDR salary in Germany, 2026
Questions
What is a typical SDR or BDR OTE in the UK?
Around £49K on average for UK SaaS (Sales Recruit UK, 2026), with a wider range of £40K-£70K and a 15-20% London premium on base.
What is the usual base to variable split for SDRs and BDRs?
About 70/30 in the UK and Europe. The Bridge Group 2025 US median is 68/32.
Should SDRs be paid on closed-won revenue?
Only a small share, if any. SDRs cannot control the close, and the Bridge Group has cautioned against tying more than 20% of SDR variable pay to won deals.
Turn this into a programme you can run
14 Notion modules and 6 working trackers for SDR leaders: KPI library, comp calculator, cadence builder, interview scorecard, tool scorecard and a 90-day roadmap. £49, one payment.
Benchmarks are starting points, not targets. Every figure shows its source and year; tune them to your market, deal size and sales cycle.