What are the best Carta alternatives for an early-stage startup?

For a free cap table, Carta's own Launch plan may be enough. Founders leaving Pulley are also looking at EquityList and Eqvista, which publish Pulley migration guides, and at Cake Equity. If you want the cap table kept by the same system that issues founder stock, runs SAFE rounds and collects board consents, Corply does that for Delaware C-Corps.

Is Carta free for startups?

Carta's Launch plan is free for companies with up to 25 stakeholders and $1M raised. It covers cap table management, securities issuance, SAFE fundraising and the 83(b) form. Build covers up to 50 stakeholders; Grow and Scale add board meetings, 409A valuations and reporting at quoted prices.

Is Pulley shutting down?

Yes. Pulley's last day of service is December 8, 2026. It arranged an assisted migration to Carta for customers who opt in by November 30, 2026; customers can also export their records and move elsewhere. Export your cap table and full transaction history before you leave.

Does Corply replace Carta?

For many seed-stage Delaware C-Corps, yes: founder stock, the stock ledger, SAFE rounds and board and stockholder consents live in one record. Corply doesn't offer self-serve option plans or 409A valuations today, so companies granting options to employees may still need an equity platform for those.

Carta alternatives for early-stage startups

By Corply · Updated November 11, 2026

Most seed-stage startups need three things from equity software: an accurate cap table, a way to raise on SAFEs, and board approvals that match both. Carta covers the first two for free under 25 stakeholders. The alternatives differ in price, in migration help for Pulley customers, and in whether consents and stock records live in the same place.

Pulley shuts down on December 8, 2026

Pulley announced in September 2026 that it will stop operating on December 8, 2026. It arranged an assisted migration to Carta for customers who opt in by November 30, 2026, under a new Carta contract. Whatever you choose, export the cap table, every transaction and the signed documents first. Equity you issued stays valid; only the software changes.

Hand-drawn share register with separate rows for recorded holdings.

What Carta's plans cover

Launch, free: up to 25 stakeholders and $1M raised. Cap table, securities issuance, exercises and repurchases, the 83(b) form, SAFE modeling and SAFE fundraising.
Build: up to 50 stakeholders, adding priced-round modeling and onboarding.
Grow and Scale: board meetings, 409A valuations, Form 3921 and financial reporting, at quoted prices.

From carta.com, checked November 11, 2026. Prices and limits change, so check before you buy.

The alternatives

EquityList, Eqvista and Cake Equity are dedicated cap table platforms. EquityList and Eqvista have published guides for moving from Pulley. Choose one of these if you only need equity management and already handle consents with a lawyer.

Clerky sells the legal documents (a SAFE is $9, a stock plan $199) and its MCP server can read your cap table.

Corply keeps the cap table as the record of what actually happened. For Delaware C-Corps, it issues founder stock, runs SAFE rounds on Y Combinator's standard post-money forms, drafts board and stockholder consents and collects every signature, and each completed action updates the stock ledger and SAFE register. Already incorporated? Import the company from its documents. You can work in the browser or from Claude and Codex. Corply doesn't offer self-serve option plans or 409A valuations today.

How to choose

Under 25 stakeholders and happy with Carta's product: stay on Launch.
Granting options to employees and need 409A valuations: a full equity platform such as Carta.
Seed stage, raising on SAFEs, and want consents, stock and the cap table to agree: Corply.

Read how to keep a clean cap table, or compare formation and equity together in Stripe Atlas, Carta and Clerky alternatives.

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FAQ

What are the best Carta alternatives for an early-stage startup?: For a free cap table, Carta's own Launch plan may be enough. Founders leaving Pulley are also looking at EquityList and Eqvista, which publish Pulley migration guides, and at Cake Equity. If you want the cap table kept by the same system that issues founder stock, runs SAFE rounds and collects board consents, Corply does that for Delaware C-Corps.
Is Carta free for startups?: Carta's Launch plan is free for companies with up to 25 stakeholders and $1M raised. It covers cap table management, securities issuance, SAFE fundraising and the 83(b) form. Build covers up to 50 stakeholders; Grow and Scale add board meetings, 409A valuations and reporting at quoted prices.
Is Pulley shutting down?: Yes. Pulley's last day of service is December 8, 2026. It arranged an assisted migration to Carta for customers who opt in by November 30, 2026; customers can also export their records and move elsewhere. Export your cap table and full transaction history before you leave.
Does Corply replace Carta?: For many seed-stage Delaware C-Corps, yes: founder stock, the stock ledger, SAFE rounds and board and stockholder consents live in one record. Corply doesn't offer self-serve option plans or 409A valuations today, so companies granting options to employees may still need an equity platform for those.

This page is general education, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Corply is operated by 0Lumen Labs Corp., is not a law firm, and routes questions that need individualized judgment to licensed professionals. Rules and fees change, so verify current requirements with the relevant state, the IRS, or your counsel.