Cap table software, costed by stage
What it costs to keep a cap table, price your options with a 409A, incorporate in Delaware and run a fundraising data room, at pre-seed, seed and Series A, using prices read on each vendor's own page.
Adlega makes financial forecasting software and is not one of these tools. No vendor here pays us: no affiliate or sponsored links. How we verify prices · Price changes and corrections
Cap table plus 409A: what it costs per year
| Stage | Carta | Cake Equity | Eqvista | J.P. Morgan WS + 409A | Capbase + 409A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-seed 8 stakeholders, no 409A yet | $0 (Launch) | $1,000 | $0 | $0 | $999 |
| Pre-seed, first option grants 8 stakeholders, one 409A | Quote | $2,500 | $1,290 | $1,500 | $2,499 |
| Seed 25 stakeholders, one 409A | Quote | $2,500 | $1,990 | $1,500 | $2,499 |
| Series A 70 stakeholders, two 409As | Quote | $4,550 | $2,590* | Not published | $3,999 |
List prices in USD, read on vendor pricing pages on October 12, 2026, before any switch offer. A stand-alone 409A is costed at $1,500 (Cake's add-on price) where a plan has none. Carta publishes only its free Launch tier; Vendr reports $3,000 to $8,000 a year under 50 stakeholders. *Eqvista prices its cap table custom above 50 stakeholders, so this is a floor.
The pattern: the cap table is nearly free until your first option grants; from then on the 409A, not the cap table, sets the bill. Pulley, a popular low-cost option, shuts down on December 8, 2026, and AngelList stopped taking new standalone cap-table customers in August 2025.
Verified entry prices
Cap table and 409A
| Tool | Entry plan | Status |
|---|---|---|
| AngelList Equity | No published plan | Closed to new standalone customers since August 6, 2025 |
| Aranca 409A | 409A valuation: from $1,299 | Active |
| Cake Equity | Free: $0, always free | Active |
| Cake Equity 409A | 409A valuation add-on: $1,500 one-time | Active |
| Capbase | Early Stage Startup: $999/yr | Active |
| Carta | Launch: Free | Exclusive transition partner for Pulley customers |
| Eqvista | Freemium Cap Table: $0 | Active |
| Eqvista 409A | 409A + Premium Cap Table bundle: Pre-Revenue/Pre-Funding: $990/yr | Active |
| Fairmint | No published plan | Repositioned as an onchain SEC-registered transfer agent |
| J.P. Morgan Workplace Solutions | Free: Free | Active |
| Kruze Consulting 409A | 409A valuation: Seed: $2,000 one-time | Active |
| Ledgy | Launch: Free | Active |
| Pulley | Startup: $1,200/yr | Shutting down 2026-12-08 |
| Qapita 409A | Spark: $0/yr | Active |
Incorporation
| Tool | Entry plan | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Clerky | Pay Per Use (incorporation): $427 one-time | Agreed to join Stripe |
| doola | Starter: $297/yr + state fees | Active |
| Every.io | Incorporation: Free | Active |
| Firstbase | Start: $99 one-time (offer, list $399): 'Formation is on us. Pay only your state fee.' | Active |
| Stripe Atlas | Incorporate your company: $500 one-time setup fee | Active |
Data rooms
| Tool | Entry plan | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Digify | Pro: $190/mo ($140/mo billed yearly) | Active |
| DocSend | Limited Trial (free fallback): Free | Part of Dropbox |
| Orangedox | Starter: $75/mo ($55/mo billed yearly) | Active |
| Papermark | Free: Free | Active |
| Peony | Free: Free | Active |
| Visible | Starter: Free | Active |
Each price read on the vendor's pricing page; latest check October 12, 2026. Weekly monitoring flags changes; see price changes.
Comparisons in this category
409A Valuation Services Compared: What a 409A Costs in 2026 and Who Should Do It
What the 409A rules actually require, every published 409A price side by side, and what a startup pays per year once refreshes after a round are counted.
Read the comparison → PulleyPulley Is Shutting Down (December 8, 2026): Carta Migration vs Alternatives, With Costs
Pulley closes on December 8, 2026 and Carta is its exclusive migration partner. The deadlines, what the Carta deal does and does not cover, how to export, and what the alternatives cost.
Read the comparison → CartaCarta Alternatives in 2026: Free Tiers, Published Prices, and Who Is Still Taking Customers
Why founders leave Carta (dated evidence), how to choose, and six alternatives with verified entry prices, plus the two you can no longer pick: Pulley (closing) and AngelList (closed to new customers).
Read the comparison → DocSendDocSend Alternatives for Startups (2026): Data Rooms by Stage, Free Options and What a Raise Costs
Most DocSend alternatives lists are written by the alternatives. Six tools and three free routes, with prices read from each vendor's page and the cost of a 3-month raise at each stage.
Read the comparison → ClerkyClerky vs Stripe Atlas (2026): Now Both Headed to Stripe, Which One Should You Use?
Clerky agreed to join Stripe in August 2026. What that changes, what each service costs from year 1 to Series A, and which fits a founder who will raise and hire.
Read the comparison → CartaCarta Pricing 2026: Free Launch Tier, What Buyers Report Paying, and the 409A Question
What Carta publishes (a free Launch tier), what it does not (every paid price), what buyers report paying, how the 409A changes the bill, and what cheaper options cost by stage.
Read the comparison → DocSendDocSend Pricing (2026): Every Plan, the Free Tier Most Reviews Miss, and What a 3-Month Raise Costs
DocSend's prices have not moved since early 2024, but most pages still get the free tier, the trial and the extra-user price wrong. Every plan, and what a 3-month fundraise really costs at each stage.
Read the comparison → Stripe AtlasStripe Atlas Pricing (2026): $500 to Start, $100 a Year, and the Delaware Tax Nobody Mentions
What Stripe Atlas really costs: the $500 fee, the $100 registered agent renewal, Delaware franchise tax by stage, and what changed with Clerky joining Stripe.
Read the comparison → ClerkyClerky Pricing (2026): $427 or $819, What Each Covers, and What Changes Now Clerky Is Joining Stripe
Clerky's two incorporation options, every per-document fee, when the $819 lifetime package pays off, and what Clerky agreeing to join Stripe means for a founder today.
Read the comparison →Calculators
- Delaware franchise tax calculator: both statutory methods, so you pay $400 instead of the $85,165 a default notice can show.
- Cap table and dilution calculator: ownership across rounds, option pool included.
How we compare these tools
Every price comes from the vendor's own pricing page and help docs and is dated; quote-only plans are marked, never estimated, and third-party figures are labelled as reported. Stage costs use three scenarios we apply across all comparisons. None of these tools has been hands-on tested by us yet, and each page says so. Full rules on the methodology page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does cap table software cost?
Under about 20-25 stakeholders it can cost nothing: Carta Launch, Eqvista and J.P. Morgan Workplace Solutions all have free tiers. The bill starts with the first 409A valuation, which a free tier does not include: at seed, a cap table plus one 409A runs about $1,500 to $2,500 a year at list price. Carta does not publish its paid prices; Vendr reports $3,000 to $8,000 a year for companies under 50 stakeholders.
Is Pulley still available?
No new customers should start on it: Pulley shuts down on December 8, 2026, and Carta is its exclusive migration partner. See our Pulley shutdown page for the deadlines and the alternatives.
Do I need a 409A valuation?
You need option strike prices at or above fair market value. An independent 409A appraisal is the usual way to show that, because it is one of the safe-harbor methods that shift the burden of proof to the IRS; if the price turns out too low, the tax penalty falls on the option holder.
What does incorporating a Delaware C-corp cost?
Stripe Atlas costs $500 once plus $100 a year for the registered agent; Clerky $427 pay-per-use or $819 lifetime. The bigger recurring cost is Delaware franchise tax, which is $400 for most early startups if filed with the Assumed Par Value Capital method, not the $85,165 the default notice can show.
Related: SaaS valuation, the SaaS fundraising guide.
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