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Reviews onG2Capterra
285 reviews tracked

The Bottom Line

Entry price

Paid plans only

Biggest pro

Cap table management leader

Biggest con

Expensive

TL;DR - Carta

  • Carta is a platform for managing equity, cap tables, and valuations for startups
  • It handles 409A valuations, equity grants, and liquidity events
  • Plans from $5,000/year for startups
Pricing: Paid only
Best for: Enterprises & pros
4.3/5 across review platforms

What is Carta?

Editorial review
Carta manages cap tables, equity, and valuations for startups and private companies. Instead of spreadsheets that break and confuse, Carta maintains accurate ownership records and handles the complexity of equity compensation. 409A valuations are built in. Employee equity management handles grants, vesting, and exercises. Fund administration serves investors too. Startups with employees or funding use Carta because cap table errors are expensive and equity administration is more complex than spreadsheets can handle.

Available on: Web

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Cap table management leader
  • 409A valuations
  • Equity management
  • Investor relations
  • Industry standard

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Per-stakeholder pricing
  • Overkill for small companies
  • Complex for simple needs
  • Migration difficult

Ratings Across the Web

4.3(285 reviews)

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Equity managementCap table409A valuationsFund adminInvestor servicesLiquidity

Pricing Plans

Free Trial

Pricing checked Jul 10, 2026

Launch

Free

Startups

  • Cap table
  • Up to 25 stakeholders
  • 409A basic
  • Core features
Most Popular

Starter

$299/month

Growing

  • More stakeholders
  • Full 409A
  • Scenario modeling

Growth

Custom

Scaling

  • Unlimited stakeholders
  • Advanced features
  • Integrations

Enterprise

Custom

Enterprise

  • Custom terms
  • Dedicated support
  • API access

Reviews

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4.3/5

Across 285 verified user reviews on G2, Capterra

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Carta FAQ

How does Carta assist with financial compliance for private companies?

Carta helps private companies with financial compliance by providing built-in 409A valuations and maintaining accurate ownership records. This ensures that equity administration adheres to necessary regulations, preventing costly errors often associated with manual tracking.

What kind of user benefits most from using Carta?

Carta is best suited for startups and private companies that have employees or have received funding. It helps these organizations manage the complexities of equity compensation and cap tables, which are often too intricate for basic spreadsheets.

How does Carta compare to a competitor like Runway?

Carta is recognized as a leader in cap table management, offering comprehensive equity and valuation tools. While both aim to serve private companies, Carta integrates 409A valuations and extensive employee equity management, which are core to its industry-standard offering.

What are the main limitations a company might encounter with Carta?

Carta can be expensive, especially due to its per-stakeholder pricing model, and may be considered overkill for very small companies with simple needs. Additionally, migrating existing data to Carta can be a complex process.

How is Carta priced?

Carta is offered as a paid product and does not include a permanently free tier. Its pricing model is based on a per-stakeholder structure, which can influence the overall cost for companies with many equity holders.

Can Carta manage employee equity compensation?

Yes, Carta includes robust employee equity management features that handle grants, vesting schedules, and exercises. This functionality helps companies administer equity compensation accurately and efficiently without relying on error-prone spreadsheets.

Does Carta support investor relations beyond cap table management?

Yes, Carta extends its support to investor relations through its fund administration capabilities. This allows it to serve the needs of investors in addition to managing the equity and cap tables for the companies themselves.

Source: carta.com

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