Carta vs Capable: price, features, migration and data ownership

Capable TeamSeptember 16, 20263 min read

The short answer

Capable is the better fit for most seed to Series B startups: it publishes its prices ($1,200 or $3,500 a year), includes unlimited stakeholders, offers monthly billing, lets you cancel in the app, and has an AI connector that can propose changes for approval. Carta is the better fit if you need an SEC-registered transfer agent, fund administration, or late-stage services, and accept quote-based pricing with a median contract of $15,400 a year according to Vendr.

Carta is the largest cap table provider. Capable is a newer product built for startups that want Pulley's prices and more control over their data.

Here is how they compare on the things founders actually ask about. Carta facts link to their sources.

Capable publishes a price; Carta sends a quote

Capable has two published plans. Carta does not publish prices on its website.

	Capable	Carta
Entry plan	Startup: $1,200/yr or $120/mo	Quoted; a free Launch tier exists for very small companies
Mid plan	Growth: $3,500/yr or $350/mo	Quoted
Typical contract	$1,200 to $3,500 a year	Median $15,400 a year (Vendr, 405 purchases)
Stakeholder limits	None	Priced by tier and stakeholder count
Monthly billing	Yes	No, per Pulley's FAQ
Price after year one	Held while you stay subscribed	Renewal at Carta's pricing

On price, Capable costs a published $1,200 or $3,500 a year with no stakeholder cap, while Carta's median contract is about four times Capable's Growth price.

Read Carta pricing explained for how Carta's tiers work.

Both cover the core cap table; Growth-stage paperwork differs by plan

Both products handle the work a venture-backed company does every month.

Every security type: common and preferred shares, ISO and NSO options, RSAs, RSUs, SAFEs, convertible notes and warrants.
Vesting schedules, equity plans, share classes with preferred terms.
Fully diluted ownership as of any date.
Round modeling and exit waterfalls.
A stakeholder portal and certificate PDFs.
409A records with expiry tracking.

On Capable, the Growth plan adds native e-signature, board and stockholder approvals, Form 3921, Rule 701 and 83(b) tracking, exercise requests with payment, custom reports and HRIS sync.

Carta offers services Capable does not

Carta is more than cap table software. It is an SEC-registered transfer agent and runs fund administration for venture firms.

If you need a transfer agent or fund administration, Carta is the right choice and Capable is not.

Most private startups keep their stock ledger in cap table software and do not need a separate transfer agent. Ask your counsel if you are unsure.

Capable's AI connector can act; Carta's cap table plugin reads

Carta launched plugins for Claude in April 2026 and made them broadly available on July 29, 2026. Carta says the cap table plugin is read-only today.

Capable runs an OAuth-protected MCP server for Claude, ChatGPT and any MCP client. It answers questions about ownership, vesting, 409A status and exit waterfalls.

It can also propose changes: a new stakeholder, a draft grant, a termination, a 409A record. Each proposal waits for an admin to approve it in the app. See the connector documentation.

Capable lets you leave on your own terms

Capable exports the full cap table to Excel and Open Cap Table Format at any time. Exports stay open even after a subscription ends.

You cancel from inside the app. In December 2024, founders told TechCrunch that Carta required a scheduled meeting to cancel. Carta said the calendar problem was a one-time staffing challenge.

Capable does not trade your company's shares

In January 2024 Linear's CEO said a Carta employee used Linear's cap table to approach an investor about selling shares (TechCrunch). Carta apologised and exited secondary trading.

Capable runs no marketplace, brokerage or fund. Your cap table data is used to run your cap table.

Moving from Carta to Capable takes an afternoon

Export the cap table, stakeholder and transaction reports from Carta. Take an Open Cap Table Format export too if Carta offers it to you.
Upload them in Capable's Import page. Columns are mapped for you.
Check the reconciliation against the ownership summary in your Carta export.
Attach documents and invite stakeholders.

Companies importing from Carta get a 30-day free trial with everything unlocked. If you prefer, send us the files and we migrate you free within 24 hours.

The verdict: Capable for most startups, Carta for transfer-agent needs

Pick Capable if you want a published price, no stakeholder cap, monthly billing, an AI connector that drafts work for approval, and exports you control.

Pick Carta if you need a transfer agent, fund administration or a late-stage services team.

Still deciding? Compare all options in the best Pulley alternatives in 2026 or see the Carta alternative page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Capable cheaper than Carta?+

For most startups, yes. Capable's published prices are $1,200 a year (Startup) and $3,500 a year (Growth) with unlimited stakeholders. Carta quotes prices; Vendr reports a median Carta contract of $15,400 a year across 405 purchases.

Can I move from Carta to Capable?+

Yes. Export your cap table and stakeholder reports from Carta and upload them to Capable, or send them to us for a free done-for-you migration within 24 hours. Companies importing from Carta get a 30-day free trial with everything unlocked.

Does Carta have an AI connector?+

Yes. Carta's plugins for Claude became broadly available in July 2026. Carta describes the cap table plugin as read-only today, with write actions coming later. Capable's connector can already propose changes, which an admin approves before anything changes.

When should I choose Carta over Capable?+

Choose Carta if you need an SEC-registered transfer agent, fund administration, or services for a large late-stage company, and your budget fits quote-based pricing.

Can I cancel Capable without a call?+

Yes. You cancel from inside the app. When the paid period ends the cap table becomes read-only until you choose a plan again, and exports and stakeholder portals stay open.