Carta's free Launch tier covers companies under 25 stakeholders that have raised under $1 million. Paid tiers run roughly $2,988-$5,988/year (Build) up to $11,988+/year (Grow), with Scale and Enterprise custom-quoted above that. Real-world spend runs higher than the list suggests: Vendr's transaction data puts the median Carta customer at $15,400 per year.
- The gap between list pricing and what companies actually pay is unusually wide for this category
- 409A valuations are often bundled into a plan's price, but the plan itself already costs thousands more because of it
- Median actual spend, per third-party transaction data, is $15,400/year — well above the entry-tier sticker price
- Switching cap table providers later is disruptive enough that many companies stay on Carta even after outgrowing the value at their tier
Search for Carta's price and you'll land on a number in the $2,988-to-$3,000 range fairly quickly. That's real, but it's the floor, not the middle. Carta bundles 409A valuation services into several of its tiers, which is convenient operationally and also the main reason the headline price sits well above what a plain cap-table tool would normally cost.
This guide separates the listed tier prices from what companies actually end up paying, using third-party transaction data to fill the gap that Carta's own pricing page — quote-gated above the entry tier — doesn't show.
1. How much does Carta cost?
Source: carta.com/pricing + Vendr transaction data (cross-verified), verified Sep 19, 2026.
Carta bills annually on its paid tiers, and pricing above Launch requires talking to sales for a specific quote — the ranges here reflect commonly reported figures rather than a fixed public rate card. 409A valuation frequency and complexity (number of share classes, prior valuations, funding history) meaningfully affects where within a tier's range a given company lands.
2. What each plan includes
| Feature | Launch | Build | Grow | Scale/Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cap table management | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 409A valuations included | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Equity plan administration | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor reporting & data rooms | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Global equity & multi-entity support | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Dedicated account management | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
3. Cost calculator
4. Hidden costs to budget for
| Scenario | Annual cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Launch (free), under 25 stakeholders | $0/yr | Base |
| Build, typical small company | $2,988-5,988/yr | Includes 409A |
| Median actual Carta customer (Vendr data) | $15,400/yr | Well above entry pricing |
The most common surprise isn't a specific add-on fee — it's that the tier a fast-growing startup starts on rarely stays right for long. Stakeholder count climbs with every new hire granted equity, and Carta's tiers are priced around exactly that number, so a company that budgeted for Build at signup often finds itself quoted for Grow within a year or two without any change in how it's using the product.
5. How Carta pricing has changed
6. Which plan should you choose?
- If you're pre-seed or early with under 25 stakeholders and under $1M raised, Launch is free and covers basic cap table needs.
- Once you're past that threshold and need 409A valuations and equity plan administration, Build is the practical next step.
- As stakeholder count and investor reporting needs grow — typically post-Series A — expect to be quoted into Grow.
- Multi-entity structures, global equity, or a dedicated account team push you into Scale/Enterprise custom territory.
7. Is it worth the price?
For companies that need 409A valuations regularly anyway, bundling them into a Carta plan can work out reasonably even at the higher list prices, since a standalone 409A from a third-party firm isn't free either. The friction point is mostly about timing: outgrowing your tier as headcount grows is basically guaranteed, and switching cap table providers mid-flight is disruptive enough that a lot of companies simply absorb the higher tier rather than shop around.
8. How to pay less
- Ask whether 409A valuations can be unbundled if you don't need one every cycle — not every company needs a fresh valuation annually, and paying for one you don't need inflates the plan cost.
- Get a specific quote rather than budgeting off a generic tier range — the spread within each tier is wide enough that assuming the low end is risky.
- Revisit your tier at each major funding round, not just when Carta flags it — stakeholder growth is predictable around raises, so plan the conversation proactively.
- Compare the all-in Carta cost against a standalone cap table tool plus separate 409A provider before assuming the bundle is automatically cheaper.
Per Vendr's transaction data across 405 tracked contracts, the median Carta customer pays $15,400 per year — a useful anchor when a quote lands well above or below that figure.
9. Alternatives and what they cost
| Tool | Entry price | Cheaper when |
|---|---|---|
| Pulley | Custom, generally lower entry cost | Simpler cap table needs without bundled 409A requirements |
| Ledgy | Custom | International equity management is the primary driver |
| Standalone 409A provider + spreadsheet cap table | Varies | Very early stage, pre-funding, with minimal stakeholder complexity |
10. The bigger picture: why Carta bills drift
Cap table software is a good example of a cost that grows quietly and predictably with the business itself — which makes it exactly the kind of vendor relationship worth tracking proactively instead of reactively. Zapro AI is built to surface this kind of growth-linked cost pattern across your entire vendor list, not just Carta.
11. The bottom line
Carta's entry-tier price is real, but it's not representative of what most paying customers actually spend — $15,400 a year is the more honest number to plan around once a company is past the free Launch tier. Budget for tier growth tracking headcount, and specifically ask whether 409A bundling makes sense for your actual valuation cadence.
FAQs
Carta's Launch tier is free for companies under 25 stakeholders and under $1M raised. Paid tiers list around $2,988-5,988/year (Build) to $11,988+/year (Grow), though the median actual customer, per Vendr data, pays $15,400/year.
Carta bundles 409A valuation services into most paid tiers, which is a meaningful, recurring cost on its own — a standalone 409A from a third-party firm typically runs several thousand dollars, so the bundling isn't purely markup.
Very likely. Carta's tiers are priced primarily around stakeholder count, and equity grants to new hires steadily push companies toward the next tier, often within a year or two of initial signup.
No. Only Launch (free) has a fixed, published structure. Build and above require a specific quote, and Scale/Enterprise pricing is entirely custom.
The most common way is paying for bundled 409A valuations in years they're not strictly needed, or missing the point at which stakeholder growth justified renegotiating rather than accepting an automatic tier upgrade. A vendor spend platform tracking cost against actual usage is the most reliable way to catch this.