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Designing a Phantom Option Plan for an NBFC
You're on the hunt for cap table management software, and honestly, we get it. You're either ditching those chaotic spreadsheets you've been managing since your first funding round, or you're frustrated with your current cap table software. Either way, you've landed in the right place.
Here's what we know: picking the right cap table management tool feels overwhelming. There are dozens of options out there, each claiming to be the best. Some focus on massive enterprises. Others cater exclusively to late-stage companies.
The strongest solutions, like those built to adapt and scale, work for startups today and large companies tomorrow, matching your budget constraints, growth trajectory, and need for simplicity without sacrificing enterprise-grade power.
We're here to cut through the noise and help you make an informed decision about which capitalization table management software makes the most sense for your business. By the end of this guide, you'll know exactly what to look for in cap table tools, understand how the leading platforms stack up against each other, and have a clear sense of which solution aligns with your startup's stage and needs.
Let's be real. You didn't start your company thinking about cap tables. You started it to build something meaningful, solve a problem, and create impact. But somewhere along the way, after your first angel investor wrote a check or your co-founder's friend joined as an advisor, your cap table became real.
At first, a spreadsheet feels like enough. You know everyone involved. You remember who owns what. But then things get messy. You bring on your first employee and offer them stock options. Another investor joins. Someone exercises options. A co-founder leaves. Suddenly, you're making manual updates, losing track of dilution scenarios, and realizing that your spreadsheet has become a liability, not an asset.
Here's why you actually need cap table management software and not just spreadsheets.
Investors ask for your cap table before they even talk seriously about money. With proper cap table software, you can instantly show them clean ownership structures and model dilution scenarios with precision.
Cap tables are legally required for tax filings, shareholder agreements, board resolutions, and regulatory audits. A proper capitalization table management software keeps everything organized and audit-ready instead of scattered across emails and spreadsheets.
With cap table management tools, you can see in real-time how much equity you have left to allocate and understand the true cost of bringing on investors or advisors.
When you have a centralized cap table software, your CFO, HR team, legal advisor, and investors access the same source of truth, eliminating confusion and building trust.
Also read: Why are cap tables hard to manage with spreadsheets?
Now that you understand why you need a solution, let's talk about what actually matters when you're evaluating options. Not all cap table management companies are built the same way, and what works for a late-stage company might be overkill for an early-stage startup.
Look for equity tracking that handles stock options, restricted stock, SAFEs, convertible notes, and preferred shares, along with real-time updates, clean reporting, and integrations with payroll, accounting, and legal platforms.
The best cap table software for startups offers free or low-cost plans for early companies and scales up as you grow, whether through per-stakeholder, per-month, or tier-based pricing models.
The platform should have an intuitive interface with fast onboarding and spreadsheet migration, while still allowing complex scenario modeling and historical tracking without requiring a consultant.
Good capitalization table management software comes with responsive support, helpful documentation, and sometimes compliance resources or integration with attorney networks.
Look for platforms that offer data encryption, audit trails, and compliance reporting to ensure audit-readiness as your company scales toward fundraising and acquisition.
The right cap table tools should grow with you, offering affordability and simplicity for early stages, advanced modeling for growth-stage, and enterprise features for late-stage companies.
Also read: How to Create a Cap Table for Startups?
Qapita is a cap table management software that keeps every round, grant, and stakeholder on the same page, so you always know exactly who owns what and how the next funding will change it. It is built to feel simple for founders while giving finance and legal teams the structure they need for audits, board meetings, and investor updates.
Qapita is a strong fit for venture backed startups and private companies in the U.S that want a single platform for cap tables, stock options, and equity reporting, rather than stitching together spreadsheets and point tools. It works especially well for founders, CFOs, and HR leaders who are raising multiple rounds, issuing stock options broadly, and preparing for larger growth or liquidity events.
View our pricing here.
Carta is a well known cap table management software that brings equity, valuations, and filings into one system, with tools that go beyond the cap table into compensation and liquidity. It is often chosen by larger, global companies that want deep integrations, 409A support, and a broad equity stack handled in a single platform.
Carta centralizes your cap table, stock option plans, valuations, and compliance workflows so you can issue equity, track ownership, and generate audit ready reports from one place.
Carta tends to fit growth stage and later stage startups, large private companies, and funds that need advanced compliance, complex equity structures, and integrations across multiple systems, and that have the budget and internal resources to support a heavier implementation.
Carta lists plan names like Launch, Build, Grow, and Scale, but does not provide clear public pricing, so companies usually need to speak with sales and costs can increase as stakeholder counts and feature needs grow.
View our comparison: Qapita vs Carta
Pulley focuses on making cap table management and 409A valuations straightforward for startups that are starting to formalize equity and fundraising. It brings cap tables, stock option grants, documents, and basic modeling into one cap table management software instead of a mix of spreadsheets and tools.
Pulley is generally a fit for early and growth stage U.S startups that want structured cap table and equity workflows, but are comfortable paying more as their stakeholder count and compliance needs grow.
Pulley publishes clear pricing for equity plans: the startup plan starts around 1,200 USD per year and includes up to 25 stakeholders, the growth plan is listed around 3,500 USD per year for larger cap tables and additional compliance features, and enterprise customers are asked to contact sales for a custom quote.
Cake Equity is built as a founder friendly, employee friendly cap table management software that keeps the basics clear and approachable. It helps startups turn their cap table into a practical tool for tracking ownership, issuing stock options, updating investors, and using simple scenarios to plan future rounds, rather than just a static spreadsheet.
It is best for early stage and growing startups that want a straightforward, intuitive platform to manage shares and stock options, stay on top of local compliance, and give employees and investors an easy way to understand their equity without paying for heavyweight, enterprise grade features.
Cake Equity offers a free plan for very small teams, with paid plans for around 40 to 80 USD per month depending on stakeholders and features, and higher tiers adding items like valuations and reporting for growing companies.
Shareworks is Morgan Stanley’s equity and cap table platform, built for companies that need institutional grade equity plan administration, detailed reporting, and support across multiple entities and countries. It is designed more for mature or IPO ready businesses than for early stage startups that just want simple cap table management software.
Shareworks typically suits later stage companies with complex group structures, global teams, and formal stock plans that must satisfy strict legal, tax, and reporting requirements. For younger startups, this depth can feel heavy compared to more founder friendly tools like Qapita.
Shareworks is positioned as an enterprise solution, with pricing usually discussed directly with the Morgan Stanley team based on company size, equity plan design, and global footprint, so early stage teams may find it less accessible than startup focused options.
Astrella is an equity and cap table management platform that helps companies keep ownership records, stock plans, and key equity documents in one place.
Astrella is generally a fit for early stage to mid sized companies that expect their ownership to get more complex and want structured reporting without jumping straight to a heavy enterprise system.
Astrella uses stakeholder-based tiers, with an Early-Stage plan at about 1,200 USD per year for up to 25 stakeholders, an Emerging plan around 3,200 USD per year for roughly 26–100 stakeholders and higher Accelerate and Custom tiers for larger cap tables and more advanced reporting needs.
Cap table management software should make your equity clearer, not more complicated. The best tools give you a single, reliable view of ownership, handle stock options and common funding instruments, and let you test how new rounds will affect dilution before you commit. As your startup grows, it also helps to have basic reporting for tax and accounting, role based access, and simple ways to communicate equity to employees and investors.
When you compare options, focus on fit for your stage, transparency of pricing, and how quickly your team can get value from the product, rather than just the length of a feature list. In that context, Qapita can be a strong choice if you want cap table management software that supports U.S based startups and scales with you as you expand into other markets.
See your own cap table in action, not just on a slide. Book a demo with Qapita to import your existing spreadsheet, walk through real funding and stock option scenarios, and decide if it is the right cap table management software for your startup.
