Pulley vs Carta: Pricing and the December 2026 Shutdown
Pulley says it will cease operations and services on December 8, 2026. Its official notice directs prospective customers to Carta and says existing customers may qualify for an assisted migration offer. This independent comparison keeps pricing and feature context for founders evaluating their next equity platform.
Start with service continuity, then compare price: Carta Launch is free up to 25 stakeholders and $1M raised. Pulley plan details below are legacy context, not a recommendation to start a new annual subscription.
Carta Launch: free for up to 25 stakeholders and $1M raised
Existing Pulley customers: check your account for migration eligibility and terms
Compare 409A needs, stakeholder limits, and investor communication workflows before choosing a replacement
SparkLaunch is the better fit for earliest-stage founders who still need incorporation, cap table basics, CRM, and fundraising-readiness workflow before a heavier equity-admin stack.
How this comparison was reviewed
Compared official cap-table, pricing, and equity-management pages for SparkLaunch, Carta, and Pulley.
Prioritized the official shutdown notice over legacy Pulley marketing and pricing claims; checked September 20, 2026.
Evaluated pricing alongside stage fit so the page does not reduce the decision to a raw feature checklist.
Counted incorporation and founder-workflow tools as a meaningful advantage for SparkLaunch because most earliest-stage founders still need them.
Primary sources
- SparkLaunch public plan comparison
SparkLaunch Delaware C-Corp formation
SparkLaunch formation package- Official Carta pricing and Launch eligibility page
- Official service cessation and transition notice
- Feature context; read alongside the shutdown notice
SparkLaunch
Free + paid plans
$499 incorporation, $40/mo or $399/yr Startup, $180/mo or $1,799/yr Growth
Free plan available, no card required
Incorporation package: $499 one time
Startup: $40/mo or $399/yr
Growth: $180/mo or $1,799/yr
Cap table + SAFE tracking
AI founder tools
Founder community
Incorporation available in the same product path
Carta
Free + paid plans
Launch tier is free; paid pricing varies
Free up to 25 stakeholders and $1M raised
Grow and Scale include 409A valuations
Option grants
Industry-standard positioning
Enterprise scale
Pulley
Shutdown announced
See the official notice before making a platform decision
Check account-specific transition terms
Review records and integrations before migrating
Full feature comparison
Swipe horizontally to compare every column.| Feature | SparkLaunch | Carta | Pulley (legacy features; closing Dec. 8) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes (Free plan) | Yes (25 stakeholders) | No |
| Paid plan starting price | $40/mo or $399/yr Startup; $180/mo or $1,799/yr Growth | Contact sales for Build/Grow/Scale | Check existing account terms; shutdown announced |
| Stakeholder limit (free) | Free plan includes founder workflow basics | 25 stakeholders / $1M raised | N/A; Startup includes first 25 stakeholders |
| Cap table management | Free (Basic) | ||
| SAFE rounds | Free (1x) / Paid (3x+) | ||
| Convertible notes | |||
| Dilution modeling | Free (3 preset) / Paid | ||
| Waterfall analysis | Coming soon | ||
| Equity incentive plans | Coming soon | ||
| Option grants and vesting | Growth Plan ($180/mo or $1,799/yr) | ||
| 409A valuations | Included on Grow and Scale | Legacy Growth feature; confirm transition coverage | |
| 83(b) elections | Workflow support | ||
| Investor / diligence workspace | Growth Plan ($180/mo or $1,799/yr) | Data rooms on paid plans | Not highlighted on the public pricing page |
| Delaware incorporation | $499 | ||
| Registered agent | Included first year with incorporation | ||
| Investor CRM | Startup Plan ($40/mo or $399/yr) | ||
| Pitch deck builder | Growth Plan ($180/mo or $1,799/yr) | ||
| AI founder tools | Free (1x each) | ||
| Landing page builder | Free (10 leads) | ||
| Founder community | |||
| Best fit | Pre-seed to Seed | Seed to Series C+ | Existing customers planning a transition |
Why choose SparkLaunch
Still starts free
SparkLaunch starts free and then expands into paid founder tooling without forcing a switch to a separate incorporation or founder-workflow stack.
Incorporation included in the ecosystem
Carta and Pulley start after the company exists. SparkLaunch offers incorporation in the same platform for $499 one time, including Delaware filing and the first year of registered agent service.
Broader founder operating system
Cap table is only one piece of the SparkLaunch platform. CRM, landing pages, AI tools, and fundraising support stay in the same product.
Founder-first UX
SparkLaunch is built for first-time founders who need guidance, not just finance teams maintaining an established equity stack.
Natural growth path
The product is designed so founders can start free, grow into paid equity features, and add fundraising workflows without switching platforms immediately.
Why choose Carta
Industry standard
Carta is still the most established default for institutional startup equity management and has stronger investor and legal familiarity.
Full equity lifecycle
Carta is deeper for 409As, option administration, vesting, tender offers, and more mature cap tables.
Enterprise scale
If your company is already outgrowing basic founder equity management, Carta is built for that complexity.
Legal and auditor workflows
Carta has stronger downstream integrations for lawyers, auditors, and larger finance processes.
If you already use Pulley
Read the official notice
Use the linked notice and your account to confirm transition options. Eligibility and commercial terms are account-specific.
Review your equity records
Before switching, reconcile stakeholder records, signed agreements, vesting schedules, and valuation documents with the destination platform.
Check replacement workflow coverage
Compare investor updates, SAFE management, option administration, and 409A support. SparkLaunch does not provide 409A valuations or promise an automatic Pulley migration.
Frequently asked questions
What is Pulley cap table pricing in 2026?
Read the shutdown notice before relying on old annual pricing comparisons. Existing customers should confirm billing and transition terms in their account; we are not quoting a new Pulley subscription price.
Is Pulley shutting down?
Yes. Pulley has announced that operations and services will end on December 8, 2026. Its notice points prospective customers to Carta and says existing customers may qualify for assisted migration. Check the official notice and your account for details.
Is Pulley better than Carta for a pre-seed startup?
Given the announced shutdown, we do not recommend starting a new long-term Pulley setup. Compare Carta Launch eligibility and your equity requirements with other available platforms instead.
When should I switch from SparkLaunch to a dedicated equity platform?
Usually once you need 409A valuations, complex option administration, or a larger stakeholder base. Before that, many startups are better served by a simpler lower-cost setup.
What should existing Pulley Growth customers check?
Confirm how your destination platform handles valuation documents, option records, signed agreements, and stakeholder communications. Do not assume an assisted migration offer includes every workflow or the same pricing.
When is Carta Launch enough?
Carta Launch is usually enough when you want a free starter cap-table path, have a small stakeholder base, and are not yet paying for 409A valuations or more advanced equity administration.
Can I export my data from SparkLaunch?
Yes. Paid SparkLaunch plans support cap-table exports so the data can move if the company later outgrows the platform.
What about 409A valuations?
SparkLaunch does not provide 409A valuations. Carta includes them on Grow and Scale. Existing Pulley customers should confirm ongoing valuation coverage as part of their transition.
What is included in the SparkLaunch free tier?
The SparkLaunch Free plan includes cap table basics, one SAFE, preset dilution scenarios, AI founder tools, landing-page capacity, and community access. Paid plans start at $40 per month or $399 per year for Startup, while incorporation is a separate $499 one-time package.
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Read comparisonKeep the founder workflow moving
If this comparison helped narrow the market, use the public SparkLaunch pricing, features, formation, and help pages to see what is actually included after the headline comparison.
Continue the founder workflow
Founder Equity and Startup Cap Tables
Connect founder share issuance, vesting records and 83(b) follow-up to the cap table before adding SAFEs and dilution scenarios.
Explore founder equity setupInvestor CRM
Public workflow page for investor fit, warm intros, startup fundraising CRM stages, follow-up dates, updates, and data-room requests.
Open investor CRM workflowStartup Cap Table Guide
Track founder equity, SAFEs, dilution, investor ownership, and diligence-ready equity records before fundraising gets messy.
Review cap tableSAFE Ownership Calculator
Estimate post-money SAFE ownership and connect SAFE terms to cap table cleanup, dilution review, and investor diligence.
Use SAFE calculatorFounder Equity Split Worksheet
Compare proposed founder shares, capture contribution and vesting discussions, and download or print a free planning draft.
Build equity worksheetStartup Data Room
Public workflow page for formation records, EIN evidence, cap table exports, SAFEs, metrics, contracts, and due diligence data room requests.
Open data room workflowToo early for a heavier equity stack?
Start with a free basic cap table and SAFE tracking, then upgrade as the company gets more complex.