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Qapita

Global cap table & equity management — Schwab-backed, flat pricing

Cap TableEquity ManagementESOP409A ValuationsCompliance

Qapita is a global equity management platform that handles cap tables, employee stock plans (ESOP/RSU/PSU), 409A valuations, compliance reporting, and secondary liquidity — all from a single modern tech stack built for companies from incorporation through IPO. Backed by Charles Schwab, Citi, and MassMutual, Qapita serves 2,800+ companies including 57 unicorns across 30+ countries. Their flat, transparent pricing starts with a genuinely free tier and scales predictably — no renewal shocks, no exponential cost curves as you add stakeholders. Rated the #1 equity management platform on G2 for customer satisfaction with 319 reviews.

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2,800+
Companies
57
Unicorns
Free
Entry Tier
4.6★
G2 Rating

Key Highlights

Cap table management from day-one setup through IPO with full audit trail
Free Spark tier for startups with ≤25 stakeholders and <$1M raised
Employee equity platform with customizable dashboards, equity payslips, and exercise workflows
In-house 409A valuations with transparent methodology — no black-box pricing
Charles Schwab strategic partnership powering private company stock-plan management
SOC 1 & SOC 2 certified, GDPR compliant, with a public Trust Center
Flat, predictable pricing — no renewal shocks or exponential cost scaling
Built-in data room for fundraising diligence with investor-level permissions
150+ jurisdictions covered for global equity compliance and tax withholding
White-glove onboarding and zero-downtime migration from Carta or other platforms

Why We Recommend Qapita

01

Cap Table Management

Issue and sign share certificates and SAFEs, track every equity event from formation through exit, model fundraises and conversion scenarios, and share configurable dashboards with investors and legal counsel — all from one audit-ready source of truth.

02

Employee Equity Platform

Design stock plans, automate grant issuance with approval workflows, give employees personalized equity dashboards showing vesting schedules and real-time valuations, and handle exercise transactions with built-in tax withholding across 150+ jurisdictions.

03

409A Valuations

In-house valuations led by seasoned professionals who understand your business — quick turnaround, sector-specific financial modeling, and defensible audit-ready reports. No black-box methodology, no unanswered questions.

04

Compliance & Reporting

Automated ASC 718 stock-based compensation reporting, Rule 701 analysis, Form 3921 and 83(b) election support, ISO disqualifying disposition reports, and QSBS qualification tracking — all generated at the click of a button.

05

Liquidity & Tender Offers

Run seamless tender offers within the platform — automate approvals, document execution, and transaction settlement. Post-transaction cap tables update in real-time for instant accuracy.

06

Investor Relations & Governance

Manage equity data with intent and appropriate visibility. Run investor workflows, obtain board consents, share timely updates, and give investors exactly the information they need without compromising control.

07

Global Equity Management

Built for companies with international teams — configure tax rates, grant letters, and compliance rules per country, handle multi-currency valuations, and issue equity to employees across different regions from one platform.

08

Data Room

Organize fundraising and diligence documents in structured rooms with folder navigation, granular permissions, and automated equity documentation — streamlining due diligence for both founders and investors.

Best For

Startups from pre-seed through growth stage that want a free-to-start cap table tool that scales to IPO
Companies migrating from Carta who want lower costs without sacrificing functionality
Founders with global teams who need equity compliance across multiple jurisdictions
Companies that want in-house 409A valuations with transparent, defensible methodology
Growth-stage startups preparing for secondary transactions or tender offers

Pricing

Spark: Free for startups with ≤25 stakeholders and <$1M raised — includes cap table, equity plans, funding round modeling, data room, and DocuSign. Surge: $1,600/year for ≤40 stakeholders (+$40/additional) — adds reporting module, email support, and onboarding/migration assistance. Growth: $3,000/year for ≤50 stakeholders (+$60/additional) — adds 409A valuation reports, board consents, 83(b) and Form 3921 support. Enterprise: custom pricing — adds GAAP/ASC 718 and IFRS financial reporting, custom administrator roles, SSO integration, and dedicated phone support.

Our Verdict

Qapita is the most compelling Carta alternative to emerge in years — and the Charles Schwab backing gives it institutional credibility that most challengers lack. The free Spark tier is genuinely usable for early-stage startups (cap table, equity plans, data room, DocuSign integration), and the paid tiers scale predictably at $1,600–$3,000/year versus Carta's $2,400+ that climbs steeply as you grow. Where Qapita really differentiates is on trust: no data misuse (they monetize software, not your cap table data), no document lock-ins (you own your share certificates), and transparent 409A valuations with real humans who defend the numbers in an audit. The main trade-off is US market maturity — Carta's integrations with US law firms and VC back offices are deeper. But for founders who care about pricing transparency, global equity compliance, and not getting locked into an increasingly expensive platform, Qapita delivers.

Limitations to Know

Newer to the US market (launched 2025) — most of the 2,800+ customer base is in India and Southeast Asia
Brand recognition with US-based VCs and law firms is still building compared to Carta
Some advanced enterprise features (SSO, custom admin roles, GAAP/IFRS reporting) require the Enterprise tier

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Qapita?

Qapita is a global equity management platform that covers cap table management, employee stock option plans (ESOP), 409A valuations, compliance reporting, secondary liquidity, and data rooms — all from one platform. Founded in 2021 in Singapore, Qapita serves 2,800+ companies including 57 unicorns across 30+ countries. They're backed by Charles Schwab, Citibank, MassMutual Ventures, and NYCA.

How does Qapita compare to Carta?

Qapita offers similar core functionality — cap tables, 409A valuations, equity plans, compliance — at significantly lower cost with flat, predictable pricing. Carta's pricing scales exponentially as you add stakeholders; Qapita's stays linear. Qapita also differentiates on data practices (no data monetization, no document lock-ins) and global compliance (150+ jurisdictions vs. Carta's US focus). Carta's advantages are deeper US law firm integrations and broader brand recognition with American VCs.

Is Qapita's free tier actually free?

Yes. The Spark plan is free for startups with up to 25 stakeholders and less than $1M in funding raised. It includes cap table management, equity plan management, funding round modeling, a data room, and DocuSign integration for share certificates. It's not a trial — it's a permanent free tier designed for early-stage companies.

Why did Charles Schwab invest in Qapita?

Charles Schwab led Qapita's $26.5M Series B to power 'Schwab Private Issuer Equity Services' — their private company stock-plan management offering. The partnership gives Qapita institutional credibility and distribution through Schwab's massive financial services network, while Schwab gets a modern cap table platform to serve its private company clients.

Can I migrate from Carta to Qapita?

Yes. Qapita offers white-glove migration with zero downtime — their team handles discovery, data migration, validation, and go-live. The process is included free with paid plans (Surge tier and above). G2 reviewers specifically highlight the migration experience as seamless.

Is Qapita secure?

Qapita is SOC 1 and SOC 2 certified and GDPR compliant. They maintain a public Trust Center at trust.qapita.com with detailed security documentation. Unlike some competitors, Qapita explicitly commits to not monetizing customer data — they make money from software subscriptions, not from your cap table information.

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Ready to get started with Qapita?

Join thousands of startups and teams already using Qapita to work smarter.

Try Qapita Free

Qapita is a Value Add VC sponsor.

Trace Cohen is a serial founder, investor and data geek. Please feel free to reach out t@nyvp.com

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