OpenCap Stack vs Carta
The Open Source Alternative
Free tier vs $3,000/yr. Open source vs proprietary. AI-native with MCP integration vs legacy SaaS. $999 409A valuation vs $3,000+.
Why founders switch from Carta to OpenCap Stack
Open source — audit your equity data
MIT LicensedEvery line of code is public on GitHub under the MIT license. You can audit exactly how OpenCap stores and processes your equity data — something Carta's closed-source platform can never offer.
AI-native — query with natural language
29 MCP toolsOpenCap ships a full MCP server with 29 tools. Ask Claude 'What is our fully diluted share count?' or 'Show me all unvested grants expiring this quarter' — in plain English. No competitor offers this.
$999 409A — same quality, 70% cheaper
Save $2,000+Carta charges ~$3,000 for a 409A valuation and takes 1–2 weeks. OpenCap charges $999 flat and delivers in 48 hours. Same IRS-defensible quality backed by licensed accountant sign-off.
Free tier — no sales call required
Free foreverCarta has no free plan and requires a demo before you can access pricing. OpenCap's free tier covers up to 25 stakeholders — enough to run your early-stage company without spending a dollar.
Carta vs OpenCap Stack — full feature comparison
| Feature | OpenCap Stack | Carta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||
| Free tier | Yes | No | |
| Starting price | $0 / month | ~$3,000 / yr | |
| 409A valuation cost | $999 flat | ~$3,000+ | |
| Platform | |||
| Open source | Yes | No | |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No | |
| OCTA v2.0 data standard | Yes | Partial | |
| AI & Developer | |||
| AI-native architecture | Yes | No | |
| MCP integration | Yes | No | |
| REST API access | Yes | Partial | |
| Features | |||
| Cap table management | Yes | Yes | |
| Vesting schedules | Yes | Yes | |
| SAFE note tracking | Yes | Yes | |
| Dilution modeling | Yes | Yes | |
| Data room | Yes | Yes | |
| Founder SPV | Yes | No | |
| Board management | Yes | Yes | |
Switch from Carta in minutes
No data loss. No complex migration. Export from Carta, import to OpenCap — done.
Export from Carta
Download your full cap table export from Carta Settings. Takes less than 2 minutes.
Import to OpenCap
Use our Carta import wizard at /import-from-carta. Upload your export and we map it automatically.
Verify and go live
Review the imported data, confirm stakeholders and share classes look correct, and activate your account.
Carta vs OpenCap Stack — common questions
Is OpenCap Stack a good Carta alternative?
Yes. OpenCap Stack covers all of Carta's core cap table features — plus adds AI-native features, MCP integration, a $999 409A valuation service, and Founder SPV management. It is free to start and fully open source.
How much does Carta 409A valuation cost?
Carta's 409A valuation service typically costs $3,000 or more. OpenCap Stack charges a flat $999 for the same IRS-defensible quality with 48-hour turnaround, compared to 1–2 weeks for Carta.
Can I migrate from Carta to OpenCap Stack?
Yes. OpenCap Stack has a dedicated import tool that guides you through exporting your Carta cap table and importing it into OpenCap Stack. The process takes minutes and preserves stakeholders, share classes, equity grants, and documents.
What makes OpenCap Stack different from Carta?
OpenCap Stack is open source (MIT licensed), has a free tier, offers AI-native features including MCP integration for querying your cap table from Claude or Cursor, provides 409A valuations for $999 (vs Carta $3,000+), and includes Founder SPV management that Carta does not offer. OpenCap also uses the OCTA v2.0 open schema so your data is never locked in.
Ready to switch from Carta?
Import from Carta in minutes. No data loss. Free to start — no credit card required.