Carta vs Pulley: Pulley is shutting down
Reviewed
Short answer: Carta. Pulley is shutting down on December 8, 2026; existing customers can move to Carta at their current Pulley price for a year if they opt in by November 30.
Until September this was a pricing decision. On September 15, 2026, Pulley announced it will cease all operations and services on December 8, 2026, and named Carta its exclusive transition partner. What's left to compare is what each path costs a Pulley customer, and where a new company should start.
Verdict
Carta. Pulley is closing and has made Carta its exclusive transition partner: customers who opt in by November 30 keep their Pulley price for a year, with credit for prepaid time. New companies with 25 stakeholders or fewer and under $1M raised can start on Carta Launch for free. Carta holds the cap table slot in our Founder Stack.
Carta holds the Cap Table & Equity slot in the Founder Stack
Carta vs Pulley: side by side
| Criterion | Carta | Pulley |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Operating; Pulley's exclusive transition partner | Shutting down: the app closes December 8, 2026; data stays accessible in a limited format until January 31, 2027 |
| New companies | Launch: free for 25 stakeholders or fewer and under $1M raised | Directs prospective customers to Carta |
| Paid plans | Review pending: carta.com/pricing couldn't be checked | Startup: $1,200/year. Growth: $3,500/year. Enterprise: on request (still listed during the wind-down) |
| Entry plan covers | Launch: SAFE generation and tracking, cap table administration, electronic securities issuance, stakeholder access | — |
| Moving from Pulley | Assisted migration for Pulley customers who opt in by November 30, 2026 | Won't assist a move to any other provider |
| Price for Pulley customers | New 12-month contract at your Pulley price, with credit for prepaid Pulley time; billed annually or quarterly, not monthly | — |
| 409A | Accepts Pulley's existing 409A as-is; Carta's 409A team takes over when it expires | Prior 409A work supported by Carta after the transition |
Pulley's shutdown: the dates
Pulley's shutdown FAQ, dated September 15, 2026, sets three dates:
- November 30, 2026: the last day to opt in to sharing your details with Carta. Opting in isn't a commitment; it's what qualifies you for Carta's assisted migration and a contract at your Pulley price.
- December 8, 2026: the Pulley app closes and its team stops supporting customers.
- January 31, 2027: the last day your Pulley data is accessible, in a limited format.
What Carta offers Pulley customers
A new 12-month Carta contract at your current Pulley price, plus credit for any prepaid Pulley time. Year 1 pricing starts the day you sign; the migration is scheduled separately, and you have two weeks to sign once the agreement arrives.
Carta bills annually or quarterly, not monthly, so monthly Pulley customers move to one of those cycles. The offer doesn't set pricing after the first year, so ask for it before you sign.
Carta accepts Pulley's existing 409A as-is, becomes your 409A provider when it expires, and supports the defense of Pulley's prior 409A work. Pulley says cap table data, documents, transaction history, and equity records are all migrated, usually within a few business days of signing.
New companies: Carta Launch
Carta Launch is free for companies with 25 stakeholders or fewer that have raised less than $1M. It covers SAFE generation and tracking, cap table administration, electronic securities issuance, and stakeholder access.
Pulley now sends prospective customers to Carta, and Carta holds the cap table slot in our Founder Stack.
If you're on Pulley now
Pulley says that without a new agreement with Carta or another provider before December 8, you lose access to your cap table.
- Log in to Pulley and decide on the Carta opt-in before November 30, 2026. Opting in only shares your details so Carta can send terms.
- If you move to Carta, sign within two weeks of receiving the agreement, then check the migrated cap table against your own records when Carta asks you to confirm it.
- If you choose another provider, start now: Pulley won't help with that migration and your price isn't protected.
- Keep your own copies of signed documents. After December 8, Pulley data is accessible only in a limited format, and only until January 31, 2027.
Facts are checked against each vendor's own pages, listed below; the verdict is our opinion. Prices change, so confirm on the vendor's site. See disclosures.