Compare/Head to head

Carta vs Leapsome

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

Carta

Sales-quoted

Cap table and equity management for private companies. Launch is free up to 25 stakeholders and $1M raised; paid plans are quote-based.

Where Carta fits

  • Startups setting up a first cap table
  • Companies that need 409A valuations
  • Finance teams handling ASC 718 reporting
  • HR teams syncing equity with HRIS and payroll

Leapsome

$7/employee/mo Free trial

Modular HRIS, performance, engagement and recruiting platform. Agentic HRIS Foundation lists at $7 per employee a month and Pro at $10; Talent Suite modules are sales-quoted.

Where Leapsome fits

  • People teams wanting reviews and OKRs together
  • Companies switching HRIS and adding modules later
  • Orgs using AI agents for reviews and workflows
  • Teams connecting HR data to AI tools via MCP

At a glance

DetailCartaLeapsome
Starting priceSales-quoted$7/employee/mo
Free tier–No–No
Free trialNot on recordYes
MCP server✓Yes✓Yes
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underCompensationEngagement, Learning, Performance

Where they pull apart

Carta

Stands out: A free Launch plan for early cap tables, then Build, Grow and Scale with 409A valuations and ASC 718 reporting.

Watch out: Paid plans have no published price. Each has a per-stakeholder rate and a minimum annual fee, and add-ons like Total Compensation cost extra.

Not the right fit for

  • Buyers who need a published paid price
  • Public companies needing full stock admin

Leapsome

Stands out: Buy modules one at a time, with AI agents and an MCP connector for Claude and ChatGPT included in all plans.

Watch out: Only the HRIS tiers show a price. Talent Suite module prices are not displayed and plans are bought through sales, so the total depends on modules, user count and multi-module discounts.

Not the right fit for

  • Buyers who want a low-cost self-serve plan
  • Teams that only need payroll

Pros and cons

Carta

  • Free plan for early-stage cap tables
  • 409A and ASC 718 on higher plans
  • Public API and official MCP servers
  • No published price for paid plans
  • Minimum annual fee on paid plans
  • Add-ons sold separately

Leapsome

  • Modules sold individually or bundled
  • AI agents and MCP included in all plans
  • Public content API
  • Talent Suite module prices are not published
  • Recruiting module still in early access
  • No payroll processing

What each one costs

Carta

Sales-quoted

Free plan; paid plans are sales-quoted. Launch is free for up to 25 stakeholders and $1 million raised. Build, Grow and Scale are priced per stakeholder with a minimum annual fee, and add-ons such as Total Compensation and Liquidity cost extra. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Leapsome

$7/employee/mo

Leapsome's Agentic HRIS Foundation lists at $7 per employee a month and Agentic HRIS Pro at $10, in USD. A current offer makes Foundation free and Pro $5 per employee a month when you buy any Talent Suite module, until December 31. Talent Suite module prices are not displayed, and plans are bought through sales. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Can you try Carta or Leapsome for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Leapsome offers a free trial.
Does Carta or Leapsome have an MCP server?
Carta and Leapsome ship a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Carta alternatives All Leapsome alternatives Every Compensation tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?