SuLe vs Carta (2026): 4 Key Differences for Founders
By SuLe · Updated 29 September 2026
Reviewed by Patricia Wing, corporate lawyer and founder of SuLe
SuLe vs Carta comes down to whether a UK startup needs only a cap table or the legal work behind it. Carta is an equity management platform: the system of record for the cap table, share issues, option schemes and valuations. SuLe includes a free cap table too, and adds over 100 lawyer-drafted templates, fundraising documents and senior lawyer time in every paid subscription, from the first NDA to the exit.
Key facts
- SuLe pricing, published on its website: a free plan, then £299 a quarter (Premium) or £990 a year (Premium+), both plus VAT.
- SuLe Premium and Premium+ include 30 minutes of senior lawyer time each month.
- SuLe's cap table is free and pulls company data from Companies House.
- According to Carta, its Launch tier is free for companies under 25 stakeholders and under $1m raised.
- Beyond Launch, Carta's plans are priced per stakeholder with a minimum annual fee, and prices come from its sales team.
- Carta Law, Carta's regulated law firm, serves private equity and venture fund managers, not founders.
SuLe publishes this comparison, so read it with that in mind. Every Carta figure is taken from Carta UK's published pricing as of September 2026.
4 key differences between SuLe and Carta
1. Lawyers are included with SuLe
A cap table records what has been agreed. It does not say whether the founder vesting is right, whether the option pool should sit before or after the round, or what a US lead investor's term sheet means for the company. Every SuLe Premium and Premium+ subscription includes 30 minutes of senior lawyer time each month, and further work is quoted as a fixed price before it starts. SuLe's senior lawyers worked at top city and international firms such as Orrick and Bird & Bird, and they already know the company because its cap table and documents are on the platform.
Carta's support for startups comes from its customer and equity teams. Carta Law serves private equity and venture fund managers with high-volume compliance, contract and fund work; it is not a legal service for founders.
2. SuLe covers everything legal, not only equity
SuLe covers the whole legal life of a startup: over 100 lawyer-drafted templates across corporate, commercial, IP, employment and data protection, alongside the fundraising documents (ASAs, SAFEs, term sheets, share issues) and the cap table. A term sheet reviewer explains investor terms in plain language, and an AI contract reviewer and editor handles the customer contract that arrives on someone else's paper.
Carta is deliberately narrow: cap table, securities issuance, option schemes, valuations, data room and board consents. A customer contract, an IP assignment or an employment issue goes elsewhere.
3. SuLe checks a startup's legal position first
SuLe's free Legal Health Check flags the gaps in a startup's legal foundations, from missing IP assignments to founder arrangements that will not survive due diligence, and a SuLe lawyer can talk the founder through the results. Investors ask these questions in every round; SuLe asks them first.
4. SuLe's pricing is published
SuLe's plans are on its website: free, £299 per quarter or £990 per year, plus VAT, with legal work beyond the included time quoted as a fixed price up front. Carta charges nothing on its Launch tier until a company passes 25 stakeholders or $1m raised; beyond that, Carta's plans are priced per stakeholder with a minimum annual fee, and founders contact sales for a quote.
SuLe vs Carta at a glance
| SuLe | Carta | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Everything legal for a startup, from first NDA to exit | Equity management and valuations |
| Cap table | Free, with Companies House extraction | Free under 25 stakeholders and $1m raised, then priced per stakeholder |
| Lawyer time | 30 minutes of senior lawyer time a month on paid plans | Support from customer and equity teams |
| 360 Legal Health Check | Yes | No |
| Legal partner across the whole business lifecycle | Yes | No |
| Practice areas: Commercial, Corporate, IP, Employment and Dispute Resolution | Yes | No |
| Pricing published on the website | Yes | No: contact the sales team for prices |
| All-inclusive package of legal services | Yes | No: Carta Law offers add-on services at an extra charge |
When Carta is the better fit
Carta's cap table is popular with US companies incorporated in Delaware. A startup raising from US funds, planning 409A valuations or heading towards a Delaware flip will find Carta's paid tiers built for exactly that.
Founders choose SuLe when the hard part is the legal work rather than the ledger: the term sheet, the founder arrangements, the customer contract, the IP that was never assigned. SuLe's cap table is free too, and it comes with the lawyers, which is why many founders run their equity on SuLe from the start rather than adding legal support later.
Start with SuLe's free cap table or compare SuLe's plans.
Frequently asked questions
Do SuLe and Carta do the same thing?
No. Carta is an equity management platform: a cap table, share issuance, option schemes and valuations, with legal services offered only to fund managers through Carta Law. SuLe is a legal platform for startups that includes a free cap table and, on paid plans, time with a senior lawyer.
How does SuLe work?
SuLe combines a legal platform with a team of senior lawyers. Founders get a cap table, lawyer-drafted templates, an AI contract reviewer and e-signature, and every paid subscription includes time with a SuLe lawyer for anything the platform cannot answer on its own.
Is SuLe suitable for my business?
Yes, for UK startups and growing companies at any stage, from incorporation through fundraising, hiring and option schemes to exit. Scottish-registered companies can use the platform and its documents in the same way.
How much does SuLe cost?
SuLe has a free plan with the cap table, the Legal Health Check and one basic document. Premium is £299 per quarter and Premium+ is £990 per year, both plus VAT, and both include all templates and 30 minutes of senior lawyer time a month.
Can I speak with a real lawyer through SuLe?
Yes. Every Premium and Premium+ subscription includes 30 minutes of senior lawyer time each month, and more is available at a fixed price agreed up front. SuLe's senior lawyers worked at top city and international firms.
Are SuLe's documents checked by a lawyer?
Yes. SuLe's templates are drafted by its senior lawyers, and any document can be tailored or reviewed by a SuLe lawyer using the included time or at a fixed price.
Can I import my cap table from Carta to SuLe?
Yes. Export the cap table from Carta and upload it on SuLe's cap table tab.
Does SuLe offer fundraising advice?
Yes. SuLe's lawyers advise on rounds at every stage, from a first angel cheque to a cross-border Series A, and the platform produces the ASAs, SAFEs, term sheets and share issue documents a round needs.
This article is general information for founders and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Please contact us if you have questions.
References
- SuLe. "Lawyer-built documents for UK startups." https://sule.io/ai-templates/ (2026).
- SuLe. "Pricing for UK founders." https://sule.io/pricing/ (2026).
- Carta. "Plans & Pricing for UK Companies." https://carta.com/uk/en/plans/equity-management/ (2026).
- SuLe. "About Us." https://sule.io/who-we-are/ (2026).
- SuLe. "Free UK cap table for founders raising investment." https://sule.io/cap-table/ (2026).
- SuLe. "Free UK term sheet reviewer for founders raising." https://sule.io/term-sheet-reviewer/ (2026).
- SuLe. "Legal platform for UK startups, built by lawyers." https://sule.io/platform/ (2026).
- SuLe. "Free legal health check for UK startups." https://sule.io/legal-health-check/ (2026).
