Clerky vs Capbase Compared

Clerky is a legal tech platform built specifically for tech startups incorporating as Delaware C-corps. It's popular with YC-backed founders because it produces attorney-reviewed templates for common early-stage legal documents: incorporation filings, founder stock purchase agreements, SAFEs, convertible notes, option grants, and contractor agreements.

If your primary need is generating standardized legal paperwork and you're comfortable managing your cap table separately, Clerky does that job well. Its document templates are battle-tested and investor-familiar.

But Clerky is a document tool, not a startup operating system. That distinction matters more as your company grows.

Clerky does not manage your cap table — you'll need Carta or another tool for live equity tracking. It doesn't handle registered agent services or ongoing government filings, maintain a compliance calendar for annual report deadlines, provide shareholder update tools, or connect to your bank or payroll.

That means founders on Clerky typically end up stitching together three or four separate tools: Clerky for docs, Carta or Pulley for the cap table, a separate registered agent, and calendar reminders for compliance deadlines. Each one costs money and attention. For a first-time founder, that's exactly the complexity you don't need in year one.

Some comparison pages describe features like PBC formation, foreign qualification in all 50 states, stock plan adoption, 83(b) election filing, and expert customer support as rare or unavailable elsewhere. Capbase includes all of these.

A few specifics worth knowing:

• PBC formation is available at the same price as a standard C corp.
• Foreign qualification is supported in all 50 states.
• 83(b) elections are filed for founders as part of onboarding — no additional cost.
• Stock plan adoption is included in post-incorporation documents.
• Offer letters and consulting agreements are supported and can be signed digitally through Capbase.
• Corporate changes, such as adding co-founders, changing directors and officers, are included at no added cost. Name changes and authorized share increases are available at an additional cost, as they involve state filing fees regardless of platform.
• Our NDA tool is free.

Capbase was built to handle the full startup back-end in one place. Where Clerky generates the legal agreement for issuing shares, Capbase generates the agreement and updates your live cap table automatically. Where Clerky produces a SAFE template, Capbase handles the SAFE issuance, tracks it on your cap table, and keeps your records current for the next round.

The feature difference that matters most at early stage: Capbase includes a built-in compliance calendar, registered agent service, shareholder update tools, and API integrations with Mercury (banking) and Gusto (payroll). You don't need to assemble a second tool stack on top of it.

Clerky operates on a pay-per-use model or a lifetime package for single company formations. While this model seems inexpensive upfront, the costs compound. Every time you need to issue a new SAFE, onboard a consultant, or amend a document, you pay individual filing or generation fees. Capbase uses a transparent annual subscription model. For one flat fee, you get unlimited document generation, continuous compliance tracking, and tools to run your company year after year without unexpected legal bills.

The comparison to make is not just sticker price — it's total cost of the stack. If you use Clerky for docs, Carta for cap table management, and a third service for registered agent, add those costs together. Capbase bundles all of that into one annual fee.

Choose Clerky if: you're a YC founder who needs standard-form documents quickly, you already have a cap table solution, and you expect to hire a startup lawyer who will take over compliance and governance within 12–18 months.

Choose Capbase if: you want one platform to handle incorporation, cap table, compliance, and fundraising from day one, you don't want to pay for multiple tools, and you're building toward a seed or Series A where a clean, organized data room will matter.

Both produce a valid Delaware C-corp. The decision is about what happens after the Certificate of Incorporation arrives.