Quick answer: Mantle charges a flat rate with unlimited stakeholders on every plan, including free. Cake Equity charges per stakeholder above a plan’s limit. Both are built for startups, so the right choice depends on how fast your cap table will grow and how much hands-on help you need.
Disclosure: Mantle makes this comparison. We based it on each vendor’s public information as of November 2026. Pricing may change, so check Cake’s pricing page for current numbers.
How Mantle and Cake Equity pricing works
Both platforms start low, and that’s where the similarity ends.
Mantle uses flat-rate plans. Adding stakeholders doesn’t change your bill, and raising a new round doesn’t force an upgrade. Every plan includes unlimited stakeholders, so founders, investors, SAFE holders, employees, and advisors all fit without a surprise invoice.
Cake Equity uses plans with a stakeholder allowance and charges per stakeholder beyond that limit. For a company that expects to grant options broadly, that model can raise the total cost with each hire.
If you’re comparing the two, ask each vendor for the price at your expected stakeholder count in 12 to 18 months, not just today’s count.
Free plans
Mantle’s free plan, Starter, has no stakeholder limit. Founders can issue SAFEs, e-sign documents, record options and common shares, and model scenarios without paying.
Cake Equity also offers a free plan for smaller cap tables. If you have a handful of stakeholders, it’s worth comparing the two directly.
AI and automation
Mantle includes its AI features on every plan:
- Mantle Clerk, an AI assistant for questions about your cap table
- AI Draft, which reads your documents to help draft securities in Mantle
- An MCP connector, so you can ask questions about your live cap table inside Claude
Cake Equity’s published plan details don’t list comparable AI features. Confirm with Cake if AI tools matter to your team.
Onboarding and migration
Mantle offers full concierge onboarding and migration for its paid plan customers starting on their Essentials plan ($1,200/year). Customers on Mantle’s free plan are able to use self-serve setup on the free plan.
Cake Equity offers migration starting on their Team plan ($2,750/year).
At a glance: which platform fits
If you’re an early-stage founder: Mantle
It’s free, with no stakeholder limit, so you can run your cap table through SAFEs and early rounds without paying or hitting a cap. Cake’s free plan covers up to 5 stakeholders, which a couple of founders, a few advisors, and an angel can use up quickly.
If you want predictable pricing as you scale: Mantle
Every Mantle plan includes unlimited stakeholders, so adding founders, investors, SAFE holders, employees, and advisors doesn’t add fees. Cake Equity charges per stakeholder beyond each plan’s limit, so the bill grows with every hire, and that adds up quickly if you grant options broadly.
If quarterly billing matters most to you: Cake Equity
Cake Equity’s Build plan is the only plan that offers quarterly billing, which includes up to 25 stakeholders. As your stakeholder count grows, compare what you’d save paying annually versus quarterly, and factor in any per-stakeholder fees, before deciding which billing cycle makes sense.
Get started on Mantle
Getting started on Mantle is easy.
- Create your Mantle account: Choose a plan and sign up here.
- Upload your documents: Share certificates, SAFEs, option grants, and board approvals, and an existing cap table spreadsheet export if you have one.
- Let Mantle build it: On paid plans, Mantle’s team builds and reviews your cap table for you. On the free plan, you can leverage Mantle’s AI tooling (Mantle Clerk, AI Extract, and AI Draft) to help build your cap table from your documents.
- Review and publish: Mantle flags gaps and inconsistencies so you can fix them before diligence. Then invite your team, investors, and law firm.
Most cap tables are set up in 1 to 5 business days.
FAQ
Can I switch from Cake Equity to Mantle without re-entering my cap table?
Yes. Send your current documents or current cap table spreadsheet export from Cake, and Mantle’s team will build your cap table from them on paid plans. On the free plan, you can leverage Mantle’s AI tooling to help build your cap table from your documents. You won’t need to enter each stakeholder and grant by hand.
What happens to my cap table if I outgrow the free plan?
On Mantle, nothing gets lost. Your cap table, stakeholders, and history stay on Mantle when you upgrade. You only change plans when you need more features, such as 409A valuations or board e-signing. Your stakeholder count doesn’t trigger an upgrade.
Does Mantle handle SAFEs and convertible notes before a priced round?
Yes. Mantle Starter includes SAFE issuance and e-signing with built-in YC templates, so you can track SAFEs before your priced round. You can also record convertible notes, warrants, options, and common shares on Mantle Starter.
Can I export my data at any time?
Yes, your cap table data belongs to you. Export your entire cap table data in one click, along with your documents.
The bottom line
Cap table software should grow with your company, not penalize it. Cake is a capable platform, and it may be the right call if quarterly billing is your top priority. For most founders, though, Mantle offers what matters most: unlimited stakeholders on every plan, a free Starter plan that carries you through your earliest rounds, AI built into every tier, and a team that builds your cap table with you.
Every hire, advisor, and investor you add to Mantle is one less thing to worry about. Your cap table grows. Your bill doesn’t.
Start free on Mantle or book a demo and see how your cap table looks on a platform built to scale with you.