Carta vs Dealroom: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Quick Verdict
Choose Carta if you...
are an early-stage founder
Choose Dealroom if you...
prefer a startup database platform
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Carta | Dealroom |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Cap Table & Equity | Startup Database |
| Starting Price | $84/mo | $449/mo |
| Enterprise Price | Custom | Custom |
| Free Tier | Yes Basic cap table for <25 stakeholders | Yes Limited searches |
| Data Source | Customer cap table data + 409A valuations | Proprietary + public data |
| SEC Verified | No | No |
| Founder Facing | Yes | No |
| Grant Data | No | No |
| Accelerator Data | No | No |
| Warm Intro Paths | No | No |
Carta Strengths
- 1Industry-leading cap table management
- 2409A valuations included
- 3Investor connect marketplace
- 4Equity plan administration
Dealroom Strengths
- 1Strong European and Asian market coverage
- 2Government and ecosystem partnerships
- 3Clean interface with good filtering
- 4Funding round and valuation tracking
Carta Weaknesses
- Investor database is a secondary feature
- Limited to Carta ecosystem investors
- No comprehensive VC fund directory
- No grant or accelerator data
Dealroom Weaknesses
- Expensive for individual founders
- Weaker US market coverage than Crunchbase
- Designed for ecosystem stakeholders, not founders
- No direct outreach or intro tools
Explore Individual Alternatives
Consider Free Startup Funding — Built for Founders
The free, SEC-verified startup funding database. Unlike Carta and Dealroom, it is designed specifically to help founders find funding — not to serve investors or corporate strategy teams.
- SEC-verified VC data from Form D filings
- Federal grant database from Grants.gov
- Accelerator and angel network directory
- Free tier with 10 contact reveals per month
- Built specifically for founders, not investors
?Carta vs Dealroom: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Carta or Dealroom better for early-stage founders?
Carta is more founder-facing. Carta targets founders directly, while Dealroom is primarily designed for institutional users. For founders who also need grants and accelerators, Free Startup Funding covers all three funding types at no cost.
How do Carta and Dealroom compare on pricing?
Carta starts at $84/mo with a free tier (Basic cap table for <25 stakeholders). Dealroom starts at $449/mo and offers a free tier (Limited searches). Enterprise pricing for Carta is Custom vs Custom for Dealroom.
Does Carta or Dealroom use SEC-verified data?
Neither platform sources data directly from SEC Form D filings. Carta relies on customer cap table data + 409a valuations. Dealroom relies on proprietary + public data. Free Startup Funding verifies all VC data against SEC EDGAR Form D filings.
Which platform includes grant data — Carta or Dealroom?
Neither Carta nor Dealroom includes grant or non-dilutive funding data. If federal and state grants are important to your funding strategy, Free Startup Funding provides a comprehensive Grants.gov-sourced grant database at no additional cost.
What is the main difference between Carta and Dealroom?
Carta is a cap table & equity platform (cap table management and 409a valuations), whereas Dealroom is a startup database tool (global startup and vc database). Their data sources also differ: Carta uses customer cap table data + 409a valuations, while Dealroom relies on proprietary + public data.