Best cap table software for UK startups in 2026

At a glance: Best by use case (UK startup)

UK-specific decision criteria

Companies Act 2006 alignment

UK share issuances run under Companies Act 2006: allotment authority under s. 549; pre-emption rights under s. 561 (typically disapplied by special resolution for the option pool and new investors); SH01 filing within 1 month of allotment under s. 555; share transfers under SH03 / SH06 with stamp duty (0.5% of consideration) under FA 1986; articles amendments by special resolution (75%) under s. 21. UK-built tools surface the right form and the right threshold; US-built tools force translation work.

EMI option support

EMI options under ITEPA 2003 Sch. 5 are the UK favoured tax-advantaged share option scheme. Eligibility: trading activity (excluded sectors include banking, insurance, property), gross assets under £30m, fewer than 250 full-time employees, individual limit £250k of unexercised options, total scheme limit £3m. HMRC notification within 92 days of grant via the Employment Related Securities (ERS) online service. Strong UK tools check eligibility at grant, generate the HMRC notification, and track the 92-day deadline; weak tools treat EMI as a generic option scheme.

PSC register and confirmation statement

The People with Significant Control register under Companies Act 2006 Part 21A is the UK beneficial-ownership register, maintained internally and filed with Companies House as part of the annual confirmation statement (s. 853A, due within 14 days of the review period end). PSC changes during the year are filed promptly. Tools that integrate PSC with share-register changes keep both in sync; tools that don't force parallel record-keeping.

SEIS, EIS, and Advance Subscription Agreements

The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) offer tax relief to investors in qualifying UK-incorporated SMEs. SEIS: 50% income tax relief on up to £200k invested per year; EIS: 30% relief on up to £1m. Both require shares to be subscribed (not transferred), held for 3 years, and issued by a qualifying company. ASAs (Advance Subscription Agreements) are the SAFE-equivalent that qualify for SEIS/EIS, with a maximum issuance window (typically 6 months SEIS, 12 months EIS). Strong UK tools handle ASAs as native instruments; US tools treat them as generic SAFEs and lose the SEIS/EIS qualification at conversion.

Companies House filing rhythm

UK companies file more frequently than US or Canadian corporations: SH01 within 1 month, CS01 annually, AP01/AP02 within 14 days of director appointment, TM01 within 14 days of resignation. Tools that surface deadlines and file electronically via Companies House WebFiling save significant administrative load.

The products, scored for UK startups

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Frequently asked questions

Why is the UK market different from the US for cap table software?

UK corporate law (Companies Act 2006) and tax law differ materially from the US. Shares are allotted under s. 549 with pre-emption rights under s. 561 (typically disapplied by special resolution). EMI options under ITEPA 2003 Sch. 5 are the UK favoured tax-advantaged share option scheme, with strict eligibility conditions and HMRC notification within 92 days. CSOP and unapproved options are alternatives. The People with Significant Control (PSC) register is the UK beneficial-ownership register. SEIS and EIS schemes are unique to the UK. Stamp duty applies to share transfers. None of these have direct US analogues.

What are EMI options?

Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) options under ITEPA 2003 Sch. 5 are the UK favoured tax-advantaged share option scheme for SMEs. EMI options carry no income tax or NICs at grant or at exercise (where exercise price is at least the actual market value at grant), and any gain on sale is capital, potentially qualifying for Business Asset Disposal Relief (10% tax). Eligibility conditions: trading activity (excluded sectors include banking, insurance, property), gross assets under £30m, fewer than 250 full-time employees. The corporation must notify HMRC within 92 days of grant. EMI is widely used among UK-incorporated startups.

How does the PSC register work?

The People with Significant Control (PSC) register under Companies Act 2006 Part 21A is the UK beneficial-ownership register. Every UK company must maintain a PSC register internally and file PSC information with Companies House. PSC information is updated as part of the annual confirmation statement (s. 853A) and on any change. PSC is checked by Companies House and is publicly available. A cap-table tool that tracks PSC alongside share ownership keeps both records in sync; a tool that ignores PSC forces parallel record-keeping.

Are Advance Subscription Agreements the same as SAFEs?

Similar concept, important differences. An Advance Subscription Agreement (ASA) is the UK SEIS/EIS-friendly equivalent of a SAFE: investor pays now for shares to be issued at a future event. The key difference is that ASAs are designed to qualify for SEIS and EIS tax reliefs, which require shares to be issued within a maximum window (typically 6 months for SEIS, 12 months for EIS). SAFEs have no such time limit. A cap-table tool for UK startups should handle ASAs natively, not just SAFEs.

What about Companies House filings?

UK companies file with Companies House: SH01 within 1 month of share allotment, SH03 / SH06 for share transfers (with stamp duty), AR01 / CS01 confirmation statement annually, IN01 at incorporation, AP01 / AP02 for director appointments, TM01 for resignations. The cadence is more frequent than US or Canadian filings. Strong UK cap-table tools surface the right filing at the right time; weak tools treat all filings as a manual exercise.