The Simple Cap Table Template for Early-Stage Founders
last updated: Apr 23, 2026
Most founders waste hours trying to build the perfect equity spreadsheet before they even have a working product. Use this basic setup to track who owns what, so you can get back to building something people actually want to buy.
TL;DR
A cap table template is a basic ledger showing exactly who holds equity in your startup. Keep it simple on day one.
Glossary
- Authorized shares: The total number of units your company is legally allowed to issue to founders and investors. Read CFI's breakdown on authorized shares for the technical mechanics.
- Outstanding shares: The number of units actually assigned and held by real people or funds.
- Option pool: A reserved chunk of equity set aside for future hires to incentivize early talent.
How to use this cap table template
Save this text as a .csv file and open it in your preferred spreadsheet software. Before you use this, you might also want to review my pre-seed cap table template if you are at day zero.
Sample math: If you have 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 total shares, and you give an advisor 100,000 shares, they own around 1.0% of the company. For standard startup structuring, review SVB's startup equity guide.
- Format the file: Copy the block below and save it as a text file with a .csv extension.
- Edit placeholders: Replace the bracketed text with your actual team members and investors.
- Calculate percentages: Divide the individual shares by the total outstanding shares.
Sample math: If you have 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 total shares, and you give an advisor 100,000 shares, they own around 1.0% of the company. For standard startup structuring, review SVB's startup equity guide.
Benchmarks
Setting the right initial numbers gives you breathing room later. Look at typical option pools according to Carta to benchmark your own distributions before allocating them.
- Total authorized shares: 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 units.
- Employee option pool: 15% to 20% reserved for early hires.
- Advisor shares: 0.1% to 1.0% per advisor depending on involvement.
Spreadsheet vs software
A basic spreadsheet beats paying $3,000 or more a year for cap table software when you only have three founders and no investors. Migrate to specialized tools only after you raise priced capital.
Risks
Giving away fixed percentage points instead of calculating shares based on a valuation is a fast way to ruin your equity structure. Always grant a specific number of shares. Failing to include a vesting schedule means a co-founder can walk away with 40% to 50% of the company on day two — a common trap for first-time founders.
Will a perfect cap table get you to $10K MRR?
A perfect cap table won't save a startup without product-market fit. Stop obsessing over dilution, get this template done, and focus on figuring out your strategy to hit that first $10K MRR in the next 90 days. If you are raising soon, use my seed cap table builder to model scenarios, then get back to talking to customers. Fix your foundation before you launch.
FAQ
- You:How many shares should I authorize initially?Guide:Most startups authorize 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 shares to give themselves flexibility when issuing whole numbers to early employees.
- You:Do I need expensive software to manage my equity?Guide:Absolutely not. A basic spreadsheet works perfectly fine until you cross the 15 to 20 shareholder mark. If you are still lost on the terminology, read my founder cap table FAQ to understand the core mechanics.
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