Clerky
Legal document drafting software
Legal software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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What is Clerky
Clerky is a web-based legal document drafting and filing workflow tool focused on startups and small businesses, particularly for company formation and early-stage financing. It provides guided questionnaires that generate standardized legal documents and supports electronic signatures and filing steps for common corporate actions. The product is typically used by founders and startup-focused attorneys to prepare incorporation, equity issuance, and fundraising paperwork with consistent formatting and data reuse.
Startup formation-focused workflows
Clerky centers on common startup legal tasks such as incorporation, stock issuance, option plans, and early financing documents. The guided flow reduces the need to assemble templates manually for these scenarios. For teams that repeatedly execute similar startup transactions, this specialization can streamline preparation compared with more general-purpose legal tools.
Guided data collection and reuse
The product uses structured questionnaires to capture company and stakeholder details once and reuse them across multiple documents. This approach helps reduce inconsistencies that can occur when editing separate files. It also supports repeatable updates when details change (for example, officer names or addresses) across a document set.
Integrated signing and filing steps
Clerky supports e-signature workflows and includes steps oriented around completing filings and corporate actions, not just generating documents. This can reduce handoffs between drafting, signing, and execution tracking. For founders without in-house legal operations, the end-to-end flow can be easier to manage than assembling separate tools.
Narrower scope than full practice suites
Clerky focuses on document generation and execution for startup corporate work rather than end-to-end law practice management. It does not aim to replace matter management, time tracking, billing, or broader case workflows. Organizations needing a single system for firm operations typically require additional software.
Less flexible for bespoke drafting
Because Clerky relies on standardized templates and guided inputs, it can be less suitable for highly customized agreements or unusual deal terms. Users may need attorney-led customization outside the platform for non-standard clauses or structures. This can limit fit for complex transactions beyond common early-stage patterns.
Geography and entity-type constraints
The platform’s workflows are oriented toward specific jurisdictions and common startup entity setups, which may not cover all countries, states, or specialized entity types. Companies operating in multiple jurisdictions may encounter gaps in supported filings or document variants. In those cases, teams may need alternative drafting processes for unsupported regions.
Plan & Pricing
Tiered subscription plans (Hiring Subscriptions):
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small | $19 / month | Up to 12 hires per year |
| Medium | $99 / month | Up to 100 hires per year |
| Large | Contact Us | More than 100 hires / year; custom pricing |
Usage-based / per-use and one-time pricing (from official Clerky pricing page):
One-time packages
- Pay Per Use: $427 (one-time) — common choice for most startups; includes Delaware incorporation (expedited filing fees included), expedited filing service, first-year registered agent service, annual report/franchise tax reminders; excludes certain add-ons and third-party fees.
- Company Lifetime Package: $819 (one-time) — includes unlimited use* of standard Fundraising, Hiring, Commercial, and Maintenance products for the lifetime of the startup; excludes add-ons and third-party fees for foreign qualification and some Maintenance items.
Formation (per-item)
- Incorporation: $427 (one-time)
- Post-Incorporation Setup: $299
- Foreign Qualification: $125 + third-party fees for CA & NY (discounts/partner pricing from $160 for other states)
- Stock Plan Adoption: $199
Fundraising (per-use / subscription)
- Safes: $9 (per-use)
- Convertible Notes: $19 (per-use)
- Subscription (Unlimited Issuances): $99 for 6 months
Hiring (per-use & subscriptions)
- Employees (document package): $19 (per-use)
- Consultants (document package): $19 (per-use)
- Advisors (document package): $9 (per-use)
- Equity compensation issuances (per-use): $29 (Regular Stock Option Issuance / Early Exercisable Stock Option / Restricted Stock)
- Subscriptions: see tiered table above
Commercial & Maintenance
- Non-Disclosure Agreements: Included in Hiring subscriptions (one-way, mutual)
- Board Consents: $9 (per-use)
- Charter Amendments: Variable pricing (+ third-party fees where applicable)
Notes: Many items marked “Pay Per Use” vs “Exclusive” or “Unlimited” depend on whether you choose Pay Per Use or the Company Lifetime Package. Official page repeatedly notes that package prices exclude third-party fees for foreign qualification and some maintenance items. All prices and descriptions taken directly from Clerky’s official pricing page (clerky.com/pricing).
