Best Membership Management Software

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Want to take advantage of membership management software to grow and drive engagement? Good. We spent dozens of hours examining this software category to help you find the best platform for your business. We recommend Wild Apricot for most people and organizations. Use this affordable, easy-to-learn, and highly customizable software to instantly see results. Wild Apricot simplifies the member signup process, helps you take payments, and more.

The Best Membership Management Software For Most

Wild Apricot has a polished reputation for being easy to use and getting results. Our research proves this is 100% true. And with an extremely generous 30-day free trial, you have zero risks and so much to gain.

We love them because of the all-in-one capabilities this platform holds for payments, renewals, automation, and a full membership portal. And there is so much more you can do beyond that. Wild Apricot is top-rated for a reason, read on to learn more about this flexible and potent membership management software.

The Best Membership Management Software Options to Consider

1. Wild Apricot – Best for most 
2. MemberSpace – Best for organizations with growth potential
3. StarChapter – Best for nonprofits
4. Zen Planner – Best for fitness management
5. VeryConnect – Best for alumni
6. MemberClicks – Best for feature offerings

When it Makes Sense to Invest Into Membership Management Software

How do you gain members or build a community easily? By investing in membership management software.

Of course, it is possible to manage your memberships manually using programs like Microsoft Excel. But as soon as you add in complicating factors like a growing members list or allowing more than one person access to the membership data, things can quickly get messy.

We are here to help prevent that from happening.

Think about it.

Even if your business is small or just starting out, introducing the right system from the get-go will make life much easier once the member sign-ups start rolling in. 

The great thing about the software mentioned here is that most offer tiered pricing based on the number of members you have. Some even provide the opportunity to upgrade or downgrade your plan as needed. So, you don’t need to be worried about breaking the bank if you’re a small organization or startup. 

Now that we know membership management software is an excellent asset for your organization, let’s dig into our recommendations.

#1 – Personify Wild Apricot — Best For Most

Wild Apricot is a user-friendly, all-around powerhouse when it comes to membership management.

Incredibly intuitive and highly customizable, Wild Apricot will help you escape Excel hell to focus on the profitable aspects of your business.

It’s a cinch to set up your membership database and directory, whip up membership applications, and automate renewals.

You can even create a new website in Wild Apricot’s drag-and-drop builder, or embed elements on any other website that can allow visitors to submit an application, view the directory, or see events.

Some of the other notable features on offer from Wild Apricot include:

• A simplified member application process
• Customizable membership levels
• Automated renewals and payments
• Easy access for members to update their data
• Automatic database updates in real-time
• All data lives safely in the cloud for easy access

We love Wild Apricot’s two fantastic mobile apps, which offer a unique opportunity for enhanced community engagement.

The app for admins allows users to keep business running smoothly and members engaged from anywhere in the world. Admins can manage contacts and member requests, run events, and accept payments securely, all while away from the office. 

The member app acts as a directory whereby members can connect and engage with one another, building a community within your community. 

Wild Apricot offers a range of pricing plans starting from $40/month for up to 100 contacts. Start your free 30-day trial today. 

#2 – MemberSpace — Best for Organizations with Growth Potential

MemberSpace has only been around since 2015, but they are quickly earning their place as a top contender for larger organizations or those with exponential growth potential. 

They’ve become well-known for their customer-centric culture, focus on education, and a list of integration possibilities that is as long as your arm. 

You can currently take your pick of 12 website platforms that seamlessly integrate with MemberSpace. This gives them a really unique selling point of flexibility in terms of not being tied down to one customer management tool as you grow, and once you’ve chosen your membership management software. 

Some other features of the MemberSpace software include:

• Unlimited members
• Offering users flexible payment options
• Revenue recovery for failed charges or abandoned sign-ups
• Forum integration
• Member emails
• Upgrade or downgrade plans as required

An added bonus? MemberSpace offers free platform migration when coming from any other membership platform. 

This is a huge differentiator for those looking to change providers, as the migration process can take months and may produce stressful complications such as losing member data and billing details. 

The only downside to MemberSpace for smaller organizations is the 5% transaction fees on their plans. However, since they offer a free plan that includes priority customer support and all membership business features, this is still a great deal.

Who is using MemberSpace? Just about anyone who is selling memberships in exchange for a product or service, such as courses, forums, learning tools, or tutorials.

MemberSpace pricing plans start from $0/month, with the Professional plan a reasonable $49/month. Try it for free today.

#3 – StarChapter — The Best For Nonprofits

StarChapter is an excellent choice for local chapters, nonprofits, and organizations looking for a way to uniquely characterize members and accurately keep track of different member types. 

They are known for offering a well-rounded set of features suited to the nonprofit sector, as well as providing excellent customer education and support. 

In particular, they receive great feedback for the event management capabilities of the software. Users can set event information and ticket pricing on their website, and sell tickets there, too. On the day of the event, StarChapter allows you to track guest count, no-shows, cancellations, and registrations. 

The only downside to this key offering is that the event-tracking process isn’t designed to be mobile-friendly, but it’s not impossible.

Other features that StarChapter offers include:

• Categorizing members by type, including non-members
• Well-presented data in the form of reports and charts
• Members can customize their profiles
• Multiple payment integrations
• Email communication and lead generation

StarChapter also offers ecommerce solutions to nonprofits looking to raise money by selling promotional products. This ties in nicely with the event management capabilities of the platform. 

With organization, membership details, and fundraising taken care of with this software, nonprofits and local chapters have little else to worry about.

StarChapter pricing plans start from $44/month for 50 members with a $399 set-up fee. Even the lowest plan includes all the fundamental features mentioned above. 

They don’t offer a free trial. But, if you’re not sure about the commitment, they do offer live demos of all their plan levels in action. 

#4 – Zen Planner — The Best For Fitness Management

Zen Planner is the cream of the crop when it comes to the best membership management software for gyms, sports studios, and even schools. 

In a nutshell, this software is very flexible. It’s easy to use, extremely customizable, and intuitive for the users. It’s also straightforward for members, who can access the member login via a mobile app for things like schedules and booking fitness classes. 

The Zen Planner interface is sleek and simply designed, conveniently adjusting automatically to your device’s screen size. It’s responsive interface and usability is on par with both Wild Apricot and StarChapter.

Some other features Zen Planner offer include:

• Simplified billing
• Member and Staff mobile app
• Member self-service
• Attendance tracking
• Online scheduling
• Member reporting and analytics

Zen Planner also offers the opportunity for managers to delegate role-based security to their staff members. You can customize staff member access to certain features and data to ensure financial information or private customer data stays safe at all times.

Pricing plans start from $117/month for up to 50 active members, which gives you full access to the complete software. Book your live demo to check it out today. 

#5 VeryConnect — Best for Alumni

VeryConnect is an alumni focused member management software that concentrates on facilitating communication between many contacts at once. They are well known for being extremely strong with communication, not only with their product but also with their customer support.

VeryConnect has built a robust database structure that allows them to offer a comprehensive member directory system. Users can easily search, edit online profiles, and configure auto-updating, all on their own. 

Users can also access many different options for keeping in touch online such as forums, automated member communications, blogs, and news feeds. 

Some features that VeryConnect can build into your plan include:

• An auto-updating database
• Mentoring and social areas
• Blogs, news, and forums
• Events and fundraising
• Job boards

Another great feature of VeryConnect is that it is cloud-based with mobile apps for iOS and Android. Users can also log in from anywhere using Linkedin. There is also a MailChimp integration for mass email campaigns to save you having contact lists on separate databases.

A unique element to VeryConnect is that you can pick and choose which features you’d like included in your plan. That’s why pricing is not readily available online, so you will need to contact them to negotiate the best plan for you and get a quote.

Independent resources suggest that VeryConnect pricing plans start from around $200/month, but you can contact them to arrange a live demo and talk pricing based on your needs.

#6 MemberClicks — Best for Feature Offerings

If you want to host an event, you can! If you want to post a job board or create a place for staff to track their learning, you can do that, too. 

When it comes to providing feature-rich software that can do just about anything, MemberClicks takes the cake. Database management is so easy with their integrated website and CMS solution. 

MemberClicks has two plans:

• Atlas: For mid-sized organizations and chambers of commerce
• Oasis: Designed for small-staff associations 

The available features are relatively the same across the board and include things like:

• Built-in website builder
• Secure database and reporting
• Email marketing
• Event management
• Learning management system
• Communication forums

MemberClicks offers a well thought out and highly-functioning event mobile app with a significant focus on event management capabilities. Users will have access to the event agendas, sessions, venue maps, and more. 

MemberClicks is priced on the higher side compared to other member management solutions suggested in this list, but it certainly packs a punch for the price tag. 

Pricing is quote-based and starts at $275/month. Organize your free demo today. 

Methodology For Choosing The Best Membership Management Software

With so many different membership management tools out there, it can be overwhelming to pick which one truly is the best option for your business. 

Getting distracted by the extra features is easy. What we want is for you is to select which elements are essential to your business. This methodology will help you narrow down the best choice.

Features

It’s unlikely you’ll come across a membership management software that simply collects member data, accepts payments, and then collates member data in one pretty place. 

They all come with their bells and whistles. However, with increased features comes the increased risk of technological nightmares. You want your software to decrease the stress of your staff, not add to it.

When considering features outside of the standard member directory, online billing, reporting and analytics, and member portal, think about what the additional features can do for you. For example, do you need the email marketing and lead generation feature, or do you already have an app or tool you pay for that has those capabilities? 

Pinpoint whether or not you’ll actually use it to its full potential before falling in love with it.

Customer Support

No matter whether you’re a tech guru or you cringe at the thought of learning new software, it’s crucial that you have access to excellent customer service. 

Facing technical issues with your software can mean real money losses for your organization. 

Be sure to check whether the provider offers 24/7 support via phone or email and, if you can, what their promised turnaround time is. 

Also, check if the software you choose has a self-service or FAQ section on their website. This allows you to troubleshoot any minor issues you may have without needing to explain yourself at length over the phone or via email. 

In summary, having access to customer support at any time of day and no matter where you are should be an important deciding factor. 

Value for Money

This consideration will inevitably boil down to your organization’s size and the benefits your membership management software will bring you. But here is some food for thought when considering what value for money means in your decision making.

We know you will agree that the cheapest option doesn’t always win the best value for money, right?

For instance, you may be drawn to the free software because of its insane value for no money, but it may only allow you to sign 20 contacts. That may work well for now, but what happens when you reach 25 or 100 members? 

Is it easy to upgrade your plan? Are you able to make changes as your business needs grow and change?

As we’ve discovered in our research, almost every provider offers a tiered pricing system based on either expected revenue or the number of members. The key thing for you to look out for is how flexible these tiers are and at what point you’ll be able to make changes to your plan.

Ease of Use

Usability has been a major contributing factor to our recommendations. In our opinion, why should a dry administrative task such as data collection and entry give you more of a headache once you’ve enlisted a system to take care of it for you?

Of course, some software may require a small learning curve if there are lots of different features and elements to it. This is where a great online resource collection on the providers’ website comes in handy. 

But overall, you should be able to pick it up relatively quickly and painlessly. 

If you’re unsure whether you can trust the providers’ promises that their software is easy to use, sign up for a free trial or live demo, and judge the usability for yourself.

Summary

So, which membership management software is best for you? Well, it entirely depends on your organization’s needs and the purpose of the software. 

Our top recommendation to suit just about everyone is Wild Apricot.

That doesn’t mean that one of these will suit your needs to a tee. So, be sure to use the methodology we discussed today to do your research and choose the best membership management software for you.