



“I’m drowning here! I wish I could afford an admin assistant!”

This is what an association manager posted in a Facebook Group I’m a part of.

I got in touch with her and replied, “Maybe you can’t afford an assistant, but how about a robot assistant?”

I meant that kind of tongue in cheek, but there is a way to get basically the same thing by using an inexpensive software called association management software, which can automate nearly all of your administrative tasks.

This might seem like an over promise, but take the example of The Alabama Durable Medical Equipment Association, which uses association management software to automate 90% of their administrative tasks, saving thousands of hours and dollars every year.

Michael W. Hamilton, the Executive Director encourages every association to use it. “I love how quick and easy it was to set up and modify, even for someone with limited computer skills.”

If you’d like to know more about how association management software can save your association time and money, read on. I’ll explain exactly what it is, what to consider when evaluating options, and 17 of the most popular options to choose from.

What is Association Management Software (AMS)?

Association Management Software, also known as AMS, is an all-in-one management tool comprised of an association website builder, online contact database, communications system (email), finance & payment system, event platform, and more.

If you run any sort of association, nearly all your administrative work can be eliminated by AMS, which can:

Instantly process online payments, fees, and donations.

Setup online event registration pages, payments, and reminders.

Improve member communication through automated invoices, emails, and newsletters.

Create a professional, easy to build website where you can host a news section, notices, resources, member directory, an event calendar and more.

Maintain a full contact database that's easy to search, filter, and update.

Create financial reports, analytics, and membership summaries in seconds.

Save your organization money and time by automating many more administrative tasks.

Try the Top Association Management Software Free

Wild Apricot is the top provider of association management software, used by over 7,000 associations. Wild Apricot provides a free, 30-day trial. In just an afternoon, you can build your entire website and upload your contact database all by yourself. That’s because Wild Apricot is an easy-to-learn system and even if you do get stuck, we offer free support to get setup as quickly as possible.

"Wild Apricot has been a lifesaver for our association. It saves us at least 15-30 hours of work every time we have an event. It's simple to send email blasts, track payments, and keep in touch with former members who may have drifted away."

-Diane Herrick, Conference Chair, KAPS (KY Association for Psychology in the Schools)

While Wild Apricot is the top pick for AMS, there are many other options to choose from — each catering to a different niche. The best AMS for your organization will end up being the one that best fits your organization needs. It’s fairly easy to compare options, but here are some criteria to consider to find the best one for you:

Are there setup fees? Support fees? Additional transaction fees?

Is the system easy-to-learn?

How fast do you need the software setup?

What specialized features will you need?

Do you need integration with other systems like Quickbooks, or Wordpress?

Is the system secure?

This 2-minute video goes into more detail on the top things associations consider before choosing an AMS for their association.

When you're ready to choose an AMS for your organization, browse this list of 17 popular AMS systems. I’ve given highlights of each option’s major features and pricing, so you can focus on the solutions that suit your needs. At the end, I've included a simple price comparison chart of the options that have standardized pricing.

17 Popular Association Management Software Options

1) Wild Apricot

Pricing starts at $25/month

Free basic plan

Free 30-day trial

Free support

Free educational webinars





Thousands of associations use Wild Apricot to manage their members every day. (And if you need some extra help managing your association, consider looking into an association management company.)

Features include a drag and drop website builder, a built-in emailing system, a mobile app, a member directory, a member's-only area, and automated member payments and renewals. Wild Apricot has an open API, which allows you to customize the software to your specific needs, plus integration with Wordpress and Quickbooks. Free 30-day trial. Watch the video below to learn more.

Read More: Why a CRM Might Work Better for Your Association Than an AMS + Our Top 10 Picks

2) 123Signup

Two pricing options: Pricing starts at $49/month, plus $0.10 per non-member, plus 3.0% credit card transaction fee One-time setup fee of $299, plus $1.50 + 2.0% per transaction, no additional fees

Free basic support, fees for event setup, and reports

Free 30-day Trial

Demo available upon request





123Signup’s association manager software comes with dozens of tools to help automate your membership. Track every aspect of your organization like financials, registrations, surveys, donations, and educational credits.

3) Euclid ClearVantage

Pricing available upon request

Free basic support, fees for advanced support

Demo available upon request





Euclid's ClearVantage is a comprehensive association management software that has over 25 module for membership, events, products/inventory, certifications, documents, fundraising, finances, and more. They make it easy to see a 360 degree view of every member — their interests, history, purchases, etc.

4) Exware

Pricing available upon request

Support included in package

Demo available upon request





Exware is a simple association management software with a lot of features, including job postings, donation pages with campaign goals, eNewsletters with open stats, a classifieds module, and more.

5) GrowthZone

Pricing starts at $149/month plus $49 per additional module

Free support

Demo available upon request





GrowthZone is a basic AMS that can come with additional modules to suite your organization’s specific needs. Their basic plan covers contact and member management, integrated payments, event management, an info hub, a mobile app, and a directory. Examples of additional modules are fundraising, online store, sales funnel and events expo. Check their website for their full module list.

6) iMIS

Pricing starts at $175/month

Free support





iMIS makes it easy to recruit new members, boost member engagement and increase member retention. With iMIS you can create an online community, communicate with your members, and manage your entire web presence.

7) in1touch

Contact for pricing

Demo available upon request





in1touch is a flexible management platform for associations, regulatory and licensing boards. Their unique implementation method gives you complete control over customizing their software and adding applications to your needs. They also provide online or in-person training.

8) MemberLeap

Pricing starts at $50/month, plus website setup packages start at $1,800 If you have an existing website, integration starts at $2,500

Free email-based support

Demo available upon request





MemberLeap is a basic association management software that can help you plan events, and manage your members. They have a mobile app and integrate with QuickBooks.

9) memberplanet

Pricing starts at $5/month, plus a 3% platform fee, plus 3% + $0.30 processing fee

Free basic plan

Free support

Demo available upon request





memberplanet is an AMS built for chapters to use a full suite of engagement tools, while still allowing headquarters to manage the entire association. Some of their key features include surveys, text messaging, discussion boards, and email tracking capabilities.

10) MemberSuite

Pricing available upon request

Demo available upon request

Free Trial





MemberSuite offers associations a robust membership management platform with an open API, unlimited users, and a dedicated customer success manager on your account.

11) NimbleAMS

Pricing available upon request

Free support





NimbleAMS is an association management software built on Salesforce that includes social networking and integration with mobile apps. They also have a user community which can be helpful if you’d like to get advice from other users on their platform.



12) Personify

Pricing available upon request

Demo available upon request

Personify is the leading provider of technology solutions for nonprofit organizations including associations, charities and health & wellness organizations. They are the association management provider to some of the largest associations in the US including the YMCA, the Alzheimer's Association, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.







13) Raklet

Pricing starts at $49/month

Free support

Free 14-day trial





Raklet offers a basic AMS with unlimited contacts, email and SMS messaging, payments integration, and email and chat support. They also show member timelines so you get a clear picture of every member’s interaction with your association.

14) SilkStart

$200/month

Free support

Free 30 day trial





SilkStart is a comprehensive and easy to use association management software. Features include job boards, donation pages, chapter integration and mobile-friendly websites.

15) StarChapter

Pricing starts at $49/month, plus a $399 setup fee

Free support

Demo available upon request





StarChapter is an integrative association management software with responsive website, membership, event, and email modules. They offer 24/7 customer support and ongoing board training sessions.

16) Tendenci

Free if you host the software yourself (it’s open source)

Pricing starts at $169/month if you host with Tendenci Additional setup costs: contact for a quote Additional one-time development charge: contact for a quote

Free online support. Paid hourly support via helpdesk

Demo available upon request

Tendenci is an open sourced association management software, meaning you can host it yourself for free and customize it to your needs. It features many management platforms including those for members, events, content, fundraising, job boards, forums, and more.

17) WebLink

Pricing starts at $400/month, plus a $1,495 setup fee

Free support

Demo available upon request





Weblink offers a robust and easy association management software platform. They also offer complete association website design and 24/7 customer support.

Association Management Software Price Comparison

Here is a simple price comparison between the AMS options that offer standardized, public pricing. The prices are based off a hypothetical association of 500 members with 100 transactions a month ($50 average price), with recurring payments enabled.

The prices are color highlighted from inexpensive (green) to expensive (red).





Additional Resources: