Managing an association takes a great deal of scheduling, organization, and coordination within your leadership team. Emailing members, recruiting prospects, and ensuring payments are received on time can be daunting tasks, especially as your membership base expands. Thatโs where association management software (AMS) comes in.
Whether youโre looking to invest in an AMS for the first time or you need to upgrade your solution, itโs worth it to take the time to explore which choices best suit your current size and needs as well as your long-term goals. This list of providers spans a variety of niches and comprehension levels to give you a clear sense of the particular balance of specificity, utility, and ease of use that will best suit your needs.
Hereโs what you can expect from this guide:
- Top AMS Software FAQs
- The Best Association Management Software Platform
- Other Top Association Software Solutions
Before we explore these top picks, letโs answer some of the most frequently asked questions concerning association management platforms.
Top AMS Software FAQs
What is association management software?
Association management software is used to automate membership management, fundraising, event management, chapter management, and financial processing. Your organization should choose an AMS with features that align with its size and goals.
What does association management software do?
The best AMS solutions are designed to meet the unique needs of individual associations. They can help you organize and record the data of your organization based on the information collected from members over time, such as their contact information or their level of engagement with your organization. Depending on your organizationโs goals, AMS solutions can also assist with event planning and communication with members.
What is the difference between an AMS and a CRM?
Oftentimes, the terms โAMSโ and โCRMโ are used interchangeablyโhowever, they have two distinct purposes. This graphic from Protech illustrates the key differences and similarities between the two:
Customer relationship management software (CRM) is defined as a software solution that tracks and manages all of an organizationโs interactions with its customers (in this case, your members). While an AMS is used to manage association-specific tasks, CRMs are used more widely by many other industries. The primary purpose of a CRM is to organize data about these interactions to help your association deepen relationships and increase renewals.
Your AMS has a broader scope of features than a CRM, but ideally, the two tools should work together with the ultimate goal of providing valuable, positive member experiences. To get the best parts of each software, look for a CRM-based AMS.
What features should you look for in association management software?
Each AMS provider includes different features, and some even have various tiers of complexity for associations of different sizes. Here are some of the most common and useful association management software features to look for when choosing your software:
- Membership management. Membership management software gives you a full view of member activities, membersโ depth of engagement, and potential for growth. This solution can include a member directory and CRM to keep your membership data organized.
- Member portal. This feature allows your members to log in to view their payment records and customized membership resources. You can often tailor member profiles to provide differing levels of access for various membership packages.
- Event management. This feature makes it easier to host in-person or virtual events with tools like live streaming, panel platforms, event registration, and event promotion.
- Financial management. Financial management features allow associations to record and process payments. The system can also be used to remind members about late dues.
- Communication management. With this capacity, your association can stay connected with members through text messages, email updates, and newsletters. Associations can also create online discussions to stimulate dialogue among members.
With these key features, your association will be able to track and visualize data more accurately. This convenient access to data gives you real-time snapshots of the state of your membership, progress toward goals, and financial health. With this information, your association can adjust its strategies to operate more efficiently and effectively.
The Best Association Management Software Platform
1. Fonteva: Best for Salesforce Users
With comprehensive features and an intuitive structure that can get your team up and running in a timely manner, Fonteva is one of the best AMS solutions out there.
Focused on offering your team both big-picture planning capabilities and more specific tools to fine-tune your strategies, events, and communications, Fonteva is a powerful partner for any membership-based organization. Retain more members and grow like never before with one of the most agile and intuitive AMS solutions on the market.
Association management software overview: The software is built on Salesforce, the worldโs leading CRM platform for businesses. It offers plenty of flexibility to meet your association’s needs-for example, but allowing you to select your ideal data model.
Recommended for: Fonteva is great for any size association because the software is completely scalable, so it can grow with your organization and integrate with the other systems you already use.
Favorite Feature: Fonteva Payments is the tool you need to complete your AMS. This best-in-class payment platform is simple to use, offers comprehensive security, accepts ACH payments and digital wallet, and handles multicurrency payments. All of these features and benefits make it easy for you to accept and manage payments while providing a secure, streamlined experience to members.
Pricing: Contact the Fonteva team for a demo and custom pricing.
As a fully native Salesforce app, Fonteva offers associations the power and flexibility needed to not only fit comfortably within your operations but also to streamline every aspect of them.
Additionally, there are no โgrowing painsโ with Fonteva as itโs a completely scalable solution. As a true cloud solution, Fonteva Membership allows you to choose the functionality you need when you require it. You can easily add additional tools as your association grows and your needs change.
Other Top Association Software Solutions
2. Protech: Best for Microsoft Users
Association management software overview: Protech is built for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and is best suited for associations that currently use the Microsoft ecosystem. The system includes a variety of database, financial, e-commerce, and analytics tools. Additionally, Protechโs built-in payment processor allows you to accept, manage, and track all types of payments (e.g., online ACH payments, multicurrency payments, and digital wallet) in one unified platform. If youโre searching for a Microsoft-based platform that includes member, leadership, and staff engagement capabilities, look no further!
Recommended for: Associations who use the Microsoft suite of products and are looking for an easily-integrated AMS.
Favorite feature: Protechโs BI & Analytics empower associations with automated and shareable reports like membership reports and financial reports.
Pricing: Contact the Protech team for pricing.
3. WildApricot: Best for small to mid-sized organizations
Association management software overview: WildApricot provides powerful association management tools that would otherwise be inaccessible for mid-size associations such as a member database, website builder, payment processor, event management platform, and mobile app.
Recommended for: Small to mid-size associations looking for a cost-effective association management platform.
Favorite Feature: WildApricotโs mobile app feature allows admins and members to access their profiles on the go. If youโre an active leader who frequently attends regional chapter settings and conferences, this can help you keep your association organized from any location.
Pricing: WildApricot services range from $60 to $900 per month depending on organization size.
4. MemberPlanet: Best for groups with smaller budgets
Association management software review: MemberPlanet offers a lightweight association management solution with simple payment processing, a member directory, and member messaging capabilities.
Recommended for: Smaller associations or those with multiple chapters who are looking for integrated chapter solutions.
Favorite feature: MemberPlanetโs online payments feature includes customizable payment forms and several payout options. It accepts all credit card payments, making transactions simple for you and your members.
Pricing: All versions of MemberPlanetโs software plans include a payment processing fee. The basic plan is free with a 4% platform fee.
5. MemberClicks: Best for small groups looking for an all-in-one solution
Association management software overview: MemberClicks can help you recruit new members, grow your revenue, and promote your organization with its suite of member-centric tools.
Recommended for: Associations looking for a tailored, all-in-one association management solution.
Favorite feature: MemberClicksโ MC Professional platform can evaluate membership profiles to help you understand your engagement rates and improve both retention and recruitment.
Pricing: MemberClicks provides custom quotes.
6. EZSignUp: Best general cloud-based platform
Association management software overview: EZSignUp is an association management software solution focused on event management. You can customize event registration forms and email templates for optimal event promotion and member engagement.
Recommended for: Associations that frequently host in-person or online events.
Favorite feature: EZSignUpโs flexible event pricing makes it simple to set tiered pricing, early bird deals, and member rates.
Pricing: Pricing is available upon request.
7. Novi AMS: Best for QuickBooks users
Association management software overview: Novi AMS was created by association professionals as the ultimate QuickBooks-integrated association management solution. This platform has a built-in CMS and features like email marketing, member portals, and accounting.
Recommended for: Trade associations that have members join as employees of a company rather than individuals. You can track familial relationships and business affiliations when needed in this AMS.
Favorite feature: The Novi AMS task center allows your association leadership to set and assign tasks to team members, creating more organized and efficient workflows within your association.
Pricing: Novi AMS has scalable pricing based on annual revenue, starting at $719.
8. ClubExpress: Best for clubs
Association management software overview: ClubExpress is an online association management solution that is an excellent option for quickly building your website, recording membership data, and processing payments. After signing up, your association will have access to a template website, so you can dive right into managing your events.
Recommended for: Small associations and clubs that want an online association management software solution with no download or onboarding necessary.
Favorite feature: ClubExpressโ jobs board allows association members to publish job openings for their peers to stimulate networking and communication.
Pricing: ClubExpress has a minimum fee of $42 per month that increases based on how many active members are in your organization.
9. iMIS: Best for member recruitment
Association management software overview: iMIS is a platform that combines the power of AMS, CRM, and CMS to bring you an advanced engagement management platform. It is a popular, scalable solution that your association can use to streamline membership recruitment and community-building efforts.
Recommended for: Associations focused on enhancing membership experience to help with recruitment and retention.
Favorite feature: The iMIS membership management feature enables you to customize the online experiences of your different membership tiers.
Pricing: iMIS offers custom pricing.
10. Raklet: Best for customer support
Association management software overview: Raklet offers a wide range of services that you can customize for your organizationโs needs. Their plans scale up depending on the size of your organization and the number of features you need.
Recommended for: Associations with at least 50 members and financial means to use the optimized plan or offset additional fees.
Favorite feature: Rakletโs discussion board feature allows members to connect and communicate about topics that interest them and potential career opportunities. Raklet can connect with thousands of other online apps, giving your members the opportunity to share their experiences far and wide.
Pricing: Plan coverage starts at $0 per month and ranges to $299+ per month based on organization size.
11. Almabase: Best for alumni associations
Association management software overview: Almabase is an alumni association management software with powerful tools to cultivate your alumni membership through events, email marketing, and an online alumni forum.
Recommended for: Alumni associations focused on maintaining a close network of members and engaging them in virtual events.
Favorite feature: Almabase can connect with Facebook and LinkedIn to provide easy ways for members to engage with their peers and view interests. Members can also create their own affinity groups within the association platform, allowing them to facilitate their own mini-events.
Pricing: Pricing is available upon request.
12. StarChapter: Best for multi-chapter groups
Association management software overview: StarChapter is an excellent solution for large associations with multiple chapters that are looking for a streamlined approach to membership management. This association management solution allows for board members and other staff roles to be customized in the backend of the platform, allowing for greater efficiency.
Recommended for: Associations with multiple chapters looking to unite their leadership and members under a larger system.
Favorite feature: StarChapterโs email marketing enables associations to promote events, send automated newsletters, segment their member audience, track email engagement, and receive feedback from members.
Pricing: StarChapterโs pricing is based on organization size with the essentials plan starting at $83 per month with a $779 setup fee.
13. Glue Up: Best for engaging members
Association management software overview: Glue Up provides a comprehensive software solution for associations, consisting of a CRM and basics like membership management tools. Glue Up also has task management tools to keep staff organized and productive. Additionally, users can provide members with personalized experiences with the help of AI.
Recommended for: Associations, nonprofits, corporations, and other member-based organizations that aim to deeply engage members.
Favorite feature: Glue Upโs speed networking tool helps you connect members virtually with random pairing, virtual one-on-one meetings, matchmaking tools, and more.
Pricing: Glue Up has a variety of plans, and pricing starts at $2,500 per year.
14. MemberLeap: Best for associations looking for simplicity
Association management software overview: MemberLeap is designed to make membership management as easy as possible with its straightforward, user-friendly interface. MemberLeap also offers technical support on-demand. While easy to use, this solution is robust and comprehensive. Associations can take advantage of membership management, event planning, marketing, and communications tools. With MemberLeap, they can also set up automatic billing, sync data across chapters, set up member message boards, and more.
Recommended for: Associations of any size or sector looking for a user-friendly solution complete with all the tools they need.
Favorite feature: MemberLeap streamlines the lead capture process with its Member Interest Forms. Prospective members complete these forms and the data is automatically loaded into the member database as a prospect record.
Pricing: Pricing varies based on the size of your organization and its unique needs.
15. GrowthZone: Best for efficiency and productivity
Association management software overview: GrowthZone prioritizes growth and staff efficiency, allowing you to get better results in less time. Its contact management features empower associations to track everyone the organization interacts with, from members to sponsors. Event management, billing, and communications tools streamline and automate manual tasks. Plus, their membership management features can handle various member structures, such as tiered membership levels.
Recommended for: GrowthZone serves professional and trade associations that want to expand their organization more efficiently.
Favorite feature: The solution includes a mobile staff app that makes it possible for staff to work on the go. They can scan business cards to automatically load contacts into the association database and manage event tasks like registration.
Pricing: Subscriptions begin at $3,900 per year.
16. Associations Management Online (AMO): Best for improving member experiences
Association management software overview: Associations Management Online (AMO) specializes in streamlining and automating processes. This improves member experiences and reduces staff workloads. AMO automates member signups, dues notifications, payments, and more. These features ensure payments and renewals donโt fall through the cracks.
Recommended for: Associations that want to boost retention and limit the burden on staff.
Favorite feature: AMOโs sponsorship and ad management tool makes it simple to diversify revenue streams. Associations can track and manage these opportunities and add banner ads to their websites.
Pricing: AMOโs custom quotes are available upon request.
17. YourMembership: Best value for small organizations
Association management software overview: YourMembership has comprehensive software that is still affordable to organizations with smaller budgets. The solution contains standard membership, event, and financial management features. It also has workflow automation capabilities and the option to build robust online communities. Easy-to-use dashboards clearly show membership trends so associations can track their progress and overall health.
Recommended for: Smaller associations that need comprehensive tools that align with their budgets.
Favorite feature: YourMembership has a job board tool that powers almost 3,000 niche job boards. The tool helps members get employed and find key opportunities in their field. Associations can partner with recruiting agencies to add another stream of revenue.
Pricing: YourMembership will create a personalized quote for each association.
18. Exware Association Management: Best for growing professional associations
Association management software overview: Exwareโs association management solution includes association and membership management services, event software, and full-service web design packages. Members will have smooth user experiences, and associations can engage them by sharing polls and quizzes, submitting content for the organizationโs website, and holding member elections.
Recommended for: Associations that need more customization than out-of-the-box solutions can offer.
Favorite feature: Exware has a content management system (CMS) that allows associations to add web forms, newsletter subscriptions, job postings, discussion groups, and more on their websites.
Pricing: Exware provides custom quotes.
19. Association DNA: Best for small-staff associations
Association management software overview: Association DNA has an integrated membership database designed to break down data silos and provide a 360-degree view of your membership. The database is protected by stringent security measures to safeguard member data. Visual dashboards show the insights associations need most and help them predict future trends. Additionally, this solution is mobile responsive so staff and members can access it at any time on the go.
Recommended for: Professional and trade associations with limited staffing resources that want to drive significant results.
Favorite feature: Association DNAโs PowerStreams delivers important reports directly to association leadersโ inboxes so they never miss key insights.
Pricing: Association DNA supplies pricing upon request.
20. Brilliant Directories: Best for flexible websites and directories
Association management software overview: Brilliant Directories offers customizable, white-label website themes. Associations can access themes for membership websites, directories, forms, and more. This saves valuable time because the bulk of the design work is already doneโall you need to do is add your branding and content. Through these membership websites, associations can manage the back-end database and leverage member engagement features.
Recommended for: Associations looking for low-lift ways to level up their website.
Favorite feature: Brilliant Directoriesโs website editor enables associations to easily update visual elements and customize the theme in minutes, even with limited web design experience.
Pricing: Monthly plans begin at $145.
Additional Resources
Eager to find more information about AMS features and management? Review these articles to learn more about maximizing the use of association management software for your organization:
- Using Salesforce for Associations | 5 Strategies for Success. If your organization already uses Salesforce technology, learn how to leverage a Salesforce-native AMS.
- AMS System: What is it? And 5+ AMS Software Solutions. Explore the benefits of using an AMS system and the top features to look for.
- CRM for Associations: The Basics & How It Complements an AMS. Curious about the difference between a CRM and an AMS? Check out this guide for CRM basics and how to select a CRM-based association management tool.
