How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Small nonprofits and clubs should start with WildApricot (from $63/month) or Raklet (from $49/month): both bundle website, dues, events and email without enterprise pricing.
- Professional associations with staff fit MemberClicks (from $259/month) for chapter and committee depth, or Neon CRM (from $99/month) when fundraising matters as much as membership.
- WordPress site owners should look at MemberPress ($359/year): unlimited members, no per-member fees, but you own hosting and maintenance.
- Chambers of commerce fit GrowthZone (from $3,900/year), while directory businesses fit Brilliant Directories ($145/month or $1,450 lifetime).
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 WildApricot | Small nonprofits and associations wanting everything in one tool | From $63/month (100 contacts) | Yes (50 contacts, 1 admin, no online payments) |
 MemberClicks | Professional and trade associations with dedicated staff | $259/month (Level 1, billed annually) | No (guided demo only) |
 YourMembership | Associations wanting an all-in-one system with implementation help | See website (quote-based) | No (guided demo only) |
 Glue Up | Chambers and associations where events are the product | See website (quote-based) | No |
 MemberPress | WordPress site owners monetizing content or courses | $359/year (Basic plan) | No (14-day money-back guarantee) |
 Neon CRM | Nonprofits where fundraising matters as much as membership | $99/month (Essentials, nonprofit pricing, billed annually) | No (free trial available) |
 Raklet | Small clubs and associations wanting transparent self-serve pricing | $49/month (Essentials, billed annually) | Yes (100 contacts) |
 Brilliant Directories | Entrepreneurs running paid directory businesses | $145/month, or $950/year, or $1,450 lifetime | No (7-day free trial, no credit card) |
 GrowthZone | Chambers of commerce and trade associations with real budgets | From $3,900/year | No (demos only) |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best membership management software
The mistake most membership buyers make is shopping for features when they should be shopping for the pricing model. A 300-member club and a 5,000-member association can buy the same category and pay $49 or $3,900 a month, because this market prices by contacts, by members, by profiles, or by flat quote, and the model matters more than the feature list. These nine tools cover the real options, from free-forever club tools to association platforms that need board approval.
#1
WildApricot
Best for: Small nonprofits and associations wanting everything in one tool
Visit wildapricot.com
Starting priceFrom $63/month (100 contacts)
Free planYes (50 contacts, 1 admin, no online payments)
WildApricot is the default for small-membership organizations because it replaces four tools: the website, the dues system, the event registration and the newsletter. From $63 a month (100 contacts) you get member self-service, online joining and renewals, event pages and email blasts. The 60-day trial is the longest in the category, long enough to run a real renewal cycle before paying.
The pricing model needs attention. Your contact count includes everyone in the database, not just paid members, so cleaning lapsed records before upgrading tiers saves money. And the payment surcharge is real: US and Canadian organizations using their own Stripe or PayPal accounts pay 20 percent extra on the subscription. For a volunteer-run nonprofit under 1,000 members, the bundle is still the best value available.
What we like- Built-in website builder with member portal, so no separate CMS needed
- Generous 60-day free trial
- Strong event management with online registration
Watch out for- Contact-based pricing counts lapsed members and prospects too, pushing tiers up
- A 20 percent surcharge applies if you use Stripe or PayPal instead of their processor
Starting price$259/month (Level 1, billed annually)
Free planNo (guided demo only)
MemberClicks is built for associations that operate like businesses, with staff, chapters and committees. Level 1 at $259 a month (annual) covers 300 custom profiles with member portal, events, email and a website; higher levels scale to 10,000 profiles. The association-specific depth (chapter management, board elections, career center) is what general tools lack.
This is not a club tool; it is priced for organizations with budgets and boards. Implementation typically takes 4 to 8 weeks with their help. If your association has under 300 members and no staff, WildApricot or Raklet deliver 80 percent of the value at a quarter of the price. If you run chapters across states, MemberClicks earns its premium.
What we like- Deep association features (chapters, committees, elections, job board)
- Transparent tiered pricing by profile count
- Strong support reputation
Watch out for- The priciest entry on this list at roughly $3,100 a year
- Level 1 caps at 300 profiles, which growing associations outgrow
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo (guided demo only)
YourMembership competes with MemberClicks for the association market with a broader out-of-the-box bundle: member portal, online community, career center, events and analytics without third-party apps. Third-party sources cite starting prices around $3,990 a year, typically running $3,000 to $20,000 by organization size, but nothing is published.
The sales-led model is the whole story. Expect a demo, a quote and a 90-to-120-day implementation, which suits associations with a buying committee and a timeline. It does not suit a treasurer shopping on a weekend. Get the full bundle price, including the QuickBooks integration (sold separately), in writing before board approval.
What we like- Membership, community, career center, events and analytics in one system
- Hands-on implementation support
- Visual analytics dashboard
Watch out for- No public pricing, so every budget needs a sales call
- Reviewers report slower support than competitors
#4
Glue Up
Best for: Chambers and associations where events are the product
Visit glueup.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo
Glue Up (the B2B association platform at glueup.com) leads with events. The conference tooling and the MyGlue member app are genuinely strong for organizations whose calendar drives revenue. Modular suites let you buy membership plus events, or add community, webinars and training as needed.
Budget carefully. Published estimates start around $125 a month for the lightest suite, but customer reports put mid-market spends at $4,500 to $16,000 a year plus onboarding, and the standard advice is to budget 20 to 30 percent above the first quote for implementation and add-ons. Setup takes 4 to 8 weeks on annual contracts. Event-heavy organizations should compare it against WildApricot's simpler event tools before committing to the quote process.
What we like- Strong event engine with dual mobile apps (manager plus member app)
- Modular suites for membership, community, webinars and training
- Good for multi-day conferences
Watch out for- Quote-only pricing with contact caps that raise costs as you grow
- Reviewers note a steep learning curve
Starting price$359/year (Basic plan)
Free planNo (14-day money-back guarantee)
MemberPress is the odd one out here, and deliberately so: it is a WordPress plugin, not a SaaS platform. Basic at $359 a year covers one site with unlimited members; Plus at $599 and Pro at $799 add more sites and features. There are no per-member fees and no transaction cut beyond your payment processor, and the Courses add-on turns it into a course platform with dripped content.
You own the stack, which is the appeal and the work. Hosting ($10 to $50-plus a month), backups, updates and plugin conflicts are yours to manage. For creators, coaches and small businesses already on WordPress, keeping the existing site and adding memberships beats migrating to a SaaS platform. For everyone else, the SaaS tools above are simpler.
What we like- Unlimited members on every tier with no per-member fees
- Built-in courses, content dripping, coupons and corporate accounts
- Huge add-on ecosystem
Watch out for- WordPress-only, so hosting, security and updates are your job
- The real cost includes hosting and any paid add-ons beyond the license
#6
Neon CRM
Best for: Nonprofits where fundraising matters as much as membership
Visit neonone.com
Starting price$99/month (Essentials, nonprofit pricing, billed annually)
Free planNo (free trial available)
Neon CRM approaches from the donor side: it is a fundraising CRM with membership management attached, rather than the reverse. Essentials at $99 a month (nonprofit) covers the CRM core; Impact at $209 and Empower at $409 add depth. That makes it the pick when donations, grants and pledges drive the organization and membership is one revenue stream among several.
The modular math needs modeling. A nonprofit on Impact with the membership, events and volunteers modules pays roughly $292 a month before processing fees, and implementation runs 6 to 12 weeks with a $600-plus setup cost. Annual contracts auto-renew. If membership dues are the whole business, WildApricot is simpler and cheaper. If fundraising is the business, Neon's depth justifies the complexity.
What we like- Revenue-based pricing means small-revenue orgs pay the base rate regardless of database size
- Unlimited system users
- Deep fundraising (grants, pledges, peer-to-peer) plus membership
Watch out for- Membership, events and volunteers are add-on modules at 10 to 20 percent each
- Phone and chat support only on the top tier
#7
Raklet
Best for: Small clubs and associations wanting transparent self-serve pricing
Visit raklet.com
Starting price$49/month (Essentials, billed annually)
Free planYes (100 contacts)
Raklet is the transparent alternative in a category full of quote-based pricing. Essentials at $49 a month (annual) covers 500 contacts with memberships, donations, events, email and a community; Professional at $99 and Premium at $399 scale the contacts and cut the transaction fee. Signup is self-serve, setup takes days, and the custom-branded member app is a genuine differentiator at this price.
Model the fees honestly. The platform fee (4 percent free, 3 percent Essentials, 2 percent Professional, 1 percent Premium) stacks on Stripe or PayPal gateway fees, so a dues-heavy organization should run the numbers before signing. Contact packs let the database grow without forcing a tier jump. For a club that wants to buy online today without talking to sales, this is the cleanest option.
What we like- Fully published pricing with no sales call
- Memberships, donations, events, email and community in one plan
- White-label mobile app available
Watch out for- A platform transaction fee (1 to 4 percent) sits on top of gateway fees
- REST API only on the Premium tier
Starting price$145/month, or $950/year, or $1,450 lifetime
Free planNo (7-day free trial, no credit card)
Brilliant Directories is membership software for a specific business model: the paid directory. Member listings, claimable profiles, lead generation, banner ads and review management are native, not bolted on. Pricing is refreshingly simple: $145 a month, $950 a year, or $1,450 once for lifetime, with 100,000 members included.
The add-on catalog is where the bill grows. Comparisons have found core directory features sold separately at roughly $10 a month each, pushing realistic costs well above the headline. One site per plan; multi-site is quote-based. For a local business directory, job board or niche member directory, the monetization tooling is unmatched at the price. For a standard association, the general tools above fit better.
What we like- Purpose-built monetization (paid listings, lead sales, banner ads, gated content)
- 100,000 members included
- AI setup wizard gets a directory live in hours
Watch out for- Dozens of premium add-ons at about $10 a month each inflate the real cost
- One site per plan
#9
GrowthZone
Best for: Chambers of commerce and trade associations with real budgets
Visit growthzone.com
Starting priceFrom $3,900/year
Free planNo (demos only)
GrowthZone is the chamber-of-commerce specialist. Business directories, member deals, ambassador tracking and event tools are built for how chambers actually operate, which generic association software never quite captures. Subscriptions start at $3,900 a year, with onboarding, website work and module add-ons pushing real first-year spend to $10,000 to $20,000 in industry analyses.
This is enterprise buying: demos, quotes, annual contracts, 2-to-4-month implementations. It suits chambers with $500K-plus operating budgets and staff to run it. Smaller chambers should look hard at WildApricot first, which covers the core chamber workflow at a tenth of the price. Get the full bundle price in writing before it goes to the board.
What we like- Chamber-specific features (business directory, hot deals, ambassador tracking)
- Full phone, chat and email support
- All-in-one for chamber operations
Watch out for- Quote-based with modules sold separately, so first-year totals often reach $10,000
- Expansion means renegotiating with sales
The pricing model is the product
Four models compete in this category, and each punishes a different kind of growth. Contact-based (WildApricot, Raklet) charges for database size, so clean your lapsed members before upgrading tiers. Profile-based (MemberClicks) charges for member records, which is fairer but still climbs. Quote-based (YourMembership, Glue Up, GrowthZone) hides the price until the sales call, which favors the vendor. And MemberPress charges a flat annual license with unlimited members, which wins outright once you pass a few hundred members on WordPress.
Run your numbers against the model, not the feature list. A 400-member club pays $63 a month on WildApricot, $49 on Raklet, or $30 a month equivalent on MemberPress Basic, and all three handle dues and events. The differences that matter are operational: who runs the website, whether fundraising depth matters, and whether anyone will answer the phone when the renewal emails fail.
How we chose
We started with the categories buyers search: membership management software, member management software, association management software and club management software. For each candidate we opened the vendor's own pricing page, checked plan names and prices against public reviews on G2 and Capterra and practitioner discussion on Reddit, and compared pricing models, membership features, event tooling and organization-size fit. Where a price could not be verified on the vendor's page we wrote "See website" rather than guessing.
What to look for before you buy
Start with the member journey, not the admin panel. Can a new member join, pay and get into the member area without staff help? Can renewals run automatically with failed-payment retries? Does the event registration handle guests, discounts and refunds? The tools that nail self-service (WildApricot, Raklet, MemberPress) cut volunteer and staff hours more than any admin feature.
Then check the money path. What are the total fees on a dues payment: platform fee plus gateway fee plus any surcharge (WildApricot's 20 percent Stripe/PayPal surcharge is the one buyers miss). Who owns the member data and how does it export: CSV at minimum, API ideally. What happens at renewal: auto-renewing annual contracts (Neon, GrowthZone) versus month-to-month (Raklet, Brilliant Directories monthly). And confirm support reality: phone support matters enormously to volunteer-run organizations, and only some vendors offer it below the top tier.
Frequently asked questions
How much does membership management software cost?
From $0 to $20,000-plus a year. Small clubs pay $49 to $63 a month (Raklet, WildApricot) or $359 a year (MemberPress). Mid-size associations pay $99 to $599 a month (Neon CRM, MemberClicks). Large associations and chambers pay $3,900 to $20,000 a year (GrowthZone, YourMembership, Glue Up). Add payment processing (around 3 percent) and any platform transaction fees on top.
Should we switch from spreadsheets to membership software?
Yes, once renewals take more than a few hours a month or you have lost track of who paid. The ROI is not the software; it is the automated renewals, the self-service member portal and the event registration that stops living in someone's inbox. A 100-member club on WildApricot's $63 plan typically recovers the cost in saved volunteer hours within the first renewal cycle.
Can members pay dues online?
Yes, all nine tools support online dues payment. The differences are in the fees: MemberPress adds no platform fee beyond your processor, Raklet adds 1 to 4 percent on top of gateway fees, and WildApricot adds a 20 percent subscription surcharge if you use your own Stripe or PayPal account. Compare the total cost per dues dollar, not just the subscription.
Do we need a separate website?
Not with most of these. WildApricot, Raklet, MemberClicks and GrowthZone include website builders with member portals. MemberPress and Brilliant Directories are built on WordPress, so your site is the platform. Neon CRM and YourMembership assume you may keep an existing site and integrate. Only buy a separate website if your public presence needs more than the built-in builder offers.
What happens to our data if we cancel?
It varies more than buyers expect. SaaS tools (WildApricot, Raklet, Neon) export members, transactions and event data to CSV; confirm historical email and payment records come along. MemberPress keeps everything in your WordPress database, which you own outright. Ask for the export format before signing, because migration quality decides whether switching later is a weekend project or a quarter-long one.
Sources we checked (11)
- https://www.wildapricot.com/pricing
- https://www.memberclicks.com/pricing
- https://www.yourmembership.com/pricing
- https://www.glueup.com/pricing
- https://memberpress.com/pricing
- https://www.neonone.com/pricing
- https://www.raklet.com/pricing
- https://www.brilliantdirectories.com/pricing
- https://www.growthzone.com/pricing
- https://www.g2.com/categories/membership-management
- https://www.capterra.com/membership-management-software/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.