The 5 best membership management software tools for 2026

Choosing membership management software often means compromising between legacy association management systems and fundraising platforms that weren't built to manage dues and renewals. With price increases creeping in from major players in the space, it's no surprise that more nonprofits are looking for an alternative.

We've selected 5 membership management software platforms based on the real experiences of nonprofits and associations, comparing pricing, member management features, fundraising capabilities, and overall value. Whether you're running a small membership program or a large association, this guide will help you find the right fit for your organization.

5 best membership management software tools at a glance

1. Givebutter: Best free all-in-one for nonprofit memberships & donor CRM

Givebutter is a free, all-in-one fundraising platform that helps nonprofits manage memberships through recurring donation forms, a CRM, event management, and email marketing tools. Instead of a traditional association management system, Givebutter combines the tools many membership organizations already use to manage dues, donor relationships, and engagement.

💰 Price: Givebutter's core membership management features are free to use. With the Givebutter Guarantee, nonprofits pay $0 in platform fees and $0 in processing fees when optional donor tips are enabled (Givebutter covers what donors don't). If tips are turned off, there's a flat 3% platform fee plus standard payment processing (2.9% + 30¢ for cards, 1.9% + 30¢ for ACH).

⭐ One platform for memberships and fundraising: Each supporter has a single contact profile that brings together their memberships, donations, event attendance, and volunteer activity—no syncing or duplicate records.

📣 Standout features:

• Recurring donation forms that support membership dues and renewals
• Branded membership signup forms with custom fields
• Free nonprofit CRM with unified member and donor profiles
• Native fundraising tools, including events, auctions, and peer-to-peer campaigns

✅ Best for: Small-to-medium nonprofits, clubs, and associations that want memberships, fundraising, and a donor CRM in one place without a monthly subscription

🔥 Our take: Givebutter stands out for nonprofits that want memberships, donor CRM, and fundraising tools in one platform. If your organization needs advanced association management features like dedicated member portals or complex chapter management, a traditional AMS may be a better fit—but for many nonprofits, recurring donation forms and a unified CRM provide everything needed to run a successful membership program.

What users like about Givebutter

“The platform’s flexibility in setting up different fundraising campaigns has been invaluable as we launch our FSN+ membership tier while continuing to accept general donations… This has enabled us to launch our membership program with confidence.” — Peter G., President of the Board (G2 review)

What users dislike about Givebutter

"As a CRM replacement, it has been difficult to input our membership levels and separate mailing lists based on interests." — Verified User in Fine Art (G2 review)

2. Wild Apricot: Best for established mid-sized associations

Wild Apricot is a longstanding popular association management software (AMS). Many of its users are mid-sized professional associations, clubs, and chapters, although it also serves smaller nonprofits that want dedicated AMS software. 

💰 Price: Wild Apricot’s pricing starts around $60/month for 100 contacts, ranging to $900+/month for 50,000 contacts. Nonprofits can secure discounted rates by pre-paying for a one-year or two-year subscription.

Online payment fees start at 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction for Personify Payments. Using PayPal, Stripe, or Authorize.Net instead adds a Payment System Servicing Fee (PSSF) equal to 20% of your subscription price.

⭐ Contact-based pricing: Plan for growth, since a successful campaign can bump your organization into a higher pricing tier overnight.

📣 Standout features:

• Member database with custom fields + bundle memberships (family, org)
• Branded member portal with self-service profile updates
• Events module with ticketing, RSVPs, waitlists
• Drag-and-drop website builder (dated)
• Basic email campaigns (no advanced segmentation)
• Donation forms included (not the core product)

✅ Best for: Mid-sized professional associations, chapters, and member-based clubs that want a traditional AMS and don't need a modern donor CRM

🔥 Our take: Wild Apricot earned its market share as one of the first affordable all-in-one AMS when the alternatives were expensive enterprise tools, but today, some users have expressed frustration with recent subscription price increases. One user found that yearly fees for their small hobby club jumped from $600 to $800, prompting them to look for alternatives. 

If you’re already using Wild Apricot and it works for you, stick with it for membership management. If you’re looking for your first AMS or an alternative, try Givebutter or Neon CRM for a more affordable experience. 

What users like about Wild Apricot

“Wild Apricot is very easy to hand off to the end-user. It is easy to use, hard to break, and nearly anyone can pick up on how to use it.” — Daniel R., Chief Web Officer (G2 review)

What users dislike about Wild Apricot

“One of the things I found VERY limiting was the flexibility of the directory. It displays the information, but not in a very attractive format, and there were/are no options to vary it. I have found better tools for that (also less expensive).” — Susan D., Chief Implementation Officer (G2 review)

More to explore

Compare the best free & low-cost CRMs for nonprofits →

3. Neon CRM: Best balance of memberships & fundraising

Neon CRM is a fundraising-focused platform that enables groups and clubs to manage memberships and donor retention in one place. The memberships feature is available as an optional add-on to the core CRM, so you’ll need to upgrade to access tools such as member portals, forms, and automated renewals. 

💰 Price: Starts at $99/month for Neon CRM, which includes basic donor management, fundraising, and donor communications. To add membership functionality, you’ll need the Memberships module, which is priced at 10% of your CRM subscription fee.

⭐ Module-based pricing: Membership organizations will want the dedicated module, and other optional add-ons (such as events, volunteers, or membership websites) may also be relevant, depending on your setup. Keep in mind that adding modules will increase your subscription cost. Compare how it stacks up against free all-in-one platforms and other per-user vendors. 

📣 Standout features:

• Dedicated membership module with tiers, bundles, and auto-renewals
• Full donor CRM with relationship mapping
• Custom reporting + dashboards
• Peer-to-peer, events, email (add-on or bundled)
• Integrations with QuickBooks, Mailchimp, and Zapier

✅ Best for: Mid-sized nonprofits needing a full donor CRM and membership database software, comfortable with a $1,200+ annual spend

🔥 Our take: Neon CRM is a strong option for organizations that want membership management and fundraising in one platform, particularly those that need custom reporting and enhanced member engagement tools.

Neon CRM’s module-based pricing means you need to evaluate the total subscription cost carefully. Smaller organizations and new fundraising teams may find they can get similar core functionality from Givebutter without a monthly subscription.

What users like about Neon CRM

“We're able to track a lot more information at a glance about our member organization than we could in the past. There's only so much Airtable can do before it's convoluted. The member dashboards are visually organized in a helpful way.” — Cassie F., Operations Manager (G2 review)

What users dislike about Neon CRM

“If there is an error or something that is not configured correctly, it is difficult to get on-site or quick customer support; you have to send a chat or email and wait, and you also need to provide several screenshots.” — Crystal Ann H., Training Manager (G2 review)

Get started

Build a membership application form that converts →

4. MemberClicks: Best for trade associations & chapters

MemberClicks is built for associations, chambers, and nonprofits. The platform helps organizations automate dues, collect fees online, host members-only content, and build membership websites. 

💰 Price: MemberClicks’ pricing depends on whether members are individuals or organizations. For individuals, MC Professional starts at $4.5K annually. For organizations, MC Trade starts at $3.5K annually. 

⭐ Chapter & committee management: MemberClicks supports hierarchical chapter structures and committee tracking, which is why trade associations gravitate toward it.

📣 Standout features:

• Multi-chapter hierarchies with chapter-level admins
• Committee + volunteer tracking
• Member directory with searchable profiles
• Event management with continuing education (CE) credit tracking
• Certification + continuing-education workflows
• Member community + discussion forums

✅ Best for: Professional trade associations, multi-chapter orgs, and 501(c)(6)s with CE/certification programs

🔥 Our take: MemberClicks is a step up for organizations that want a dedicated membership software like Wild Apricot but need something more sophisticated or tailored to associations. The depth of its chapter and committee features makes it a strong option for organizations managing complex association structures.

MemberClicks contracts are typically for one or multiple years. This can help larger organizations budget, but for smaller organizations, it can feel risky, especially if you’re new to offering memberships. New or smaller organizations with less complex needs could benefit from a free, no-commitment platform like Givebutter instead.

What users like about MemberClicks

“The way the MemberClicks software streamlines processes and maintains all information in one, easy-to-access, clear, accurate platform, our workload is lighter, and the quality of the work we perform for our client is higher.” — Jennifer R., Executive Director (G2 review)

What users dislike about MemberClicks

“They do have a couple of things they could fix, like having more forms on the site that are directly linked to the backend system. We also need a discount option on the forms for memberships and similar items, such as a coupon code or discount code integration for when we run membership drives.” — Idaliz O., Director of Marketing & Communications (G2 review)

More to explore

Learn how to attract & retain recurring donors (including members) →

5. Raklet: Best modern interface with a free starter tier

Raklet is newer to the market and provides organizations with one of the best free membership management software options available. The initial free tier is a good starting place for community groups or alumni networks, while bigger organizations can upgrade to unlock features like organization-level memberships and paid newsletters. 

💰 Price: Raklet has a free plan, which includes up to 100 contacts and basic membership, fundraising, and social features. Paid plans range from $49–$399/month. 

⭐ Free starter tier: Raklet offers small membership organizations a free place to start, but contact and feature limitations make it challenging to scale as your organization grows. 

📣 Standout features (writer drafts the descriptions):

• Branded mobile app for members
• Automated dues, renewals, membership tiers
• Event ticketing with check-in
• Community forums + private messaging
• Email campaigns with basic segmentation
• Multi-language support

✅ Best for: Alumni groups, professional networks, community-driven organizations wanting a modern app-first experience and willing to grow into a paid tier

🔥 Our take: Raklet is newer and less battle-tested than some of the other tools on this list, but it’s worth considering if you’ve already tried the traditional options and want something that feels fresh and modern. 

Larger organizations may prefer a more established membership management platform, but it’s a good fit for small organizations. Raklet has a simple free plan, but you’ll likely need to move to a paid plan as your membership grows.

What users like about Raklet

“It's very powerful if you compare it to other similar platforms. Basically, you don't have to use another tool as Raklet creates a whole network for you.” — David K., CEO (G2 review)

What users dislike about Raklet

“What I liked least about Raklet is that some features are limited in terms of usage or restricted to specific subscription plans. I believe certain functionalities should be more accessible without these limitations, as it would make the platform even more efficient and flexible to use.” — Manuel, Secretariat (Capterra review)

Dive deeper

How to build a nonprofit membership program that retains members →

Manage memberships & fundraising with Givebutter

Membership software should make it easier to engage supporters, not force you to juggle separate systems for dues, donor relationships, events, and communications. While some organizations need the advanced features of a traditional association management system, many nonprofits can simplify their operations by managing memberships alongside fundraising in a single platform.

Givebutter helps you do exactly that with recurring donation forms for membership dues, a free nonprofit CRM, fundraising pages, events, auctions, email marketing, and more. Every supporter's membership, donations, event participation, and communications live in one place, making it easier to strengthen relationships and grow your membership program over time.

Sign up for Givebutter for free and start managing memberships and fundraising together.

FAQs about membership management software

What is the best membership management software?

Givebutter is the strongest free option for nonprofits and associations that want to manage memberships alongside fundraising in a single platform, while Wild Apricot and MemberClicks are better suited to organizations that need traditional association management features. Community-focused organizations may prefer Raklet's modern, app-first experience.

Is there free membership management software?

Yes! Givebutter is a free fundraising platform that helps nonprofits manage memberships through recurring donation forms and a nonprofit CRM with unlimited contacts. Raklet also offers a free starter tier, but contact and feature limits apply.

How much does membership management software cost?

Membership management software ranges from free to several hundred dollars per month, depending on your organization's size and the platform's features.

Givebutter is free to use—with optional donor tips enabled, the Givebutter Guarantee covers any gap, so it's truly a $0 platform. Other options include Wild Apricot (starting around $60/month) or Neon CRM ($99+/month).

What's the difference between membership software and a CRM?

Membership software handles everything from dues and renewals to detailed member profiles. A nonprofit CRM covers the full supporter relationship—including donations, events, emails, volunteer hours, and notes. Platforms like Givebutter help nonprofits manage memberships and donor relationships in a single system.

Can one tool handle both memberships and fundraising?

Yes. Platforms like Givebutter help nonprofits manage memberships alongside fundraising, making it easier to track dues, donations, event participation, and communications in one place.

How do I export my member data if I switch platforms?

Most software providers will let you export your data so you can import it to another platform, but it’s always best to check with your vendor before you begin the process. Reliable platforms offer self-service export of your entire database (via CSV export or API). Some legacy AMS vendors are less straightforward and may charge a fee to export your data. With Givebutter, you can easily export your data via CSV or API.