Homeowners’ Association (HOA) Software: the Best Options in 2024

I know one woman who runs her entire 1,500-member homeowner association by herself as a part-time staff member.

That’s because she leaves most of the work up to her Homeowner Association Software — it essentially runs the organization for her.

If you’re also a self-managed HOA and want an easier option to manage your homeowners’ association, it might be time to look into it as well.

Read on it find out how self-managed HOA software can help improve your homeowners’ association, your experience running it, and the experience of your members.

How Can I Improve My HOA?

Most HOA managers will agree that the biggest issue with their HOA is how much of their time it requires. They’re constantly chasing down payments, dealing with paperwork, and getting sucked into hours upon hours of administrative work. This leaves them no time to do what they actually set out to do — build a thriving and engaged community.

If this is you, there are three things you can do.

1. Automate your administrative tasks so you can have more time for more meaningful work.
2. Improve your member experience by serving them more efficiently and offering more benefits.
3. Engage your community with timely updates, communications, activities, and events.

This may sound like a lot, but here’s the good news: HOA software will help make all of this work a breeze. Investing in a software tool is like hiring a robot to do all the tedious administrative work for you. Not only will this leave you with more time, but your members will thank you, too! Thanks to HOA software, their experience will be much more smooth, efficient, and convenient. Both you and your members will finally have time to engage with each other, build connections, and help your community thrive.

What is Homeowner Association Software?

Homeowner Association Software, or HOA Software, is an all-in-one management tool comprised of a website builder, online contact database, communications system (email), finance & payment system, event platform, and more.

If you run a HOA, nearly all your administrative work can be eliminated by HOA Software, which can:

• Keep your residents happier by giving them easy and secure ways to manage their payments, fees, and submit maintenance requests online.
• Improve member communication through automated invoices, emails, newsletters, and maintenance requests.
• Give you an easy to build and update HOA 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.
• Provide you with simple financial reports and analytics.
• Save money and time by automating many more administrative tasks.
• Allow you to manage your HOA on the go through an HOA app, a mobile version of the software. Members can also use an HOA app to check the member directory and connect with other members.

What Features You Need to Look For in HOA Software

HOA software solutions vary greatly in the features they offer, and it can get overwhelming trying to decide how to spend your software budget wisely. While there are many special features to consider, here are the basic ones that every great HOA software should have.

1. Member Database:

You should be able to maintain a database of your members, their contact information, member profiles, roles, and preferences. It should also be easy to update their information, contact them, search through the database through different criteria, and track membership status and payments.

2. Member Portal:

Members should be able to log in through a member portal and update their information or get access to exclusive member-only content. This is also where you would communicate with members or allow them to communicate with each other through chats and forums.

3. Online Payment System:

Members should be able to easily and safely make payments online, in-person, or over the phone. Your HOA software should also keep track of who has paid their member dues and who is overdue.

4. Communications System:

Your HOA software should make it easy to communicate with all your members at once, contact individual members, or lists filtered by specific criteria. Great software supports various modes of communication — emails, letters, push notifications, etc — and keeps track of members’ communications preferences.

5. Event Management System: 

You should be able to schedule events, maintain an online event calendar, and manage attendees. Your members should be able to register for events, pay event fees, and update their RSVP status.

6. Financial Tracking and Reporting:

Your HOA software should maintain accurate financial records and allow you to pull reports and analyze data at any time.

Try This Self-Managed Homeowner Association Software Free

WildApricot is the one of the highest rated HOA software tools and crosses off every single item on the above list. Every day hundreds of homeowner associations use WildApricot to completely manage their associations.

Start your free trial of WildApricot now. In just an afternoon you can have a full website and contact database setup to begin communicating with your residents and tracking their payments.

If you’d like to compare more options, there are dozens of other self-managed HOA software solutions, perfect for every type of homeowner association.

Here’s a list of 10 options to consider.

I’ve sorted the list alphabetically and given you highlights of each tool’s major features and the cost, so you can focus on the solutions that suit your needs. Some of them focus solely on HOA websites, whereas others offer all-in-one HOA management solutions, which usually also include an HOA app.

Top 10 Outstanding HOA Management Software Options

1) AppFolio Property Manager

Price: Starting at $1.40 per unit / per month
Demo/Trial: Demo available upon request

AppFolio is an all-in-one HOA management software that enables architectural reviews, dues and assessment collection, violation tracking, board member approvals, bank integrations, and more. All these features are accessible through a web or mobile application.

Standout Features:

• Text message communication
• Email templates
• Resident portal
• Online maintenance requests
• Performance insights

2) Bitrix24

Price: Free limited version, paid options start at $19/month
Demo/Trial: Demo available upon request

With Bitrix24, you can create an HOA member portal that includes opinion polling, email notifications, IM and group chat, and a photo gallery. You can also manage dues, communicate with your members via email, and submit online work requests.

Standout Features:

• Mobile app
• HOA directory
• Private social network for homeowners
• Interest groups
• Videoconferencing

3) Buildium

Price: Starting at $55/month
Demo/Trial: Free 14-day trial, demo available upon request

With online member payments, maintenance request tracking, rental listing management, and full accounting functionality, Buildium is a comprehensive software solution for small to medium-sized homeowner associations.

Standout Features:

• Retail cash payments
• 1099 eFiling
• Property inspections
• Renters insurance
• Tenant screening

4) CINC Systems

Price: Pricing available upon request
Demo/Trial: Demo available upon request

CINC is reportedly the only software company in the industry that provides property management, integrated banking, and cloud account all in one tool. With CINC, you can manage online payments, maintain your member directory and calendar, submit and track work orders, and share your critical HOA documents.

Standout Features:

• Mobile app
• Violations management
• Architectural review request management
• Timely financial reporting

5) FRONTSTEPS

Price: Pricing available upon request
Demo/Trial: Free trial available, demo available upon request

With FRONTSTEPS, it’s easy to build an HOA branded community website. Features include the ability to track violations, dues, online payments, work orders, and maintenance requests.

Standout Features:

• Parking and visitor management
• Package tracking
• Digital bulletins and customizable newsletters
• Text communications

6) HOA Express

Price: Free limited version, paid version starts at $22/month
Demo/Trial: Free trial available, demo website available

With HOA Express, you can build an attractive, affordable, mobile-friendly website for your HOA. You’ll be able to update your website quickly and easily, send email blasts, and facilitate forum discussions. Your members can also pay their dues online.

Standout Features:

• Automated letter mailing
• Custom surveys
• Resident directory
• Visitor tracking

7) ONR App

Price: Starting at $1,999/yearly
Demo/Trial: Free trial available, demo available on website

ONR App is perfect for larger communities. Their software has a beautiful and modern look, their digital portals are full of features to make management easier. Build a website for your community and allow residents to make online payments, digitally vote, book amenities, submit work orders, view a community calendar and receive communication from management. You’ll also be able to view condo stats and manage staff tasks in their all in one software.

Standout Features:

• Mobile app
• Data migration
• Online voting
• Free unlimited support

8) PayHOA

Price: Starts at $49/month
Demo/Trial: 30-day free trial available

PayHOA prides itself on being a 100% online software to manage your community. You can easily automate all your tasks through their portals and easily communicate with your residents. They have simple and intuitive dashboards that allows residents to easily pay their dues, request maintenance, report violations and communicate with management.

Standout Features:

• Online, automated payment and reporting
• Manager, board and member portals
• Email, text and phone support
• Custom forms

9) Vinteum Neigbrs

Price: Starting at $35/month
Demo/Trial: Free demo available upon request

With Vinteum Neigbrs, you can build a website and a mobile application, communicate with residents via text messages and emails, manage amenity reservations, and register users so they can access community documents.

Standout Features:

• Incident reporting system
• Automatic voice calls
• Email log
• Mobile app

10) Yardi Voyager

Price: Pricing available upon request
Demo/Trial: N/A

Yardi Voyager is a browser-based solution for managing homeowner associations. Their system features a single integrated database with tools to track ownership and HOA charges, calculate fees, collect payments, monitor maintenance, enforce bylaws, and more.

Standout Features:

• Automated workflows
• Fees calculator
• Maintenance, inspection, and violation tracking system
• Board member management system

BONUS: WildApricot

Price: Start at $60/month
Demo/Trial: Free 60-day trial

Hundreds of homeowner associations use WildApricot for managing their memberships. 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.

Standout Features:

• Website builder
• Online payments
• Mobile app
• Free, unlimited support
• Open API so you can customize the software to your specific needs

Additional Resources:

• How to Start a Nonprofit in 12 Steps (WildApricot.com)
• Real-Life Algebra: Homeowners Association Dues Edition (Forbes.com)
• 9 Things You Need to Know About Homeowners’ Associations (Investopedia.com)