The best 6 membership sites for ways to manage creators
If you're trying to simplify your membership management, get this article on how to choose the ideal membership site management software for your company.
The management of a membership scheme without a home a lot like shearing cats.
It's not just an area to gather your members.
A legitimate membership site lets you keep everything that is related to your membership which includes your charges, the content, correspondence, engagement, customer service and members in one central location.
Not having an official website or platform . . . It plays out a lot as the .GIF above. It's chaos at its best, and unworkable at its worst.
To help you organize your membership programs through one central location, we've got six membership management solutions for your use today, organized according to the following areas:
Features
Integrations
Price
Ideal for
Not ideal to use
Before we dive in but, let's look at a few options to managing a membership program, to help you compare the ways the software can meet your needs.
Management options for membership programs
To run your member-based program, utilize an WordPress plugin, a customer relationship management (CRM) software as well as an all-in one platform.
Let's go into the pros and cons for all of them one of which is an WordPress plugin.
If you've got already got a WordPress site, you can preserve the design of your site the way it is now and also add the member's section to it through the download and activation of the WordPress plugin.
If the idea of keeping your existing WordPress website sounds appealing to you, then you're good business. WordPress is the powerhouse behind 35 percent of the web as well as more than 400 million people visit WordPress sites each month.
One benefit of using an WordPress plugin is that you are able to control the rest of your current site while tacking on your additional membership program all under one umbrella.
The downside is if you encounter any issues it's likely that you'll need to develop coding skills. The experience on your site could be unwieldy -- not all widgets are made alike (or are compatible).
The second option for membership that you can use is a CRM. This can be particularly useful if you need to keep track of and organize your member history effectively.
After all, CRMs are widely used by businesses to manage all their interactions and relationships with prospective and current customers as well as customers.
They're so popular that CRM software has the largest software market in the world. And is expected to grow to more than 80 billion dollars in revenues before 2025.
One benefit of using a CRM for your site's membership is that you can grow your members by developing relationships with potential members, then helping them convert through the member experience.
One of the most significant disadvantages when you rely on just an existing membership CRM is that after the members are enrolled in your programme, your portal for membership and the experience for members must continue to be a priority. A lot of CRMs are focused on the journey of a member until they reach a point where they convert instead of the post-conversion.
As a last option it is possible to choose an all-in-one platform. All-in-ones handle everything related to running your program starting with selling, and then corresponding to hosting and updating member content.
In addition, as an all-in-one platform for marketing can keep you from hopping between 5-10 different tools, each costing anywhere from $150 to more than $250 per month This is the case to a membership system that is all-inclusive. Less tools equal fewer bills to juggle.
The truth is that simpleness comes at the expense of programming and customizing widgets. What is the best compromise that'll work for your business is ultimately dependent on you and the amount of control you require to achieve your targets.
The basics are as follows:
If you're looking for complete control and are a hardcore DIYer, WordPress plugins might be the best option for your membership programs.
If you're more interested in creating relationships with customers during the acquisition process than in retention, say you're planning to offer the option of a library of contents or a life-time dues for membership -- CRM tools could be an ideal fit.
But if you're in the market for something that helps to manage your membership from day one to day infinity and don't have the want (or time) to mess around with a multitude of tools, an all-in-one solution is probably your ideal choice.
Okay, those are the top options, and their advantages and disadvantages. Now, let's change focus and explore the best six tools for managing memberships that are available and find out the way they stack up.
Six software for managing memberships
#1. AccessAlly
If you are a creator and want to include a membership service to their WordPress website, AccessAlly offers a comprehensive solution to accomplish this.
Features: AccessAlly offers a method to make your membership a gamified program. Whether you're providing your members with assessments, assignments, or tests, AccessAlly allows the tracking of your members' progress in order to keep them engaged.
Additionally, you can create automated email notifications that are based on the behavior of your members and personalize your order forms. In addition, you can create a user directory which allows your users to communicate with one another.
Integrations: AccessAlly works with the third-party email software including ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, Drip, InfusionSoft, Keap, and Ontraport. You can also choose Stripe or PayPal to pay with.
Pricing: Pricing is $82 per month for the Essentials plan. It is perfect for small-sized businesses or solopreneurs. The plan comes with unlimited users, files and tags. The Pro plan is $108 per month, and comes with additional flexible quiz types, more reporting, and built-in social sharing.
Best for: Anyone looking to purchase an WordPress membership plugin to work with their existing marketing platform. It's not the most affordable, but it's not the most expensive either which makes it a great solution if you're working with smaller budgets.
Not ideal in: In the event that you're searching for a more robust method for your group and members to interact with each with each other. AccessAlly does not currently provide a community forum solution integration. It's also not ideal if you want to offer standalone digital products outside of the membership.
#2. Hivebrite
Hivebrite is a complete community management system that lets you interact with your members, and increase your membership.
Features: Using Hivebrite's dashboard it is easy to add, update, and manage your information. There's also a searchable directory, which displays the results on an interactive map that allows users to find other members who share the same interests as well as upload media files.
In addition, you can manage events, ticketing, payments and invite emails via the dashboard. Hivebrite is also a great support team to help you with any administrative or technical problems that arise when using the platform.
Integrations Integrates with social channels Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter as well as CRMs like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics. Integration with LinkedIn facilitates users to sign in and update their profile info.
Price: While pricing isn't mentioned on their website, subscriptions may start at $5,000 per year in accordance with an GetApp evaluation .
Ideal for: Anyone who wants to run an active membership in which members are able to interact with one members in forums, specialized groups or even dedicated initiatives based on their interests or location.
Not ideal for: People that don't intend to develop or maintain a lively network for their users -- or who aren't looking to make a lot of money from the very first attempt.
#3. Neon CRM
Created for non-profit organisations, Neon CRM is a software that allows you to increase your membership as well as create your own online membership portal through integration into your current website.
Features: Features include membership management, online forms member portal, member directory Marketing and Communications, the processing of payments, reporting and analytics.
Integrations: The integrations of Neon support various auctions, event, advocacy, database optimization, finance and accounting services.
Price: Pricing ranges from $49 per month per month for The Essentials Light plan, which includes email marketing and fundraising and volunteer management, to $299 per month with the Empower plan. It is ideal for established organizations which require wealth screening as well as member support.
Ideal for: Non-profit organizations or memberships which focus on donations, fundraising and coordinating volunteer projects. It is also ideal for those looking to incorporate the membership website to their current web site.
It's not the best choice for Businesses that aren't focused on volunteerism and fundraising for non-profits. If you're a business that doesn't rely on donations and seeking to focus on serving your members through a robust members portal that is updated with new information, this might not be the right fit.
#4.
Let's get the obvious caveat off the table.
This is a very biased one.
The best choice for Making a robust member-only website where users can log into a portal and quickly access exclusive content on every format. This is ideal for those who wish to create a membership out-of-the-box and don't require coding to create their vision.
Not ideal for: Anyone who are looking for a comprehensive blogging platform or for big enterprises. It is designed to be a substitute for several tools in a marketing stack, so should you be someone looking for more than one stack (and hey, is there nothing wrong with that?), may not be the right choice for you.
#5. Wild Apricot
It was established in 2001 and incorporated as part of the Personify umbrella in the year 2017. Wild Apricot is an easy-to-use software for managing memberships that is designed for associations, non-profits, and clubs. It lets you organize events, join members and groups, as well as create new ones.
It is also possible to select 12 membership themes to customize the look of your membership website. In addition, the program allows you to automate renewal reminders and invoices.
Highlights: Features include an online database, a website creator, online payment, email management as well as a mobile app.
Membership management tools include membership applications and renewals, database management, members' content that is gated, a member directory, as well as website widgets that integrate with your WordPress website.
Integrations: Wild Apricot integrates with its own payment processor as well as WordPress.
Cost: Pricing ranges from $40 each month to 100 contacts up to $600 for 50,000 contacts.
The best choice for Non-profits, associations and clubs. It is also ideal for those who own their own WordPress website that they wish to keep up with their membership site.
It isn't the best choice is not suitable for For-profit businesses focused on serving members with a robust member portal of current content. was created for a particular crowd, and what makes it great for that particular niche can put a damper on the majority of businesses who are not in it.
#6. YourMembership
YourMembership, another all-in-one membership service, was created for small to mid-sized organizations.
Serving predominantly associations, non-profits and associations management companies, the membership software helps users streamline their processes and customize the user experience.
Highlights: YourMembership features include membership management, event management, website layout and hosting automated workflows, an online community, accounting and payment processing, reports, e-commerce, and donations management.
YourMembership offers a variety of free online training resources for membership owners to help with the configuration of the backend.
Integrations These integrations center on its intended audience. They include add-ons such as a learning administration system (LMS) and the mobile app for events and a career center app.
Price: While it isn't listed on their website prices start at $292 a month, according to an Capterra review .
The best choice for Non-profits, associations, as well as association management companies that have a the goal of increasing the amount of membership dues as well as fundraising. Organizations that are charitable and want to create a community can benefit from YourMembership.
It's not the best choice for Non-profit and for-profit businesses which don't emphasis on the organization of events. While you can tool this system to serve an organization that is solely online however, it's not a good option for solopreneursIt was designed for teams, especially growing teams, and is bloated for solo flyers.
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Carole your members into the best member program
The management of your membership does not have to feel scattered and chaotic when you increase the size of your membership.
These days, there's many solid membership software solutions to aid you in recruiting your members to serve your members in the most efficient way you can as well as grow the membership of your business and members.
Summarized:
For managing your membership programs, make use of one of the following: WordPress plugin, a membership CRM or an all-in one platform. Naturally, all of them have their advantages and disadvantages.
Utilize AccessAlly If you're in search of an WordPress plugin to manage your membership and integrate with the other WordPress plugins.
Choose Hivebrite when your goal is to provide an interactive member program that fosters active networking and connecting with others.
Use Neon if you're looking for a CRM that can streamline your fundraising and member volunteer efforts.
Choose this option if you are looking for one platform that can help you manage everything related to your business online and membership program. It also lets you provide your audience with a robust members' portal that is updated with new content, email management, and live chat.
Make use of Wild Apricot if you're a nonprofit, association, or a club with the benefit of a WordPress site. It's also great if need to make payments based on member numbers.
Use YourMembership if you're an association, non-profit or an association management company who wants to improve the efficiency of the member experience and organize events.
If you're now equipped with these options of the highest quality, here's to growing a vibrant membership.