The best fit depends on the kind of group you run. Associations and chambers need member records, renewals and events in one place. Clubs want something simple with dues and cards, and creators selling content are better served by a membership plugin or site tool. Before you switch, check how members renew and what data you can export.
Most people looking for a WildApricot replacement run one of three things: a professional association or chamber, a club or small nonprofit, or a content membership that people subscribe to. Each needs different software, even though they all talk about members. The nine options below are listed in no particular order and grouped by the kind of group they're built for.
Membership software by the kind of group you run
Associations and chambers
MemberClicks, GrowthZone and Glue Up are association management tools. They're built for member records, renewals, events and communication at the scale of a professional body or chamber, with staff who manage it day to day.
Clubs, nonprofits and communities
Raklet keeps things no-code for clubs and associations, Neon One adds donor management and fundraising for nonprofits, and Hivebrite leans towards an online community where members connect with each other.
Creators and content memberships
Memberful, MemberPress and WishList Member are about selling access to content. The last two are WordPress plugins, so they make sense if your site already runs on WordPress and you're comfortable looking after it.
Nine membership tools, one line apiece
In no particular order, listed alphabetically. Each line reflects what the vendor says about its own product.
Glue Up
Best for: Associations, chambers and nonprofits that want events, memberships, CRM and email marketing in one platform, which is how the vendor describes it.
GrowthZone
Best for: Chambers of commerce and associations looking for association management software with support included, per the vendor's homepage.
Hivebrite
Best for: Organisations whose members mostly connect online, with the vendor offering a customisable community engagement platform it describes as easy to set up.
MemberClicks
Best for: Professional associations, trade associations and nonprofits that want software built for associations, aimed at connecting members to the mission, in the vendor's words.
Memberful
Best for: Creators and publishers who want to sell subscriptions and share content on their own website or app, keeping the membership under their own brand.
MemberPress
Best for: WordPress site owners adding subscriptions, courses, paywalls or communities, from a plugin the vendor calls all-in-one.
Neon One
Best for: Small and midsize nonprofits that handle donors, fundraising, memberships, events and ticketing, and want those in a single platform, per the vendor.
Raklet
Best for: Associations, clubs and nonprofits after a no-code platform for members, dues, events and digital membership cards; the vendor names a free plan.
WishList Member
Best for: WordPress users who mainly need to lock courses, downloads and content behind a membership, which the vendor says you can set up quickly.
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Membership and event tools in a table
| Tool | Category | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Glue Up | All-in-one association platform | Chambers and associations wanting events, CRM and email together |
| GrowthZone | Association management software | Chambers and associations focused on member growth |
| Hivebrite | Online community platform | Running an active online member community |
| MemberClicks | Association management software | Professional and trade associations |
| Memberful | Memberships on your own site | Creators selling subscriptions and members-only content |
| MemberPress | WordPress membership plugin | WordPress sites with courses, paywalls and communities |
| Neon One | Nonprofit software platform | Nonprofits mixing fundraising, memberships and ticketing |
| Raklet | No-code membership management | Clubs needing members, dues, events and digital cards |
| WishList Member | WordPress content protection | Protecting courses and downloads behind a login |
Join, renew, register, export
WildApricot calls itself all-in-one membership software, and most tools here use similar language. To see past it, walk through four moments in a member's life and watch what happens at each one.
- Join: how does a new member sign up, and what do they see on the way?
- Renew: does renewal happen automatically, and what reminders go out before a membership lapses?
- Register: how does a member book onto an event, and does the event know they're a member?
- Export: if you leave, can you take member records, history and event data with you in a usable file?
The first three decide whether members find you easy to deal with. The fourth decides whether you're stuck. Ask for a sample export before you commit, and open it to make sure the fields you care about are there, including any custom fields your committee relies on.
My advice for associations, clubs and creators
Pick the group type first and the feature list second. An association moving to a creator plugin will miss committee and event tools, and a creator moving to association software will wrestle with features they'll never touch.
Then involve the people who'll use it daily. Volunteers running a club have different patience levels from a full-time membership team, so get them to try the join and event steps themselves. Collecting dues, holding member data and sending email all come with rules that vary by country, so check your regulator's guidance on data protection and on charity or association requirements where they apply. For event-heavy groups, my guides to event software for nonprofits and nonprofit CRMs are worth a look too.
If moving feels like a big job, it usually is, so plan it for a quiet part of your membership year, not the weeks when renewals go out. Tell members what's changing before it happens, and give them one clear place to log in afterwards.
Do you make membership or association software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between association management software and a membership plugin?
Association software is built around member records, renewals, events and committees. A membership plugin is mainly about protecting content on your website and charging for access to it.
Can I move my member data to a new platform?
Usually, yes. Export members, renewal dates and event history first, test an import with a small batch, and check that custom fields come across.
Should a small club use association software?
Not necessarily. A small club often does better with a simpler no-code tool that handles members, dues and events without the extras a larger association needs.
Do I need WordPress for a membership site?
Only if you choose a WordPress plugin. Hosted platforms run on their own, and some connect to an existing site.
When should we switch membership software?
Outside your main renewal period. Moving while renewals are going out risks missed reminders and confused members.
Who should test a new membership platform?
The people who'll use it most, including volunteers and a few members. Their reaction to joining and booking an event tells you more than a demo.
