Retail, Consumer Goods, & Services

3 Best Free Membership Management Software

Saumya Srivastava profile picture
By Saumya Srivastava

Published | Updated on
6 min read

Simplify your member database with membership management software.

As a sales and marketing manager of a gym, salon, or yoga studio, do you struggle with managing and interacting with your members? If yes, then you need a reliable system such as membership management software to manage your members' data and streamline communication.

Membership management software features can help you capture and store member data, enhance communication, keep track of membership fees, and handle other administrative tasks. Whether you're just starting or you're looking for a new system to replace an outdated one, free membership management software can help you test and find the best match for your business needs.

This article highlights, in alphabetical order, the three best free membership management software products based on verified software reviews. Read more.

1. Coacha: Track member attendance to measure engagement

Coacha is a membership management system that lets you track the attendance of members every day and during events. Members can sign themselves in for regular visits or upcoming events using the self-service portal. The tool automatically updates the attendance tracking for new members and withdrawn registrations.

Free features
  • Member profiles: Create member profiles with details such as contact information, name, session history, pictures, membership status, and more.

  • Attendance tracking: Track the regular and event attendance of members. Auto-sync registers to update the sign-ins and dropouts from sessions and events.

  • Document storage: Store, share, and manage membership documents such as registration forms, member details, offers, etc.

Customer support options: How-to videos, help center, and online ticketing system.

Best functionality

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Cost to upgrade

$27.50 per month

Device compatibility

Screenshots

Coacha

Member dashboard in Coacha (Source)

* Analysis accurate as of January 2023

2. Magicline: Manage membership fee to maintain accounts

Magicline is a membership management system that lets you manage the fee for your members. You can automate sending payment reminders to members with an invoice. The members can initiate online payments using the link given in the reminder. Once the online payment is received, the tool updates the accounts accordingly and sets a reminder for the next due date.

Free features
  • Digital cash register: Use the integrated cash register to manage membership fees, offer discounts, keep track of payments, and send reminders to check on due dates.

  • Payment portal: Set up one-time, recurring, or terminal payments from members and share a receipt with them on successful transactions.

  • Alerts and notifications: Send payment reminders to members on set intervals such as daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the payment plan.

Customer support options: Knowledge base, help center, and online ticketing system.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Cost to upgrade

$149 per month, per location

Device compatibility

Screenshots

Magicline

Digital cash register in Magicline (Source)

* Analysis accurate as of January 2023

3. Wild Apricot: Customize member registrations to improve communication

Wild Apricot is a membership management system that lets you schedule events with customized registration forms for members. The customizations are based on the theme of the event, related activities, and member interests. Members can use the forms to register themselves and pay the registration fee online. All scheduled events along with the member listing are updated in the tool’s calendar automatically.

Free features
  • Membership database: Manage member profiles, contact details, scheduled events, and much more.

  • Event management: Schedule events and add them to your calendar. Send invites to your members using the member database.

  • Website builder: Build a website or webpage with event details, such as date, time, venue, activities, special guest, and more.

Customer support options: Help center and online ticketing system.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Cost to upgrade

$48 per month

Device compatibility

Screenshots

Wild Apricot

Member list in Wild Apricot (Source)

* Analysis accurate as of January 2023

How to choose the best free membership management software for your business?

Here are some key considerations when planning to buy the free best membership management software.

  • Check if you can create member profiles: Using free membership management software, you should be able to create and manage member profiles. The profiles include name, contact information, membership type, duration, past payments, and much more. You need to check if there is a cap on the number of member profiles created using the tool.

  • Opt for a payments portal: Your free membership management software should allow members to make the online payment against event registration. In addition, it should send an auto-generated receipt to confirm the successful payment. You need to check the payment methods supported by the tool, such as debit, credit cards, internet banking, payment wallets, and other methods specific to your region.

  • Identify CRM capabilities: See if your selected free membership management system possesses customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities, such as lead management, communication, social media integration, and more. If not offered as a built-in feature, you should be able to integrate the member management system with a CRM tool.

What is the cost to upgrade from free membership management software to a paid one?

Figuring out pricing for membership management products isn’t too complicated. However, having a basic understanding of the price range can assist you in setting a budget.

Most membership software products on the market are priced on a per-month basis and can be divided into three pricing tiers based on their starting price.

Price ranges*:

  • $40 -$137

  • $137- $187

  • $187+

*The pricing included is for the entry-level/lowest-priced offering found on vendor websites on January 30, 2022. These ranges correspond to the 25th, 75th, and 100th percentiles of pricing information gathered from vendor websites of sample products.

Hidden costs associated with free membership management software

The above list summarizes pricing for the base plans of most products, but even free membership management software plans may have some hidden costs, such as fees for integration, support, webinars, and data migration. Therefore, be sure to check with the vendor for any such hidden costs that may be associated with the free software you’re considering.

Common questions to ask when looking for free membership management software

It’s important to ask the product support team the right questions to determine if the software is a good fit for your business. Some common questions include:

Does the software offer a mobile application for members?

Check with the membership software support team if a mobile application is offered for members to create and manage profiles. The application acts as a self-service portal for employees to register for events, make payments, raise queries, and much more.

Does the software allow managing events?

See if you can use the free membership or association management software to schedule and manage events. Further, it should allow you to track member engagement and attendance during the event.

Does the software send automated reminders to members?

Check if you can schedule automated reminders to members for events and payments. Further, you should be able to customize the reminder message with member-specific details, such as event type, amount due, and more.


Methodology

To be considered for this list, products must:

  • Have at least 20 unique product reviews published on Capterra within the past two years, with an average rating of 3.0 or higher (as of Jan. 30, 2023). We selected the three products with the highest ratings to feature in this article.

  • Offer a free, stand-alone version of the software (not a trial version of the software where you must purchase the product after a limited amount of time).

  • Meet our membership management software market definition: “Membership Management software automates the management of membership within associations, communities, and other member-based organizations.

The “best functionality” tool is identified based on the highest user ratings for functionality that a vendor receives based on user reviews as of January 30, 2023.

Read more about our editorial independence.

Product research for this article was contributed by Himanshi Arora.

Products evaluated for the pricing calculation were taken from Capterra’s membership management software directory. The pricing ranges exclude freemium versions of the products.


Looking for Membership Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Membership Management software solutions.

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About the Author

Saumya Srivastava profile picture

Saumya Srivastava is a writer at Capterra. She provides expert insights and helps small businesses identify the right software for their needs by conducting primary and secondary research and analyzing user sentiment. A postgraduate in mass communication, she has worked as a content creator for an educational website and an advertising agency. Her expertise lies in social media marketing and content strategy. When not working, she can be found meditating or spending time outdoors.

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