All-In-One Membership Management Software

These terms are often used interchangeably, but in general:

• Membership Database refers to the stored data.
• Membership Software is the software that allows you to interact with the stored data.
• Membership CRM is an acronym for Customer Relationship Management. Software that helps you manage the relationship with your members would be considered CRM software. For example, membership CRM software can provide methods to help you summarize and record your interactions with your members, set goals and future interactions, and so on.
• Membership System The term "system" is often used to mean a more overarching connected set of software. So for example, our membership system consists not just of membership management, but includes event management, donations, shopping cart, web forms, job boards, announcement board, classified ads, and more. These features are often separate software on their own (eg. shopping cart software like Shopify, event software like EventBrite). A connected system however provides advantages in allowing for membership specific features - such as member only event tickets or membership level based discounts - that is not possible when using separate software for each feature.

The term "plugin" is often used to refer to software that can be added to (ie. "plugged into") a website. So membership plugin refers to membership software that can be plugged into a website.

Not all software can be plugged into a website. Most membership software are designed to be standalone or require that you use their specific website system. Although the latter may not seem to matter if you are planning to create a new website or fully redesign an existing website, keep in mind that this locks you into their website system and prevents you from redesigning the website using a different system in the future. Website systems (also known as CMS - Content Management System) are evolving rapidly and users dislike outdated websites, so this lock in can become a major disadvantage down the road.

A membership plugin would allow you to retain your existing website - you would add small bits of code or snippets to your website to insert the various membership software features onto the website. Some membership plugins are designed for a specific website system, for example WordPress. MembershipWorks is designed to be a membership plugin that can be plugged into almost any website system. The advantage of such as system is that when you do need to redesign the website in the future with a different system, you can just add code/snippets to the new website to retain your membership software features without disruption.

Building a membership website can have both initial fees as well as ongoing costs. Pricing can also vary depending upon the size of your membership and features of your membership plugin.

Ongoing Fees:

• Website hosting - This cost will vary depending upon what content management system (CMS) your group chooses, but typically a small nonprofit pays $10-$30 per month for hosting. Popular CMS options include WordPress (the most popular CMS), Squarespace, Weebly, Without Code, Wix and Duda.
• Domain name registration - Domain name registration fees are charged on an ongoing basis and generally run $9-$15 annually.
• SSL certificate - Some website hosting services will include a security certificate as part of their hosting fees. If you pay separately for the certificate, the cost will run anywhere from $10 to hundreds of dollars per year depending upon features and what the certificate covers. If purchasing a certificate separately, it's a good idea to order the certificate from your hosting company to lessen or eliminate the difficulty of installation.
• Membership software or membership plugin - With MembershipWorks, a startup nonprofit with few members could pay nothing for their membership management plugin until they reach 50 members. Pricing begins at $35/month for plans that offer more features and allow up to 300 members.
• Payment gateway fees - Gateway providers -- companies like Stripe, Authorize.net and PayPal Pro -- allow you to take credit card payments on your website. Expect to pay around 2.9% plus $.30 per transaction to your payment gateway. Qualified nonprofits can often take advantage of lower rates with some gateways. Some gateway providers charge ongoing monthly fees of $30-$40 or more. See our gateway comparison article to learn more.
• Additional per transaction fees - Some membership management software has a business model of charging per-transaction fees on top of payment gateway charges. Be careful when researching options if you are seeking to avoid these fees. MembershipWorks does not charge any fees in addition to what the payment processor charges.
• Training and support fees - Not all membership software charges fees for ongoing support. Some providers will charge fees according to the number of administrators who can access support services. MembershipWorks does not charge fees for training or support; any administrator can reach out for help.

One Time Fees:

• Setup fees - Some membership management software will charge a setup fee; others such as MembershipWorks do not.
• Website design fees - Membership websites no longer require code knowledge to build, but some groups opt to seek professional help. If you hire a web developer or designer to create a membership site for you, the costs can vary widely. The price you will pay will be in the thousands of dollars. Costs can also vary depending upon what work your organization takes on versus the tasks assigned to the developer. If you are looking to do the work yourself, have a conversation with your membership software support team to learn what tasks are involved and what training and support is available.
• Content development and visual assets - If you are not writing the content yourself, you will likely want to hire a writer. Costs tend to start at $75 per page and go up depending upon the skill level and experience of the writer. You often get what you pay for, so it's not a good idea to go for the cheapest writer. Similarly, if you don't already have photos or videos for your site, you may want to hire a photographer to shoot headshots, a video about your mission and other content. Your web site designer can recommend stock photos for you instead of hiring a photographer, but those will have a cost as well.