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If you’ve ever found yourself wrestling with software that doesn’t quite fit your processes, you know how crucial it is to find solutions tailored specifically to associations. The right association management software (AMS) can make all the difference in streamlining operations, marketing your offerings, and improving member engagement through communication and feedback collection.
To save you the frustration of trial and error, we’ve curated a list of the best AMS platforms on the market. Whether you’re enhancing your existing tech stack or searching for a comprehensive system to overhaul your operations, this guide covers tools designed to meet a variety of needs:
Investing in the right software isn’t just about checking off a list of features. It’s about finding a solution that aligns with your association’s goals and supports your team. Use these tips to find the best AMS solution for your organization’s needs!
What Is Association Management Software?
Association management software (AMS) is a specialized platform designed to help trade and professional associations manage operations, engage members, and streamline workflows. It centralizes tasks such as membership tracking, event planning, payment processing, and communication management.
Many AMS solutions offer tools for automating renewals, generating reports, and integrating with other systems like CRMs or email marketing platforms. By improving efficiency and member engagement, these solutions enable associations to focus on delivering value and achieving their strategic goals.
What Is The Difference Between A CRM and AMS?
Although an AMS and constituent relationship management (CRM) platform have some overlapping functionalities, they ultimately serve two distinct purposes. While a CRM focuses on tracking and managing relationships with constituents, an AMS facilitates association-specific tasks like managing memberships, events, and community engagement.
Here’s a rundown of the differences between the two platforms:
- Target Audience: CRMs are designed for a wide range of industries, including businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutions. AMSs are tailored to the needs of trade and professional associations, focusing on member retention and operational management.
- Core Features: CRMs include tools for sales pipelines, lead tracking, marketing automation, and customer service. AMSs offer membership databases, dues management, and community engagement tools.
- Event Management: While CRMs generally don’t offer event management tools, AMSs provide comprehensive event management features, including registration, ticketing, and volunteer management.
- Community Building: CRMs primarily focus on individual relationships, but AMSs encourage networking and collaboration through member directories, discussion boards, and other community engagement tools.
Both play a crucial role in association development. Associations often use both a CRM system and AMS since these systems serve complementary purposes.
Features To Look For In An AMS
As you kick off your search, make sure you understand what features you’ll come across. Prioritizing the right features empowers you to make data-driven decisions, better serve your members, and foster community growth.
Look for these common features:
- Membership database: A database securely stores detailed member information, tracks renewals, and automates subscription reminders. This helps your association maintain strong relationships by keeping all member data secure, organized, and accurate.
- Community engagement tools: Ensure you’ll have access to member discussion forums, member directories, and event participation. Community engagement tools support networking among members, strengthening their loyalty and participation.
- Email marketing tools: Ensure you can send personalized newsletters and campaigns based on member preferences or activities. You’ll deliver relevant content that keeps members engaged and informed.
- Financial management: Ensure your association management software will handle payment processing, dues collection, and accounting integrations to keep finances in line. This capability will ensure compliance by automating financial tasks and tracking revenue.
- Reporting and analytics: Reporting and analytics tools generate insights on membership growth, event performance, and financial health. Associations can track progress and make data-driven decisions with dashboards and automated reports.
- Website management: Website management tools allow your association to build its digital presence. You should be able to easily design your site, update content, embed forms, and manage public and member-only pages without extensive coding. This ensures prospects can research your offerings and members can find everything they need.
- Integrations: AMS systems with integration capabilities connect seamlessly with other software like CRMs, accounting tools, and learning management systems. These integrations ensure a smooth workflow and improve data consistency across systems.
Tradewing: Best Community Engagement Platform
Association Software Overview
Tradewing is a community engagement platform designed specifically for associations. The solution focuses on increasing member retention, engagement, and non-dues revenue. It provides tools for building vibrant online communities, hosting events, and lining up corporate sponsorships.
While it’s not an AMS, Tradewing integrates seamlessly with AMS platforms. Its forte is encouraging member-to-member interactions, but its functionality extends beyond community building with a drag-and-drop website builder, email marketing tools, and event management capabilities.
Top Features of This Association Solution
Tradewing offers everything you need to build a strong online community that inspires members to stick around. Its core features include:
- Member management. Onboard members with a streamlined application process. Offer ready-made membership tiers, automate renewal reminders, and provide flexible payment options.
- Community engagement. Build a strong community with online forums, discussion boards, a member directory, and other collaboration features for members to network
- Website builder. Create your association’s website with an easy drag-and-drop interface. Your site will be mobile-optimized right out of the box, and you can integrate your Tradewing online community into your site for members to easily access it.
- Event management. Create and promote events with easy registration, ticketing, and live streaming capabilities.
- Email marketing. Improve communications using integrated email marketing tools that automate communications for retention and engagement. Create welcome emails, use segmentation, schedule event reminders, and more to create powerful outreach.
- Non-dues revenue tools. Vendor portals and sponsorship management tools make it easy to manage additional revenue streams and foster relationships with businesses.
- Integrations with popular tools. Tradewing integrates with popular AMS platforms and tools like Stripe and Constant Contact for smoother workflows.
Why This Association Software Made the List
Tradewing is the ideal solution for small and mid-sized organizations seeking an out-of-the-box community engagement platform. Its features foster member interaction and encourage networking, thereby boosting long-term loyalty.
Curious about real associations that have used Tradewing? The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) needed a solution to bring its 10,000 members together between its two annual conferences. The association invested in Tradewing to offer an always-accessible online community where members could interact all year.
Instead of waiting for the next event, AAPT members can get help crafting lesson plans or chat about recent news in the sector instantly.
Watch this video to learn about their journey with Tradewing:
Fonteva: Most Scalable Association Management Software
AMS Software Overview
As a technological frontrunner in the association space, Fonteva boasts an all-in-one association platform solution that is comprehensive yet easy to use and scalable. With its full toolkit of event, data, and member management capabilities, it’s easy to see why Fonteva regularly tops association software rankings.
Database functions, member profiles, analytics dashboards, accounting tools, and intuitive data reporting round out Fonteva’s comprehensive features. Plus, its lean, cloud-based framework means that Fonteva grows with you—no need for expensive hardware updates.
Top Features of This Association Management Solution
Fonteva can’t be matched for utility and ease of use for your internal team and your membership. A few of its top features include:
- Cloud capabilities, scalability, and ease of use. Fonteva fully integrates with Salesforce, the world’s most popular CRM. This structure provides your team with a completely intuitive, flexible, and mobile solution for membership management.
- Online communities and event planning. Combining Fonteva’s online community management tools with its full suite of event planning features is a winning formula. Plus, Fonteva gives your members the freedom to manage their own subgroups and engage with eLearning programming.
- Intuitive financial and reporting tools. Full integration with Salesforce means your team can completely customize and automate how you report and analyze your association’s data, including financial and operational metrics. At the same time, Fonteva’s payment processing and e-commerce tools make it easy to boost revenue.
Why This Association Software Made the List
Fonteva is intuitively designed for associations of all sizes and industries. Fonteva can quickly become an invaluable tool for your association’s operations and an essential partner for its long-term growth.
As the most flexible solution for mid-sized to large organizations, Fonteva can enhance the scale of your digital retention and acquisition strategies, streamline your internal operations, and create new outlets for member engagement.
Protech: Best For Associations Using Microsoft Dynamics
AMS Software Overview
Leveraging the power of Microsoft Dynamics 365—one of the frontrunners in CRM and enterprise resource planning technology—Protech offers a robust association management platform that puts the member experience first.
The Protech platform offers substantial customization, as it can seamlessly integrate with hundreds of Microsoft Office and Microsoft Dynamics 365 business applications, Microsoft AppSource tools, and third-party apps.
With this flexible and scalable association platform, you can easily create your own specialized suite of association tools for everything from e-commerce to event management to member engagement.
Top Features of This Association Management Solution
The Protech association platform solution is designed for any association professional to make the most of Microsoft’s powerful technology and achieve their organization’s unique goals. In particular, it offers:
- Seamless app integration throughout the Microsoft ecosystem. As a Microsoft-native solution, Protech’s platform allows your team to create its own specialized suite of association management tools through numerous Microsoft app integrations and third-party connections.
- Customizable dashboards. Gain greater insight into your organization’s unique functions and performance through interactive, fully customizable dashboards.
- Intuitive event management features. Streamline the complicated processes of event management through Protech’s expedited event management capabilities, including intuitive management tools for sponsors and exhibitors, as well as simplified registration for members.
Why This Association Software Made the List
Protech is an incredibly versatile and customizable solution that fits any association’s needs. Associations can benefit from its vast integration capabilities, though it is a particularly good choice for teams who already rely on Microsoft technology.
If your team uses tools in Microsoft AppSource, Microsoft Office, or any other applications within the Microsoft ecosystem, consider investing in a centralized association management platform that can make the most of this powerful software.
Novi AMS: Best Software for QuickBooks Integration
AMS Software Overview
Made by and for trade association professionals, Novi AMS is a comprehensive, user-friendly association management software solution that can positively impact every aspect of your management processes.
As the only association management software solution approved by Intuit for the QuickBooks App Store, Novi AMS makes it easy for associations to keep their financial information updated and accessible.
In addition to integrating with QuickBooks, Novi AMS helps your organization create and update your mobile-responsive website, manage events, and keep in touch with members.
Top Features of This Association Management Solution
Trade association professionals designed Novi AMS to simplify management and support members’ professional growth without unnecessary barriers. Some of its top features include:
- Two-way, real-time sync with QuickBooks. For associations using QuickBooks as their accounting software, Novi AMS makes it easy to keep track of financial information. Whether you’re creating invoices or updating member data, the data you enter on one platform automatically appears in the other.
- Mobile-responsive website creation. Even association professionals with entry-level technological experience will find it easy to create an engaging and accessible website for their members using the Novi CMS. Websites made using Novi are fully customizable to your organization and responsive on all devices, even allowing you to edit on the go.
- A membership database built for trade associations. Because members of trade associations typically join through their employers rather than as individuals, the Novi AMS membership database is structured to illustrate and track these parent/child relationships, as well as additional relationships among staff and parent organizations.
Why This Association Software Made the List
Novi AMS addresses trade associations’ most common logistical needs so that leaders can focus on providing the best possible experience for their members.
With unparalleled accounting features that ensure your association won’t lose track of valuable data and a CMS that makes updating your website easy, Novi AMS is a powerful association management system for trade associations.
MemberClicks Professional: Best Association Software For Membership Management
AMS Software Overview
MemberClicks Professional AMS helps associations efficiently manage their membership processes while supporting key activities like online payments, renewals, and member tracking. The software consolidates essential functions such as dues collection, event registration, and communications into one platform. That way, your association’s team can reduce administrative overhead. You can also use comprehensive reports to better understand member engagement and boost website engagement, renewal rates, and new member acquisition.
Top Features of This Association Management Solution
MemberClicks Professional AMS offers an all-in-one experience for managing association operations thanks to features, such as:
- Customizable forms. From membership applications to surveys, your association can create custom, branded forms that boost new member acquisition and keep current members engaged.
- Member profiles. Create comprehensive profiles for each of your members where you track contact information, continuing education efforts, and more. You can also set access permissions based on membership type, so members can update their profiles themselves.
- Automated renewals. Members can either set up automatic recurring billing or renew with just one click. MemberClicks Professional AMS will make sure your members have plenty of time to renew with automated dues reminders.
- Insightful reports. Access a library of 200+ standard reports to stay on top of performance. You can also look at membership health snapshots to better understand individual member engagement and target anyone at risk of lapsing.
Why This Association Software Made the List
MemberClicks Professional AMS stands out for its ability to centralize and automate core membership management processes, helping smaller associations with limited staff. Its intuitive and comprehensive functionality gives you a one-stop shop for event planning, membership dues, and communications.
Morweb: Best Association Website Builder
Association Software Overview
As a website builder for nonprofits and associations, Morweb is a strong choice for smaller groups. If your association’s management and development needs revolve primarily around digital engagement, this is your best bet.
Focused on offering their clients the tools they need to sustainably grow their online operations, Morweb can help take your association’s website, member management strategies, and more to the next level. It’s a particularly good choice for younger associations looking to gain a digital foothold. Plus, Morweb’s AMS module allows associations to manage different member types, create surveys, and launch custom portals packed with exclusive content, directories, and more.
Top Features of This Association Management Solution
Perfect for digital beginners, Morweb can help your association build its first website and effectively manage your growing membership with these top features:
- Member portals. Provide members with personalized portals to access exclusive content like directories, videos, and blogs. They can also participate in discussions with other members.
- Customizable member forms. Create simple and complex multi-step forms completed with online payment processing, file uploads, or conditional fields. Member surveys, event registrations, and member sign-ups have never been easier.
- Powerful website building platform. Your website says a lot about your association, and Morweb’s design and management platform is the perfect way to make sure it looks its best and operates at full steam.
Why This Association Software Made the List
For smaller or younger nonprofits, finding a properly-scaled solution that addresses multiple needs is challenging. Morweb fills this void with its effective, high-quality web design platform and association management tools.
A great website is crucial for starting any type of organization, particularly an association that depends on keeping its members engaged. Effective built-in management tools make this top website builder a great association management software, too!
Doubleknot: Best Membership Management Software For Cultural Organizations
AMS Software Overview
As a robust but niche-oriented solution, Doubleknot is a leading management platform for zoos, museums, and other cultural institutions. The software offers effective management tools for associations related to these fields. For instance, the Association of Children’s Museums uses the platform to manage its relationships with all of its member museums around the country.
Offering a full range of features and tools, Doubleknot is a strong contender for the best membership management tool in its space.
Top Features of This Association Management Solution
A mix of both general management and field-specific features make Doubleknot an effective niche solution. Doubleknot’s top features include:
- Membership management tools. Your organization can leverage a full suite of membership management tools, including directories, renewals and permissions features, onboarding automation, and engagement tracking. Doubleknot also supports unlimited membership types with different benefits like discounts, priority registration, free guest passes, and members-only events.
- Donation and fundraising features. Doubleknot allows your association to create its own donation pages, accept mobile payments, and generate mailing lists. That way, you can generate non-dues revenue.
- Comprehensive program management. Customizable registration forms, event planning, scheduling, attendee communications, and revenue reporting make Doubleknot a perfect tool to streamline your association’s operations.
Why This Association Software Made the List
Niche-oriented association management software solutions that provide the same level of functionality as more general platforms are surprisingly difficult to find. Meanwhile, Doubleknot leads the pack.
As an association that works with cultural institutions, effective tools and program management capabilities are essential to wrangle all the moving parts. Explore Doubleknot’s website for an idea of how it can help!
MIP Fund Accounting: Best Financial Management Solution For Associations
Association Software Overview
MIP Fund Accounting is a leading bookkeeping solution designed to adhere to the specific needs of nonprofits and associations. Associations’ financial management needs differ slightly from those of for-profit companies. From member fees to fundraising opportunities, your association’s revenue is reinvested into improving member benefits, programs, and initiatives rather than simply generating profit. For this reason, associations thrive with a fund accounting-specific solution.
Top Features of This Association Management Solution
MIP Fund Accounting enables associations to meticulously manage every dollar from the moment it’s acquired to how it’s used. Some of the many features this comprehensive solution offers include:
- Flexible hosting options. Choose between on-premise or cloud-based server hosting, allowing your association to align with its IT strategy, security needs, and operational preferences.
- Unlimited budget creation. Create as many budgets as your organization needs to succeed. Compare your annual budget from year to year to tighten up estimates and stay on track.
- Dashboards and reports. Monitor your association’s financial status at any point with real-time dashboards. You can also pull custom FASB-compliant reports whenever needed, ensuring accurate financial tracking.
Why This Association Software Made the List
MIP Fund Accounting is a great way to organize your association’s finances, but it takes things a step further! The financial management solution integrates with other association software solutions to help you design a complete tech ecosystem.
When your accounting solution integrates with effective association management, learning management, career center, event management, and payment software solutions, you can feel confident that your financial data will be accounted for and reported on for future decision-making.
DonorPerfect: Best Fundraising Software For Associations
Association Software Overview
DonorPerfect is a popular fundraising solution, including for associations with fundraising-focused programs. It caters to mission-driven organizations and associations by providing tools that streamline data management, supporter/member tracking, and engagement efforts. As a relatively lightweight CRM solution for nonprofits, this flexible platform can easily be adjusted to suit your association’s needs.
Top Features of this Association Management Solution
DonorPerfect offers all the essential features for your association to better manage relationships and streamline operations:
- Online forms. Create customizable donation forms and design membership forms that highlight different membership tiers. These user-friendly forms can easily be embedded into your website to simplify contributions. You can also create forms for other occasions, such as collecting feedback, event registrations, and more.
- Payment processing. Securely process one-time and recurring payments. You can also set up automated reminders so members never miss their payments. DonorPerfect streamlines online transactions so your association can track financial activities in real time.
- Comprehensive analytics tools. DonorPerfect offers in-depth analytics with real-time dashboards and over 70 pre-built reports to track fundraising performance, member engagement, and financial health. Associations can create custom reports, segment data by campaign or donor type, and use scheduled reports to automate insights.
Why This Association Software Made the List
DonorPerfect is a flexible option for both nonprofits and associations looking for effective, relatively lightweight solutions. Its general features can provide a sturdy framework for your association’s growth.
Plus, its API allows tech-savvy associations to customize the platform fully, maximizing its value for associations of all sizes!
Higher Logic: Best For Enterprise-Level Associations
AMS Software Overview
Higher Logic is designed to meet the complex needs of large, enterprise-level associations. It offers robust tools for communication, engagement, and collaboration across extensive membership bases. While it’s not a complete AMS, its broad suite of solutions—including online communities, events, and advocacy tools—supports large associations in engaging members and streamlining operations.
Top Features of this Association Management Solution
Focusing on community-building is a sound strategy for uniting and managing your association. Higher Logic’s top features include:
- Online community management tools. Automation tools, directories, calendars, and collaborative features round out Higher Logic’s online communities toolkit.
- Marketing automation services. Higher Logic offers smart marketing automation tools. Engage members and reach wider audiences with automated targeted communications!
- Event community setup and management. Create and manage standalone event sites and discussion spaces to enhance member participation.
Why This Association Software Made the List
Higher Logic provides essential engagement tools that complement larger AMS platforms, making it ideal for enterprise-level associations. Its focus on scalable communication and collaboration ensures that even large, distributed members stay connected.
Sumac: Most Budget-Friendly Association Management Software
AMS Software Overview
Sumac by Societ is designed to provide small and mid-sized organizations with powerful, affordable management tools. It offers comprehensive functionality, including member tracking and engagement, without the heavy costs of complex platforms. Sumac’s scalability makes it an excellent choice for small or young associations that need easy-to-use management tools and digital engagement features.
Top Features of This Association Management Solution
A customizable and lightweight software solution should still offer the same level of utility as other tools. Some of the many effective features of Sumac include:
- Member management and database. Track member activities and maintain detailed records in an easy-to-use database.
- Event and eLearning planning. Ticketing, event planning, and course registration features help you engage your members without a more expensive or heavy-duty solution.
- Full customization options. Sumac happily creates custom integrations and solutions for its customers, so your association can easily fine-tune your new management platform.
Why This Association Software Made the List
Sumac is an excellent association management software solution because it perfectly balances affordability and utility. It provides robust features typically bound to more expensive platforms, making it a smart choice for organizations needing a lightweight solution without sacrificing functionality.
Tendenci: Best Open-Source Association Management Software
AMS Software Overview
As one of the only fully open-source association management software solutions, Tendenci is ideal for groups looking for customizable solutions. Tendenci offers a wide range of pre-built features and tools in its app marketplace, allowing your association to customize your solution by mixing and matching tools to fit your needs.
Top Features of this Association Management Solution
On top of the underlying management and database system, Tendenci apps provide compelling features, such as:
- Online photo albums. Upload photos into albums, grouped by events or topics. You can also enable members to submit their own photos for albums.
- Community forums. Like other association management software, Tendenci offers effective online community tools to engage your members. Using the forums module, create restricted and moderated groups for members to interact.
- Job bank features. Let your members post job listings in a designated space online. Provide access as a member benefit!
Why This Association Software Made the List
For associations, open-source software means complete customization. Tendenci’s exhaustive features make it a great choice. However, it’s best for associations that already understand all their needs and have the time and resources to fully customize their software.
iMIS: Best Solution That Integrates Membership and Fundraising
AMS Software Overview
iMIS by Advanced Solutions International (ASI) is a comprehensive cloud-based platform that integrates membership management, fundraising, and engagement tools. Tailored for associations and nonprofits, iMIS combines powerful CRM features with financial tracking, event management, and analytics, all in one place. Its flexibility allows organizations to improve member engagement, streamline operations, and support long-term growth.
Top Features of This Association Management Solution
iMIS offers a range of tools that streamline operations, enhance engagement, and support long-term growth. Key capabilities include:
- Unified CRM and membership management. Centralize member, donor, and volunteer information within a single platform, streamlining communication, tracking interactions, and improving engagement.
- Event and fundraising tools. Organize events with built-in registration, payment processing, and attendance tracking. Meanwhile run fundraising campaigns with automated workflows and real-time tracking.
- Advanced reporting and analytics. Use customizable dashboards to track key metrics, monitor trends, and generate insightful reports that support strategic decision-making and operational improvements.
Why This Association Software Made the List
iMIS stands out for its ability to bring together membership, fundraising, and operational data, offering a holistic view of an association’s performance. This cloud-based solution supports scalability, ensuring associations can grow while maintaining efficiency and engagement.
Additional Resources
When evaluating new management tools for your association, exploring beyond the platforms you initially started with is crucial. As associations grow, their needs evolve, often outpacing the capabilities of early software, which may offer only basic features. To ensure long-term success, consider all your options.
This list provides a range of both niche solutions and comprehensive platforms. All-in-one systems streamline operations, while specialized tools target specific goals. Finding the right fit will empower your association to operate efficiently and grow sustainably. Continue your research with these additional resources:
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