Your board just spent two hours comparing membership tools. Someone made a spreadsheet of features from six different pricing pages. It has 47 rows. Website builder. Custom CSS. API access. Webhooks. Seating charts. Gamification.
Nobody on the board knows what half of these things do. And nobody will say that out loud.
Here’s a number that should change how you think about software shopping: the Standish Group found that 64% of software features are rarely or never used, based on a study presented at XP 2002. Pendo’s 2019 Feature Adoption Report puts it even starker, finding that 80% of features in the average software product are rarely or never used. You aren’t comparing tools. You’re comparing marketing pages full of things your volunteers will never touch.
The fix isn’t to ignore features. The fix is to know which ones your organization will actually use, and to stop paying for the ones it won’t.
The Problem With Feature Lists
Every membership tool’s website looks the same. A grid of checkmarks. Three pricing tiers. The expensive tier has all the checkmarks. The cheap tier is missing just enough to make you nervous.
This design is intentional. It pushes you toward the premium plan by making you worry about missing something you haven’t needed yet and won’t need next year either.
Omatic Software’s 2025 Nonprofit Technology Ecosystem Trends report, based on over 600 survey responses, found that 90% of nonprofit respondents use three or more third-party systems beyond their main CRM. Organizations keep buying software for features they think they need, then bolting on another tool when the first one disappoints.
The guide to choosing membership management software walks through the full decision framework. But first, you need a way to separate the features that matter from the ones that just look good on a pricing page.
Must-Have vs. Nice-to-Have vs. Won’t-Use
The MoSCoW method (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won’t have), developed by Dai Clegg in 1994, is a standard prioritization framework in software evaluation. Here’s the simplified version for a volunteer-run club.
Must-have: The tool is useless without this feature. If it’s missing, cross the tool off the list.
Nice-to-have: You’d use it, but you can survive without it. Don’t pay double for it.
Won’t-use: Marketing fluff. Ignore it entirely. Don’t let it influence your decision.
The discipline is being honest about which column each feature belongs in. Your 80-member garden club doesn’t need API access. Your PTA doesn’t need a built-in website builder if you already have a school website. Your cultural association doesn’t need seating charts for a potluck.
Below is a scored checklist based on what volunteer-run organizations actually use.
The Checklist: 20 Features, Scored
Rate each feature for your specific organization using this scale:
- 3 = Must-have. The software is useless to us without this.
- 2 = Nice-to-have. We’d use it, but it’s not a dealbreaker.
- 1 = Won’t-use. Not relevant to our group.
- 0 = Actively don’t want. More complexity, no benefit.
I’ve included a suggested default score for a typical volunteer-run club (50-300 members, annual dues, a few events per year). Adjust for your group.
Tier 1: Core Membership (if these fail, nothing else matters)
1. Member database with search and filtering
Default score: 3
A single, searchable list of every member with their contact info, join date, and payment status. Not a spreadsheet someone emails around. If you’re still running on spreadsheets, the piece on migrating from spreadsheets to membership software explains why that switch pays for itself fast.
2. Online dues collection
Default score: 3
Members pay online. The system records the payment automatically. Nobody types “$50” into a spreadsheet cell at 11 PM. The definitive guide to collecting membership dues covers every payment method, but online collection is the non-negotiable.
3. Payment status tracking
Default score: 3
Can you see, at a glance, who’s paid and who hasn’t? Without exporting a CSV, without running a report, without asking the treasurer? If the answer is no, the tool fails the most basic test.
4. Automatic renewal reminders
Default score: 3
The system emails members when their dues are coming up, when they’re due, and when they’re overdue. Without anyone on the board remembering to do it. This is the feature that separates “software” from “a fancy spreadsheet.” The guide to sending dues reminders covers timing and wording if you want to get the most out of this feature.
5. Data export
Default score: 3
Can you download your full member list and payment history as a CSV? If you can’t, your data is a hostage. Every tool should pass this test. If a vendor dodges this question during a demo, walk away. Your member data belongs to your organization.
Tier 2: Communication and Events (high value for active groups)
6. Email announcements to all members
Default score: 3
Send a message to your full membership, or to a segment (new members, lapsed members, board only), from inside the tool. If the tool can’t do this, you’ll end up maintaining a separate mailing list, which defeats the point.
7. Event creation and RSVP tracking
Default score: 2 (adjust to 3 if your group runs more than four events per year)
Create an event, let members RSVP, track who’s coming. Groups that run lots of events should read the full comparison of 8 tools we tested, which scores event features head-to-head.
8. Member self-service portal
Default score: 2
Members can log in, update their own contact info, see their payment history, and check their membership status. Cuts down on “is my membership active?” emails to the board. If you want to see how much this matters, the piece on self-service portals and retention has the numbers.
9. Multiple admin accounts
Default score: 2 (adjust to 3 if your board has more than two people who need access)
More than one person should be able to log in and manage the system. Some free tiers limit you to a single admin. When that admin moves away or burns out, you’re stuck. The guide to handling leadership transitions covers how to keep things running when board members rotate out.
Tier 3: Financial Visibility (your treasurer will thank you)
10. Payment history per member
Default score: 2
For any member, you can see every payment they’ve made and when. Useful for resolving “I already paid” disputes, which happen more than anyone wants to admit.
11. Financial reporting (total collected, outstanding)
Default score: 2
Two numbers: how much money came in, and how much is still owed. If the software can’t answer those questions in under 30 seconds, it’s not saving your treasurer any time. The pricing comparison shows what you should expect different tools to cost, so you can factor software fees into those reports too.
12. Support for multiple payment methods
Default score: 2
Credit cards and bank transfers at minimum. Support for recording cash and check payments without fees is a real plus for organizations where some members still pay the old-fashioned way. The comparison of online vs. offline dues collection breaks down the trade-offs.
13. Receipts and confirmation emails
Default score: 2
When someone pays, they get an automatic email confirming the payment. Saves the treasurer from sending manual “got it, thanks” replies.
Tier 4: Nice-to-Have (useful for some, unnecessary for many)
14. Membership tiers or levels
Default score: 1 (adjust to 2 if your org has family, student, or senior pricing)
Can you set up different membership types with different dues amounts? Plenty of clubs have just one tier. Don’t pay extra for tier management you won’t use. If you’re sorting out what to charge, the guide to setting fair and sustainable dues is worth a read first.
15. Document storage or file sharing
Default score: 1
A place to store bylaws, meeting minutes, or board documents. Google Drive does this just fine. Only score higher if consolidating everything into one system is a real priority.
16. Custom branding
Default score: 1
Your logo and colors on the member-facing pages. Not worth paying $20 more per month for. Members care about function, not fonts.
17. Integrations (Mailchimp, QuickBooks, Zapier)
Default score: 1
Connecting your membership tool to other software. Valuable if you have an established tech stack. Meaningless for a club that uses Gmail and Google Drive. If you’re weighing open-source vs. SaaS membership tools, integration flexibility is one of the bigger differentiators.
Tier 5: Rarely Needed (skip unless you have a specific use case)
18. Website builder
Default score: 0
Wild Apricot and a few others include this. If you already have a website (or a Facebook page that serves as one), a second website inside your membership tool adds confusion. A free WordPress or Google Site does the same job for groups starting from scratch.
19. API access
Default score: 0
For developers to build custom integrations. If nobody on your board knows what an API is, score it 0 and move on.
20. Advanced analytics and dashboards
Default score: 0
Charts showing engagement trends, cohort analysis, retention curves. Almost no volunteer-run club has someone who will look at these after the first week. If you want to measure engagement, simpler approaches exist.
How to Use This Checklist (The Scoring Math)
A simple weighted scoring approach. A basic spreadsheet is all you need.
Step 1: Customize your scores. Go through the 20 features and adjust the default scores based on your organization. Be ruthless. If your group has never run an event and doesn’t plan to start, score event features at 0.
Step 2: List your candidate tools. Pick two to four. More than four and you’ll burn out before finishing. The free membership management tools guide is a good starting point if budget is the main constraint.
Step 3: Score each tool on each feature. For every feature your group scored 2 or 3, check whether each candidate tool includes it. Mark Y (yes), P (partial), or N (no).
Step 4: Calculate. For each tool, multiply: your feature score (0-3) times the tool’s delivery score (Y=3, P=1, N=0). Add them up. The tool with the highest total is your best fit on paper.
Step 5: Run the treasurer test. Hand the top-scoring tool to the least technical person on your board. Ask them to find a member, check if they’ve paid, and send a test announcement. If they can’t do it in 15 minutes without help, the score doesn’t matter.
Here’s what a partial scorecard looks like for a hypothetical 150-member cultural club:
| Feature | Your Score | Tool A | Tool B | Tool C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member database | 3 | Y (9) | Y (9) | Y (9) |
| Online dues | 3 | Y (9) | Y (9) | P (3) |
| Payment tracking | 3 | Y (9) | P (3) | Y (9) |
| Auto reminders | 3 | Y (9) | N (0) | Y (9) |
| Data export | 3 | Y (9) | Y (9) | N (0) |
| Email to members | 3 | Y (9) | P (3) | Y (9) |
| Events + RSVP | 2 | Y (6) | Y (6) | Y (6) |
| Self-service portal | 2 | Y (6) | N (0) | P (2) |
| Multiple admins | 3 | Y (9) | Y (9) | N (0) |
| Running total | 75 | 48 | 47 |
Tool A wins on paper. But if Tool A costs $160/month and Tool C costs $29/month, the math shifts. The scoring is a starting point, not the answer.
The Three Questions That Matter More Than Features
After testing eight membership tools head-to-head (the full comparison is here), three questions emerged that no feature checklist captures.
Can your least technical board member figure it out in an afternoon?
Nonprofit staff turnover exceeds 21%, according to Nonprofit HR. Volunteer boards rotate even faster. The person who picks the software won’t be the person using it in 18 months. Setup speed in our testing ranged from 15 minutes (Join It, CheddarUp) to 45 minutes (Wild Apricot). That gap matters when you’re trying to protect board members from burnout.
What’s the total annual cost, not just the monthly price?
Subscription plus transaction fees plus processing fees. A “free” tool with a 4% fee on every payment costs more per year than a $29/month tool with a 1% fee. The pricing comparison has the full math for three real scenarios. Run those numbers before you commit.
Can you leave?
If you can export your member list and payment history as a CSV, you can leave anytime. If you can’t, you’re locked in. Ask every vendor this question directly. The ones who give a straight answer are the ones worth trusting.
Common Mistakes When Evaluating Features
Buying for the org you wish you had, not the one you have. Your 90-member garden club doesn’t need enterprise analytics. Score features for your group today, not the 500-member organization you hope to be in five years. You can upgrade later.
Letting the most technical board member decide for everyone. The person who understands APIs and webhooks isn’t the person reconciling dues at 10 PM. The tool needs to work for your least technical volunteer, not your most technical one.
Confusing “more features” with “better tool.” Wild Apricot has the longest feature list among the tools we tested. It also had the steepest learning curve and some of the slowest support responses, with users reporting wait times of five or more business days. More features means more menus and more places for volunteers to get lost.
Ignoring the free tier’s limitations. MembershipWorks’ free tier caps at 50 accounts and excludes event management, forms, and multi-admin access. Raklet’s free tier charges 4% + $0.60 per transaction on top of Stripe’s own processing fees. “Free” has a cost.
Skipping the trial. No checklist replaces 30 minutes of actually using the tool. Import 10 real members. Process a test payment. Send a test email. Where you get confused is where your volunteers will get stuck during enrollment season.
A Realistic Feature Stack for Most Volunteer Clubs
If your organization has 50-300 members, collects annual dues, and runs a handful of events per year, here’s what you actually need:
- Member database (searchable, shared, not a personal spreadsheet)
- Online dues collection with automatic payment tracking
- Renewal reminders that go out without anyone remembering
- Email announcements to all members or filtered groups
- Event RSVPs connected to the member list
- At least two admin accounts
- CSV export of all data
That’s seven features. Everything else is either a bonus or a distraction.
The membership management software market hit $5.68 billion in 2025, according to Straits Research. That’s a lot of companies selling a lot of features to organizations that need seven of them. Don’t let a 47-row comparison spreadsheet talk your board into paying for things your volunteers won’t use.
Score your must-haves. Test your top two picks. Hand the login to your least technical board member. Pick the one that passes that test.
Need help figuring out which features your organization actually needs? Start with Somiti’s free plan and see how a tool built for volunteer-run clubs handles the basics, without the features you’ll never touch.