Wild Apricot is a capable, mature platform with a website builder, events, online payments and mobile apps. Groups usually start looking elsewhere for one of three reasons: the price climbs with the size of the contact list, they don't need a website builder, or they want something free.
Why groups look for an alternative
Wild Apricot prices by the number of contacts you store, not by members who pay. On its pricing page, paid yearly, that's CA$81 a month for 100 contacts, CA$99 for 250 and CA$189 for 500 (CA$90, $110 and $210 billed monthly). There is no free plan, only a 60-day trial. Past members, renters and newsletter subscribers all count toward the tier.
That's a fair model for a professional association with a steady list. For a community association or club whose list includes every family that ever bought a ticket, it can mean paying for contacts who don't pay you.
At a glance
| Lowest paid price listed | Free plan | Payment fees from the platform | Best fit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Apricot | CA$81/mo (100 contacts, paid yearly) | No (60-day trial) | None per transaction; processor fees apply | Professional associations wanting a website builder |
| Zeffy | Free | Yes, every feature | None; funded by optional donor tips | Donation-led nonprofits |
| Amilia | $99/mo (Standard) | No (free trial) | 2.85% + $0.30 card, plus 1% per new invoice | Recreation programs and class registration |
| MembershipWorks | $35/mo (300 accounts) | Up to 50 accounts | None; gateway fees apply | Groups with an existing website |
| Join It | $29/mo (Starter) | No (free trial) | 3% on Starter, plus Stripe fees | Small paid memberships that want simple setup |
| Raklet | $49/mo yearly (500 contacts) | Up to 100 contacts | 4% + $0.60 on Free, 3% + $0.60 on Essentials | Communities wanting digital member cards |
| PartOf | CA$990/yr flat (Community) | Up to 100 members | None; offline payments only today | Community associations, weekend schools, local clubs |
Zeffy
Zeffy says every feature is free. Instead of fees, donors and buyers see an optional tip at checkout, and Zeffy covers card processing. It does donations (recurring, with receipts), event ticketing, raffles and auctions, memberships with membership cards, peer-to-peer fundraising, a store, a CRM and newsletters. Its site has a French version.
Good fit if fundraising is the centre of what you do and cost is the deciding factor. Think about whether your members are comfortable seeing a tip prompt, and note that its site doesn't mention a website builder.
Amilia (SmartRec)
Amilia is made in Montreal and built around registration: activities, classes, drop-ins, and individual or household memberships, plus fundraising campaigns and an online store. Standard is listed at $99 a month and Advanced at $499, with card fees of 2.85% + $0.30 on Standard and a 1% service fee on each new invoice. The site is available in French.
Good fit if you run many programs with schedules, sessions and capacity, like a recreation centre or a large sports organization. Think about the per-transaction and per-invoice fees on top of the monthly price if most of your revenue goes through it.
MembershipWorks
MembershipWorks plugs into the website you already have (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace and others) and adds memberships, members-only content, a directory, event registration, a donation form, a cart and forms. It's free up to 50 accounts, then $35 a month for 300, $59 for 600 and $95 for 1,200. Only accounts count; event registrants and public donors don't unless you create accounts for them. There's no free trial, but a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Good fit if you like your website and want membership features inside it. Think about that you'll still maintain the website separately.
Join It
Join It is a membership tool with recurring payments, event registration and donations from its Starter plan at $29 a month. The catch is a service fee on payments: 3% on Starter, 2% on Total ($99), 1.5% on Extra ($199), with Stripe's fees on top. Digital cards and a member directory start on Total. Free memberships and free event registrations carry no service fee, and eligible nonprofits get a discount.
Good fit if you collect paid memberships online and want something simple. Think about what the percentage fee adds up to on a year's dues.
Raklet
Raklet includes memberships with digital cards, event ticketing, one-time and recurring donations and pages on every tier. It's free up to 100 contacts with a 4% + $0.60 transaction fee; Essentials is $49 a month billed yearly ($59 monthly) for 500 contacts at 3% + $0.60. Its site says Canadian organizations can take Visa, Mastercard and Amex through Stripe.
Good fit if member cards and an app-like feel matter. Think about the transaction fee on lower tiers, and that prices on its plan cards are the yearly rate.
PartOf
PartOf is ours, made in Calgary and launched in October 2026, so read this part with that in mind. It's free up to 100 members, then a flat CA$990 a year at any size. It covers memberships with renewal reminders, events with RSVPs and a door list, e-signed waivers and forms, volunteer shifts, giving campaigns, board minutes, and email to members, guests or volunteers, all from one list. Data is stored in Canada.
What it doesn't do yet: card payments (e-transfer, cash and cheque are marked paid by hand), a website builder, team rosters and schedules, hall bookings, or an installable app. If you need any of those today, one of the tools above is the better choice. See PartOf and Wild Apricot side by side.
How to choose
- Mostly donations, tight budget: Zeffy.
- Many classes, sessions and program registrations: Amilia.
- You like your website and want membership inside it: MembershipWorks.
- Simple paid memberships online, small list: Join It or Raklet; compare the percentage fees on a year of dues.
- You want a full website builder, card payments and apps in one: stay with Wild Apricot.
- A community association, weekend school or club paid by e-transfer, with waivers, volunteers and a board: PartOf.
Whatever you pick, price it against your full contact list, not just this year's paid members, and add up a year of transaction fees on your real revenue before comparing monthly prices.