Choosing club management software: what to look for

Most club committees don’t go looking for software until something breaks: a renewal round that takes weeks, an event nobody heard about, or a treasurer reconciling bank deposits against a spreadsheet at midnight.

If that’s where your club is, here’s what to check before you pick a platform.

1. Members, and how they join

Start with the member list, because everything else hangs off it.

• Can new members sign up and pay without a committee member doing it for them?
• Can you see who’s due to renew, and remind them automatically?
• Is there one member directory, or will you still keep a spreadsheet on the side?

2. Events people actually come to

Look for events with RSVPs, so you know numbers before you order the food. Reminders matter more than most committees expect: the event notice goes out a fortnight early, and people forget.

3. Payments in the same place

Membership fees, event tickets and donations should land in the same system that holds the member record. Ask which payment provider it uses and what the fees are. Stripe, for example, charges per transaction, so check the rate for cards in your country.

4. Communications members read

An email newsletter still works for most clubs. For time-sensitive notices, such as a cancelled game or a change of venue, push notifications to a member app reach people faster than an inbox does.

5. Pricing that doesn’t punish growth

Some platforms charge per member. That’s fine for a small club, and a problem the year you double. Check what the price is at your size today and at twice your size, and whether you can cancel without a long contract.

6. Your club’s brand, and your data

Members trust something that looks like their club. Ask whether the member app and emails carry your club’s name, colours and crest.

Ask, too, whether you can export your member list if you ever move on. It’s your club’s data.

7. Help from someone who answers

Volunteers change every AGM. Whoever takes over needs to be able to ask a question and get an answer from a person.

Where Club App fits

We built Club App for clubs and community organisations. It brings together membership and onboarding, events and RSVPs, payments and donations through Stripe, and newsletters and push notifications, with a member app in your club’s brand and an admin portal for the committee.

It’s $10 NZD a month with unlimited members, and you can cancel any time. If you have questions first, send us a message.