Are you searching for the best Association Management System (AMS) for your trade or professional association? Two popular options are HubSpot and MembershipWorks. In this post, we’ll compare the two and discuss which one is the better choice for your association, particularly in terms of their integration with WordPress.
Comparison: What is the best AMS System for WordPress?
When it comes to choosing an AMS for your trade or professional association, there are several factors to consider. Here’s how HubSpot and MembershipWorks stack up against each other in terms of their integration with WordPress and suitability as AMS:
Integration with WordPress
Both HubSpot and MembershipWorks offer plugins that allow you to integrate your association website with the AMS. However, the quality of the integration can vary.
MembershipWorks offers a more seamless integration with WordPress, allowing you to display your membership and event information directly on your website. The plugin also provides you with a variety of customizable templates and widgets to display your association’s information in a way that fits your website’s design. Additionally, MembershipWorks’ plugin is regularly updated to ensure compatibility with the latest version of WordPress.
HubSpot, on the other hand, has limited integration with WordPress. While HubSpot does offer a plugin to connect your website with their CRM and marketing automation platform, it does not provide the same level of integration as MembershipWorks. HubSpot’s plugin lacks customizable templates and widgets to display your association’s information on your website. Additionally, it may require some technical knowledge to set up and use effectively.
Overall, if your association’s website is built on WordPress and you want a seamless integration with your AMS, MembershipWorks is the better choice.
Suitability as an AMS
MembershipWorks is designed specifically for membership organizations and offers a comprehensive set of features for managing memberships, events, payments, and communication. The platform is highly customizable and scalable, allowing you to tailor it to your association’s specific needs. HubSpot, on the other hand, is primarily a marketing automation platform that offers some CRM features. While it does have some basic membership management features, it lacks the robust functionality needed for a full-fledged AMS.
Membership Management
MembershipWorks offers a range of membership management features to help you streamline your association’s membership processes. These include a membership database management system, custom membership levels and fields, automated membership renewals, and mass emailing. You can also easily manage member payments and invoices, and integrate with payment gateways such as Stripe and PayPal. In contrast, HubSpot’s membership management features are limited and lack the customization options provided by MembershipWorks.
Event Management
MembershipWorks provides a comprehensive event management system, including a custom event calendar, event registration, and payment processing. You can create and manage events with ease, including free and paid events, recurring events, and waitlists. MembershipWorks also offers customizable event registration forms. HubSpot, however, does not have specific features for event management. While you can use the platform to promote events and send event-related emails, you’ll need to use a third-party service to manage event registration and payment processing.
QuickBooks Integration
MembershipWorks provides seamless integration with QuickBooks, allowing you to easily sync your accounting data and reduce manual data entry. You can integrate with QuickBooks Online or Desktop versions, and automatically import transactions, invoices, and payments. This makes it easy to track your association’s financials and generate reports, without the need for additional software. HubSpot does not offer QuickBooks integration, so you’ll need to use a third-party service or manually enter accounting data into your accounting software.
Conclusion: What is the best Association Management System for WordPress?
Overall, MembershipWorks is a more comprehensive and integrated solution for trade and professional associations. It offers a specific focus on membership organizations, seamless integration with WordPress, robust features for membership and event management, as well as communication tools and QuickBooks integration. While HubSpot is a powerful marketing automation platform with some basic features for membership and event management, it lacks the specific functionality needed for a full-fledged AMS.
