Mighty Networks vs Wild Apricot: an honest comparison for associations
Mighty Networks and Wild Apricot both appear on shortlists for membership organizations, but they serve very different use cases. This page breaks down features, pricing, and the key trade-offs. We've also included Orgo as a third option for organizations that find neither is the right fit.
TL;DR: quick verdict
The main difference between Mighty Networks and Wild Apricot is that Mighty Networks is a community platform built for creators and course sellers with live streaming and discussion Spaces, while Wild Apricot is a traditional membership management suite with email campaigns, event management, and a website builder for small nonprofits and associations.
Choose Mighty Networks if you need:
A creator or course-seller model with paid community subscriptions Native live streaming built into your community experience Discussion Spaces, gamification (streaks, badges, leaderboards) in one platform Online courses alongside community features without a separate LMS A modern mobile-first experience for an engaged, community-driven audience
Choose Wild Apricot if you need:
Formal membership dues with automated renewal reminders and member status tracking Email campaigns and event management included in one subscription 0% transaction fees via Personify Payments (US organizations only) A 60-day free trial before committing A bundled website builder and Zapier integrations for a small single-chapter org
Why organizations compare Mighty Networks and Wild Apricot
Mighty Networks and Wild Apricot appear on the same shortlists for membership organizations, but they were built for fundamentally different use cases. Both collect recurring payments from a community of users, which creates surface-level overlap. The differences become significant when you look at what each platform actually manages.
Mighty Networks launched in 2017 as a platform for creators, coaches, and course sellers who want to monetize an online community. Its architecture is built around engagement: discussion Spaces, live streaming, gamification, and native courses. The member data model is community-oriented, not CRM-oriented.
Wild Apricot has been on the market since 2002 and has been used by more than 30,000 nonprofits, associations, and clubs. It includes formal dues collection, event management, email campaigns, fundraising, and a website builder. It was designed for organizations with traditional membership structures: dues cycles, renewal reminders, and a real member database.
Wild Apricot changed hands three times since 2017 and is now under Momentive Software. Prices have increased by up to 65% since the Personify acquisition, and reviewers in 2025 and 2026 describe slower product development and reduced support quality.
The two platforms share almost no architectural DNA. The comparison matters because organizations searching for membership software encounter both, and the question of which fits depends entirely on whether the primary need is community engagement or membership administration.
Mighty Networks vs Wild Apricot: full feature comparison
Every cell has been verified against all three platforms' current websites. Where any platform lacks a feature, that is noted honestly.
Orgo is included as a third option for organizations that find gaps in both Mighty Networks and Wild Apricot.
| Feature | | |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core membership | |||
| Member database and profiles | Community profiles onlyNo CRM, no notes, no dues history | ||
| Membership dues and renewals | Subscription billing onlyNo formal dues workflow or lapsed-member tracking | ||
| Automated renewal reminders | |||
| Member self-service portal | LimitedCommunity profile only | ||
| Custom membership fields | Limited customization | ||
| Multi-tier memberships | PartialOne level per member | ||
| Family membership plans | PartialVia bundles | ||
| Membership numbers | |||
| Membership cards and certificates | |||
| Member approval workflows | Limited | ||
| Multi-chapter management | |||
| Multi-chapter hierarchy (HQ, regions, chapters) | PartialSeparate accounts per chapter, no shared database | ||
| Per-chapter autonomy with local leadership roles | |||
| Cross-chapter reporting | |||
| Member transfers between chapters | |||
| Granular role-based permissions | PartialAdmin, host, moderator only | PartialAll-or-nothing admin access | |
| Governance | |||
| eVoting (anonymous, encrypted) | |||
| eDocuments | |||
| eSignatures | |||
| Payments and billing | |||
| Bring your own Stripe account | Partial20% PSSF surcharge if using Stripe or PayPal instead of Personify Payments | ||
| Platform transaction fee | 1–3% on all standard plansCommunity: 3% / Courses: 2% / Business: 1–2% | 0% via Personify Payments (US only)20% surcharge on Stripe/PayPal | 2% (Grow) / 1% (Impact) / 0% (Scale)0% promo until Sep 1, 2026 |
| Built-in fund accounting | |||
| Pricing metric | Tiered by plan features and member count | Tiered by total contacts in database | Active paying members |
| Starting price | ~$49/mo (Community, monthly billing) | $60/mo (100 contacts) | $119/mo (Grow, 500 members) |
| Free plan or trial | 14-day free trial | 60-day free trial | |
| Communications and events | |||
| Email campaigns | |||
| Event management and ticketing | |||
| Live streaming | |||
| Fundraising and donations | |||
| Push notifications | |||
| Member networking and discovery | |||
| Discussion groups and forums | |||
| Platform and tools | |||
| Website builder | |||
| Learning management system (LMS) | PartialCourses plan+; no completion certificates | ||
| Gamification | |||
| Mobile app | Shared Mighty Networks-branded appBranded app requires Mighty Pro ($33k+/year) | ||
| Integration ecosystem | Zapier (Business plan+)API on Path-to-Pro ($360+/mo) only | Zapier, native integrations | Open API, Webhooks (Impact/Scale) |
| SSO (Google, Apple, LinkedIn) | Mighty Pro onlyEnterprise plan from $33k/year | ||
| Data hosting and GDPR | US-hostedNo EU data residency | US-hostedGDPR compliance uncertain under PE ownership | AWS Frankfurt (EU)GDPR-compliant by design |
| Storage | Not specified | 2 GB across all plans | 100 GB to 1 TB+ |
| Data migration support | Self-serve data export | Self-serve CSV import | |
| Dedicated onboarding | Paid tiers only | ||
Want a deeper comparison?
What customers are saying
Themes aggregated from verified reviews on G2, Capterra, GetApp, Trustpilot, and Software Advice. These are the patterns that appear most frequently across hundreds of reviews, paraphrased.
What users like
The community engagement toolset is consistently praised. Discussion Spaces, live streaming, gamification, and member discovery work well together for creators building active paid communities. The mobile experience receives strong reviews. Members and community leaders describe a clean, app-like interface that works well on iOS and Android without a steep learning curve. Courses and live events in one place are cited as a key time-saver. Creators who previously stitched together Teachable, Zoom, and Slack appreciate having these workflows in a single subscription.
What users complain about
The absence of a member database is the most common complaint from nonprofits and associations. There is no cancellation notification, no dues status tracking, and no way to add notes to member records. Organizations report running daily comparison reports against their own spreadsheets to track who cancelled. Transaction fees are a recurring frustration. The 3% platform fee on the Community plan stacks with Stripe's 2.9%, meaning every dues payment costs nearly 6% before net revenue. Upgrading to reduce the fee requires moving to a significantly more expensive plan. The no-refund policy generates consistent complaints across Trustpilot and the BBB. Annual subscriptions auto-renew with no cancellation flexibility. Multiple users report being charged after expecting a trial or after attempting to cancel through a broken link. No email marketing tools at any plan tier. Organizations that need to send newsletters or member campaigns must subscribe to Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or a similar service and maintain two separate contact lists.
What users like
The breadth of what is included is the most praised aspect. Reviewers appreciate having member management, event ticketing, email campaigns, payments, and a website builder under one roof. Event management stands out as a strong point. Organizations running regular events praise the registration workflow, payment collection, and attendee communication tools. Long-term users report significant time savings from automation. Renewal reminders, event follow-ups, and payment confirmations that previously required manual effort are handled by the platform.
What users complain about
Support has declined sharply since the Personify acquisition. Users describe waits of five or more business days, no weekend availability, and the end of phone support. Product development has slowed. Reviewers writing in 2025 and 2026 note fewer than two meaningful updates in over two years, with long-standing feature requests still unaddressed. Pricing increases are a recurring complaint. Multiple reviews mention increases of 30 to 65 percent since the acquisition, compounded by contact-based pricing that scales quickly as the total database grows. The email builder has reliability issues. Users report delivery statuses that do not match actual send results and difficulty tracking sent campaigns.
Sources: G2, Capterra, GetApp, Trustpilot, Software Advice. Individual experiences vary.
Wild Apricot vs Mighty Networks: pricing comparison
Mighty Networks charges a platform transaction fee on every payment across all standard plans. Wild Apricot charges no transaction fees for US organizations using Personify Payments, but prices by total contact count including lapsed members and event attendees. Orgo prices by active paying members only.
| | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | ~$49/mo (Community, monthly billing)~$41/mo on annual billing | $60/mo (100 contacts) | $119/mo (Grow, 500 members) |
| Pricing model | Tiered by plan features and member count | Tiered by total contacts in database | Tiered by active paying members |
| Platform transaction fee | 1–3% on every paymentCommunity: 3% / Courses: 2% / Business: 1–2% | 0% via Personify Payments (US only)20% PSSF surcharge if using Stripe or PayPal | 2% (Grow) / 1% (Impact) / 0% (Scale)0% promo until Sep 1, 2026 |
| Annual billing discount | ~15–20% off monthly | ~10% off monthly | Available |
| Free plan or trial | 14-day free trial | 60-day free trial | |
| Mid-tier example | ~$129/mo (Courses, monthly billing)Includes LMS; 2% transaction fee | $220/mo (2,000 contacts) | $239/mo (Impact, 500 members) |
| Enterprise or large-org pricing | Mighty Pro: from $33,000/yearOnly plan with 0% transaction fees | $720/mo (50,000 contacts)Published tiers | Scale: custom |
Want a deeper comparison?
Where each platform excels
Where Mighty Networks excels
Mighty Networks' defining advantage is community engagement for creators. Live streaming, discussion Spaces, gamification with streaks and leaderboards, and course delivery are all native to the platform. For a coach or course creator monetizing a paid community, this combination is difficult to replicate with other tools at this price point.
The mobile experience is also strong. Members engage with content, join live events, and complete courses on iOS and Android through a polished interface that does not feel like an administrative tool.
Where Wild Apricot excels
Wild Apricot's primary advantage is scope for traditional membership organizations. Formal dues collection with automated renewal reminders, event management, email campaigns, fundraising, and a website builder are all included in a single subscription. For a small nonprofit or club that needs all of these tools without managing multiple vendors, Wild Apricot covers more ground than any direct competitor at its price range.
The 60-day free trial is also longer than most platforms, giving organizations time to test real operations before committing to a plan.
When to choose each platform
When to choose Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is probably the better choice if:
You are a creator, coach, or course seller building a paid community around your content Native live streaming is a core part of your community experience Discussion Spaces, gamification, and mobile-first engagement are your primary needs You want online courses and community in one place without a separate LMS subscription Your model is community-around-a-creator, not dues-paying membership organization
Note: Mighty Networks charges 1–3% on every payment across all standard plans. There is no built-in email tool and no formal member database. A branded mobile app requires the Mighty Pro enterprise plan at $33,000+/year. The platform has a strict no-refund policy with no exceptions for nonprofits.
When to choose Wild Apricot
Wild Apricot is probably the better choice if:
You need formal membership dues with automated renewal reminders and member status tracking Email campaigns and event management included in one subscription matter to your decision You are US-based and can use Personify Payments to eliminate transaction fees A 60-day free trial before committing is important to you Your organization has fewer than 2,000 contacts and operates as a single chapter
Note: Wild Apricot's contact-based pricing scales fast for organizations with large historical databases. Prices have increased up to 65% since the Momentive acquisition. The 20% PSSF surcharge applies to non-US organizations or those using Stripe/PayPal instead of Personify Payments.
When Mighty Networks and Wild Apricot both fall short
Mighty Networks is built for creator communities. Wild Apricot is built for small single-chapter membership organizations. If your requirements include any of the following, neither platform was designed for that level of organizational complexity:
Orgo may be worth a closer look if your organization needs:
- Formal dues management with a real member database. Mighty Networks has no CRM, no dues workflow, and no cancellation notifications. Wild Apricot tracks dues and sends renewal reminders, but lacks the depth to manage member history, notes, and status tracking at scale. Orgo is built around the membership record: dues history, committee assignments, renewal status, and chapter belonging are all in one place.
- A chapter hierarchy instead of separate silos. Mighty Networks' Spaces architecture is flat; there is no parent-child governance, no per-chapter leadership structure, and no cross-Space reporting. Wild Apricot runs each chapter as an independent account with no shared database. Orgo's multi-chapter structure is native to the data model: one database covers HQ, regions, and chapters, with scoped access and consolidated reporting at every level.
- Governance tools neither platform offers. Neither Mighty Networks nor Wild Apricot includes eVoting, eDocuments, or eSignatures. Board elections, bylaw ratification, and officer confirmations all require disconnected third-party tools on both platforms. Orgo handles all three natively on Impact and Scale plans: anonymous encrypted eVoting, governed document distribution, and legally binding eSignatures.
On switching platforms
Migrating member data is where most platform switches stall. Orgo's onboarding team handles the move: member records, custom fields, membership levels, and payment setup.
Mighty Networks exports data in standard formats. Wild Apricot exports CSV. Either way, your team does not do manual data entry. Most organizations are live within two weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Does Mighty Networks handle membership dues the same way Wild Apricot does?
No. Wild Apricot includes formal dues collection with automated renewal reminders, membership status tracking, and a member database that records who is active, lapsed, or in a grace period.
Mighty Networks supports subscription billing for paid community access, but there is no formal dues workflow, no lapsed-member automation, and no CRM-style member history. There is also no cancellation notification. If a member stops paying, you find out by running a comparison report against your own records. For organizations that need to track member standing across a full dues cycle, Wild Apricot is better suited.
Which has lower transaction fees: Mighty Networks or Wild Apricot?
It depends on your location and payment processor. Wild Apricot charges 0% transaction fees for US-based organizations using Personify Payments. Organizations outside the US, or those using Stripe or PayPal, pay a 20% PSSF surcharge on top of normal processing fees.
Mighty Networks charges 1% to 3% on every payment across all standard plans, regardless of location. On the Community plan, that is 3% on top of Stripe's 2.9%, meaning nearly 6% of every dues payment goes to fees. The only way to reach 0% is Mighty Pro, which starts at $33,000 per year.
Can Mighty Networks send email newsletters to members?
No. Mighty Networks does not include a built-in email marketing tool at any plan tier. Organizations running on Mighty Networks use Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or a similar service for member newsletters, and maintain a separate subscriber list outside the platform.
Wild Apricot includes a built-in email campaign tool with templates and list segmentation. For organizations that need to send newsletters or targeted campaigns to member segments, Wild Apricot handles this without an additional subscription.
Does either platform support multi-chapter organizations?
Both platforms have significant limitations. Mighty Networks uses a flat Spaces architecture. There is no parent-child governance hierarchy, no chapter-level financial separation, no per-chapter leadership roles, and no consolidated reporting across Spaces.
Wild Apricot runs each chapter as a separate account. There is no shared member database and no cross-chapter reporting without manual CSV exports. Organizations typically discover this limitation when HQ needs a consolidated membership view or needs to transfer a member between chapters.
Organizations with multiple chapters that need HQ oversight, per-chapter autonomy, and consolidated reporting typically need a platform designed specifically for federation structures.
Does Wild Apricot have community features like Mighty Networks?
In a limited sense. Wild Apricot includes a member directory, but it does not support member-to-member connections, direct messaging, or discussion forums.
Mighty Networks is built around community engagement: discussion Spaces, live streaming, gamification with streaks and leaderboards, and member discovery. For organizations where members engaging with each other is a core value, Mighty Networks offers significantly more community tooling. Wild Apricot is primarily a membership administration platform, not a community platform.
Is Mighty Networks or Wild Apricot better for nonprofits?
Wild Apricot is generally better suited to nonprofits and associations with traditional membership structures: dues cycles, event ticketing, email campaigns, and a member database that tracks status over time. Mighty Networks was built for creators monetizing an online community, not for nonprofit membership administration.
That said, neither platform supports multi-chapter governance, eVoting, or governance document workflows that larger nonprofits often require. Organizations that have outgrown both platforms typically move to a purpose-built membership management platform.
Not sure which platform fits your organization?
Orgo is built for the organizations that Mighty Networks and Wild Apricot were not designed for: federations, associations, and multi-chapter organizations with 500+ members. Book a 15-minute demo and see if it fits your structure.
More detailed comparisons: