If you’re comparing HOA software on Capterra, HOA Start is one of the higher-rated options for small and mid-sized self-managed communities. It’s worth a fair look — including where it does more than BoostHOA out of the box, and where we think our approach fits better.
Who HOA Start is built for
HOA Start is aimed at HOA boards and volunteer community managers running associations roughly in the 50–500 unit range. Its standout feature, relative to most HOA software, is that it bundles a public-facing HOA website with the administrative tools: website templates, public and member-only pages, document storage, member databases, and online payments are all part of the same product. On top of that it includes online voting, violation tracking, work-order and ARC request handling, event registration, and amenity reservations, plus a resident-facing mobile app on iOS and Android.
On Capterra, HOA Start holds a strong 4.9 out of 5 average rating across roughly 87 reviews. Reviewers consistently call out responsive, solution-oriented customer support and note that even non-technical board members can manage the website and keep content current without help. The reviews we found were largely positive, with praise concentrated on ease of use and the value of the feature set relative to the price.
Pricing: flat monthly fee vs. no subscription
HOA Start charges a flat $39 per month, with no long-term contract and a free trial that doesn’t require a credit card. That’s a predictable number for a board budgeting a year at a time — Capterra data suggests HOA Start’s typical customer budgets somewhere in the $1,200–1,500 range annually for software.
BoostHOA works differently: no monthly subscription fee. The association pays only when money moves — 3.5% + $0.50 on card payments, or 1% capped at $10 on ACH/bank transfers — with property and owner management, document sharing, violation tracking, Stripe-powered payments, and reporting included at no separate charge.
Which is cheaper depends on the community. A board that collects dues from a large number of units every month, or wants a fixed line-item regardless of activity, may prefer HOA Start’s flat rate. A smaller association, a seasonal or vacation community, or a board that isn’t ready to commit to a recurring fee may come out ahead paying only for the transactions it actually processes. Boards should run the math against their own unit count and expected payment volume rather than assume either model wins by default.
Where the feature sets overlap
Both products cover the core of self-managed HOA administration:
- Property and owner records tied to who owes what and who can see which documents
- Online payments, so owners aren’t mailing checks
- Document storage, so bylaws, minutes, and notices live in one place
- Violation and request tracking, so architectural review and maintenance requests move through a queue
Neither requires a professional management company — both assume a volunteer board is running things directly.
Where they diverge
HOA Start’s biggest differentiator is the built-in website builder: a board that needs a public community website and doesn’t want to run one separately gets that bundled in, along with online voting, which isn’t something BoostHOA currently offers.
BoostHOA doesn’t include a website builder or voting tools. Instead, owner requests and ARC review workflows, amenity reservations, and newsletter and announcement tools are grouped as premium features on our Neighborhood plan, layered on top of a core product that starts with property, payment, assessment, and document management.
The honest takeaway
HOA Start earns its 4.9-star rating — a genuinely strong support reputation and a feature set that includes a public website and voting are real advantages for a board that wants those things bundled in at a flat price. We’d point a board toward BoostHOA when the deciding factor is avoiding a fixed subscription, when payment volume is uncertain or seasonal, or when the board already has a website and just needs the administrative and financial tools underneath it.
Neither product is wrong for every association — the right choice depends on what your board already has in place and how it prefers to pay. If you want to see how BoostHOA’s transaction-based pricing compares for your community’s actual size, get started for free and run the numbers yourself.