Modern HOA management software

Built for self-managed communities

Best HOA software for self-managed HOAs in 2026

Updated Oct 20, 2026 · prices checked against each vendor's site

The best HOA software for a self-managed HOA lets a volunteer board collect dues, keep the books and answer homeowners without a management company. Kahoa and RunHOA fit self-managed boards best. PayHOA suits boards that message owners often, and Buildium fits communities under 40 homes with a bookkeeper.

Kahoa makes Kahoa. We put it through the same HSAT as every other tool, and every pick lists where it falls short, ours included.

What is self-managed HOA software?

Self-managed HOA software is the toolkit a volunteer board uses instead of a management company: dues collection, bookkeeping, owner communication, violations and records in one place.

A self-managed board does the work itself, so the software has to do the parts that used to need a professional: sorting bank activity into funds, preparing the 1120-H, and answering routine owner questions.

760 of 4,092registered Utah HOAs list no management company. Their volunteer boards keep the books themselves.Utah HOA registry, counted by Kahoa, Jul 31 2026

$4,455 vs $4,035what 100 homes paying $200 a month send in fees each year on PayHOA versus Kahoa.Worked out by Kahoa from published fees, Oct 2026

5 of 5HSAT questions passed by both Kahoa and RunHOA, the only two tools here to pass them all.HOA Stewardship Accounting Standard, Oct 2026

Does it pass the HSAT?

The HSAT, our HOA Stewardship Accounting Standard, is 5 pass-or-fail questions a careful board asks before trusting software with the association's money. The HSAT is Kahoa's own test, not an official accounting standard.

01Are operating and reserve funds kept apart?Passes if the entry plan tracks operating and reserve money as separate funds.

02Is the 1120-H included?Passes if the yearly federal return is prepared from the books at no extra cost.

03Does the price stay flat as homes are added?Passes if the board pays the same at 25 homes as at 150.

04Are homeowner fees published?Passes if the fee a neighbor pays to send dues is listed up front.

05Can the board leave with its books?Passes if the board can export every ledger itself, any day, free.

How does self-managed HOA software compare?

each row links to its source

Software	HSAT	Board pays	Fund accounting	1120-H	Homeowner bank fee	Full export
Kahoakahoa.app/pricing	5 of 5	$50/moany number of homes	Included	Included	$2.45	Anytime, free
RunHOArunhoa.com/pricing	5 of 5	$399/yrany number of homes	Included	Included	0.8%, max $5board can absorb it	PDF, Word, Excel
PayHOApayhoa.com/pricing	3 of 5	$54–$275/morises with homes	Included	From $399 extra	$2.45	Self-serve CSV and PDF
Buildiumbuildium.com/pricing	2 of 5	$80/moEssential, up to 40 homes	Included	Not offered	$2.35+$99 setup per bank account	Partial
Condo Controlcondocontrol.com/pricing	1 of 5	From $67.50/mounder 50 units	Sold as modules	Not offered	Not published	Self-serve
TownSqtownsq.io/pricing	0 of 5	$90–$270/mo	Enterprise plan only	Not offered	~$1.50via ATG Pay	Not published
AppFolioappfolio.com/pricing	1 of 5	From $1.49/home/mo50-home minimum	Included	Not offered	$2.49third-party reports	Report by report

IncludedCosts extraNot offered or not published

HSAT: one point per question passed on the entry plan. Prices and fees from each vendor's public pricing page, checked Oct 20, 2026. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't list it publicly. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it within a day.

Which software is best for a self-managed HOA?

Best for self-managed boards

Kahoa

Our product

Kahoa connects to the association's bank, sorts every deposit and withdrawal into the right fund, and prepares Form 1120-H. Kahoa costs $50 a month for any number of homes, and it answers routine owner questions from the community's own CC&Rs.

Why it's here

Bank feeds sort into operating and reserve automatically
Owners get answers from the CC&Rs without emailing the board
The same price at 12 homes or 400

Where it falls short

Kahoa launched in 2026, so it has the shortest track record here
Kahoa's state-law guidance covers Utah first

Start a 30-day trial See pricing

Kahoa's dues screen showing 34 of 47 homes paid — Kahoa's dues ledger, with late homes and failed autopay flagged · image: Kahoa

The numbers

HSAT5 of 5

Board pays$50/mo

Homeowner bank fee$2.45

1120-HIncluded

Best on the lowest budget

RunHOA

RunHOA costs $399 a year for any number of homes and includes Form 1120-H, voting and texting. RunHOA suits a treasurer who doesn't mind entering bank activity by hand.

Why it's here

$399 a year covers every home
The board chooses who pays card fees

Where it falls short

RunHOA lists no bank connection; transactions are entered by hand
RunHOA has no mailing service, only PDFs

RunHOA alternatives

RunHOA's bank register for its Demo Valley HOA — RunHOA's bank register · image: RunHOA help center

The numbers

HSAT5 of 5

Board pays$399/yr

Homeowner bank fee0.8%, max $5

1120-HIncluded

Best for boards that message owners often

PayHOA

PayHOA includes unlimited email, text and robocalls, and solid books, on every plan. PayHOA's price climbs through nine bands, from $54 a month, and 1120-H preparation costs extra.

Why it's here

Unlimited email, text and calls
Self-serve CSV and PDF export

Where it falls short

1120-H preparation starts at $399 a year more
The price rises as the community grows

PayHOA pricing and alternatives PayHOA vs TownSq

PayHOA's budget overview, budgeted against actual — PayHOA's budget overview, Apr 2026 · image: PayHOA help center

The numbers

HSAT3 of 5

Board pays$54–$275/mo

Homeowner bank fee$2.45

1120-HFrom $399 extra

Best for small communities with a bookkeeper

Buildium

Buildium's Essential plan covers up to 40 homes for $80 a month, with violations and unlimited storage. Buildium suits a self-managed board whose bookkeeper already knows property-management accounting.

Why it's here

Deep reports a bookkeeper will recognize
Lowest card fee for homeowners, 2.99%

Where it falls short

Past 40 homes, Buildium moves to Growth pricing or a quote
Buildium doesn't prepare the 1120-H

Buildium pricing and alternatives

Buildium's bank reconciliation matching ledger entries to the bank feed — Buildium's bank reconciliation · image: Buildium help center

The numbers

HSAT2 of 5

Board pays$80/mo

Homeowner bank fee$2.35

1120-HNot offered

Best for self-managed condo buildings with staff

Condo Control

Condo Control fits a self-managed condo building that still has a front desk, with package, visitor and amenity tools. Condo Control starts at $67.50 a month under 50 units and sells accounting and violations as add-ons.

Why it's here

Front-desk and security tools
Free self-serve export

Where it falls short

Accounting is an add-on integration
Larger buildings get a quote

Condo Control alternatives

Condo Control's payments report, with email addresses blurred — Condo Control's payments report, emails blurred by Kahoa · image: Condo Control help center

The numbers

HSAT1 of 5

Board paysFrom $67.50/mo

Homeowner bank feeNot published

1120-HNot offered

Which is best for your community's size?

SmallUnder 25 homesRunHOA or Kahoa

Price differences are small at this size. Pick on time saved: bank feeds and a prepared 1120-H spare a volunteer treasurer the most work.

Mid-size25–150 homesKahoa or PayHOA

Banded pricing starts to bite: PayHOA climbs from $54 to $142 a month across this range, and Buildium leaves its $80 Essential plan past 40 homes.

Large150+ homesKahoa

A flat price saves the most here. At this size, check whether the board has the volunteers to self-manage or needs part-time help.

What will homeowners pay in fees?

on a $250 dues payment

The board's subscription is only half the cost. Homeowners pay a fee each time they send dues, and across a year those fees can cost the community more than the software.

Software	Bank transfer	Card	Card, 12 payments
Kahoa	$2.45	$7.55	$90.60
RunHOA	$2.00	$7.55	$90.60
Buildium	$2.35	$7.48	$89.70
PayHOA	$2.45	$9.25	$111.00
TownSq	~$1.50	$9.75–$11.75	$117–$141

Card fees: Kahoa and RunHOA pass through Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30; Buildium 2.99%; PayHOA 3.5% + $0.50; TownSq ~3.5% + $1–$3 via ATG Pay. RunHOA's bank fee is 0.8% ($2.00 on $250), and RunHOA lets the board absorb it.

How do you choose in three questions?

Who will do the work each month?

If one volunteer treasurer does it all, choose a tool that pulls bank feeds and prepares the 1120-H, like Kahoa. If the board pays a bookkeeper, Buildium's reports may suit them.

How often do you message owners?

Boards that send frequent texts and calls get the most from PayHOA's unlimited messaging. Boards that mostly answer questions save time with Kahoa's CC&R answers.

Can the next board take over?

Volunteer boards turn over. Pick software the next treasurer can learn in an afternoon, with every ledger exportable if they want to leave.

Still on QuickBooks or a spreadsheet?

What about QuickBooks?

QuickBooks wasn't built for HOA funds or dues, so treasurers end up keeping a second ledger beside it. Spreadsheets work until the treasurer changes.

QuickBooks for HOAs

Comparing two directlyPayHOA vs TownSqCompare PayHOA vs RunHOACompare Buildium vs PayHOACompare AppFolio vs BuildiumCompare All comparisonsBrowse

What else do boards ask?

Can an HOA manage itself without a management company?

Yes. A self-managed HOA's volunteer board collects dues, pays bills, keeps the books and enforces the CC&Rs itself, usually with HOA software and a CPA for the year-end review.

Why aren't AppFolio and TownSq on this list?

AppFolio and TownSq are built for management companies. AppFolio requires 50 homes and a minimum spend, and TownSq keeps full accounting on its Enterprise plan.

How long does it take to move from a management company to self-managed software?

Plan on one dues cycle. Get owner balances, the ledger and documents from the management company first, load them into the new tool, then give notice once the books match the bank.

What does self-managed HOA software cost?

Self-managed HOA software runs from $33 to $275 a month depending on the tool and the community's size. Homeowners also pay a fee each time they pay dues online.

Running it yourselves?

Give your volunteer board its time back

Thirty days, no card. Bring last year's bank statements and Kahoa builds the ledger from them.

Start a 30-day trial See pricing

$50a month, flat, for every home in your community.