Is managing your club just too chaotic?
If you’re here, it’s probably because you’d like to finally get a grip on out-of-control membership data, scrambling for volunteers, and the never-ending stream of emails and event planning headaches.
The real hassle? You’re wasting hours every week on manual updates—and it’s keeping you from focusing on making your organization thrive.
ClubRunner takes these daily headaches seriously with an all-in-one solution built specifically to tackle messy club administration, automate member management, and put communication on autopilot. After hands-on analysis, I found their platform offers some surprisingly powerful fixes you probably haven’t seen elsewhere.
In this review, I’ll show you how ClubRunner can simplify your admin life and help you reclaim your focus.
You’ll find an honest ClubRunner review covering exactly how its features work, what you’ll pay, where it shines, and how it compares to other software, so you can decide with confidence.
Get the answers you need to find the features you need to fix club management for good.
Let’s get started.
Quick Summary
- ClubRunner is a membership management platform that streamlines administrative tasks and communication for service clubs and non-profits.
- Best for service clubs and associations, especially Rotary-affiliated groups seeking integrated management tools.
- You’ll appreciate its deep integration with Rotary and easy-to-use website and communication features tailored for service organizations.
- ClubRunner offers tiered subscription pricing based on club size with a 30-day money-back guarantee and dedicated support included.
ClubRunner Overview
ClubRunner has helped service clubs streamline operations since 2003. From their base in Ontario, Canada, I find their mission is refreshingly clear and focused: simplifying management for busy volunteer-run groups.
They are laser-focused on service clubs, associations, and non-profits, deliberately avoiding the one-size-fits-all trap common in this software market. What truly defines their market position is its deep ties to Rotary International, making them a purpose-built solution.
As you’ll see through this ClubRunner review, their platform constantly improves with practical updates. Recent developments have focused on enhancing their mobile app and integrated communication tools for modern member engagement.
Unlike broader tools like Neon CRM or Wild Apricot, ClubRunner’s key strength is its deep integration with Rotary International. This specialization results in workflows and district-level reporting that just feels more intuitive for your specific needs.
They work with thousands of service organizations worldwide, from individual local chapters to entire regional districts. You’ll find them especially prevalent and trusted within the Rotary, Lions, and Kiwanis ecosystems.
From my analysis, their current business strategy is all about reducing the administrative burden that bogs down volunteers. They’re clearly focused on giving you valuable time back to focus on your club’s actual community mission, not endless paperwork.
Now let’s examine their capabilities.
ClubRunner Features
Still juggling multiple tools for club management?
ClubRunner features offer an integrated suite designed to streamline operations for clubs and associations. Here are the five main ClubRunner features that help simplify your administrative tasks.
1. Website Designer
Building a club website without coding skills?
Struggling to create a professional online presence without technical expertise can be a major headache for your club. This often results in outdated or unprofessional sites.
ClubRunner’s Website Designer provides an intuitive drag-and-drop editor with pre-designed themes, so you can easily build a modern, mobile-friendly website. From my testing, the live editor makes customization incredibly straightforward, letting you control both public and member-only content with ease.
This means you can establish a strong, professional online presence without needing to hire a web developer.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: While we’re discussing digital tools, you might find my analysis of field service management software helpful.
2. Membership Management
Keeping member records up-to-date is a chore?
Maintaining accurate member directories and handling new inquiries manually can lead to duplicate data and missed opportunities for recruitment. This wastes valuable time.
This feature provides a secure, real-time member directory that syncs with Rotary International, eliminating redundant data entry and keeping everything current. What I love about this is how members can directly update their own profiles and access important information, improving data accuracy.
The result is a centralized, effortlessly managed member database that saves your team countless hours.
3. Event Planner & Management
Event coordination got you pulling your hair out?
Organizing events, from promotions to registrations and payments, often involves juggling multiple systems, causing confusion and errors. This can really frustrate your volunteers.
ClubRunner’s Event Planner simplifies the entire process, allowing you to create events, manage online registrations, and process payments all in one place. Here’s what I found: it automatically publicizes events on your website and eBulletins, sending email invitations with built-in templates.
This means you can efficiently run successful events with minimal stress, from planning to post-event reporting.
4. Communication Tools
Struggling to keep your members informed?
Fragmented communication channels and unreliable message delivery can lead to disengaged members and missed opportunities. This makes consistent outreach difficult.
The platform offers robust communication features, including an Email Message Center for professional newsletters and targeted messages. This is where ClubRunner shines: its eBulletin feature automatically compiles website content into a polished newsletter, ensuring reliable delivery to custom lists and supporting mobile push notifications.
So you can easily send personalized updates, keeping your members engaged and informed without the usual communication headaches.
5. Volunteer Management
Tired of endless paper sign-up sheets?
Coordinating volunteers for various tasks and shifts using manual methods can be messy and incredibly time-consuming. This often leads to confusion and missed assignments.
ClubRunner includes a Volunteers module that lets you create, manage, and coordinate online sign-up lists for both members and non-members. From my evaluation, defining tasks, time slots, and sending reminders is simple, eliminating the need for paper.
This means you can efficiently organize and track all your volunteer efforts, ensuring your events and initiatives are well-staffed.
Pros & Cons
- ✅ Offers an integrated suite for comprehensive club management.
- ✅ User-friendly website builder requires no coding expertise.
- ✅ Excellent customer service and responsive support hotline.
- ⚠️ May feel overly tailored to Rotary for other organizations.
- ⚠️ Interface could be more intuitive for non-Rotary users.
- ⚠️ Specific setup times and learning curve details are unclear.
You’ll find these ClubRunner features work together to create a cohesive system for club administration, rather than a collection of disparate tools.
ClubRunner Pricing
Worried about hidden software costs?
ClubRunner pricing is refreshingly transparent, structured by club size with clear annual subscription rates, which helps you budget effectively for your organization.
Plan | Price & Features |
---|---|
Clubs up to 20 members | ~$19.95/month (billed annually) • Core modules & website hosting • Initial membership data upload • ESupport & knowledge base access • Automated data backup |
Clubs up to 80 members | ~$40/month (billed annually) • All core modules & website hosting • Dedicated technical support • Ongoing webinar training • Rotary International sync |
Add-on Modules | Pricing based on club size • Online Payment & eCommerce • MyEventRunner Pro • Enhanced Committees • Barcode Scanner Module |
Ad-Free Option | $100/year (additional fee) • Removes ClubRunner banner advertising • Available for website & newsletters |
1. Value Assessment
Great pricing transparency here.
From my cost analysis, what impressed me is how ClubRunner’s pricing scales directly with your club’s size, ensuring you only pay for what you need. This approach simplifies budgeting for diverse organizations and avoids forcing you into oversized plans. The included features, like website hosting and support, add significant value.
This means your monthly costs stay predictable as your membership grows, with clear upgrade paths for additional functionality.
2. Trial/Demo Options
Smart evaluation approach available.
ClubRunner offers a 30-day full money-back guarantee, allowing you to thoroughly assess the platform’s suitability without financial risk. What I found valuable is how this guarantee provides peace of mind before committing to their annual pricing, letting you test the core modules and support.
This lets you validate the platform’s fit and member adoption before spending money, reducing software investment risk.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: While we’re discussing software investment risk, my analysis of venture capital management software might be helpful.
3. Plan Comparison
Choosing the right tier matters.
ClubRunner’s tiered pricing for clubs primarily differentiates by member count, offering consistent core features across sizes. The main decision point beyond member numbers is whether you need specialized add-ons like the Online Payment & eCommerce Module or the ad-free option.
This tiered approach helps you match pricing to actual usage requirements rather than overpaying for unused capabilities.
My Take: ClubRunner’s pricing strategy focuses on transparent, size-based tiers, making it highly accessible and budget-friendly for service clubs and non-profits of all sizes.
The overall ClubRunner pricing reflects predictable value for clubs of all sizes.
ClubRunner Reviews
What do real customers actually think?
To help you understand real-world experiences, I’ve analyzed numerous ClubRunner reviews, focusing on what users consistently say about its strengths and weaknesses. This section cuts through the marketing to offer genuine insights.
1. Overall User Satisfaction
Users seem generally satisfied.
From my review analysis, ClubRunner maintains a strong positive sentiment, especially for Rotary clubs, often receiving high ratings on platforms like G2. What I found in user feedback is how its comprehensive features meet specific club needs, leading to high retention and satisfaction among core users.
This suggests you can expect a reliable, well-regarded platform, particularly if you’re a service club.
2. Common Praise Points
User-friendliness consistently earns praise.
Users frequently highlight the intuitive interface, ease of website customization, and excellent customer service as major positives. Review-wise, I noticed the mobile app and eBulletin features are often celebrated for enhancing communication and member engagement.
This means you’ll likely find managing communications and member access straightforward and effective.
3. Frequent Complaints
Some find it too specialized.
While largely positive, a recurring complaint is that the software can feel “cumbersome and not intuitive” for organizations outside of Rotary. What stands out in customer feedback is how its tailored structure might not fit diverse organizational needs, potentially leading to disengagement for non-Rotary groups.
Consider if your organization’s structure aligns closely with service club models to avoid potential friction.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: If you’re also looking into software for other business models, my article on best franchise management software covers unified operations.
What Customers Say
- Positive: “ClubRunner is top of the line in its field! Extremely User friendly and the best customer service/help hotline in the biz!” (G2 Reviewer)
- Constructive: “We had people disengage from the software because it wasn’t user friendly… it doesn’t quite fit with other orgs.” (G2 Reviewer)
- Bottom Line: “Our organization’s website coordinator says this is her favorite platform that she’s ever used.” (G2 Reviewer)
The overall ClubRunner reviews reveal genuine user satisfaction with practical reservations about broader applicability.
Best ClubRunner Alternatives
Navigating ClubRunner’s competitive options?
The best ClubRunner alternatives include several robust platforms, each catering to distinct organizational structures, budget considerations, and specific operational needs.
1. ClubExpress
Seeking a broader, general club management solution?
ClubExpress offers an all-encompassing management software that provides a slightly broader and more generalized solution beyond Rotary’s specific focus. From my competitive analysis, ClubExpress offers strong generalized club management without ClubRunner’s deep Rotary International integration, making it a versatile alternative.
Choose ClubExpress if you need comprehensive features for diverse club types, not just Rotary-specific needs.
2. Wild Apricot
Prioritizing highly flexible, automated membership management?
Wild Apricot excels in streamlining membership management, event planning and fundraising for a wide range of non-profits. What I found comparing options is that Wild Apricot offers highly flexible, all-in-one solutions for diverse membership organizations, particularly for automated renewals and fundraising, making it a strong alternative.
Consider this alternative if your organization prioritizes versatile automation for broad non-profit and membership types.
- 🎯 **Bonus Resource:** While we’re discussing various management software solutions, understanding inpatient management software is equally important for healthcare providers.
3. Neon CRM
Is robust CRM and fundraising your primary focus?
Neon CRM is specifically designed for non-profits, offering a comprehensive view of supporters to drive engagement and revenue. From my analysis, Neon CRM provides deeper donor management and fundraising tools alongside membership capabilities, offering more advanced CRM functionalities than ClubRunner.
Choose Neon CRM when powerful fundraising and in-depth constituent relationship management are your top priorities.
4. Raklet
Building a strong online community with monetization goals?
Raklet focuses on helping organizations build, grow, and monetize their audience through memberships and digital tools. Alternative-wise, Raklet emphasizes community building and digital engagement with features like custom fields and mobile app capabilities, offering flexible options for smaller or digitally-focused groups.
You would choose Raklet if building an active online community and digital engagement for your members is key.
Quick Decision Guide
- Choose ClubRunner: Deeply integrated solution for Rotary clubs and service organizations
- Choose ClubExpress: Broader, general club management beyond Rotary-specific needs
- Choose Wild Apricot: Flexible all-in-one for diverse non-profits and automated renewals
- Choose Neon CRM: Powerful CRM, donor management, and fundraising capabilities
- Choose Raklet: Building online communities and digital member engagement
The best ClubRunner alternatives depend on your organization’s specific focus and operational priorities beyond standard features.
ClubRunner Setup
Concerned about complicated software setup and training?
ClubRunner implementation is generally straightforward for most service organizations, offering an intuitive deployment approach that gets you up and running without extensive technical hurdles.
1. Setup Complexity & Timeline
Getting your site live is quite manageable.
ClubRunner setup involves populating your homepage, customizing layout and navigation, and uploading initial member data, all through an intuitive website designer. From my implementation analysis, the platform offers serviceable default layouts, allowing you to go live quickly while enabling deeper customization later.
You’ll want to plan for content gathering and design choices upfront, but the technical setup itself is not a major time sink.
2. Technical Requirements & Integration
Minimal technical headaches here.
ClubRunner is a cloud-based platform, so your technical requirements are largely limited to internet access and basic computer literacy for administrators. What I found about deployment is that initial membership data upload is included, streamlining the process without requiring complex data migrations or IT expertise.
Plan for straightforward data preparation rather than worrying about extensive hardware, software, or complex integration needs.
3. Training & Change Management
User adoption can be smooth with proper support.
ClubRunner is generally user-friendly, especially for those familiar with service organization structures like Rotary, making the learning curve manageable. From my analysis, successful adoption hinges on leveraging available training resources like webinars and the knowledge base, ensuring users become proficient quickly.
You’ll need to encourage staff to engage with the eSupport Center and available training to maximize system utilization and overcome any initial friction.
4. Support & Success Factors
Vendor support is a clear strength.
Dedicated technical support is available via phone and email for all members, providing crucial assistance during and after implementation. What I found about deployment is that excellent support is frequently highlighted by users, proving invaluable for troubleshooting and optimizing your ClubRunner setup.
You should leverage this robust support and encourage your team to use the eSupport Center, which are critical factors for long-term success.
Implementation Checklist
- Timeline: Weeks for initial setup and content population
- Team Size: Website coordinator, content contributors, and club administrators
- Budget: Primarily staff time for content creation and customization
- Technical: Basic internet access and initial member data preparation
- Success Factor: Active utilization of vendor training and support resources
Overall, ClubRunner setup prioritizes ease of use and dedicated support, enabling your organization to deploy and adopt the platform effectively.
Bottom Line
Is ClubRunner the right fit for your organization?
This ClubRunner review synthesizes my comprehensive analysis, offering a clear recommendation based on who benefits most from its features and where its limitations lie.
1. Who This Works Best For
Service clubs and non-profits, especially Rotary affiliates.
ClubRunner is ideal for service clubs, associations, and non-profits, particularly those integrated with Rotary International, needing centralized membership, communication, and event management. From my user analysis, organizations prioritizing a strong online presence will find its website designer invaluable for connecting with members and the public.
You’ll succeed if your organization seeks to streamline administrative tasks and enhance member engagement with a specialized solution.
2. Overall Strengths
Integrated features streamline operations exceptionally well.
The software succeeds by offering a comprehensive suite for website design, membership management, event planning, and robust communication tools, all within one platform. From my comprehensive analysis, its strong integration for Rotary clubs is unmatched, automating many administrative functions and improving overall efficiency for district and club administrators.
These strengths translate directly into reduced administrative burden and improved member engagement for your organization.
3. Key Limitations
Specialized design limits broader organizational appeal.
While powerful for its target market, organizations outside the Rotary ecosystem might find some aspects cumbersome and less intuitive due to its tailored structure. Based on this review, the specific Rotary focus might not align with generic association management needs, potentially requiring workarounds for non-Rotary groups.
I find these limitations are worth considering if your organization doesn’t fit its specific niche, but manageable if you do.
4. Final Recommendation
ClubRunner earns a strong recommendation for its target.
You should choose this software if you’re a service club or non-profit, especially a Rotary affiliate, needing an integrated platform for membership, communication, and events. From my analysis, your success hinges on aligning with its specialized focus and leveraging its comprehensive features for operational efficiency and member engagement.
My confidence level is high for its target audience, but I’d advise caution for more generic organizational needs.
- 🎯 Bonus Resource: While we’re discussing organizational management, understanding claim management software is equally important.
Bottom Line
- Verdict: Recommended for service clubs, especially Rotary affiliates
- Best For: Club and district administrators, communication chairs, event organizers
- Business Size: Small to large non-profit organizations and associations
- Biggest Strength: Integrated website, membership, and communication tools
- Main Concern: Less intuitive for organizations outside the Rotary ecosystem
- Next Step: Request a demo to assess fit for your specific club’s needs
This ClubRunner review shows clear value for its specialized audience, providing a powerful platform for streamlining operations and enhancing member engagement.