Gather Commons vs HOA Start
If you're comparing HOA website tools, Gather Commons is the engagement-first alternative — designed around gatherings, amenities, and belonging, with a branded site and member app included.
Start free trialWho this comparison is for
You are shopping for an HOA website and you have noticed most of them look like they were designed in 2011. You want a public site that is genuinely presentable, but you also do not want to end up with a brochure that nobody visits twice.
Choose HOA Start if…
- You want a straightforward HOA website and document repository, and little beyond it.
- Your community has no shared amenities to schedule.
- A basic page with bylaws and contact details is the whole requirement.
Choose Gather Commons if…
- You want a site that looks current and reflects the community, on your own domain.
- You have a pool, courts, a clubhouse, or a pavilion that need real booking rules.
- You want a reason for members to return — events, RSVPs, a directory — not just documents.
- You want a member experience that works properly on a phone.
How the two are positioned
Differences in what each product is built around — not a feature scorecard.
| HOA Start | Gather Commons | |
|---|---|---|
| Center of gravity | The website and its documents | The community and what it is doing this month |
| Repeat visits driven by | Looking something up | RSVPs, bookings, announcements, directory |
| Amenity scheduling | Varies by product | Core, with seasons, approvals, and conflict handling |
| Design posture | Functional | Branded to your community and built mobile-first |
HOA Start is a HOA website & managementproduct and may well be the right fit for communities whose main problem lives in that domain. Gather Commons is for communities that lead with engagement. We describe positioning rather than feature lists, because feature claims about other people's software go out of date the week they ship something.
What switching actually involves
Moving from a basic HOA website is the easiest migration there is: documents upload, the roster imports from a spreadsheet, and you point your existing domain when you are ready. You can build the new site fully before switching DNS, so members never see a gap.
Common questions
Can we keep our current domain name?
Yes. Connect your existing domain and Gather Commons serves your community site from it. You can have the site fully built and reviewed before you change any DNS, so there is no visible downtime.
What happens to our existing documents?
Upload bylaws, meeting minutes, pool rules, and forms into the documents section, organized and permissioned so the right members see the right files. It is generally an afternoon of work for a typical community.
Can we use Gather Commons alongside HOA Start?
Yes, and plenty of communities do. Gather Commons handles the community side — events, reservations, the directory, announcements, and a public site — while you keep whatever you already use for bookkeeping or property operations. Nothing about our setup requires you to rip out an existing system.
How long does it take to get set up?
Most communities have a working site and their first event live within an afternoon. Importing a member roster is a spreadsheet upload, branding is colors and a logo, and a custom domain can be connected once DNS propagates.
What does it cost?
Plans start at $149/month with a free trial, billed monthly or annually, and you can cancel yourself from inside the platform at any time. Court and facility reservations and online payments are both included in the base plan — see the pricing page for the full breakdown.
Still comparing? See everything included or what it costs.
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