What is the best PayHOA alternative for a small HOA?

That depends on whether your primary need is accounting or communication. If it is communication — broadcasts, voting, violations with a delivery record — TextHOA is built for that and starts at $19/month for up to 50 units, with 500 SMS included. If it is full accounting and lien processing, an accounting-first platform is the better category.

Does TextHOA do dues accounting?

TextHOA focuses on communication, voting, violations, requests, documents, and owner self-service. Associations that need a full general ledger and lien processing should evaluate an accounting-first platform for that part.

How hard is it to switch?

Import the roster by CSV, collect fresh SMS consent, and complete A2P 10DLC registration for your dedicated number. The carrier registration is usually the longest step.

No. Plans are month-to-month with no setup fee, paid tiers include a 14-day risk-free period, and you can export your data at any time.

Comparison

A PayHOA alternative for boards that need texting

If you are shopping alternatives, it is usually for one of two reasons: the price does not fit an association your size, or messaging owners is harder than it should be.

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Where small boards get stuck

HOA platforms are largely built for accounting-first workflows and for management companies with portfolios. That is a real need, and if dues collection and full accounting are your primary problem, an accounting-first platform is the right category. The gap shows up for boards whose actual daily pain is communication: getting a notice to 40 owners today and being able to prove it went out.

§ What you getCapabilities

Built for the job

SMS as the foundation

Two-way texting is core rather than a separately-priced module.

Priced for small associations

$19/month for up to 50 units, with 500 SMS included, with no setup fee and no annual contract.

Voting by text

Poll owners and reach quorum without a portal login.

Export whenever

Directory, consent log, message history, and documents export on demand.

Compare on structure, not on a price you read once

Vendor pricing changes, and a comparison table that quotes a competitor's number is out of date the month after it is published. The durable questions are structural: is SMS included or an add-on, is there a dedicated number, are replies two-way, is consent logged per number, is there a contract, and can you export your data. Ask those of any platform you evaluate, including this one, and verify current pricing on each vendor's own page before deciding.

When TextHOA is not the right answer

If your association needs full general-ledger accounting, bank reconciliation, and lien processing as the primary system of record, a platform built around accounting will serve you better, and we would rather say so than sell you a mismatch. TextHOA is the right call when communication, voting, violations, and owner self-service are the daily work, and when the association is small enough that per-unit management pricing does not make sense.

What migration actually involves

Bring the owner roster in as a CSV with unit, owner name, and mobile number. Collect SMS consent before the first broadcast rather than assuming it carried over — consent is specific to the channel and the sender, and starting the log clean is worth the extra week. Register for A2P 10DLC, which is what gates the dedicated number. Most small associations are sending within a couple of weeks, most of which is the carrier registration rather than the setup.

The questions worth asking any HOA platform

	TextHOA	Accounting-first platform
Primary design center	Communication, voting, violations	Dues collection and accounting
Two-way SMS	Core, included in every tier	Commonly an add-on, sometimes send-only
Dedicated number	Included after 10DLC registration	Varies by vendor and tier
Entry pricing	$19/month for up to 50 units, with 500 SMS included	Check the vendor's current pricing page
Contract	Month-to-month, no setup fee	Varies; annual terms are common
Data export	Anytime, all records	Varies by vendor

Frequently asked questions

What is the best PayHOA alternative for a small HOA?: That depends on whether your primary need is accounting or communication. If it is communication — broadcasts, voting, violations with a delivery record — TextHOA is built for that and starts at $19/month for up to 50 units, with 500 SMS included. If it is full accounting and lien processing, an accounting-first platform is the better category.
Does TextHOA do dues accounting?: TextHOA focuses on communication, voting, violations, requests, documents, and owner self-service. Associations that need a full general ledger and lien processing should evaluate an accounting-first platform for that part.
How hard is it to switch?: Import the roster by CSV, collect fresh SMS consent, and complete A2P 10DLC registration for your dedicated number. The carrier registration is usually the longest step.
Is there a contract?: No. Plans are month-to-month with no setup fee, paid tiers include a 14-day risk-free period, and you can export your data at any time.

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Comparing options? Read the guides for HOA boards.