TidyHQ vs Wild Apricot
Wild Apricot has been doing this since 2004 and powers 60,000+ organisations — mostly in North America. They have a more mature website builder and deeper third-party integrations. TidyHQ wins on flat pricing, Xero integration, governance tools, and a free tier that Wild Apricot removed. If you're in Australia, the choice is straightforward. If you're in North America, read the detail.
Where TidyHQ wins
Flat pricing that doesn't penalise you for growing — Wild Apricot's per-contact model gets expensive fast once you pass 100 members. Native Xero integration for the accounting software most Australian organisations actually use. Governance tools Wild Apricot doesn't have at all: meeting minutes with action items, committee task management, document storage with version history. A free tier with unlimited contacts and full features — no credit card, no expiry.
Where Wild Apricot wins
Wild Apricot has earned its 60,000+ organisations over two decades. Their website builder is genuinely deeper — if your org needs its website and member portal in one tool, they do that well. Their third-party integration library is larger. Their email marketing has mature templates and automation that reflect years of iteration. And if you're in North America, their community, support hours, and payment processing are home turf.
Best for
Australian clubs and associations that need Xero, governance tools, and flat pricing. Also strong for any organisation worldwide that wants a free tier with full features rather than per-contact pricing surprises.
Feature comparison
Subscription (500 members)
TidyHQ
$890 AUD/year flatWild Apricot
$140 USD/month ($1,680/yr)TidyHQ service fee
TidyHQ
1% + 20c (AU/NZ/US) or 1% + 10p (UK)Wild Apricot
None (locked to Personify 2.9% + 30c USD)Xero integration
TidyHQ
Native two-way syncWild Apricot
$2,999 USD setup + $99/yr via third partyPenalty for using Stripe
TidyHQ
None — Stripe is the default gatewayWild Apricot
20% added to subscription (PSSF)Online memberships
TidyHQ
Tiers, auto-renewals, familyWild Apricot
Tiers, auto-renewals, bundlesEvent ticketing with member pricing
TidyHQ
Members see discounted priceWild Apricot
Ticket types by membership levelMeeting minutes & governance
TidyHQ
Agendas, minutes, action itemsWild Apricot
✗ Not availableTask management
TidyHQ
Assigned to committee rolesWild Apricot
✗ Not availableDocument storage
TidyHQ
UnlimitedWild Apricot
2GB cap on all plansOnline shop
TidyHQ
With member pricingWild Apricot
With member pricingEmail communications
TidyHQ
With status segmentationWild Apricot
With status segmentationSMS messaging
TidyHQ
Wild Apricot
US & Canada onlyWebsite builder
TidyHQ
BasicWild Apricot
(mature, template-based)Mobile app
TidyHQ
Responsive webWild Apricot
Separate admin + member appsFree tier
TidyHQ
Full features, no expiryWild Apricot
60-day trial onlyAPI access
TidyHQ
Wild Apricot
REST with rate limitsCost calculator
See the real annual cost based on your club’s size and membership fees.
Annual revenue: $36,000 from 180 members at $200 each
$1,970/year
Subscription: $890/yr
Transaction fees: $1,080 (1% + 20c + Stripe)
Wild Apricot
$2,616/year
Subscription: $1,395/yr
Transaction fees: $1,221
Save $646/year with TidyHQ(25% less)
Plus memberships, governance, Xero, and everything else in one platform.
Estimates based on publicly available pricing as of April 2026. Wild Apricot (subscription $60-530 USD/mo by contacts + Personify 2.9% + $0.30 + $4.99/mo). TidyHQ Pro $890 AUD/yr + 1% + 20c per transaction + Stripe AU 1.75% + 30c. UK: 1% + 10p + Stripe 1.5% + 20p. Actual costs may vary.
Key differences
Your membership fees won't eat your budget
Wild Apricot charges $60–$900 USD/month based on contact count. A 500-member club pays $140/month ($1,680/yr). TidyHQ is $890 AUD/year flat — roughly half the cost, regardless of size.
Xero without the $3,000 setup fee
Wild Apricot has no native Xero integration. The only option is a third-party service costing $2,999 USD setup + $99/year + $9/month. TidyHQ syncs natively with Xero — included in your subscription.
No penalty for choosing your payment processor
Wild Apricot adds a 20% Payment System Servicing Fee (PSSF) to your subscription if you use Stripe instead of their in-house Personify Payments. On the $240/month plan, that's $48/month extra ($576/year). TidyHQ uses Stripe as the default with no penalty.
Governance tools that don't exist in Wild Apricot
Meeting minutes, committee task management assigned to roles, and document storage. Wild Apricot's own support docs confirm: zero results for "meeting minutes," "AGM," or "governance." These features don't exist.
What Wild Apricot does well
Wild Apricot has earned its 60,000+ organisations over two decades. Their website builder is genuinely deeper — if your org needs its website and member portal in one tool, they do that well. Their third-party integration library is larger. Their email marketing has mature templates and automation that reflect years of iteration. And if you're in North America, their community, support hours, and payment processing are home turf.
No product is the right fit for everyone. If Wild Apricot’s strengths align with your primary needs, it may be the better choice.
Is TidyHQ right for you?
TidyHQ is the better choice if…
- Your organisation is based in Australia or New Zealand and needs Xero
- You need governance tools — meeting minutes, tasks, document storage
- You want flat pricing that doesn't penalise you for growing
- You want a free tier with full functionality and no expiry
- You need support during Australian business hours
Wild Apricot might be better if…
- •You're based in North America and want a large, established community
- •You need a mature website builder as your organisation's primary web presence
- •You rely on QuickBooks for accounting
- •You're already on Wild Apricot and your workflows depend on their integration ecosystem