HOA-OS vs PayHOA: an honest comparison
PayHOA is an established, accounting-first HOA platform with a long track record. HOA-OS is the newer, AI-forward option built to do the administrative work for the board, not just track it. If you're a self-managed board comparing the two, here's the straight version.
| Feature | HOA-OS | PayHOA |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat per community — $49 (Community) / $89 (Premium) a month, every unit included | Tiers up by unit count — ~$49 (≤25 units) → $59 (26-50) → $99 (51-100) → $199 (201-300) → $0.55/unit, $275 min (500+), billed yearly ($54–$219 on monthly billing) |
| AI | Built throughout — drafts newsletters, budgets, violation notices, board packets; 24/7 resident assistant | Limited |
| Website builder | AI builds and hosts your community site for the board | Included on all plans — the board builds the site itself |
| Payment fees | 1% platform fee + standard Stripe rates (≈2.9% + 30¢ card / 0.8% capped $5 ACH) — published | 3.50% + $0.50 per card payment; $2.45 per ACH — published on their pricing page |
| Board decides | AI drafts; the board approves everything that goes out | The board drafts everything itself |
Pricing model
- HOA-OS
- Flat per community — $49 (Community) / $89 (Premium) a month, every unit included
- PayHOA
- Tiers up by unit count — ~$49 (≤25 units) → $59 (26-50) → $99 (51-100) → $199 (201-300) → $0.55/unit, $275 min (500+), billed yearly ($54–$219 on monthly billing)
AI
- HOA-OS
- Built throughout — drafts newsletters, budgets, violation notices, board packets; 24/7 resident assistant
- PayHOA
- Limited
Website builder
- HOA-OS
- AI builds and hosts your community site for the board
- PayHOA
- Included on all plans — the board builds the site itself
Payment fees
- HOA-OS
- 1% platform fee + standard Stripe rates (≈2.9% + 30¢ card / 0.8% capped $5 ACH) — published
- PayHOA
- 3.50% + $0.50 per card payment; $2.45 per ACH — published on their pricing page
Board decides
- HOA-OS
- AI drafts; the board approves everything that goes out
- PayHOA
- The board drafts everything itself
Where PayHOA is strong
Credit where it's due: PayHOA has been around longer, has a deep, proven accounting feature set, a large base of communities, and an established support operation. If your board wants the most battle-tested accounting ledger and nothing else matters, it's a reasonable choice.
Why boards switch to HOA-OS
The software does the work, not just the tracking.
AI drafts the budget, the violation notices, the newsletter and the board packet — the board reviews and approves.
One flat price as you grow.
Per-community pricing doesn't climb every time your unit count crosses a tier.
Your website is built for you.
AI drafts and hosts the community site — no page-building project for the board.
The association receives 100% of what it bills.*
Payment fees are added at checkout and paid by the resident — not deducted from what reaches the association's account.
* With the payer-pays fee setting turned on — the default for communities on HOA-OS. The board can choose to absorb payment fees instead.
Switching is straightforward
Import your roster from a spreadsheet, and AI drafts the first version of your site, budget and newsletter. Try HOA-OS free for 30 days and run it alongside what you have before you decide.