Best HOA Management Software for Gated Communities

Choosing HOA management software shouldn't require a sales call, a demo queue, and a six-month implementation. But for most platforms on the market, that's exactly what you get.

This guide compares the leading options for gated and resort communities — the ones that need gate access, guest passes, vehicle tracking, and resident services in one platform. Not just accounting software with an HOA label on it.

What Gated Communities Actually Need

Before comparing platforms, here's what separates HOA software built for gated communities from generic property management tools:

• Gate access management — RFID vehicle decals, guard booth dashboard, real-time gate logs
• Digital guest passes — QR codes residents can text to guests, scannable at the gate
• Vehicle decal tracking — Link vehicles to residents, auto-deauthorize on property transfer
• Property transfer workflows — Automated deactivation of all access when a home sells
• Amenity access control — Pool, gym, clubhouse, tennis courts managed from one database
• Annual assessments — Billing, tracking, and reminders without a separate accounting tool
• Resident self-service portal — Guest management, account info, service requests

Most HOA software covers assessments and communications. Few cover gate operations. Almost none integrate amenity access.

Platform Comparison

GateKeeper

Best for: Gated and resort communities that need gate management + HOA operations in one platform

• Pricing: $59-299/month (flat, no per-unit fees)
• Home limit: 250 (Starter) to 5,000 (Enterprise)
• Gate management: RFID vehicle decals, QR guest passes, guard booth dashboard, gate logs
• Amenity access: Pool, gym, clubhouse, tennis courts — unified credential per resident
• Property transfers: Automated deactivation across gate, amenities, and assessments
• Trial: 30 days free, no credit card

Standout feature: Only platform that integrates gate access AND amenity access control in a single resident database. One credential per resident for the gate and every amenity.

Reference: Running at Sea Pines CSA — a 5,000-home resort community on Hilton Head Island, SC.

AppFolio

Best for: Large property management companies managing rentals and HOAs at scale

• Pricing: $250+/month, $1.49-5/unit/month, 50-unit minimum
• Revenue: $951M (2025), 9.1M units under management
• Strengths: Strong accounting, AI-powered leasing, comprehensive reporting
• Weaknesses: No native gate management, no guest passes, no RFID vehicle tracking, no amenity access control

AppFolio is a market leader by revenue, but it's a property management platform first. HOA is a secondary use case, and gate-specific features aren't on the roadmap.

Vantaca

Best for: Enterprise management companies with hundreds of communities

• Pricing: Custom (requires sales call)
• Valuation: $1.25B, $300M+ raised
• Strengths: AI-first approach, purpose-built for community associations, 6M+ households
• Weaknesses: Enterprise-only, no self-serve pricing, overkill for single communities, no amenity access control integration

Vantaca is building for scale. If you're a management company with 50+ communities, it's worth a call. If you're a single board-run HOA, you're not their target customer.

Buildium (RealPage)

Best for: Property managers juggling rentals and small HOAs

• Pricing: $58-375/month
• Strengths: Well-known brand, comprehensive accounting, large marketplace
• Weaknesses: No gate management, no guest passes, rental-first design, expensive at scale, no amenity access control

PayHOA

Best for: Small HOAs that primarily need payment collection

• Pricing: $49/month
• Strengths: Clean UI, strong payment processing, good self-serve onboarding
• Weaknesses: No gate management, no vehicle tracking, no property transfer workflows, no amenity access

HOA Start

Best for: Tiny HOAs under 200 homes that just need a website

• Pricing: $39/month
• Strengths: Lowest price point, easy setup
• Weaknesses: Website builder only, no gate management, no operations features, no amenity access

Condo Control

Best for: Condo buildings with front desk visitor management

• Pricing: $49-540/month
• Strengths: Amenity booking, visitor management, package tracking
• Weaknesses: Condo-first design, no RFID/vehicle decals, visitor management built for lobbies not guard booths, no property transfer automation

ABDi GateAccess.net

Best for: Communities that only need gate access and nothing else

• Pricing: Custom (requires sales call)
• Strengths: Purpose-built for gate access, hardware integration
• Weaknesses: Gate-only — no assessments, communications, or amenity access. No resident portal.

Feature Comparison Table

| Feature | GateKeeper | AppFolio | Vantaca | Buildium | PayHOA | Condo Control | |---------|-----------|----------|---------|----------|--------|---------------| | Gate RFID/decals | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | | QR guest passes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Lobby only | | Guard booth dashboard | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | | Amenity access control | Yes | No | No | No | No | Booking only | | Property transfer automation | Yes | No | Partial | No | No | No | | Assessments | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | | Resident portal | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Flat pricing | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | | Free trial | 30 days | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |

Pricing Comparison (1,000-Home Community)

| Platform | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Per Unit | |----------|-------------|-------------|----------| | GateKeeper (Growth) | $149 | $1,788 | $0.15 | | PayHOA | $49 | $588 | $0.05 | | HOA Start | $39 | $468 | $0.04 | | Buildium (Essential) | $58 | $696 | $0.06 | | AppFolio | ~$1,490-5,000 | ~$17,880-60,000 | $1.49-5.00 | | Vantaca | Custom | Custom | Custom |

Note: PayHOA and HOA Start are cheaper but include zero gate management features. For a gated community, you'd need to add a separate gate system ($200-400/month), making the total cost comparable or higher.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best HOA management software for a gated community?

For gated communities specifically, look for software that includes native gate access management — RFID vehicle decals, digital guest passes, and a guard booth dashboard. Most HOA software focuses on accounting and communications but doesn't handle gate operations, forcing you to run separate systems.

How much does HOA management software cost?

Pricing ranges from $39/month for basic website builders to $5,000+/month for enterprise platforms. For a gated community needing full operations software including gate management, expect $100-300/month with flat pricing or $1-9 per unit with usage-based pricing.

Can HOA software manage pool and gym access too?

Most HOA platforms don't include amenity access control. They handle amenity reservations or booking, but not the physical access (card readers, fobs, turnstiles). Look for platforms that integrate gate access and amenity access in a single resident database with one credential per resident.

Do I need separate software for gate access and HOA management?

Traditionally, yes — gate companies sell gate software and HOA companies sell management software. Newer platforms are combining both, which eliminates the need to maintain two databases, two vendor contracts, and manual syncing between systems.

How long does it take to switch HOA management software?

Typical implementation for a mid-size community (500-2,000 homes) takes 2-4 weeks. The main time investment is importing your resident directory, configuring access credentials, and training gate staff. Most residents adopt self-service portals within 30 days.