Quick answer
An HOA website is the public and owners-only home for your community's news, documents and notices. HOA software runs the association itself: dues, accounting, violations, architectural requests and voting. A website builder can be enough for a small board that only shares information, but boards that collect dues or must post records usually need both.
Boards shopping for an HOA website builder or HOA website software quickly run into a confusing market. Some products are website builders with a few management features added. Others are full HOA platforms that include a website. Others still sell the website separately from dues collection and accounting. The labels overlap, so it is easy to buy the wrong tool, or to pay for two tools that do the same job.
This guide explains what each category does, what Florida law requires, what an HOA website typically costs, and which setup fits your community. It closes with HOA website examples and a page-by-page template you can use whichever tool you choose.
What Is an HOA Website Builder?
An HOA website builder is a tool for creating and hosting your community's website without hiring a developer. Most use templates designed for associations, so a volunteer can publish pages, upload documents and post announcements in an afternoon. A typical builder includes:
• A public homepage for announcements and community news
• A document library for governing documents, minutes and forms
• A community calendar for meetings and events
• Board and committee contact pages
• A private login area for owners
• Email or text blasts to residents
• Online payment links, often through a third-party processor
What a website builder usually does not include is the operational backend: owner ledgers tied to assessments, a general ledger, reserve fund tracking, violation and architectural review workflows, or board reporting. Payments collected through a website builder often land in a processor account that someone still has to reconcile by hand.
HOA Express is a well-known example of a standalone builder. Its pricing page lists a free plan for communities with up to 50 households, plus paid Inform and Engage plans at $15 and $21 a month, billed yearly, for communities with up to 25 households, with prices rising by household count. The features center on websites, communication, forms and payments rather than association accounting (checked November 6, 2026).
What Does HOA Software Do?
HOA software runs the business side of a community association. It connects owner accounts, money and records so the board is not stitching together spreadsheets, email and a payment processor. Core functions include:
• Assessment billing, online dues collection and autopay tied to each owner's ledger
• Fund accounting, budgets, bank reconciliation and reserve tracking
• Violation tracking with notice templates and hearing records
• Architectural review requests from submission to decision
• Maintenance and work order tracking
• Online elections, surveys and board voting
• An owner portal for payments, requests and documents
• Board-ready financial and operational reports
Most HOA software includes an owner portal, a logged-in space for owners. Fewer include a public website that buyers, realtors and visitors can see. That gap is where the confusion starts: a portal and a website look similar but serve different audiences. For a deeper look at the category, see community association software: what it does and how to choose.
Does Your HOA Legally Need a Website?
For most communities, a website is a best practice rather than a legal requirement. Florida is the major exception, and its rules are a useful benchmark for what a well-run association website should do anywhere.
Florida HOAs With 100 or More Parcels
Under Florida Statute 720.303(4)(b), an HOA with 100 or more parcels had to post specified official records on its website or a mobile app by January 1, 2025. The required postings include:
• Articles of incorporation, recorded bylaws, the declaration of covenants and every amendment
• The current rules of the association
• A list of current executory contracts and, after bidding closes, bids received in the past year
• The annual budget, any proposed budget and the annual financial report
• Current insurance policies
• Each director's education certification
• Contracts involving directors or officers, and any conflict of interest documents
• Member meeting notices and agendas at least 14 days in advance, plus board meeting notices within the standard notice period
The statute also sets rules for how the site works:
• The website or app must include a protected section the general public cannot access, open only to parcel owners and association employees.
• The association must give any owner who asks in writing a username and password for that section.
• Member meeting notices must appear on the homepage or on a clearly linked page labeled "Notices."
• Documents the members will vote on must be posted at least 7 days before the meeting.
• Protected information, such as Social Security numbers, phone numbers and email addresses, must be redacted before documents are posted.
Florida Condominium Associations
Condominium associations with 25 or more units face a similar requirement under Florida Statute 718.111(12)(g), which applies from January 1, 2026. Our guide to new HOA laws in Florida covers both mandates alongside the other recent changes.
Outside Florida
Other states set their own records-access rules, and your governing documents may require more than state law does. Check both before deciding a basic website is enough.
Why This Matters for Your Tool Choice
A standalone website builder can satisfy a posting requirement, but someone has to export budgets, financial reports and notices from another system and upload them on schedule. When the website, owner accounts and accounting live in one platform, the board posts from the same place it works, and owner logins come from the same owner records.
Website Builder, HOA Software, or Both?
Still deciding how your community should be run? See HOA self-management vs property management. If a management company runs your community, ask how it handles the website before assuming it is covered; our guide to HOA management companies lists the questions to ask. For a full evaluation framework, see how to choose HOA software.
How Much Does an HOA Website Cost?
HOA website pricing follows three common models:
• Free or low-cost builders: entry plans can start at no cost for small communities, with paid tiers that scale by household count, as in the HOA Express example above.
• Custom or vendor-managed sites: some vendors design and maintain the site for you and quote per community instead of publishing prices. Ask for the full annual cost, any setup fee and what happens to your content if you leave.
• A website included with, or added to, HOA software: some platforms include a website on higher plans and sell it as an add-on on lower ones. Others offer an owner portal but no public website at all.
The website's price alone is rarely the right comparison. Add the cost of your payment processor, accounting tool and email tool, plus the volunteer hours spent moving data between them. A website that costs more but replaces two other subscriptions can be the cheaper option.
What to Look for in an HOA Website Builder
Content and Design
• Templates designed for associations, so pages look professional without a designer
• Easy editing for non-technical volunteers
• Mobile-friendly layouts, since many owners check the site on their phones
• Custom domain support (for example, yourcommunityhoa.org) and professional email
Hosting and Security
Most HOA website software includes hosting in the subscription, so the questions to ask are about reliability and access control:
• HTTPS on every page, automatic backups and a published uptime record
• A true owners-only section with individual logins, not one shared password
• Role-based access so board-only documents stay private
Compliance Features
• A clearly labeled Notices page linked from the homepage
• Separate public and owners-only document folders
• Date-stamped uploads so you can show when a record was posted
Integration
• Payments that post to owner accounts automatically, not just a link to a processor
• Owner lists that stay in sync with your accounting records
• Data export, so you can take documents and owner data with you if you switch
Comparing full platforms for a board that runs the community itself? See best self-managed HOA software.
HOA Website Examples: What Good Community Sites Have in Common
The strongest association websites look different from each other, but they tend to share a few habits:
• Notices are easy to find. Meeting notices and agendas sit on the homepage or one click away, with dates on every post.
• Public and private are clearly split. Visitors see community information and buyer resources; owners log in for financials, contracts and directories.
• Documents are organized, not dumped. Governing documents, minutes, budgets and forms each have their own labeled folder, newest first.
• Owners can act, not just read. Paying dues, submitting an architectural request or booking an amenity starts from the site, not from an email to the manager.
• Someone owns it. A named board member or manager keeps it current, and stale pages come down.
HOA Website Template: Pages Every Community Site Needs
Keep anything with personal information behind the owner login: financial reports, budgets, insurance policies, contracts and owner directories. Announcements, the calendar, board contacts and general community information can stay public.
Your HOA Website and Everything Behind It, on One Platform
ManageCasa is built for HOAs, community associations and the management companies that run them. Dues collection, fund accounting, violations, architectural reviews, surveys and eVoting, and owner portals run in one place, and owners get password-protected access to shared documents such as bylaws, minutes and financials. A community website is included on the Premium plan and available as a separately billed add-on on Base and Growth, so your public site uses the same owner records and documents your board already manages. Plans start at $45 a month, billed yearly. Compare plans, see ManageCasa for HOAs and community associations, or book a free demo with the team at ManageCasa.
Related HOA Guides
• Community association software: what it does and how to choose
• Best self-managed HOA software
• HOA self-management vs property management
• HOA management companies: what they do and how to choose one
• Best payment software for property management
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best HOA website builder?
The best HOA website builder depends on what the site needs to do. For sharing documents and announcements, a template-based builder with an owners-only section is usually enough. If your board also collects dues, tracks violations or must post financial records, a platform that combines the website with accounting and an owner portal avoids moving data between systems.
How much does an HOA website cost?
HOA website costs range from free plans for small communities to monthly subscriptions that scale with the number of homes, plus custom sites priced by quote. HOA Express, for example, lists a free plan for up to 50 households and paid plans from $15 a month billed yearly. Compare total cost, including payments and accounting tools.
Can an HOA get a free website?
Yes. Some HOA website builders offer free plans for small communities, usually with limits on households, storage or features such as custom domains and text messages. A free plan can work for sharing news and documents, but check what happens when the community grows and whether payments and owner logins are included.
Is an owner portal the same as an HOA website?
No. An owner portal is a logged-in space where owners pay dues, submit requests and view their account. An HOA website is the public face of the community for residents, buyers, realtors and visitors, often with an owners-only section. Many communities use both, with the public website linking to the portal.
Does Florida require HOAs to have a website?
Yes, for larger associations. Florida Statute 720.303(4)(b) required HOAs with 100 or more parcels to post specified official records on a website or mobile app by January 1, 2025, with a protected section open only to parcel owners and association employees. Condominium associations with 25 or more units have a similar requirement.
Content Writer
Dann is a real estate and property management content strategist specializing in HOA operations, financial management, and community governance. He works closely with industry professionals to produce accurate, practical guidance for property managers and HOA boards.
