Best Trail Association Software in 2025: Top Tools for MTB Clubs

Looking for the best tools to run your mountain bike club or trail association?

This guide is a high-level overview of popular software in 2025, covering membership, fundraising, events, marketing, and more. It is designed to give you a quick sense of what is available, not an in-depth review of each product.

You will find Hivepass alongside other well-known platforms such as Slack, Trailforks, and Mailchimp. These have been chosen based on our team’s experience, research, and feedback from club admins and trail organisations. Whether you are running a small local group or a multi-chapter network, these tools can help you save time, cut costs, and grow your riding community.

When it comes to choosing software, organizations often ask whether it's better to use one all-in-one platform or a separate tool for each function.

All-in-one tools offer simplicity. Fewer logins, smoother integration, and a single place to manage tasks. This reduces training and admin time, especially important for volunteer-run clubs.

Specialized tools, on the other hand, offer deeper features for specific tasks, like race timing or complex email automation.

We recommend consolidating as much as possible. The more systems you use, the more time is spent switching, syncing, and troubleshooting. Managing many tools often leads to “integration hell”, where maintaining connections becomes a time-consuming chore. Specialized tools can be powerful, but for most trail associations, simplicity and ease of use are more valuable. ✅

Membership is the lifeblood of most trail associations – not just for financial support, but also for building a reliable volunteer base and a sense of community. Managing memberships (sign-ups, renewals, payments, and member data) can be daunting without the right tools. The following platforms are designed to simplify the process, keep your supporter data organised, and help donations flow smoothly:

• Hivepass – A purpose-built platform designed specifically for mountain bike and trail organizations. Hivepass brings together membership management, digital cards, event registration, donations, and email outreach in one user-friendly place. Seamlessly integrates with Trailforks, Mailchimp, and Xero to reduce admin load and keep everything in sync. Trusted by clubs worldwide to grow communities, simplify renewals, and drive engagement. See Hivepass reviews on Capterra.
• Wild Apricot – A generalist all-in-one platform popular with clubs and nonprofits. Offers a member database, website builder, and event tools. While feature-rich, its pricing increases with membership size and it’s not tailored to the specific needs of trail organizations.
• ClubExpress – Provides tools for rosters, renewals, payments, and basic website management. It's a practical option for traditional clubs, though the user interface is dated and may be challenging for less tech-savvy admins.
• Online shop – Platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce can be used to sell memberships, but they lack essential features like automated renewals, member data tracking, and built-in communication tools. This approach might suit very small or informal clubs, but it often falls short for associations needing scalable, integrated membership management.
• IMBA – The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) offers a shared membership system for affiliated clubs. While it helps standardize processes and provides administrative support, some clubs find it costly compared to standalone platforms, especially after revenue sharing and service fees.
• Spreadsheet – Google Sheets or Excel can serve as a lightweight tool for clubs with under 100 members. It’s free and accessible but lacks automation, collaboration features, and payment integration—making it difficult to scale.
• Custom Membership Platform – Some clubs choose to build their own membership system, often with the help of skilled volunteers or developers. While this can offer full control and tailored functionality, it also introduces significant risks. These platforms are rarely sustainable long-term without permanent in-house technical support. Many clubs face issues like poor documentation, loss of knowledge when key people leave, lack of scalability, and high maintenance costs. What starts as a low-cost solution can quickly turn into a liability if updates, integrations, or security issues arise. For most trail organizations, this approach proves too risky and time-consuming to recommend.

There are loads of membership platforms online, but most aren't tailored to trail orgs. We only list tools we've seen work well in practice. 👍Tip: If you’re searching online, try using keywords like “MTB club membership software”, “nonprofit trail management tools”, or “membership platforms for outdoor clubs” to find the most relevant results.

Unsure if you need a platform? Read our guide to choosing membership software.

Fundraising and donor management tools help trail organizations collect donations, manage donor relationships, and run campaigns effectively.

1. Donorbox – Easy-to-use donation platform. Supports recurring gifts, crowdfunding, and donor-covered fees. Low cost, nonprofit-friendly.
   • Free plan: ✅
   • Nonprofit discount: ✅ (Reduced fees, donors can cover processing costs)
   • Learning curve: Easy
   • Pricing: 💲(Low)
2. Patreon – A recurring donation and membership platform popular with creators and nonprofits looking to build community support. Useful for clubs that offer behind-the-scenes content or small perks to recurring donors. Best for organizations with an engaged audience and regular content output.
   • Free plan: ✅
   • Nonprofit discount: ❌
   • Learning curve: Easy
   • Pricing: 💲💲(Medium)
3. LittleGreenLight – A donor management CRM that helps nonprofits track relationships, gifts, pledges, and campaigns. Offers good integration options and is scalable for small to mid-sized organizations.
   • Free plan: ❌ (14-day trial)
   • Nonprofit discount: ✅ (pricing designed for nonprofits)
   • Learning curve: Medium
   • Pricing: 💲💲(Medium)

Effective internal communication is essential for any mountain bike club or trail association. Staying in sync with your team, volunteers, and board members ensures smoother operations and a stronger sense of community. Whether you’re organising events, coordinating trail maintenance, or just keeping everyone updated, the right tools can save time and prevent misunderstandings. This section explores top-rated tools that support internal communication and volunteer coordination—two areas that, when improved, can dramatically boost a club’s impact and efficiency.

1. Slack – Team communication with channels, file sharing, and integrations.
   • Free plan: ✅
   • Nonprofit discount: ✅
   • Learning curve: Easy
   • Pricing: 💲💲(Medium)

   Note: Slack's free plan only retains the most recent 90 days of message history, which may limit long-term collaboration and make it harder to revisit past conversations. Paid plans start at $7.25/user/month. Nonprofit organisations can access the Standard plan for free (up to 250 members), or receive an 85% discount for larger teams.

2. Google Workspace – Suite including Gmail, Drive, Docs/Sheets, Calendar, and Meet.
   • Free plan: ✅(for eligible nonprofits)
   • Nonprofit discount: ✅
   • Learning curve: Easy
   • Pricing: 💲(Low)
3. Microsoft 365 / Teams – Outlook email, Office apps, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams chat/video.
   • Free plan: ✅ (Business Basic for up to 300 users)
   • Not-for-profit discount: ✅
   • Learning curve: Medium
   • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
4. Project Management (Trello, Asana) – These tools use visual task boards known as Kanban boards to help clubs organise and track work. Each task is represented as a card that can move through columns like “To Do”, “In Progress”, and “Done”. This makes them ideal for managing team responsibilities, event preparation, communications planning, or trail maintenance jobs. Both Trello and Asana offer free plans and nonprofit discounts, and they're especially useful for volunteer-run clubs wanting to delegate work clearly and transparently.
   • Free plan: ✅
   • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (75% off Trello, 50% off Asana)
   • Learning curve: Medium
   • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
5. Notion - An “all-in-one” workspace for notes, tasks, wikis, and lightweight databases. Great for planning events, documenting club processes, or managing meeting notes in one place. Especially useful for clubs looking for a central hub to stay organised across projects and people.
   • Free plan: ✅
   • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (free Plus plan for qualifying non-profits)
   • Learning curve: Medium
   • Pricing: 💲(Low for most clubs, free for qualifying non-profits)
6. AI Collaboration – Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can help trail clubs save time by drafting content, brainstorming ideas, and automating repetitive writing tasks. These are especially valuable for volunteer-run organisations with limited resources. Clubs commonly use AI to create newsletter articles, event descriptions, grant applications, and social media posts. Hivepass users can pair AI with their existing workflows to streamline communications and reduce admin load.
   • Free plan: ✅
   • Not-for-profit discount: ❌ (but affordable with free tiers)
   • Learning curve: Medium
   • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)

   Note: These tools are best used as time-saving assistants—not full replacements for human input. Always review AI-generated content for accuracy, tone, and relevance to your club’s audience. When used thoughtfully, AI can enhance communication, not dilute it.

Other: Facebook Groups - A simple and widely accessible way for trail clubs to communicate with members and volunteers. Facebook Groups allow admins to post updates, create events, share photos, and encourage discussion. They're especially useful for less formal communication, such as organising group rides, sharing trail conditions, or gathering quick feedback. Since many members already use Facebook, it reduces the barrier to engagement. However, it's important to note that Facebook Groups aren't ideal for storing structured data or managing official club operations, so they're best used alongside dedicated tools like Hivepass for core administration tasks.

These tools help trail clubs grow their audience, share updates, and keep supporters engaged using email newsletters, social media platforms, and graphic design tools. If you're already using Hivepass, these can complement your communications strategy and offer added flexibility for specific outreach needs.

• Mailchimp – Email marketing platform with templates, automations, and list management.

  • Free plan: ✅ (up to 500 contacts)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (15%)
  • Learning curve: Medium
  • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
• Hootsuite – Social media scheduling and engagement management.

  • Free plan: ❌ (limited trial only)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (up to 75%)
  • Learning curve: Medium
  • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
• Buffer – Social media planning tool with simplified User Interface (UI)

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (50%)
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• Canva – Graphic design tool with drag-and-drop templates and asset libraries.

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (Canva for Teams free for up to 50 users)
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• Hivepass (Email editor help guide: Newsletter Editor – The Essentials) – A purpose-built platform for mountain bike clubs and trail organisations, Hivepass includes two dedicated tools to help you communicate with your members: a new drag-and-drop email builder for sending newsletters, updates, and event reminders, and a built-in newsfeed that sends push notifications to users via the Hivepass mobile app. These features are fully integrated with your club’s membership data, so messages reach the right people at the right time. Whether you're sharing a trail update, promoting an event, or telling your club’s story, Hivepass makes it simple to engage your community from one central place.

  • Free plan: ✅ (includes up to 1,500 emails per month. For more information about our pricing - https://pricing.hivepass.app/ )
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (Not-for-profit pricing built-in)
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)

🎯 Want to simplify your member comms and do more in one place? Contact us (sales@hivepass.app) to learn how Hivepass can help your club save time and engage your community more effectively.

From group rides to competitive races and community fundraisers, events are a huge part of what brings trail communities together. These tools help clubs manage the full event lifecycle—from planning and promotion to registration, results management, and even live timing. Whether you're running casual rides or high-stakes race series, the platforms below can help you streamline logistics, grow attendance, and deliver a smooth experience for riders and organisers alike.

• Eventbrite – A popular tool for setting up public-facing events with online registration and ticketing. Great for fundraisers, info nights, or casual rides. Offers easy sharing, RSVPs, and reminders through email and social platforms

  • Free plan: ✅ (for free events)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (50% off for 501(c)(3) orgs)
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• Webscorer – Designed for timed sports events, Webscorer offers robust race registration and timing features for MTB races and endurance events. Supports live results, bib assignment, and check-in via mobile app.

  • Free plan: ✅ (limited features)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌
  • Learning curve: Medium
  • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
• Facebook Events – Ideal for promoting casual or social rides where a formal registration process isn't needed. Helps build visibility through social sharing, RSVPs, and updates to attendees. Not a standalone registration tool.

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• BikeReg – A registration platform made for cycling events, ideal for clubs running regular races. Supports registration, waivers, merch, and results. Less suited to casual or community rides.

  • Free plan: ❌
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (some fees reduced for nonprofits)
  • Learning curve: Medium
  • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)

Accurate, up-to-date trail information is critical for rider safety, maintenance planning, and community engagement. The tools in this section help clubs map their trail networks, gather community reports, and manage GIS data. From user-friendly apps to professional mapping software, there's a solution for every size and type of organisation.

• Trailforks – A widely-used trail mapping and reporting tool that allows clubs to manage local trail data, monitor conditions, and track volunteer hours. Especially useful for clubs wanting to share maps with the public while maintaining control over edits and updates.

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• ArcGIS – An advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) platform used by councils, governments, and large trail networks for professional-grade mapping, analysis, and planning. Ideal for clubs working with land managers or developing detailed long-term trail plans.

  • Free plan: ❌
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (steep discount, ~$100/year)
  • Learning curve: Hard
  • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
• Avenza Maps – A practical fieldwork companion that lets clubs access georeferenced maps offline and record locations, routes, or inspection notes directly in the field. Especially useful for mapping during maintenance or trail-building sessions without mobile signal.

  • Free plan: ✅ (with limits)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (case-by-case)
  • Learning curve: Medium
  • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
• Gaia GPS – Easy-to-use GPS apps popular for general trail discovery, ride planning, and navigation. These tools are great for individual riders or small clubs looking for simple mapping options without the need for custom data management.

  • Free plan: ✅ (with premium options)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌
  • Product URLs: https://www.gaiagps.com, https://www.alltrails.com
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)

Your website is often the first place members, volunteers, and supporters go to learn about your club. A clear, up-to-date website helps build credibility, promote events, and provide key information like how to join, donate, or get involved. Whether you're looking for a simple page builder or a fully custom experience, the tools below offer different paths depending on your club’s size, budget, and in-house skills.

• Squarespace – A popular all-in-one platform with modern, professional templates and a user-friendly interface. Great for clubs that want a clean, attractive website without needing to code. However, customisation is limited compared to other platforms.

  • Free plan: ❌ (trial only)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌ (but annual prepay saves ~36%)
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• Wix – Offers more drag-and-drop design flexibility than Squarespace, along with a wide range of templates and widgets. Good for clubs that want more creative control or want to experiment with interactive elements. Branding appears on free plans.

  • Free plan: ✅ (with Wix branding)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌ (occasional promotions only)
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• Integrated Platforms – Some membership management platforms include a basic website builder as part of their membership system. These are ideal for clubs who want fewer tools to manage and like having events, registrations, news updates, and membership tools all in one place. While convenient, the built-in website tools often have limited flexibility in layout, design, and functionality compared to dedicated platforms. They may not support advanced features, third-party plugins, or full branding control, which can become a challenge as your club grows or your needs become more complex.

  • Free plan: ❌ (part of paid membership packages)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (offered by platforms specifically built for nonprofits; check individual provider details)
• Custom Website – A fully bespoke website built using a developer or digital agency. Offers complete flexibility over design, structure, and integrations. This is great for clubs with specific branding, functionality needs, or funding partners. However, custom builds require ongoing developer support and can be difficult to update if key volunteers leave. Best suited to larger organisations with stable resourcing.

  • Learning curve: Hard
  • Pricing: 💲💲💲(High – typically the most expensive option unless your developer/agency offers a discount or donates their time)

Other options worth exploring: WordPress, Webflow, Google Sites

Volunteers play a vital role in the success of mountain bike clubs. They clear trails, run events, and support day-to-day operations in countless ways. As clubs grow, managing volunteers using spreadsheets and email chains can become inefficient and error-prone. The tools in this section are designed to simplify volunteer recruitment, scheduling, hour tracking, and communication. These solutions help clubs keep their volunteer communities informed, engaged, and appreciated.

• Golden Volunteer – A mobile-first platform focused on helping clubs recruit, schedule, and track volunteers. Ideal for event-based or high-volume volunteer programs. Particularly helpful for clubs using IMBA’s membership platform, where it comes included.

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅ (included for IMBA clubs)
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• Better Impact – A professional-grade volunteer management system used by nonprofits and councils. Offers detailed scheduling, role assignments, shift reminders, and reporting tools. Best suited to medium and large clubs with a consistent volunteer program and the capacity to manage setup.

  • Free plan: ❌
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅
  • Learning curve: Medium
  • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
• SignUpGenius – A simple, user-friendly tool for setting up volunteer shifts or sign-up forms. Great for trail work days, fundraisers, and small events where you want quick RSVPs and automatic reminders. Limited reporting or integration features compared to more robust platforms.

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌ (modest pricing already)
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• Trailforks – While this is not a full volunteer platform, Trailforks allows clubs to log and report volunteer trail work hours through the trail report feature. Useful for recording hours for funding or partner accountability.

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ✅
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)

Other tools worth exploring: VolunteerLocal (used for larger events and races), Rosterfy.

Selling branded merchandise like jerseys, hats, stickers, and event gear, is a great way for clubs to raise funds, build identity, and increase visibility in the community. Merchandise sales can also help supplement membership revenue and give supporters a tangible way to show their connection to your club. Below are some tools to help you set up and manage an online store, whether you want to hold stock or go fully print-on-demand.

• Shopify – A full-featured, professional e-commerce platform that allows you to manage products, inventory, orders, and shipping all in one place. It’s highly customisable and scalable, but may be more than what smaller clubs need.

  • Free plan: ❌ (trial only)
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌
  • Learning curve: Medium
  • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
• WooCommerce – A flexible plugin for WordPress that turns your existing site into an online store. Ideal for clubs already using WordPress who want full control and no monthly fees (beyond hosting).

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌
  • Learning curve: Medium
  • Pricing: 💲💲 (Medium)
• Square Online – A beginner-friendly e-commerce platform that integrates with Square POS for in-person sales. A good option for clubs who want both online and event-day selling with minimal setup.

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• Print-on-demand (Printful, Printify) – These platforms let clubs sell merchandise without handling inventory. Items are printed and shipped as orders come in, making it ideal for clubs that want to offer gear without upfront costs or storage.

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌
  • Learning curve: Easy
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)
• PayPal buttons / Google Forms – A very simple option for clubs just starting out. Use a PayPal payment link or Google Form to collect orders and follow up manually. Best suited to small runs or one-off items like event shirts.

  • Free plan: ✅
  • Not-for-profit discount: ❌
  • Learning curve: 🧠 (Easy)
  • Pricing: 💲 (Low)

Beyond the core tools most clubs use, there are lots of other digital platforms that might be worth a look, depending on your club’s size, goals, and setup. This section covers a few extra tools that could help with things like collecting waivers, getting feedback, or keeping track of sponsor relationships. You definitely don’t need to use them all, but knowing what’s out there can make running your club a whole lot easier.

Waiver Tools - For collecting signed liability waivers from event participants and members. These services often support e-signatures and automated storage.

• WaiverSign – Clean interface, secure storage, and a professional experience for riders and event participants.
• Jotform - A flexible form builder that also supports e-signatures and waiver templates.
• SmartWaiver - Designed for outdoor and recreation organisations, with automated workflows and easy retrieval.

Survey Tools – Used for gathering feedback from members, event participants, or the community. Ideal for post-event surveys, annual check-ins, or gathering input on club decisions.

• Google Forms – Simple, free, and widely used. Good for basic surveys and polls.
• Tally – Modern, user-friendly, and packed with features like conditional logic and drag-and-drop ranking. To get a better picture of what clubs are actually using, the team at Hivepass created a short Tally survey to see which tools are most popular among our community.
• SurveyMonkey – Offers polished templates, strong analytics, and a free tier suitable for clubs.

CRM Systems – For managing contacts, communication, fundraising, or sponsorship relationships. Most useful for larger clubs or associations with admin support.

• Salesforce – Powerful and highly customizable but comes with a steep learning curve. Offers a free nonprofit starter package but may require professional setup.
• CiviCRM - Open-source and designed for nonprofits. Good for those comfortable with a bit of tech tinkering.
• Membership platforms – While not full-featured CRMs, many platforms (like Hivepass) include CRM-style features designed with clubs and associations in mind. These often cover the essentials—such as member directories, access permissions, renewal reminders, and event communications—in one easy-to-use place. For many clubs, this is more than enough. That said, if your organisation has more complex data, fundraising, or outreach needs, a dedicated CRM system may still be required alongside your membership platform.

Choosing the right software tools can significantly ease the workload for mountain bike clubs and trail associations. From managing memberships and volunteers to promoting events and fundraising, the right platforms streamline operations and save time. Tools like Hivepass offer purpose-built solutions for trail organizations, while other platforms such as Wild Apricot, Slack, Trailforks, and Donorbox help clubs operate effectively within their means. Nonprofit discounts are common, and there are free or low-cost options for nearly every function. Whether you're a small local group or a multi-chapter association, this guide highlights scalable, practical solutions tailored to your needs.

About this guide

At Hivepass, we speak with trail association and club admins every day, some of whom are just starting out, while others are already pretty tech-savvy and looking to level up their systems. Our goal is to make things easier, not harder. Whether you end up using Hivepass alone or in combination with some of these other tools, we’re here to help you find the right fit for your club.

If you’d like advice, a walkthrough, or just want to bounce some ideas around, feel free to get in touch.

This guide was created to help mountain bike clubs and trail associations find the best digital tools for managing memberships, events, volunteers, and more. It’s based on our team’s hands-on experience, research, and conversations with club admins, volunteers, and trail advocacy leaders.

We’re not sponsored by any of the tools listed here (except for Hivepass, which we proudly built to serve this community). Our goal is to provide an honest, practical overview of what’s out there, so you can choose the tools that fit your club’s needs and budget.

Think we are missing something? Take our survey and let us know

We have articles on increasing membership, a membership management platform software buyers guide and more. Check out our other articles here.

We would love to hear if you found these useful or had any ideas to add.
Email us at hello@hivepass.app.

Flon Mackenzie

Germaine Tang