Zenbership vs. Join It
A sharper alternative to Zenbership
Zenbership is free, self-hosted PHP membership software, but it’s no longer maintained: the last release was in 2017, and its developer stopped work on it in 2020. Join It is all-in-one membership software, hosted and updated for you, with payments, automated renewals, member emails, event registration and Wallet cards. Our team will import your members for you.
Clean, modern interface
Transparent pricing
Integrates with the tools you already use
Here’s what happens when Zenbership users switch to Join It
Built to support your workflow, not replace it
Join It offers all the essential membership tools, without forcing you into a closed ecosystem.
Member Timeline
Track key actions across each member’s lifecycle (no CRM degree required).
Useful Integrations
Join It integrates directly with the tools associations use most, Mailchimp, Eventbrite, QuickBooks, plus thousands more through Zapier on every plan.
Custom Checkout Options
Add optional donations, create flexible membership types, and set up one‑time or recurring payments.
Quick, Easy Setup
Get started in minutes. Everything’s self-serve, with fast support if you need help.
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Feature by feature, here’s how it compares
From ease of setup to available features, see what truly sets Join It apart.
Join It
Use with your existing website
Join It
Alternative
Custom membership types
Join It
Alternative
Multiple admin access
Join It
Alternative
Custom fields on member profiles
Join It
Alternative
Digital membership cards
Join It
Alternative
Automated renewal emails
Join It
Alternative
Member activity timeline
Join It
Alternative
Event management
Join It
Alternative
Public and private directories
Join It
Alternative
Mailchimp and Zapier integration
Join It
Alternative
Transparent pricing
Join It
Alternative
No onboarding fees
Join It
Alternative
Fast, human support
Join It
Alternative
Actively maintained and supported
Join It
Alternative
What sets Join It apart
Modern, maintenance-free membership
Join It
Hosted, updated, and supported—no developer needed.
Zenbership
Requires PHP, hosting, manual updates, and outdated code.
Stand-alone value with digital cards
Join It
Mobile cards with QR codes, ready out of the box.
Zenbership
No such feature without custom coding.
Transparent cost and quick setup
Join It
Starts at $29/month, with live support if needed.
Zenbership
Free, but effectively costs time, hosting, and technical skills—and lacks support
Seamless integrations with modern tools
Join It
Connects instantly with Eventbrite, Zapier, Mailchimp, Stripe.
Zenbership
Integrations must be built manually.
How Zenbership & Join It are alike
Both help you manage memberships, payments, events, and communications.
Both help you manage memberships, payments, events, and communications.
Both offer CRM-like features, event tools, and email automation.
Both offer CRM-like features, event tools, and email automation.
But only Join It delivers modern UX, integrations, and support that scale without code.
But only Join It delivers modern UX, integrations, and support that scale without code.
Join It vs Zenbership pricing
Join It
Starting at
$29
/mo
Transparent, per‑member pricing
Hosted solution—no platform maintenance required
Includes digital membership cards, key integrations
30-day free trial—no credit card required
Free(open source)
/mo
/yr
No licensing cost—but requires self-hosting, dev maintenance, and manual setup
Codebase largely inactive since 2018; v2 incomplete and unsupported
Documentation-only support—no live help available
What is the best Zenbership alternative if I do not want to self-host membership software?
Join It is a strong Zenbership alternative for organizations that want supported, hosted membership management instead of installing and maintaining open-source PHP software themselves.
How does Join It compare to Zenbership for setup, hosting, and support?
Zenbership requires a self-hosted environment, while Join It is hosted and supported so teams can focus on membership workflows rather than technical maintenance.
Can I migrate from Zenbership to Join It?
Yes. Organizations can migrate from Zenbership to Join It by exporting member data from their self-hosted system and importing it into Join It, with bulk import included for free on every Join It plan.
Real people. Exceptional support.
Clubs, associations and nonprofits in 40+ countries run their membership on Join It — and tell us about it in public.
“We have tripled our membership since using Join It. All our records are in one place, while automated emails, renewals, payments and receipts save us so much time.”
“I now know of only 2 membership management companies — Join It and others. I'm normally reserved on reviews but this one deserves more than my normal polite comments. Exceptional experience.”
“Join It has rescued us from WildApricot. This company understands the modern world. They integrate with the best technologies. And they excel in service, knowing that's the best way to serve their bottom line.”
Try Join It and see the difference
No pressure. No credit card. Just modern membership software that works the way you do.
Zenbership alternative: moving to a supported platform
The short answer: Join It is a supported alternative to Zenbership, the free, self-hosted membership software whose last release was in November 2017. Zenbership is no longer maintained, so it gets no security patches and has no support. Join It is a hosted membership platform. It covers member records, automated renewals and recurring payments through Stripe, with simple event registration and targeted member emails built in. Apple Wallet and Google Wallet cards come with the Total plan and above. When you need more, Join It integrates directly with tools like Eventbrite and Mailchimp, and connects to thousands more through Zapier. Plans start at $29 a month, there’s a 30-day free trial, and our team will import your members for you.
Is Zenbership still maintained?
No. Zenbership's last release was in November 2017, and its developer has said there are no plans to continue it. Zenbership is written in PHP and installed on your own server. Without updates:
- Security issues aren't fixed. Software that handles member data and payments needs regular patches.
- It can break when your hosting changes. Newer versions of PHP and server software may not run it.
- There's no support. Known bugs remain open, and there's no vendor to help.
If you have a developer who can maintain the code, Zenbership may keep working for a while. For most organizations, it's time to plan a move.
What is a good Zenbership replacement?
Join It is a hosted replacement that handles member records, renewals, recurring Stripe payments, events and member emails, with Apple Wallet and Google Wallet cards on the Total plan and above. Updates and support are included.
- Hosted and maintained for you. Zenbership runs on your own server and hasn’t had a release since 2017. With Join It there’s no server, no updates to install and no PHP to manage.
- Automated renewals and recurring Stripe payments. Zenbership already works with Stripe, and so does Join It. Join It sends renewal reminder emails automatically, and recurring payments run through Stripe with no code to maintain.
- Digital membership cards, kept current for you. On the Total plan and above, members get digital membership cards in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. The cards update automatically when a member’s status changes and can be scanned at the door.
- Simple tools built in, integrations when you need more. Join It includes simple event registration and targeted member emails. Connections on unmaintained software can break as other services change. Join It integrates directly with tools like Eventbrite, Mailchimp and QuickBooks, works with websites on WordPress, Squarespace and Wix, and Zapier connects it to thousands more apps on every plan.
- Support included. Zenbership has no support, and its known bugs remain open.
How much does Zenbership cost?
As of September 30, 2026, Zenbership's software is free, but running it isn't: you pay for hosting and for the developer time needed to keep it working, while Join It starts at $29 a month with hosting, updates and support included.
Join It publishes all of its pricing. Plans start at $29 a month on Starter (3% platform fee). Total, at $99 a month (2%), adds digital membership cards, member check-in, a member directory and API access, and Extra, at $199 a month (1.5%), adds custom domains and a dedicated account manager. Plans are month to month, Stripe's processing fees apply, and there are no setup fees. Annual billing saves 10%, and nonprofits get an additional 10% off. See full pricing.
When Zenbership may still suit you
Zenbership, or another self-hosted tool, may be a better fit than Join It if you need software with no subscription cost and have a developer who can maintain, secure and customize the source code.
Can I switch from Zenbership to Join It without members re-entering card details?
Yes, if your members already pay through your own Stripe account: Join It's team can bring their existing Stripe subscriptions across, so they won't need to re-enter their card details.
- Export your members from Zenbership as a CSV file.
- Start a Join It free trial, 30 days with no credit card needed, and set up your membership types and renewal emails.
- Import your members. Join It's team can import your member data for you on any plan, even during your free trial.
- Plan the payment switch. If you take payments through Stripe with Zenbership, Join It's team moves your members' existing Stripe subscriptions across as part of the import. If you use PayPal or another card processor, members will set up card payments with Stripe when they next renew.
Join It is trusted by more than 4,000 membership organizations in 40 countries and has processed over $100 million in membership payments since 2016.
Comparing other options? See all Join It alternatives and comparisons.
Last reviewed: October 1, 2026. Zenbership details are taken from its public GitHub repository and website.
