PayHOA vs SimplifyEm
PayHOA scores 7.9/10 vs 6.8/10. Best for: Self-managed HOA boards and condo associations that want to handle dues, violations, and voting without hiring a management company.
PayHOA scores higher overall at 7.9/10 vs 6.8/10. PayHOA is the go-to pick for self-managed HOA and condo boards. The feature set is built exactly for association work, including e-voting, violations, and architectural requests, and 5,000+ associations already use it. The transaction fees on dues collection can sting, especially for credit card payments at 3.25%. If your association collects $100K+ in annual dues, do the math on those fees before committing.
PayHOA 
SimplifyEm Rank
#5 of 31
Rank
#24 of 31
Features
9/17
Features
16/17
Starting at
$49/mo
Starting at
$25/mo
User reviews
4.6/5 (629)
User reviews
4.5/5 (150)
What they cost
| PayHOA | SimplifyEm | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | $49 /mo | $25 /mo |
| Free trial | No | 14 days |
| Number of plans | 5 | 3 |
What the pricing really means
At first glance, SimplifyEm looks cheaper at $25/month vs $49/month. But sticker price is only part of the story. Look at what is included on the base plan, how many users you get, and whether you need add-ons to get the features you actually need. The $99/month plan that requires $200 in add-ons is actually more expensive than the $250/month plan that includes everything.
Where PayHOA wins
- Purpose-built for HOAs with e-voting, violation tracking, and architectural request workflows
- Trusted by 5,000+ associations, which is a strong adoption signal for niche software
- $49/month for up to 25 units works out to under $2/unit for small associations
- 565 Capterra reviews at 4.7 stars gives real confidence in the product
Where SimplifyEm wins
- Transparent pricing with no feature gating across tiers
- Includes screening, rent collection, and maintenance at all levels
- Unlimited free training and 24/7 support
- Mobile app on iOS and Android
Where PayHOA falls short
- Transaction fees add up fast, 3.25% + $0.50 per credit card payment and $1.95 per eCheck
- Not a rental property manager, no lease management, tenant screening, or vacancy tools
- Pricing jumps $50 at each tier break, so a 26-unit HOA pays double what a 25-unit one does
- No API for custom integrations or connecting to external accounting software
Where SimplifyEm falls short
- Dated UI compared to modern competitors
- No integrations, no QuickBooks sync, no API
- Smaller user community
- Some billing and navigation issues reported
Who is each product built for?
PayHOA
Target: Up to 500 units
PayHOA is the go-to pick for self-managed HOA and condo boards. The feature set is built exactly for association work, including e-voting, violations, and architectural requests, and 5,000+ associations already use it. The transaction fees on dues collection can sting, especially for credit card payments at 3.25%. If your association collects $100K+ in annual dues, do the math on those fees before committing.
SimplifyEm
Target: 1-100 units
SimplifyEm is straightforward affordable property management for landlords who do not need bells and whistles. No-feature-gating is refreshing and pricing competitive. Lacks integrations and modern UI that growing businesses need. Best for hands-on landlords with small portfolios.
Feature comparison
| Feature | PayHOA | SimplifyEm |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant Management | ||
| Tenant screening | ||
| Online rent collection | ||
| Lease management | ||
| Tenant portal | ||
| E-signatures | ||
| Property Operations | ||
| Maintenance requests | ||
| Owner portal | ||
| Property inspections | ||
| Vendor management | ||
| Vacancy advertising | ||
| Finance & Reporting | ||
| Accounting/bookkeeping | ||
| Bank account management | ||
| Insurance tracking | ||
| Reporting/analytics | ||
| Platform | ||
| Document storage | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| API access | ||
Common questions
PayHOA scores 7.9/10 vs SimplifyEm's 6.8/10 in our ranking. PayHOA is the better pick for Up to 500 units. SimplifyEm is better if you need small diy landlords who want simple management with no feature restrictions at the lowest price.
PayHOA starts at $49/month. SimplifyEm starts at $25/month. Watch for add-on costs — the base price often does not include all features. Pricing last verified 2026-04-01.
PayHOA: No free trial. SimplifyEm: Yes, 14-day free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
PayHOA covers 9 of 17 features we track. SimplifyEm covers 16 of 17. SimplifyEm has broader feature coverage, but more features does not always mean better — pick the tool that covers what your business actually needs.
No, PayHOA does not have a mobile app. SimplifyEm does have one.
Yes. The main effort is migrating your data (customer lists, job history, invoices). Plan for 1-2 weeks of overlap where you run both. Most property management tools can import CSV data. Ask both vendors about migration support before you sign.
The bottom line
Pick PayHOA if...
Self-managed HOA boards and condo associations that want to handle dues, violations, and voting without hiring a management company
Pick SimplifyEm if...
Small DIY landlords who want simple management with no feature restrictions at the lowest price