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Webinars · head to head

Anchorfree vs Wild Apricot

A

Anchorfree

Webinars

Platform for hosting and distributing live events

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wild Apricot logo

Wild Apricot

Nonprofits

Membership management for small associations and clubs

From
$60/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Anchorfree has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Anchorfree the vendor's own domain (anchorfree.com), as captured by the Internet Archive on 11 January 2023, redirects to and displays the Pango Group corporate site, stating Pango Group is owned and operated by Aura and describes itself as a portfolio of consumer security brands; AnchorFree's original product (Hotspot Shield) survives only under the Pango/Aura ownership structure, confirming the acquisition in the vendor's own words rather than a third party account; Wild Apricot the website builder is dated and constrained, and organisations that care about their public site usually end up running a separate site alongside it
  • They diverge on capability: Anchorfree covers Live streaming, Wild Apricot covers Member database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Anchorfree and Wild Apricot actually diverge.

Attributes where Anchorfree and Wild Apricot differ
AttributeAnchorfreeWild Apricot
Starting priceFree$60/month
Pricing modelfreemiumPer month by contact count
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryWebinarsNonprofits
Founded2017Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Anchorfree

  • Live streaming
  • Audience management
  • Recording
  • Analytics
  • Multi-platform delivery
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Twitch

Only in Wild Apricot

  • Member database
  • Automated renewals
  • Event registration
  • Website builder
  • Online payments
  • Email and newsletters

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Anchorfree

  • Professional Worknot Wild Apricot
  • Content Creationnot Wild Apricot

Wild Apricot

  • Small associations and clubs replacing a spreadsheet and a separate websitenot Anchorfree
  • Volunteer-run organisations needing unlimited administrators without per-seat costnot Anchorfree
  • Professional bodies handling dues renewals and a member directorynot Anchorfree
  • Groups running paid events for members alongside membership subscriptionsnot Anchorfree

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Anchorfree

  • The vendor's own domain (anchorfree.com), as captured by the Internet Archive on 11 January 2023, redirects to and displays the Pango Group corporate site, stating Pango Group is owned and operated by Aura and describes itself as a portfolio of consumer security brands; AnchorFree's original product (Hotspot Shield) survives only under the Pango/Aura ownership structure, confirming the acquisition in the vendor's own words rather than a third party account

Wild Apricot

  • The website builder is dated and constrained, and organisations that care about their public site usually end up running a separate site alongside it
  • Pricing by contact count means lapsed members and non-member contacts push you into a higher tier unless the database is actively pruned
  • Every module is adequate rather than good, so any organisation with a serious need in one area will outgrow that part first
  • Reporting is basic, and detailed membership analysis generally means exporting to a spreadsheet
  • Migration away is painful once the website, database and event history all live inside it

Pricing, plan by plan

Anchorfree

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic streaming
    • Limited audience
  • Professional$49/month
    • Advanced features
    • Larger audience
  • Enterprise$199/month
    • Custom solutions
    • Premium support

Wild Apricot

$60/month
  • Group$60/month
    • Up to 100 contacts
    • Member database
    • Website
  • Community$150/month
    • Up to 500 contacts
    • All Group features
    • More storage
  • Association$290/month
    • Up to 2,000 contacts
    • All Community features
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • 5,000 contacts and above
    • Dedicated support
    • Custom arrangements

Which should you pick?

Choose Anchorfree if

  • You need live streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want audience management.
Anchorfree review

Choose Wild Apricot if

  • You need member database.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated renewals.
Wild Apricot review

Questions people ask

Is Anchorfree or Wild Apricot better?
Neither clearly leads. Anchorfree starts at Free and Wild Apricot at $60/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Anchorfree or Wild Apricot?
Anchorfree has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Anchorfree and $60/month for Wild Apricot.
Does Anchorfree or Wild Apricot run on more platforms?
Anchorfree runs on Web. Wild Apricot runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Anchorfree for free?
Yes. Anchorfree has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Wild Apricot starts at $60/month.
What is Anchorfree best used for?
Anchorfree is most often used for professional work, content creation. Of those, professional work and content creation are not what Wild Apricot is typically brought in for.
What can Anchorfree do that Wild Apricot cannot?
Anchorfree covers Live streaming, Audience management, Recording, Analytics. Wild Apricot covers Member database, Automated renewals, Event registration, Website builder.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Wild Apricot: How is Wild Apricot priced?

By contact count, not by staff seat, starting at 60 USD a month for up to 100 contacts. Unlimited administrators is the practical benefit for volunteer-run organisations.

Wild Apricot: Do lapsed members count toward the limit?

Contacts count, which includes records beyond current paying members. Pruning the database matters, because tier boundaries are the main cause of unexpected cost increases.

Wild Apricot: Is the website builder any good?

It is functional and dated. Organisations that care about their public web presence commonly run a separate site and use Wild Apricot for the member-only area.

Wild Apricot: Can it handle fundraising?

Basic donation collection, yes. Organisations whose main activity is fundraising rather than membership are better served by a donor management platform.

Wild Apricot: When do organisations outgrow it?

Usually at a few thousand members, or earlier if one area — events, fundraising or the website — becomes central to the organisation rather than incidental.

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