CommonGround vs SpotHOA

CommonGround is HOA compliance software for volunteer boards in self-managed associations. Board members can record a possible violation from a phone with a photo, note, time and location, then have the app draft a notice. It tracks statutory deadlines, blocks specified invalid fining steps and flags protected categories with statute citations before notices go out. The maker says its versioned rule sets cover all 50 US states. Actions are timestamped and attributed in an audit trail that boards can export. Owners and fining committee members can review evidence, respond and vote through signed links without accounts, passwords or app installs. CommonGround also tracks written records requests and deadlines, and describes an owner portal with document posting and staleness checks. Its per-parcel ledger covers fines, assessments and payments; customers can continue using QuickBooks, though no direct integration is specified. Plans are $59 a month for under 50 parcels, $119 a month for 50–150 parcels and $229 a month for 150+ parcels, billed month-to-month. A 30-day trial is listed.

SpotHOA is software for small, self-managed homeowners associations that brings dues, documents, violations, meetings, and votes together. Boards can collect card and ACH dues through Stripe Connect Standard or record check and cash payments. Dues, votes, and violations are stored as permanent, timestamped ledger events. The document vault organizes CC&Rs, bylaws, meeting minutes, and financials with tags, categories, and role-based access. The service also includes a community feed, messages with replies, and a daily email digest. AI can draft violation letters, meeting summaries, and dues reminders. Free and Pro users can export ledger, document vault, member, and meeting records as CSV and PDF. The Free plan supports up to 50 active units, 500 MB of document storage, and 1,000 emails per month. Pro costs $29/mo and supports up to 100 active units, 10 GB of storage, and 10,000 emails per month, while adding AI paperwork, a Texas compliance pack, and priority email support. Version 1 supports only US-based HOAs. The web app can be installed on Android, iPhone, or iPad home screens, but there is no mobile app.