Herald Shield vs SpotHOA

Herald Shield helps self-managed homeowners association boards sort resident requests and handle rule violations. Its intake process assigns requests to four types and can ask up to three follow-up questions before sending them to the board. It also accepts architectural review, neighborhood, and maintenance requests. For complaints, the system reads uploaded CC&Rs, bylaws, and rules, then returns a violation, no-violation, or unclear result with cited sections. Boards set escalation steps and fine amounts, choosing automatic fines or administrative review. The ladder tracks prior violations by property address. Board members can approve, change, or override an AI result, and overrides are recorded. The product page says complaint details are visible only to board admins, and complainant identities are not shown to accused residents unless the board chooses to disclose them. Herald Shield is available on web, iOS, and Android, with photo attachments, automated notices, and fine tracking. It is included in Automate without a separate add-on or per-violation fee. The Automate tier is $500 a month and covers up to 1,000 properties; larger communities are priced by inquiry. The service starts at $49/mo and offers a 14-day trial.

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.