Three evidence levels
Vendor-source research
We review vendor-owned product, pricing, help and policy pages. We can describe positioning and published capabilities, but we do not call this hands-on testing.
Hands-on tested
We access the product and run documented HOA scenarios. A test date, plan and limitations are recorded. A demo watched by an editor is not equivalent to independent account access.
Customer-verified
A current board member or community manager independently corroborates a workflow, cost or limitation. We record the association context and verification date without exposing private community information.
The 100-point HOA rubric
A numerical score is published only when all criteria have evidence. The database derives the overall /10 score from the criterion total; editors cannot type an unrelated overall rating.
| Criterion | Maximum | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting & financials | 20 points | General ledger, AP/AR, budgeting, bank reconciliation and board-ready financial statements. |
| Dues & payments | 15 points | Dues assessment, online owner payments, autopay, delinquency handling and processing rates. |
| Communication | 15 points | Email, text and voice announcements, mailing, and consent and opt-out controls. |
| Board & resident portal | 15 points | Homeowner and board portals: documents, online voting, requests and self-service. |
| Violations & requests | 10 points | CC&R violation logging, notices, escalation and architectural-request handling. |
| Reporting | 10 points | Operational, delinquency and financial reporting with usable definitions and exports. |
| Ease of use and onboarding | 10 points | Setup, training, daily usability and administration burden for boards or managers. |
| Support and reliability | 5 points | Support access, reliability communication and issue resolution. |
Pricing research
We preserve the vendor URL and check date. Public entry pricing is labeled as such; custom quotes are not converted into invented estimates. Buyers should confirm billing frequency, included users, setup, add-ons, payments and contract terms in writing.
Update and correction policy
- High-intent pricing and comparison pages are reviewed more frequently than evergreen guides.
- Material corrections include a new verification date and source.
- Vendors may submit factual corrections, but cannot approve editorial conclusions.
- A profile can remain unscored when evidence is incomplete.
Commercial policy
There are no paid ranking positions. Future affiliate relationships, sponsorships or common ownership will be disclosed on the affected page and in the site disclosure. Commercial compensation cannot change the rubric.