MemberMatters is free, open-source membership software for makerspaces and community groups. It can run on site alongside door, interlock, or MemberBucks devices, with a member portal for registration, profile management, and billing self-service. Members can cancel memberships or update credit cards; recurring card payments use Stripe, while MemberBucks payments work on site and in the portal. Access control checks permissions, applies defaults to new members, and records successful and failed swipes. Compatible firmware can remotely unlock, synchronize, reboot, and control doors or tools. The officially supported deployment is a Docker Hub image on an Ubuntu Server LTS host, with AMD64 and ARM64 builds. Docker runs on Linux and mounts local volumes for database and other data. Integrations include Canvas or Moodle, OIDC, Discourse SSO, Twilio SMS, Discord, SendGrid, Postmark, and a space-directory API. Production guidance calls for HTTPS behind a reverse proxy. A valid Postmark API key is required for correct operation, including signup and MemberBucks emails.
Who it is for
It suits makerspaces and community groups needing membership, payments, member communications, and access control. Teams should be comfortable deploying Docker on Linux and configuring required services and networking.
What is good
- Free, open-source membership software
- Member portal includes self-service billing
- Supports recurring Stripe membership payments
- Logs successful and failed access swipes
- Offers AMD64 and ARM64 Docker builds
What to know first
- Requires a valid Postmark API key
- Kiosk builds have limited profile functionality
- No precompiled kiosk binaries are offered
- Some functions need reliable internet and networking
Verdict
MemberMatters covers membership administration, payments, access permissions, and device control in one project. Its deployment, email, HTTPS, and networking requirements require technical setup before member-facing use.
Compared on membership management software
- Automated renewals
- Yes
- Member communications
- Yes
