Recur or StarChapter? A Chapter Workflow Evaluation Checklist
This article is a practical evaluation worksheet for chapter leaders. For current platform features, sourced pricing and side-by-side differences, use the Recur vs StarChapter comparison. Both established URLs are retained because the comparison is a product reference and this article helps a board run an evaluation.
Start with your membership model
Write down how national, regional and local records relate, who owns renewals and how contacts differ from paid members. StarChapter plans describe member limits plus additional contacts; Recur prices by total contacts. Equal numbers do not necessarily represent equivalent packages.
Test five workflows before deciding
- Renewals: Create a membership, send a renewal notice and reconcile an offline payment. Check overdue status and the member's view.
- Events: Register a member and a guest, apply different rates, cancel one registration and export attendance.
- Website: Ask a volunteer to update a page and check it on a phone. Confirm which website services are included or optional.
- Board handover: Transfer an admin role, limit another admin's access and document repeatable tasks for the next treasurer.
- Accounting: Follow an event payment through fees, refunds and the intended accounting workflow. Ask each vendor to demonstrate your specific integration.
Compare costs on the same basis
Recur starts at $75/month for fewer than 250 contacts, $105/month for up to 1,000 contacts, and $25/month per additional 1,000 contacts. Website Builder and Text Messaging are optional add-ons at $25/month and $25/month respectively; message usage is charged separately. LMS is $150/month, and Advanced Member Portal is $29/month. The base self-service member portal is included. Custom website builds and maintenance are quoted separately.
StarChapter's official pricing page publishes plan-specific subscription and setup fees. Obtain the current quote, renewal terms and service scope. It describes membership, events, email and website tools, and credit-card processing through StarPay; do not evaluate it on obsolete PayPal-only claims.
Plan migration without assumptions
Inventory member/contact exports, consent, dues dates, open invoices and event history. Test a sample import. Confirm whether recurring payment credentials can move and whether members must reauthorize payments. Agree on a cutover and keep a historical archive.
Read the migration checklist and review Recur member management.
How to make the decision
StarChapter may be worth keeping when its chapter-focused package fits your volunteers' needs. Evaluate Recur when published contact pricing, connected membership workflows and relationship-led help are priorities. Validate any national-chapter relationship, accounting or reporting requirements with both vendors before choosing.
Reviewed October 15, 2026. Sources: StarChapter pricing and scope, Recur pricing, and the sourced platform comparison.