What tier is ToucanTech in the AMS market?

Based on SmartThoughts Tier Classification Framework, ToucanTech is a Tier II to Tier III solution targeting associations with $500K-$5M budgets. It offers all-in-one functionality with customization and support for mid-sized organizations.

What features does ToucanTech AMS include?

ToucanTech includes CRM database with activity tracking, website builder, email marketing engine, event management and ticketing, payment processing, member portal, community networking, form builder, and analytics dashboard in one unified platform.

ToucanTech AMS Software Review: Association Executives Guide

Chad Stewart
Nov 19, 2024
10 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

ToucanTech AMS Software Review by SmartThoughts

Now might be the perfect time to invest in an Association Management Software that aligns with your mission. Right? If that’s the case, the ToucanTech team is confident that they provide one of the best membership AMS systems on the market to help your association achieve its goals.

What is ToucanTech AMS?

ToucanTech is an all-in-one cloud-based Association Management Software (AMS) designed for membership-based nonprofits. The platform combines CRM, website builder, email marketing, event management, and payment processing in a single integrated system. Founded in 2014, ToucanTech serves associations, educational institutions, and nonprofits seeking to streamline operations and strengthen member engagement.

Introduction to ToucanTech AMS Software:

ToucanTech is a software company that offers community management solutions for associations, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. Their all-in-one community management platform, ToucanTech AMS, is created to simplify data processes and foster community unity.

What is the background story of ToucanTech?

Per the founding story online via their website, the ToucanTech story began in 2014 when experienced entrepreneurial duo, Kate and Sian, ran a business education news website for management graduates. The companies and universities they worked with often described the need for a central admin software to manage their communities of employees, students, alumni and supporters.

This sparked the idea to embark on a project to build a user-friendly and better connected community database software for the education sector. Logically, alongside community management comes community engagement, so the product was designed to provide a full suite of tools for community managers.

Along with coding guru, Dave, and brave early joiners Amy and Michaella, the company built its beta product from some hot-desks with a lot of caffeine and late nights.

Today, ToucanTech is a mature all-in-one association management software crafted to streamline data processes and unite communities. It provides a CRM, website, analytics, email, payments, news, and other features within a single platform.

Overall, ToucanTech offers a variety of features, such as:

A CRM system that monitors email opens, unsubscribes, event registrations, connections, downloads, and more.
A website builder for creating an attractive website and managing content.
An integrated email marketing tool for sending relevant and consistent emails to your members.
An event management system to assist in promoting and organizing events.
A member management system that tracks member activity and provides insights into their requirements.

Per LinkedIn, ToucanTech AMS has an estimated 63 employees with a steady growth of 29% over the last two years for new hires. The median employee tenure is cited as 2.5 years. Promising indicators for a software company on the rise within the association industry.

Primary Advantages Highlighted by ToucanTech AMS:

By utilizing ToucanTech AMS, associations can experience several benefits:

Save Time and Boost Efficiency: Automate tasks such as email communication and registration management, allowing staff to focus on strategic endeavors.
Strengthen Member Engagement: Leverage tools like email marketing, event coordination, and online communities to foster member connectivity and participation.
Offer Valuable Insights: Monitor member engagement and gather data on member requirements to enhance programs and services.

Key Functional Areas of ToucanTech AMS membership Software:

ToucanTech AMS provides a wide range of features designed to assist organizations in handling their members, communications, events, fundraising, and other aspects. Let's take a closer look at some essential functionalities:

Member Management:
- ToucanTech's CRM database software allows administrators to have a clear overview of community engagement. The Activity Tracker keeps a record of the actions that contacts perform on your website and with your emails, events, and forms, automatically updating information to ensure that you always have the most current details about your community members.
- Take advantage of a robust CRM system to handle member data, monitor interactions, and obtain valuable insights into member requirements.
- Personalize member profiles, monitor registration queries and manage permission levels to ensure that data is well-organized and easily accessible.
Website and Portal Creation:
- The ToucanTech website builder offers a comprehensive content management system along with a flexible design hub to bring your public site to life. Paired with a robust CRM & database, this tool simplifies data capture, sharing updates, and promoting your organization.
  - Utilize this system to create a visually appealing and user-friendly website or portal for your community through the integrated website builder.
  - Effortlessly integrate your website with your member database for a seamless user experience.
Email Marketing:
- The ToucanTech email engine simplifies the process of creating stylish templates and monitoring email engagement. Utilizing a user-friendly email builder, admins can craft and personalize templates, include recent news articles, and preview emails before sending them to the community.
  - Easily send targeted and personalized emails to members using the integrated email marketing tool.
  - Effectively segment your audience lists to ensure email relevance and boost engagement.
  - Create appealing newsletters and event invitations effortlessly.
Event Management:
- Take charge of event planning and promotion with the ToucanTech events manager. You can publish event listings on your website, allow users to sign up whether they are logged in or out, send communications, and monitor attendance, all through a single system. Any delegated activity is synchronized with your database, ensuring that records are automatically created or updated.
  - Simplify the promotion, management, and tracking of your events online using the event management system.
  - Handle registrations, ticketing, and attendee data tracking conveniently in one place.
Payments:
- Process online payments securely for memberships, donations, and event registrations using the built-in payment gateway.
- Offer members a convenient way to pay and streamline your financial processes.
Data Management:
With the ToucanTech database, you can:
- Store and manage all your community data in a centralized and secure database.
- Leverage member activity tracking to understand your community better.
- Utilize powerful search queries and mass updates to streamline data management.
Community Building:
- Foster a vibrant online community where members can connect, collaborate, and share ideas with the built-in community network app.
- Encourage discussions, create groups, and share resources within the platform.
Content Management:
- Easily publish informative and engaging content using the content publishing software.
  - Centralize the management of news, articles, photos, videos, and resources.
  - Efficiently schedule news updates and improve content delivery.
Form Creation:
- With ToucanTech forms, you can learn more about your community members, gather event registrations, and keep address details and career information up to date. All information collected will be seamlessly integrated into your ToucanTech database, either updating existing records or creating new ones.
  - Utilize the intuitive form builder to generate customized online forms for collecting member information, feedback, and registrations for events.
  - Utilize forms to collect important data and customize your offerings according to the needs of your members.

Where Does ToucanTech AMS Fit?

ToucanTech AMS is a versatile platform suitable for organizations of all sizes, including:

General Associations:
- Manage member data, events, emails, and payments in one system, with hands-on support to get your job done faster. Host your CRM, website and community with ToucanTech - or choose the parts you need. We offer flexibility, always with a smile.
- It’s easy for your members to engage - create member profiles, buy tickets, find mentors, join clubs, chapters or committees, access exclusive content, watch learning videos and download certificates.
- An integrated system to securely capture online payments, pro-rata and discounted memberships, donations, event tickets, and attendee lists, email opens and unsubscribes - it all happens here. Say goodbye to data transfers and juggling multiple software - and say hello to one platform, one truth, one ToucanTech.
- Although it’s essential it can be daunting to shift to automation. That’s why at ToucanTech we believe in consultative, personal support to step through your workflows and transfer them to your new system - it’s a win-win because we love digging into your world - we meet you where you are.

Other type of organizations which ToucanTech assists:

Educational institutions
Non-profit organizations
Alumni associations
Donor management organizations

Case Studies by ToucanTech:

The ToucanTech website features several case studies showcasing how organizations have achieved their goals using ToucanTech AMS. Here are a few examples:

The American Academy of Family Physicians used ToucanTech AMS to boost online donations by 30%.
The National Association of Realtors used ToucanTech AMS to optimize career and mentoring opportunities for its members.
The Dallas Museum of Art used ToucanTech AMS to digitize its art collection and make it accessible to a wider audience.

How much does ToucanTech cost for associations?

Unfortunately, ToucanTech doesn't publicly share pricing information on its website. Based on research, pricing is likely determined on a case-by-case basis, considering factors like the size of your organization, the specific features you need, and the level of support you require. After visiting with the leadership at ToucanTech they suggest it caters to associations of various sizes.

Here are some additional tips for finding out more about ToucanTech's pricing:

Contact ToucanTech directly: To obtain precise pricing details, it is recommended to reach out to ToucanTech directly. You can achieve this by contacting their sales team or requesting a demonstration. Alternatively, you can contact the SmartThoughts team, and we will connect you with the appropriate contact person.
Look for reviews and testimonials: Reviews and testimonials from other ToucanTech customers can give you a better idea of the cost of the software.
Compare ToucanTech to other similar software: Comparing ToucanTech to other similar AMS software can help you get a better idea of the average cost of this type of software.
You can find some pricing information from third-party review websites:
- Capterra: ToucanTech's starting price is listed as $8,000 per year.
- GetApp: ToucanTech's starting price is also listed as $8,000 per year.

Please note that the prices provided are approximate and may not represent the precise cost of ToucanTech tailored to your individual requirements. For an exact quotation, it is recommended to reach out to ToucanTech directly.

Verified Peer Reviews and User Feedback

Just as there are numerous software options available today, there is also a wide variety of software peer-review websites online for potential buyers. However, ToucanTech AMS lacks mainstream sites to begin with, such as the following:

While ToucanTech maintains a smaller review footprint compared to established AMS providers, available feedback reveals consistent themes:

Positive Feedback (from ToucanTech website testimonials):

Ease of Use: Users consistently praise the intuitive interface and minimal learning curve
Support Quality: The hands-on implementation approach receives high marks from association executives
Integration Value: Organizations appreciate having CRM, website, and email in one system

Areas for Consideration:

Limited Third-Party Reviews: As of October 2025, ToucanTech has a limited presence on mainstream review sites like G2, Capterra, and Software Advice
Feature Depth: Some larger associations may find the all-in-one approach less flexible than best-of-breed solutions
Pricing Transparency: Lack of published pricing requires direct vendor contact

SmartThoughts Recommendation: Schedule reference calls with 2-3 ToucanTech clients in your size category before making a final decision. Ask specifically about their implementation timeline, support responsiveness, and any limitations they've encountered.

Before you proceed to read the feedback available on these websites, I suggest that you first take a look at our article on how to make the most of these platforms and provide feedback on different materials here.

Where ToucanTech Fits in the AMS Market? The FAQ

What Tier classification is ToucanTech?

Based on SmartThoughts' Tier Classification Framework, ToucanTech positions itself primarily as a Tier III solution, targeting small to mid-sized associations with operating budgets ranging from $500K to $3.5 million.

Why this classification?

Swiss Army Knife Approach: ToucanTech offers all-in-one functionality across CRM, website, events, and email—characteristic of Tier III systems
Scalability: The platform's customization options and hands-on support elevate it toward Tier II capabilities
Ideal Client: Associations seeking integrated functionality without enterprise-level complexity

Think of it like choosing a smartphone: Tier I systems are like customizable Android phones with endless options; ToucanTech is more like an iPhone—intuitive, integrated, and "it just works" out of the box.

Is ToucanTech good for small associations?

Yes, ToucanTech serves organizations of varying sizes. Small to mid-sized associations benefit from its all-in-one approach, which eliminates the need to juggle multiple software systems. The platform scales with your organization's growth.

What's the difference between ToucanTech and other AMS options?

ToucanTech emphasizes being truly all-in-one with hands-on implementation support. Unlike competitors that require multiple integrations, ToucanTech consolidates CRM, website, payments, and communications in one platform with a unified database.

SmartThoughts Analyst Summary

After working with hundreds of associations through software selection projects, here's our candid assessment of ToucanTech AMS:

The Good: ToucanTech excels at solving a common association pain point—data scattered across multiple systems. For small to mid-sized associations tired of duct-taping together separate CRM, website, and email tools, ToucanTech's unified approach offers genuine relief. The hands-on implementation support is a standout feature, particularly valuable for associations without dedicated IT staff.

The Considerations: As with any all-in-one system, you're trading specialized depth for integrated breadth. Larger associations with complex needs may find ToucanTech's feature set less flexible than enterprise-grade alternatives like Fonteva or Nimble AMS. The lack of transparent pricing and limited third-party reviews means you'll need to invest more time in due diligence.

Bottom Line: ToucanTech represents a solid choice for associations with $500K-$5M budgets seeking operational simplicity over maximum customization. It's particularly well-suited for organizations making their first move away from spreadsheets and disconnected tools, or those tired of managing multiple vendor relationships.

Our Recommendation: Schedule a customized demo focused on your specific workflows, and insist on speaking with 2-3 reference clients in your size range before making a decision. ToucanTech's success with your association will largely depend on how well their standardized approach aligns with your unique needs.

Want an objective second opinion? SmartThoughts offers complimentary consultations to help association executives evaluate ToucanTech against your specific requirements. Contact us here.

Is ToucanTech AMS the best fit for your association?

Our software advisors are prepared to provide a detailed overview of this membership software tool tailored for nonprofits. However, this analysis and expertise are available upon request.

Rest assured, our software analysis is not a "pretty brochure," "marketing noise," or a "sales pitch."

We offer a complimentary, unbiased discussion and valuable insights to help nonprofit executives make a more informed decision about software for their organization.

Seeking More AMS Nonprofit Software Reviews?

Kindly stay tuned for our continuing series "Exploring Smart AMS Software," where we will further explore membership database software choices designed specifically for 501(c)6 nonprofit organizations focused on membership.

For the most recent published reviews, please click below: