Compare · DIY vs one platform
Fourplex vs spreadsheets: when to make the switch
Lots of small HOAs start with a spreadsheet, a personal inbox, and a stack of checks. It works — until a treasurer leaves, a water bill needs splitting, or an owner asks for records.
The short answer
Once your HOA collects dues from more than a handful of owners — or splits a water bill — one platform saves real hours.
Spreadsheets cost nothing and every volunteer knows them. But they do not collect money, send reminders, or survive a board handover on their own. Fourplex replaces the spreadsheet, the personal email account, and the check deposits with one simple login.
- Cost
- Spreadsheets: free software, volunteer hours · Fourplex: $29/mo up to 19 homes
- Dues collection
- Spreadsheets: checks and manual tracking · Fourplex: autopay with automatic records
- Board turnover
- Spreadsheets: files in personal accounts · Fourplex: records, email, and history stay with the HOA
Fourplex vs spreadsheets at a glance
The day-to-day jobs of a self-managed board.
| Feature | Fourplex | spreadsheets |
|---|---|---|
| Dues collection | Autopay by ACH or card | Checks, transfers, manual tracking |
| Water & trash billing | Metered water and trash splits, one autopay setup | Manual math every billing cycle |
| Accounting & reports | P&L, balance sheet, dues collection reports | Formulas you maintain yourself |
| HOA email | Permanent HOA address and shared inbox | Personal accounts that leave with volunteers |
| Website | Custom HOA website, generated for you | Build and host it yourself |
| Documents & meetings | Library, agendas, minutes, voting | Shared drive folders |
| Compliance deadlines | State compliance tracking in all 50 US states | Someone has to remember |
| Monthly cost | $29/mo up to 19 homes | Free software; volunteer time |
What each really costs
Software is only part of the cost — volunteer hours count too.
Fourplex
Our pricing- Every feature included
- Water submetering +$5 per home if you need it
- ACH 1.2% or card 3.5% + $0.50 per payment; your HOA may absorb fees
- Month to month, or billed yearly for one month free
spreadsheets
- Manual dues tracking and deposits
- Manual utility splits each cycle
- Records scattered across personal accounts
- Handover depends on one person
Dues, utilities, and the books
Where most volunteer time goes.
With Fourplex
Money in, recorded automatically
- Autopay posts every payment to the ledger
- Water and trash split by unit; one autopay setup covers everything
- Reports ready for the annual meeting
With spreadsheets
Typed in by hand
- Deposit checks, then update the sheet
- Recalculate utility splits every cycle
- Build reports from scratch
Board turnover and records
What happens when the treasurer moves away.
With Fourplex
Everything stays with the HOA
- Permanent HOA email address
- Document library with folders the next board can find
- Full payment history per unit
With spreadsheets
Everything stays with a person
- Files and email in personal accounts
- History lives in one person's head
- Handover is a box of paper
Which one is right for you?
Choose Fourplex if…
- You collect dues from owners every month or quarter
- You split a water or trash bill
- You have had, or expect, board turnover
- Owners ask for records, minutes, or payment history
Choose spreadsheets if…
- Your association has no regular dues
- There are no shared utilities to split
- One long-serving volunteer handles everything
- Owners are comfortable paying by check
Moving off spreadsheets
Most small boards are set up in an afternoon.
Import from your spreadsheet or type them in.
Enter dues amounts and turn on trash or water billing if you need it.
Owners get one invite to the portal and autopay.
Volunteer boards should spend their time on the community, not on reconciling a spreadsheet.— Fourplex product team
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what boards ask before they switch.
Can a small HOA be managed with spreadsheets?
How much does Fourplex cost compared to a spreadsheet?
Can I import my spreadsheet into Fourplex?
Retire the spreadsheet, simplified.
Start managing your HOA on Fourplex — plans from $29/month for small, self-managed communities.
Get started