Compare · Water submetering
Fourplex vs Submeter Solutions: which fits your community?
Submeter Solutions, now part of Pioneer Energy Management, is built for large condominium buildings and lists water, gas, and electric submetering. Fourplex is built for small, self-managed HOAs and condos anywhere in the US. We read the meters, send each owner a statement, collect payments, and deposit the funds to the HOA, starting at $29/month + $5/unit for water submetering, with no contracts and no unit minimum.
The short answer
Pick Submeter Solutions for large condominium buildings. Pick Fourplex for small, self-managed HOAs.
Fourplex gives a small HOA the same meter reading, billing, and collection, with no unit minimum and no contracts. We read the meters, send statements, collect payments by ACH, card, or autopay, and deposit the funds to the HOA. The board has no billing work to do, and dues, documents, and an owner portal come with the platform.
- Best for
- Fourplex: small, self-managed HOAs nationwide · Submeter Solutions: large condominium buildings, and gas or electric submetering
- Pricing
- Fourplex: starting at $29/month + $5/unit for water submetering, no contracts · Submeter Solutions: quote required, no published price
- Unit minimum
- Fourplex: none, communities of any size from 1 unit · Submeter Solutions: confirm current terms with the vendor
- Electric and gas
- Fourplex: water only today (gas coming soon, no electric) · Submeter Solutions: lists water, gas, and electric metering
We handle it end to end
Fourplex reads, bills, and collects for you, then deposits the funds to the HOA's bank account.
Published price, no contracts
Starting at $29/month + $5/unit for water submetering. No unit minimum and no contract, month to month.
Where Submeter Solutions fits
Large condominium buildings, and properties that need gas or electric submetering.
Fourplex vs Submeter Solutions at a glance
What a small board should compare before choosing a vendor.
| Feature | Fourplex | Submeter Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Published pricing | Starting at $29/month + $5/unit for water | Quote required |
| Contracts | No contracts, month to month | Confirm terms with the vendor |
| Unit minimum | None. Any community size, from 1 unit | Confirm with the vendor. Small-HOA terms are not published |
| Meter reading and individual invoices | We read every meter and itemize every statement | Metering and third-party billing services offered |
| Payment collection and autopay | We collect by ACH or card; one autopay covers dues, trash, and water | Supports payment collection and autopay |
| Sewer charges | Water-only or water + sewer rate plans, with fixed or common allocations shown on the statement | Bills sewer charges |
| HOA software (dues, documents, meetings) | Included in the platform | Metering and billing service, not HOA management software |
| Trash bill splitting | Shared trash bills split by unit | Confirm with the vendor |
| Owner portal | Usage, statements, and autopay in one place | Confirm with the vendor |
| Electric and gas submetering | No electric. Gas is coming soon | Lists water, gas, and electric |
Submeter Solutions details are from public third-party and Pioneer Energy Management sources, November 2026. Its own site does not publish pricing, so those rows say so. Rows marked "confirm with the vendor" could not be verified publicly. Fourplex prices come from our pricing page. Last updated November 4, 2026.
Pricing
Fourplex publishes its price and has no unit minimum and no contracts. Submeter Solutions does not publish pricing, so we do not guess at it.
Fourplex
Our pricing$29per month to start, plus $5/unit for water submetering
- No unit minimum, any community size
- No contracts, month to month
- Every feature included: meter reading, statements, collection, and the full HOA platform
- Meters: send us a picture of yours, or we quote new ones
Submeter Solutions
Quoteno published price. Ask for monthly, setup, and equipment costs
- Ask for the minimum monthly charge for your community
- Ask whether a contract term is required
- Ask whether equipment, installation, and setup are separate
Example
Fourplex is starting at $29/month + $5/unit for water submetering, with no contracts. Submeter Solutions would need a quote. Compare the quote's monthly minimum, contract term, setup, and equipment costs against that.
Submetering for small HOAs
Small townhome and condo communities often find that submetering vendors are built for larger buildings. Fourplex is built for them.
With Fourplex
Fourplex for small communities
- No unit minimum, so a small HOA is a normal customer
- Starting at $29/month + $5/unit for water submetering, no contracts
- Fourplex reads, bills, and collects for you
- Funds are deposited to the HOA's own bank account
With Submeter Solutions
Submeter Solutions
- Built for large condominium buildings
- Public listings describe metering systems and third-party billing services
- Lists water, gas, and electric submetering
- Pricing and small-HOA terms are by quote
Questions to ask any submetering vendor
Use this list with Fourplex, Submeter Solutions, or anyone else. Our answers are on the left.
With Fourplex
Fourplex's answers
- Minimum monthly? Starting at $29/month + $5/unit for water submetering, with no unit minimum
- Setup fee or contract? No setup contract and no contracts, month to month. Meter hardware, if you need it, is quoted separately
- Equipment upgrades? Quoted by our team before anything is purchased
- Who reads and bills? We read the meters and send each owner a statement
- Who collects payments? We collect by ACH, card, or autopay and deposit the funds to the HOA's bank account
- Sewer allocation? Water-only or water + sewer plans, with fixed or common allocations itemized on each statement
With Submeter Solutions
Ask every vendor
- What is the minimum monthly charge for our unit count?
- Is there a setup fee, and is a contract term required?
- Who pays for equipment upgrades and replacements?
- Who collects payments, and how and when are funds remitted to the HOA?
- How are sewer and common-area charges allocated?
- Will you read the meters we already own?
Using submeters you already have
Many communities already have meters installed. The question is whether they can be read.
With Fourplex
Fourplex
- Send us a picture of your meter and we'll let you know if we can help
- If new meters make sense, we quote them before anything is purchased
- Fourplex uses NextCentury meters and gateways, and can transfer properties and meters from other billing companies
With Submeter Solutions
What to confirm elsewhere
- Which meter brands and read methods the vendor supports
- Whether the vendor needs to replace the meters
- Who owns the meters and gateway if you leave
Which one is right for you?
Choose Fourplex if…
- You are a small, self-managed HOA or condo, anywhere in the US
- You want meter reading, billing, and collection handled for you
- You want a published price, no unit minimum, and no contracts
- You want dues, autopay, trash splits, documents, and an owner portal included
Choose Submeter Solutions if…
- You manage a large condominium building
- You need gas or electric submetering
- You are comfortable requesting a quote for pricing
Moving from Submeter Solutions to Fourplex
Fourplex can transfer properties and meters from other billing companies. Reach out to our team to get started.
01
Tell us about your meters
Send us a picture of your meter and we'll let you know if we can help.
02
We set up your HOA
Units, owners, dues, and water rates, with meters transferred or quoted.
03
Owners set up autopay once
One autopay setup covers dues, trash, and water from the first billing period.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what boards ask before they switch.
Does Fourplex have a unit minimum?
No. Fourplex works for communities of any size, starting at one unit. Pricing starts at $29/month + $5/unit for water submetering, with no contracts.
Does Fourplex require a contract?
No. Fourplex has no contracts. You pay month to month.
What is Submeter Solutions?
Submeter Solutions offers submetering equipment, installation, and billing services, with a focus on large condominium buildings, and lists water, gas, and electric metering. It is now part of Pioneer Energy Management.
How much does Submeter Solutions cost?
Submeter Solutions does not publish pricing, so Fourplex does not list a number. Request a quote and ask for the monthly minimum, contract term, setup fee, and equipment costs.
What is the best submetering option for a small HOA?
For a small, self-managed HOA, Fourplex. It is an identical service: we read the meters, send statements, collect payments by ACH, card, or autopay, and deposit the funds to the HOA, starting at $29/month + $5/unit for water submetering, with no contracts and no unit minimum. For a large condominium building, or if you need gas or electric, request a quote from Submeter Solutions.
Does the board have to run billing on Fourplex?
No. Fourplex reads, bills, and collects for you. The board can see every reading, statement, and payment, but has no billing work to do.
Can Fourplex use our existing submeters?
Send us a picture of your meter and we'll let you know if we can help. If new NextCentury meters make sense, we quote them first.
How does Fourplex handle sewer charges?
Rate plans bill water only or water plus sewer. Fixed or common-area allocations appear as lines on each owner's statement.
Does Fourplex do electric or gas submetering?
Not electric. Gas is coming soon. Today Fourplex bills water.
Who collects payments on Fourplex?
Fourplex does. Owners pay by ACH or card, with autopay available, and we deposit the funds to the HOA's own bank account.
Meter, bill, and collect, in one place.
Start managing your HOA on Fourplex — plans from $29/month for small, self-managed communities.
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