Is TownSq or SoShiny better for a self-managed community?

SoShiny. TownSq grew up as an amenity distributed by large management companies, and it shows: the resident app is polished, and board governance is thinner. SoShiny is built for the board itself, with elections, statute-shaped meetings, violations, dues, and a public website under the board's own control.

Does SoShiny have a mobile app like TownSq?

SoShiny installs as an app on any phone from the browser, with no app store needed, and the lobby TV covers the screen by the front door. TownSq's native app is genuinely polished, and if a branded store-downloaded app is your top requirement, that row goes to TownSq.

What happens to our TownSq data if we leave our management company?

That depends on your management contract, and boards are sometimes surprised. With SoShiny the association is the customer, so the account, the history, and the website belong to the board no matter who manages the community.

Can residents still book amenities and see announcements on SoShiny?

Yes. Amenity booking, announcements with photos, events, a marketplace, surveys, and text alerts are all included, and the announcement TV runs in the lobby.

How does pricing compare?

SoShiny is $25 a month plus 33 cents a unit with every feature on every plan, so a 100-unit community pays about $58. TownSq's self-serve Pro plan is $90 a month up to 300 units, and the governance features cost extra on top: $250 plus a $25 setup fee for each online vote, $20 a month for architectural review, and $20 a month for violations tracking. One annual election with a recall vote at TownSq costs more than half a year of SoShiny.

Honest comparison · SoShiny vs. TownSq

SoShiny vs. TownSq — TownSq charges $250 per vote. SoShiny includes the election.

A polished resident mobile app at real scale, strong engagement features, and deep distribution through large management companies. Where they win, we'll say so. If the board itself needs to run things, elections, meetings, violations, documents, dues, and a public website, SoShiny hands the keys to the board and works on every phone as an installable app.

	TownSq	SoShiny
Best for	Communities under large management companies that want a branded resident app.	Volunteer boards across condo, HOA, marina, campground, co-op, mobile home park
Pricing	Self-serve tiers: Pro $90/mo and Advanced $145/mo up to 300 units, rising by size. Voting costs $250 per vote event plus $25 setup; architectural review and violations tracking are $20/mo add-ons each (verified 2026-07-25)	$25/mo base + $0.33/unit, every feature on every plan
Free trial	30 days	30 days, no credit card

Disclaimer. The comparisons on this page are for general informational purposes only. They reflect SoShiny’s good-faith understanding of publicly available information at the time of writing and our own product as we build it. We do not guarantee that every statement is complete, current, or free of error. Competitor products, pricing, plans, and marketing claims change without notice. Please verify current pricing, features, and terms directly with TownSq and with SoShiny before making a purchasing decision.

These pages are not legal, accounting, tax, or professional advice, and they are not a substitute for reading a vendor’s contract, privacy policy, or documentation, or for independent due diligence by your board. Nothing here creates a warranty, representation, or guarantee by So Shiny Software, LLC (doing business as SoShiny) regarding any third-party product or regarding fitness for a particular community. To the fullest extent permitted by law, So Shiny Software, LLC disclaims liability for decisions made solely in reliance on these comparisons.

All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. Use of competitor names is for identification and comparison only and does not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. SoShiny is not affiliated with the third-party platforms compared here unless we say so explicitly.

Corrections or updates: success@soshiny.com. We welcome factual feedback from vendors and boards.

One contested election at TownSq costs more than four months of SoShiny.

Governance should not be an add-on menu.

Every feature on every plan. No per-event fees, ever.

When TownSq is the right choice

If your management company already includes TownSq and you mainly want residents chatting, booking amenities, and seeing announcements in a slick app, use what you are already paying for.

When SoShiny is the right choice

If the board itself needs to run things, elections, meetings, violations, documents, dues, and a public website, SoShiny hands the keys to the board and works on every phone as an installable app.

Capability	TownSq	SoShiny	Winner
Price	Pro $90/mo, Advanced $145/mo up to 300 units, plus add-ons	$25/mo + $0.33/unit, every feature included: $58 at 100 units	✓ Us
Free trial	30-day trial that auto-renews into a 1-year term	30 days, no card, cancel anytime	✓ Us
Resident mobile app	Polished native app	Installable web app on any phone	✗ Them
Who holds the keys	Often the management company	The board, always	✓ Us
Online voting and elections	$250 per vote event plus $25 setup, as an add-on	Ballots, proxies, weighted votes, audit trail	✓ Us
Board meetings, agendas, minutes	Light	Statute-shaped agendas, resolutions, printable minutes	✓ Us
Violations workflow	$20/mo add-on	Notice, cure, fine, hearing, signatures, printed letters	✓ Us
Online dues collection	Payments via partners	Bank transfer or card, autopay, itemized fees	✓ Us
Amenity booking	Yes	Yes	— Tie
Public association website	Website builder is a $10/mo add-on	Full association website with custom domain option	✓ Us
State statute library	No	FL, NY, TX, AZ in plain English	✓ Us
Searchable rules and bylaws	Documents	Full-text searchable with citations	✓ Us
Lobby announcement TV	No	Included	✓ Us

What it looks like to switch from TownSq

A community left its management company and lost the app the same month, along with the announcement history inside it. The new self-managed board wanted software it owned outright. SoShiny gave it the website, the votes, the violations file, and the dues rail under the board's own login.

Frequently asked

Is TownSq or SoShiny better for a self-managed community?: SoShiny. TownSq grew up as an amenity distributed by large management companies, and it shows: the resident app is polished, and board governance is thinner. SoShiny is built for the board itself, with elections, statute-shaped meetings, violations, dues, and a public website under the board's own control.
Does SoShiny have a mobile app like TownSq?: SoShiny installs as an app on any phone from the browser, with no app store needed, and the lobby TV covers the screen by the front door. TownSq's native app is genuinely polished, and if a branded store-downloaded app is your top requirement, that row goes to TownSq.
What happens to our TownSq data if we leave our management company?: That depends on your management contract, and boards are sometimes surprised. With SoShiny the association is the customer, so the account, the history, and the website belong to the board no matter who manages the community.
Can residents still book amenities and see announcements on SoShiny?: Yes. Amenity booking, announcements with photos, events, a marketplace, surveys, and text alerts are all included, and the announcement TV runs in the lobby.
How does pricing compare?: SoShiny is $25 a month plus 33 cents a unit with every feature on every plan, so a 100-unit community pays about $58. TownSq's self-serve Pro plan is $90 a month up to 300 units, and the governance features cost extra on top: $250 plus a $25 setup fee for each online vote, $20 a month for architectural review, and $20 a month for violations tracking. One annual election with a recall vote at TownSq costs more than half a year of SoShiny.