# Clubessential vs Northstar: Club Software 2026 > Clubessential runs about $2,400 a month and Northstar about $1,750, both with $10,000 to $50,000 setup. Compare features, AI tools and fit for clubs. Source: https://benvo.io/compare/clubessential-vs-northstar Clubessential vs Northstar # Clubessential vs Northstar: comparing two club suites Both cover member billing, accounting, tee sheets, POS, events and a member app for private clubs. Clubessential adds AI dashboards for staff and confirms minimum spend and member check in, while Northstar is usually cheaper. The deciding factors are budget and which back office features you need confirmed. [Book a demo today](https://benvo.io/book-a-demo) Free, no commitment. Thirty minutes with someone who has run a venue. Updated November 2026. Choose Clubessential if Clubs that want minimum spend, check in and AI reporting confirmed from a club specialist. Choose Northstar if Clubs that want a full suite at a lower monthly price. Consider Benvo if Benvo is a third option for private members and city clubs. It covers member billing, dues, check in and insights for about $446 a month with no setup fee, and its AI agents reply to members and enquiries rather than only reporting to staff. It has no general ledger, so clubs that want accounting inside the suite should choose one of these two. Price Per venue per month in US dollars, before tax. $446 a monthMembership, Payments, Reception, Insights - $0 setup, data moved for you - $5,357 in the first year - AI team included, no cover fees Clubessential$2,400 a monthTypical mid tier - $10,000 to $50,000 setup - $38,800 to $78,800 in the first year Northstar$1,750 a monthTypical mid tier - $10,000 to $50,000 setup - $31,000 to $71,000 in the first year Differences ### Price A typical Clubessential club pays about $2,400 a month, against about $1,750 for Northstar, both with $10,000 to $50,000 setup, as of November 2026. ### AI Clubessential offers AI dashboards for staff reporting. Northstar has no AI agents described. ### Minimum spend and check in Clubessential confirms both. Northstar does not confirm them on its public pages. Features ### Club management 16 featuresClubessentialNorthstar Member billing and statementsIncludedIncludedIncluded Automatic dues and renewalsIncludedIncludedIncluded Members pay their bill onlineIncludedStatements settled in the member appIncludedIncluded Accounting and general ledgerPartlyBank matching and month end, no ledgerIncludedIncluded PayrollNot includedPartlyNot confirmedPartlyNot confirmed Minimum spend trackingPaid extraNeeds the POS moduleIncludedPartlyNot confirmed Tee sheetPaid extraCourts and sports moduleIncludedIncluded Court, class and spa bookingPaid extraFacilities modulesIncludedIncluded Point of salePaid extraBenvo POS or link your ownIncludedIncluded Member check-in by QRIncludedIncludedPartlyNot confirmed Branded member appIncludedIncludedIncluded Member wine cellarIncludedPartlyNot confirmedNot included Member health and churn riskIncludedPartlyAI dashboards, no member risk scorePartlyDashboards and feedback, no risk score Membership sales pipelineIncludedPartlyCRM, no sales pipeline describedPartlyCRM, no sales pipeline described Events and private functionsIncludedIncludedIncluded AI agents that reply to membersIncludedPartlyAI reporting for staff, not member repliesNot included Included IncludedPaid extraPartly Limited, on a higher plan or not confirmedNot included Not included Sources and how we checked From each vendor's own pricing, product and help pages, and buyer reviews where a vendor publishes little, checked in November 2026. Prices are typical per venue per month in US dollars before tax; vendors quote per deal. Product names are trademarks of their owners, and Benvo is not affiliated with any of them. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will correct it. - Clubessential[1](https://www.clubessential.com/)[2](https://www.capterra.com/p/151992/Clubessential/)[3](https://clubessential.atlassian.net/wiki/x/KwE1) - Northstar[1](https://www.globalnorthstar.com/club-software)[2](https://www.globalnorthstar.com/faqs)[3](https://www.capterra.com/p/87109/Northstar-Club-Management/reviews/) [Benvo vs Clubessential](https://benvo.io/compare/clubessential)[Benvo vs Northstar](https://benvo.io/compare/northstar) Questions Still curious? [Talk to someone who has run a venue.](https://benvo.io/book-a-demo) Usually. As of November 2026 a typical Clubessential club pays about $2,400 a month and a typical Northstar club about $1,750, both with $10,000 to $50,000 setup. Both quote per club, so the gap depends on modules, member count and services included. Keep comparing [Benvo vs Northstar](https://benvo.io/compare/northstar)[Benvo vs Jonas Club](https://benvo.io/compare/jonas-club)[Benvo vs Clubessential](https://benvo.io/compare/clubessential)[Benvo vs Club Automation](https://benvo.io/compare/club-automation)[Northstar vs Jonas Club](https://benvo.io/compare/northstar-vs-jonas-club)[Jonas Club vs Clubessential](https://benvo.io/compare/jonas-club-vs-clubessential)[Compare every tool you pay for](https://benvo.io/compare) Book a demo Show us how you run today. We compare Clubessential, Northstar and Benvo for your venue, line by line. Free, no commitment. [Book a demo](https://benvo.io/book-a-demo)[Compare Benvo](https://benvo.io/compare)