Running a camp, while rewarding, is a complex undertaking. There’s a lot to keep track of, from payments to healthcare forms to group registrations. Staying organized can be challenging, but investing in the right tools can ease the burden on your team members.
In particular, camp management software streamlines camp operations and provides a better experience for campers. From improving the registration process to enhancing staff training, comprehensive camp management software allows you to pave the way for your camp’s continued growth.
To help you find the right camp management software for your needs, this guide will cover the following topics:
- Camp Management Software FAQs
- 11 Best Camp Management Software Solutions to Consider
- Key Considerations for Purchasing Camp Software
With great camp management software, you’ll be able to give your campers an experience they’ll never forget and keep them coming back year after year. Let’s get started!
Camp Management Software FAQs
Why use dedicated camp management software?
As a seasoned camp leader, you know camp management is more complicated than it looks. You must keep your programming in tip-top shape, hire the best staff members possible, and attract new campers while welcoming back old campers—all before the actual summer begins!
A dedicated camp management software solution will simplify and optimize your camp’s processes and actions. Consider these top benefits:
- Efficient registration. Collect all the camper information you need. Make the sign-up process easy for parents with intuitive tools for searching camp programs and completing required forms and waivers.
- Easy-to-manage accounts. Through the parent portal, parents can review their payments, make necessary changes, and register their children for multiple programs at once.
- Effective parent communications. Keep parents in the loop by automating emails about form and payment due dates, and build excitement for your camp by sending sneak peek emails leading up to drop-off day.
- Centralized data. With a cloud-based camp management platform, you’ll never lose track of your campers’ information again. That information will always be available and up-to-date, allowing you to access it anytime, anywhere.
- Staff onboarding and evaluations. Streamline staff onboarding by automating the application and interview processes. After you’ve hired applicants, you’ll be able to store staff evaluations to help you improve the camp experience.
- Comprehensive reports. If your camp management platform handles everything from registration to communication to programming, you can create reports on each area. Use these reports to compare various strategies and pinpoint areas for improvement.
- Customer support. Seek out software providers that offer quality customer service and have a library of videos and other resources that you can reference if you run into any questions.
With all your processes and tools located in a single summer camp management software platform, it’s easier to manage your entire program, campers, and staff. Each decision and task you make will build off data collected in one centralized database.
What are common camp software features?
When researching potential camp management solutions, keep an eye out for essential features related to:
Camper Experience
From initially learning about your camp to the day they leave, your campers (and their parents) should have a smooth and seamless experience.
Your camp management platform should allow you to:
- Customize online registration. Configure your registration process to fit your specific program, ensure you only create fields you genuinely require, and ask for all necessary paperwork. Make it easy for families or schools to enroll multiple campers at once.
- Accept roommate requests. Let campers request specific roommates to save staff time and allow campers to shape their own experiences. All they have to do is accept or deny. Plus, if the roommate request doesn’t go through, the system should remember which camper prefers which roommate and house the rest of the campers accordingly.
- Manage groups. Ensure all groups are on the same page regarding housing, meals, activity scheduling, and room arrangements.
- Streamline check-in and check-out. You should know exactly when a camper enters and leaves your program. Ditch your paper forms and complete check-in with a digital tablet. This way, if a parent calls asking if their child has arrived, your staff members can confidently answer.
- Prepare group leaders for success. Group leaders often oversee their own camper groups, whether for a retreat or a school. Help them thrive in their roles by equipping them with tools to manage their group members and ensure everyone has a great time at camp.
When you have the tools to handle administrative tasks, collect accurate data, and even improve existing processes, it's easier to focus on engaging your campers and providing the best experiences.
Staffing
Since your camp staff and counselors directly engage and interact with campers, you must have a solid hiring process and tools to help you build a dependable team.
With the right camp management software, you can:
- Customize your online application. Adapt your camp staffing application for specific roles. Show potential staff members you value their time by only asking for the information you need.
- Keep track of interview notes. Use your system to store notes on each candidate during the interview process. If you’re trying to decide between two potential staff members, you can review these notes to help you choose.
- Automate the reference email process. Send out reference questions as soon as someone applies. You can track responses in the same system and add them to their employee record.
- Offer positions electronically. To streamline the entire process, send offer letters electronically! This is a great way to keep track of those who want to tweak the offer, those who accept, and those who deny.
- Facilitate the onboarding process. Once you’ve hired a dedicated group of staff, you have to train them. With your hiring process all in one system, you can ensure each team member has the knowledge and qualifications they need, whether that involves working with children or just navigating your camp programming.
Having your entire staff undergo a standardized hiring and training process ensures everyone is qualified and equipped with the necessary knowledge to succeed at your camp. In turn, that knowledge and experience will help staff members create the best possible experience for your campers.
Marketing and Messaging
Designing a rewarding camper experience is key, but potential campers need to first hear about your summer camp before they can have that positive experience. That’s what makes marketing and messaging so important—you want to generate opportunities for potential campers and their parents to learn about your camp.
Common marketing and messaging features in camp management software include:
- Social media integration. Share pictures and videos of campers having fun on your social media pages. Leverage the vast reach of these platforms to attract new campers.
- Mobile apps. Use a camp mobile app to keep parents updated on their campers’ activities. Show the value their campers are experiencing with photo galleries, updates, and even mini newsletters summarizing what’s been happening at camp.
- Email and text messaging. Contact parents and campers who attended camp previously and let them know when registration opens for your current season. Tell them about the new opportunities and activities they can enjoy if they re-enroll.
Don’t overlook the marketing potential of camp management software when you’re shopping around. Consider what features they offer to help you spread the word about your camp and engage potential new customers.
Financial Management
While many parents are willing to pay the registration fee to attend your camp, they will be much more reluctant if your online payment process isn’t secure or doesn’t accept their preferred payment method.
Look for these top financial management features of camp management software:
- Accepts a variety of payments. Let your camp families pay using their preferred methods, whether a credit card, debit card, cash, or eCheck!
- Tracks and collects payments online. Ensure your software can process all payments online, whether they’re for a camper registration fee, an inventory purchase, or a camper buying an item from the camp shop.
- Applies automatic discounts and scholarships. Encourage more campers to attend your program with customized discounts and scholarship opportunities. You can even automate certain discounts. For example, if you run a promotion where returning campers get a discount, you can choose to apply it automatically even if the registrant doesn’t specifically indicate it.
- Accepts donations. Even if your camp doesn’t run on donations, it’s always a good extra source of revenue. Ensure you can accept and track online contributions, pledged donations, and cash gifts.
- Manages online inventory. Open up an additional revenue stream with branded camp merchandise! The best camp management tools can track inventory, keep up with discounts, process payments, and more.
- Allows campers to purchase items during the program. Parents will load their camper’s account with money for spending. Then, whether you supply campers with a bar-code wristband or enable staff members to look up each camper’s name, campers can buy snacks and other treats your camp offers during the program.
- Manages multiple camp locations. Many camp programs span different locations, each with its own tax rate and cost centers. Ensure you can effectively manage all finances with a streamlined and centralized camp software solution.
- Configures financial reports. Comprehensive and clear reporting ensures accountability for your camp. It’s also a great way to see how your program is doing over a certain time period and pinpoint areas for improvement.
With a top-notch camp management solution, you can provide parents and campers with a streamlined and efficient payment experience, reducing frustrations and increasing registrations.
11 Best Camp Management Software Solutions to Consider
Now that you know more about camp management software and the features you should look out for, let’s explore some top software solutions to consider investing in:
1. CIRCUITREE
CIRCUITREE is a cloud-based, all-in-one camp management platform that streamlines the day-to-day tasks of running a camp.
Some of CIRCUITREE’s standout features include:
- Customized online registration forms. Create a registration process tailored to fit your specific programming, include only the input fields you genuinely need, and require necessary forms. Allow schools and families to enroll multiple campers at once, and easily assign group leaders if needed!
- Online payment tracking and collection. Accept all payments securely. With CIRCUITREE’s integrated point-of-sale system, your staff can conveniently keep track of inventory, merchandise transfers, and camper purchases.
- Automatic discounts or scholarships. For some children, camp is a dream they can’t afford. Allow parents to donate to your scholarship fund so you can invite campers from all financial backgrounds to attend and experience what your camp has to offer. CIRCUITREE makes it easy to offer discounts and scholarships online, making parents more willing to sign their kids up.
- Pending registration capturing. Once someone begins registering in CIRCUITREE, the system will capture that “pending” registration. You can schedule automated emails to people who leave without completing their registration, encouraging them to finish the process.
- Personalized camper experience. Empower campers to choose their own schedule. Let them view your camp’s activities and programs to decide what they’re most interested in. This feature gives the camper more freedom and gets them more excited about attending camp!
- Roommate requests and automation. Allow campers to choose their roommates. They can even request non-registrants by simply inputting their email and inviting them to attend the camp. If they accept, this is also a great way to grow your attendance! Your staff can use automated housing tools to arrange cabins based on age, gender, and other pre-set housing priorities.
- Streamlined camper check-in and check-out. Make your check-in and check-out processes paper-free and only a few easy steps. Equip your staff with a digital tablet to identify campers based on the picture associated with the camper’s account. Then, with the click of a button, staff can safely check campers in and even send parents an automated camp welcome email.
- Electronic health portal. CIRCUITREE’s tools keep all submitted health information in an easily accessible electronic health portal. During the registration process, parents can submit their children's vaccination records or other health-related forms online. They'll rest easy knowing that your camp staff has received the information and will take good care of their child.
No more complicated and messy spreadsheets or notebooks full of campers' activity preferences or cabin requests. CIRCUITREE is the smart camp management software that will streamline everything for you.
| Pros | Cons |
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Due to CIRCUITREE’s extensive capabilities, some customers may need to reach out to the dedicated support team for specific questions or tips. |
2. ABC Sports Camps: Powered by CIRCUITREE
If your camp focuses on sports programs, ABC Sports Camps: Powered by CIRCUITREE is the camp management solution for you. This software powers hundreds of websites for NCAA divisions, NAIA, NJCAA, high schools, private companies, and more.
With ABC Sports Camps, you can leverage features such as:
- Personalized website. Get a free, professionally designed website online within 72 hours. This website is mobile-responsive and customized to your camp’s branding.
- Camp search. ABC Sports Camps offers a camp search function for athletes looking to attend a camp. They can filter camps based on sport, name, and location to find one that matches their needs.
- Marketing. Use search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing to promote your camp and attract athletes. Optimize your web content to ensure that your sports camp is at the top of relevant search engine results pages to spread the word and increase registrations.
- Secure payment options. Not only will you have access to secure payment plans and capabilities, but you’ll also be able to offer a variety of payment methods to registrants. That way, they can use their preferred payment method for a more convenient registration experience.
- Data and analytics. With ABC Sports Camps, you can create custom questions and collect information from event participants. You’ll also have easy access to rosters and financial reports.
- Large-scale support. This camp software caters to large organizations by offering a streamlined way to manage multiple teams and camps at once. Use it to create and manage a centralized website that connects to multiple teams or camps, making the process more convenient for your staff.
Whether you’re an athlete looking for a sports camp or a coach looking to grow your camp, ABC Sports Camps: Powered by CIRCUITREE is the complete event management and registration software solution that will meet all your needs.
| Pros | Cons |
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Customers need to check to see if ABC Sports Camps offers integrations with their existing software. |
3. CIRCUITREE’s Bunk1 Mobile App
CIRCUITREE’s Bunk1 Mobile App is a camp management software solution that focuses on parent communications. It partners with summer camps across the U.S. and Canada to offer families an easy way to stay connected with their campers.
Bunk1’s unique features include:
- Personalized mobile app. Bunk1’s staff can custom-build a mobile app with your camp’s brand, colors, and logo. Increase brand awareness by hosting this app on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Market.
- Photo Galleries. Show your camp’s value by giving parents access to a secure photo gallery with images of their campers. Parents can also opt into photo tagging software, which identifies their camper’s face in photos. They’ll receive a notification when photos of their camper are uploaded.
- Bunk Notes and Bunk Replies. Families can send letters customized with photos, puzzles, and more from the Family Portal. These letters are printed and delivered to campers, who can then handwrite letters home. The campers’ letters are scanned and delivered to their families through email and the Family Portal.
- Updates and Newsletters. Keep parents up to date with camp activities by posting updates and newsletters. You can send updates to the entire camp, a group of parents, or an individual parent. Or, use the blog-style newsletters feature to share camp news, session recaps, packing lists, and other important information.
- Push Notifications. If you have messages or reminders for families, send a push notification through the Bunk1 app. For example, you could notify parents that registration fees and medical records are due in two weeks. That way, parents can stay on top of the tasks they need to perform to ensure their camper has a great time.
CIRCUITREE’s Bunk1 mobile app empowers families and campers to stay connected, making it easy for you to show parents the value of your camp experience. Easily share favorite memories on social media and show off the best moments of your camp to keep campers coming back year after year.
| Pros | Cons |
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The app is primarily designed for parent engagement rather than all of a camp’s management needs. |
4. Bookinglayer
With Bookinglayer, you can sell and manage adventure and wellness travel activities and accommodations with an all-in-one reservation system.
Some of Bookinglayer’s core modules include a:
- Booking engine with full control over dates, pricing, group bookings, and upsell opportunities.
- Booking Widget that displays availability on your website in real time.
- Customer portal that provides registrants with an itinerary, digital waivers, and any additional instructions they need.
- Backoffice for managing reservations and bookings with one central calendar and automating booking reminder emails.
With this camp management software, customers can make bookings themselves, reducing the time your staff members spend on them.
| Pros | Cons |
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Some customers note that the mobile version is not as user-friendly. |
5. Enrollsy
Enrollsy is a camp management software solution that is committed to simplifying and digitizing all kinds of enrollment.
Enrollsy offers a modern enrollment toolkit, which equips you to:
- Use the software on any device and process multiple enrollments and payments all at once.
- Create professional PDF forms that registrants can sign online with their initials and signatures.
- Store customer information in a built-in CRM and easily communicate with registrants through a customer portal.
Enrollsy also services a variety of industries, including childcare organizations, educational institutions, and more.
| Pros | Cons |
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Some customers find that the platform has too many steps or hidden features, which can be overwhelming. |
6. Sawyer
Sawyer is a camp management software solution built for education and learning-focused camps. It integrates with other popular camp management tools, including Zapier, Mailchimp, and Facebook.
With Sawyer, you can:
- Run seasonal promotions to acquire new customers with ease.
- Sell birthday parties, space rentals, and field trips to interested campers.
- Adapt customer intake forms to collect waivers and information on allergens and counselor preferences.
- Encourage parents and campers to share their love for your camp by purchasing customizable digital gift cards to give to peers.
Sawyer saves camps at least 28 hours a month by making their processes more efficient. And, if you need advice or tips, there is a free resource library full of educational articles for camp educators.
| Pros | Cons |
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Customers have identified reporting issues and inaccuracies. Also, the pricing may be a bit high for smaller camps. |
7. Connecteam
Trusted by over 36,000 companies worldwide, Connecteam is the complete app for all your camp’s business needs. It allows you to manage, train, and communicate with your employees efficiently and effectively.
Connecteam’s features allow you to:
- Track employee hours, efficiently plan shifts, and effortlessly monitor tasks to oversee employee progress.
- Use a secure instant messaging tool to contact staff members and announce, promote, and manage company events.
- Offer an effective, mobile-accessible training experience with an up-to-date company knowledge base.
- Organize and categorize all HR documentation in one place and seamlessly manage employee time off to ensure you always have enough staff.
Connecteam is a scalable solution that caters to both small businesses and enterprise-level operations. This camp management software is dedicated to helping you free up time and improve your bottom line.
| Pros | Cons |
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The software lacks dedicated tools for customer engagement and communication. |
8. Regpack
With Regpack, your camp can create a top-notch online registration experience for camp families. This camp registration solution allows you to streamline enrollment to secure more on-time payments with less paperwork.
Regpack’s tools make it easy for your camp to:
- Use a drag-and-drop builder to build custom registration forms.
- Process payment methods such as debit, credit, PayPal, and bank transfers.
- Send personalized confirmation emails, reminders, and updates.
- Accept group registrations from organizations and families.
With Regpack, camp administrators can save 24 hours per month on registration tasks.
| Pros | Cons |
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The platform does not have comprehensive tools for staff or camper management. Customers have also noted some issues with the payment system and integrations. |
9. RegFox
As a leading event registration platform, RegFox is built to simplify registration for summer, sports, church, and art camps. The software positions itself as a worthy alternative to popular platforms such as Eventbrite and Cvent.
With RegFox, your camp can:
- Build camp registration pages without any coding knowledge.
- Incorporate your camp’s branding with limitless creative control.
- Check in campers with a convenient check-in app.
- Access reports for all registrations, sales, and other data.
RegFox’s pricing is 99¢ + 1% per paid registrant, with no upfront fees or licensing costs.
| Pros | Cons |
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Since the platform focuses on event registration, some customers might not find all the features they need to streamline camp management. |
10. Bookeo
With a comprehensive set of booking and reservation tools, Bookeo is a go-to solution for camps that want to streamline sign-ups for their activities. Organizations from salons to yoga studios to escape rooms use this booking software to facilitate their operations.
Bookeo’s top features allow you to:
- Create an eye-catching booking page using a customizable layout.
- View all bookings and payments on a real-time dashboard.
- Design prepaid packages, gift vouchers, and memberships to boost sign-ups.
- Send automatic confirmation and reminder emails to customers.
Bookeo integrates with tools such as WordPress and MailChimp to work seamlessly with your camp’s existing technology.
| Pros | Cons |
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Several customers have shared that they are unhappy with their interactions with the support team. |
11. DanceStudio-Pro
If you run a dance camp, Studio Pro is a management software solution tailored to your needs. More than 6,000+ dance studios partner with this software provider to coordinate instructors and engage customers.
With Studio Pro’s comprehensive features, your camp can:
- Accept credit card, direct deposit, eCheck, and ACH payments.
- Measure, track, and sell costumes from an online store.
- Send automated emails, text messages, and push notifications to keep families informed and engaged.
- Define acts, assign stage managers, and create printed recital playbooks for staff and volunteers.
Studio Pro integrates with various tools, from Mailchip to Zoom to Calendly, to streamline your camp’s workflow.
| Pros | Cons |
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Due to Studio Pro’s comprehensive features, there can be a learning curve when first using it. |
Key Considerations for Purchasing Camp Software
Implementing new camp management software can entirely change the way your camp operates. To help you make the best decision, here are a few things to consider as you evaluate potential options:
- All-in-one solution. Using one platform to manage your camp’s needs will help track and streamline all your processes. Consider investing in a centralized platform that will serve all your needs, including registrations, donations, communications, staffing and HR, rentals and retreats, and more.
- User-friendliness. If you’re investing your funds in a software solution, you want it to be easy to use to prevent frustration and wasted resources. Evaluate the software's user-friendliness by checking the reviews to see how other organizations feel about it.
- Customizability. Check that your camp management software solution allows you to customize and personalize your camp website with your own content and branding to stand out among other camps.
- Integrations. If you’re already using a tool you love and don’t want to part with, check to see if potential software solutions integrate with that tool. That way, you can easily merge the workflows between the two solutions.
- Data security. In the camp industry, staff members have access to a lot of sensitive information, from credit card numbers to camper medical records. Your camp management software should comply with data security policies to keep camp and customer information secure.
- Scalability. All camps have room to grow, and your software solution should grow with you. Especially if you’re a smaller camp organization with a tighter budget, choose a provider that offers the features you need and the features you’ll want in the future. Add those features to your plan later to help facilitate your camp’s growth.
- Case studies and demos. Check out the case studies for camp management software you’re considering to see how similar organizations have benefited from using them. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, don’t be afraid to schedule demos to better understand how the software works and whether it’s the right fit for your camp.
There are many factors for you to consider when choosing your camp management software. Just keep in mind that your camp management software should not only support your program needs and collect essential data, but it should also support campers to have the best summer possible.
Additional Resources: Powering Your Success with Camp Software
There are many viable camp management software solutions your camp can consider investing in to improve your operations, increase re-enrollments, and create more meaningful experiences for campers. Just keep in mind what your camp needs to do those things, and search for software that addresses those needs.
If you want to learn more about camp management, check out these additional resources:
- Summer Camp Registration Forms: Top Tips + Free Template. Optimize your summer camp registration process to create a strong impression from the very start. Unlock tips and a template to get started.
- Summer Camp Survey Questions: Easy Examples + Tips. Access insights into improving your camp experience by surveying campers, parents, and staff. Use these examples and tips.
- How to Increase Summer Camp Enrollment: A Complete Guide. Discover actionable strategies for securing more enrollments for your camp in this guide.
