Good data is one of the most important components of healthy modern churches. Volunteers need to know when and where to help. Staff must keep track of member information to ensure no one gets lost in the rifts. And you need secure ways for parents to check in their kids. Most church management programs can do this and more.
There are many church management software providers that claim to be the best, but how do they measure up? We've taken the time to highlight some of the key differences so your community can find what you need.
Here are some of the best church management software options:
1.planning center
Platform:Web-based, plus apps for iOS and Android
Pricing model:Monthly subscription
Cost:Starting at $14 per month
Free trial period:And
What distinguishes Planning Center?
Planning Center is a suite of apps tailored to your church's needs. With more than 2 million users, Planning Center is probably the most popular CMS on the market. Here's why it stands out:
A la carte features.Planning Center has nine main apps and add-ons that churches depend on for their ministries: People, Enrollments, Donations, Groups, Registrations, Resources, Services, Music Stand, and Projector. You can use them all, or you can use just one. Once you've decided what features your church needs, you can choose how many people you need them for and give you a custom price based on your church size.
Free options.Planning Center has a free "People" app that allows you to track your members' information and history with your church. While the People app is more effective when used in conjunction with the other apps, this free app allows you to familiarize yourself with the software to decide if your church needs more. Each additional app also has a free option, but they're pretty limited. If you select all the features you want, your first 30 days are free.
No contract.You can cancel your subscription at any time. You pay monthly and there is no minimum commitment.
2.builder of the church
Platform:web based
Pricing model:Contract
Cost:Not listed
Free trial period:NO
What distinguishes Church Community Builder?
As you've probably noticed, Church Community Builder doesn't list its prices online. That's because every church has different needs and they want to get to know your church to determine how it can best serve you. Here's what else is different about them:
tribes.Church Community Builder allows you to join communities of like-minded people with similar roles in other churches so you can learn how other churches are dealing with the same challenges and processes you are working through. This helps your employees become more efficient in their specialized roles.
Integration.Many CMS providers integrate with other apps, but Church Community Builder will actually recommend other apps if they feel your church would be better served by one of their "preferred service providers".
Coaching.Church Community Builder offers two different types of coaching: leadership coaching and implementation coaching. Leadership coaching helps your people plan for expansion, develop a retention strategy, and take your discipleship to the next level. Implementation coaching focuses on your church management software and uses weekly meetings and personalized recommendations to help you get more out of the tools you have in place and implement changes to your staff's processes.
3.Kirchenteams
Platform:web based
Pricing model:Semi-annual or annual subscription
Cost:From $120 for six months
Free trial period:And
What distinguishes church teams?
Churchteams is a small dedicated CMS provider with a strong focus on support. You pay for a minimum of six months of service at a time, but there's no contract so you can cancel at any time and get a refund for unused months. Here's what else you should know:
Prices based on the number of people.Pricing is based on the number of people in your database, not the total number of people in your church.
Free support.Churchteams offers free live training courses in addition to its dedicated customer service staff. Your free trial includes a webinar hosted by the co-founder of Churchteams. There are also online training courses.
One-time setup fee.Despite the fact that Churchteam employees do not physically set up your software, there is a setup fee. According to Churchteams, this is part of what allows them to keep their prices low.
Discount for using fewer features.If you don't need all the features, don't use them. Using fewer features means fewer people in your database, and fewer people in your database mean you pay less money.
4.Breeze ChMS
Platform:web based
Pricing model:Monthly subscription
Cost:$50 per month
Free trial period:NO
What distinguishes Breeze CMS?
Breeze CMS is all about convenience. The intuitive features and easy onboarding allow you to get started without investing time or money in additional training. Here's what else you should know:
flat rate.Regardless of your church size, Breeze CMS costs $50 per month. While this is a greater benefit for larger churches, it makes pricing straightforward for everyone. There is no complicated process of choosing the features you want and recalculating the cost. You get all the features for one price.
Made for small churches.Simplicity is the driving force behind Breeze CMS. Small churches can't afford to hire a software engineer, and with Breeze you don't have to.
Instant Demo.You can try Breeze CMS right now with an instant demo. It takes less than a minute to get started and you don't need to talk to anyone to do it. All you need is a name and an email address (it doesn't even have to be your real one).
No fees. There is no setup fee, no contract, and no termination fee.
5.Elvanto
Platform:web based
Pricing model:Monthly subscription
Cost:From €10.80 per month
Free trial period:And
What sets Elvanto apart?
Elvanto is a popular CMS solution used worldwide. It is available in 7 languages and used in 30 countries. Their mission focus and global generosity set them apart, but you should also know about these unique factors:
Anpassbares Design.Add your church's color scheme to your Elvanto site, create a custom domain, and add your church logo as a thumbnail when people save your site to their home screen.
Only pay for active adults.Elvanto is priced based on the number of "active adults" in your database. You can create profiles for children and visitors without counting against your price range.
Discount with annual or semi-annual payment.Save 10% when you pay six months in advance. Pay for a year and save 20%.
12 free months for church planting.As part of Elvanto's commitment to generosity, they are offering a free year of service to new church plants. See if you qualify for their church planting program.
6.FellowshipOne
Platform:Web-based, plus apps for iOS and Android
Pricing model:Monthly subscription
Cost:Starting at $179 per month
Free trial period:NO
What distinguishes FellowshipOne?
FellowshipOne offers an all-in-one church management solution called Go Complete, as well as a separate option called Premier. Pricing is based on the size and needs of your community. Here's what else you should know:
Bundled subscription.FellowshipOne's Go Complete package bundles its services with several of its partners, including Clover Sites (a popular website solution for churches), Protect My Ministry (a background checking service), and Shelby Systems (an accounting solution for churches). FellowshipOne integrates with other specialized apps and software. Here is a full list of their partners.
support packages.FellowshipOne offers three levels of support that affect your monthly costs. No matter how much support you think you need, you'll get your money's worth. The medium tier costs a minimum of $63 per month and gives you eight hours of online support plus a scheduled one-on-one session each month — if you decide to pay for that support, take advantage of it.
Setup Fees and Consultation.Setup fees depend on the services you choose, and the accounting and finance features require additional training that appears to involve paying up to $3,000 in travel expenses for a consultant.
7.ACS
Platform:Web-based, with mobile and desktop options (Mac + PC)
Pricing model:Not listed
Cost:Not listed
Free trial period:NO
What distinguishes ACS?
ACS claims to be the best-selling church software of the last 35 years. Tens of thousands of churches rely on them every day. Here's what you should know about ACS:
The city.ACS uses The City to help you get more out of your administrative information, add social engagement, and give you more opportunities to follow up with new people.
Multi-site functionality.Multi-site churches can use ACS to manage their information for each campus from a single hub. You can track donations for each location separately.
Megachurch Customer Program.ACS offers exclusive support options for megachurches, providing regular consultations, direct access to experienced support agents, and an account manager who works directly with your staff.
8.ORK Little
Platform:Web-based, plus iOS and Android apps for members
Pricing model:Monthly Prices
Cost:$60 per month
Free trial period:And
What distinguishes WCC Lite?
WCC Lite emphasizes messaging, allowing you to text and email your community directly from the software, with options for automated follow-up. Here's what else you should know:
Unlimited profiles. Unlimited concurrent users.You can have unlimited employee, volunteer and member profiles. Anyone can have a profile, and there is no limit to the number of people who can access WCC Lite at the same time.
flat rate.$60 per month gives your church complete access to all WCC Lite features.
Special price for small churches.Churches with fewer than 50 members can get a special award, but you'll have to call the WCC to find out what it is.
9.servant guard
Platform:Web-based, plus desktop and mobile apps
Pricing model:One-time purchase or monthly subscription
Cost:Ab 299 $
Free trial period:NO
What sets Servant Keeper apart?
Servant Keeper says, "More churches have switched to Servant Keeper than any other single church software program in the world."
online directory.Members can contact each other through an online directory (they can choose what information, if any, they want to include here).
Cloud-based or on-premises.Servant Keeper has a unique pricing model: you can pay a one-time on-site license fee of $599 ($299 for "small churches") plus $50 for each additional computer. This option shifts IT responsibility to your church staff. Or you can choose the cloud-based option, which requires the same license fee plus a monthly subscription. Subscription costs range from $9.99 per month to $99.99 per month. Here you can compare cloud and on-premises features.
10.Seraphim
Platform:Web-based, plus apps for iOS and Android
Pricing model:Monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual subscription
Cost:Negotiable
Free trial period:And
What distinguishes Seraphim?
Seraphim offers a modern look and feel that is intuitive without sacrificing depth. The ChurchApp gives your members valuable ways to connect, and the software gives your church valuable ways to engage members and track information.
Price negotiable.If you can find another church management software that offers the same features at a better price, it sounds like Seraphim is trying to beat their price: "We won't lose on a price negotiation. Nobody else offers what we offer at our price.”
Automated Voice Messages.In addition to automatically sending text messages or emails, you can use Seraphim members to send audible messages over the phone.
membership card.Seraphim creates a map that shows you at a glance where your members and visitors come from in your community. You can also show where small groups meet, which will help you decide which small groups to recommend to which members.
What church management software do you use?
Is there another CMS you love right now? Tell us about it in the comments.