TL;DR: Planning Center is the most complete option for US churches. Breeze is the easiest to use. But if your church is outside North America, or you’re working with a tight budget, most of these tools will disappoint you. We break down 12 options and tell you which ones actually work for churches worldwide.
Why Most “Best Church Software” Lists Get It Wrong
Google “best church management software” and you’ll find dozens of articles. They all have the same problem: they only review American software for American churches.
That’s fine if you’re running a 500-member church in Texas. But what if you’re pastoring in Lagos? São Paulo? London? Nairobi?
The reality is:
- 2 billion Christians live outside North America
- The fastest-growing churches are in Africa and Latin America
- Most church management tools charge US prices for features designed for US workflows
- SMS costs alone can eat your entire software budget in emerging markets
This guide reviews church management software for churches everywhere, not just the ones with American zip codes.
How We Evaluated
We scored each platform on seven criteria:
| Criteria | What We Looked For |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Can a non-technical church admin set it up in a day? |
| Features | Members, giving, events, communication, groups, attendance |
| Pricing | Monthly cost for a 200-member church |
| Global Readiness | Multi-currency, regional payment methods, SMS/WhatsApp |
| Communication | Email, SMS, and messaging capabilities |
| Mobile Access | App or mobile-responsive dashboard |
| Support | Documentation, response time, availability |
The Top Church Management Software in 2026
1. Planning Center
Best for: Mid-to-large US churches that need deep, modular features.
Planning Center is the most established name in church management. It’s been around since 2006, and for good reason: the feature depth is unmatched. You can manage people, giving, services, groups, check-ins, and publishing as separate modules.
Pricing: Free for basic features, $0-$100+/month per module (adds up fast)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Most comprehensive feature set | Modular pricing gets expensive |
| Excellent US church integrations | Not built for international churches |
| Strong mobile apps | No SMS or WhatsApp |
| Large community and support | US-centric payment processing |
Verdict: If you’re a US church with budget, Planning Center is hard to beat. If you’re anywhere else, it’ll feel like wearing someone else’s shoes.
2. Breeze ChMS
Best for: Small churches that want simplicity above all else.
Breeze’s entire pitch is “easy church management.” And they deliver. The interface is clean, setup takes minutes, and your volunteers won’t need training. But that simplicity comes at a cost: limited features and no real international support.
Pricing: $72-$135/month (flat rate, no per-member pricing)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extremely easy to use | Limited communication tools |
| Quick setup | No WhatsApp or advanced SMS |
| Good for small teams | No multi-currency support |
| Solid giving tools (US) | Flat pricing hurts small churches |
Verdict: Great if you’re a small US church that just needs the basics. Not viable for international churches. The pricing alone is prohibitive for many African and Latin American congregations.
3. Tithe.ly
Best for: Churches focused on digital giving.
Tithe.ly started as a giving platform and expanded into full church management through acquisitions (they bought Elvanto in 2023). The giving tools are excellent. Everything else is catching up.
Pricing: Free for giving (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction), $49-$149/month for ChMS
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best-in-class giving tools | ChMS feels bolted on (acquired product) |
| Free tier for giving | Transaction fees add up |
| Modern interface | Limited international payment methods |
| Website builder included | Brand is fragmented across products |
Verdict: If giving is your top priority and you’re US-based, Tithe.ly is strong. The ChMS side is still maturing compared to Planning Center.
4. Subsplash
Best for: Churches that want a branded mobile app.
Subsplash’s strength is media and mobile: custom church apps, streaming, and content delivery. The management features are secondary to the engagement platform.
Pricing: Custom pricing (typically $99-$299/month)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Custom branded church app | Expensive |
| Strong media/streaming tools | Management features are secondary |
| Good for tech-forward churches | Complex setup |
| Engagement-focused | Overkill for small churches |
Verdict: If your church streams content and wants a branded app, Subsplash is worth considering. For pure management, there are better options.
5. Pushpay
Best for: Large enterprise churches.
Pushpay serves large churches and multi-site organizations. The product is polished, but the pricing reflects it. This is an enterprise tool with enterprise costs.
Pricing: Custom (typically $199-$599+/month)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Enterprise-grade features | Enterprise-grade pricing |
| Strong for multi-site | Overkill for small churches |
| Excellent analytics | Long contract commitments |
| Donor management | Not accessible for most churches worldwide |
Verdict: For megachurches and large denominations. Most churches in the world can’t afford it and don’t need it.
6. ChurchTrac
Best for: Very small churches on a very tight budget.
ChurchTrac offers a free tier for up to 75 members, making it the most accessible option for tiny churches. The interface feels dated, but it covers the basics.
Pricing: Free (75 members), $5-$15/month for paid tiers
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free tier available | Dated interface |
| Very affordable | Limited features on free tier |
| Covers the basics | No mobile app |
| Low learning curve | Minimal communication tools |
Verdict: If you have under 75 members and zero budget, ChurchTrac gets the job done. You’ll outgrow it quickly.
7. Asoriba
Best for: African churches, specifically Ghana and West Africa.
Asoriba is one of the few church management tools built specifically for the African market. They understand mobile money, local payment methods, and the realities of running a church in West Africa.
Pricing: Varies by region (more affordable than US tools)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Built for African churches | Limited features vs global competitors |
| Mobile money integration | Primarily Ghana/West Africa focused |
| Understands local context | Smaller team and support |
| Affordable regional pricing | Not well-known outside Africa |
Verdict: If you’re in West Africa, Asoriba is worth serious consideration. For churches outside Africa, it may not fit your workflow.
8. ChurchPlus
Best for: Nigerian churches.
ChurchPlus is a Nigerian-built platform focused on the local market. They offer features tailored to Nigerian church administration, including local payment integrations.
Pricing: Regional pricing available
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Built for Nigerian churches | Limited to Nigerian market |
| Local payment methods | Smaller feature set |
| Understands local workflows | Less polished than international competitors |
| Affordable | Limited scalability for growth |
9. Gathrik (Launching March 2026)
Best for: Churches worldwide, especially in Africa, Latin America, and the UK.
Gathrik is built to solve the problem we kept running into: church management software that actually works for churches outside North America.
Pricing: Fair pricing based on your market (not one-size-fits-all US pricing)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Built global-first (not retrofitted) | New, launching March 2026 |
| WhatsApp integration (Phase 2) | Feature set still growing |
| Regional pricing that makes sense | Smaller team than established players |
| Email + SMS + WhatsApp communication | Mobile app not yet available |
| Multi-currency giving | Less mature than Planning Center |
Verdict: If you’re a church outside North America, or you serve a diverse, global community, Gathrik is built specifically for you. If you need a mature, feature-complete tool right now, Planning Center or Breeze may be better today.
Comparison Table: All Platforms at a Glance
| Platform | Best For | Starting Price | Global Ready | Mobile App | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planning Center | Large US churches | Free-$100+/module | No | No | Yes |
| Breeze | Simple small churches | $72/month | No | No | Yes |
| Tithe.ly | Giving-focused | Free (giving) | Limited | No | Yes |
| Subsplash | Media/app-focused | ~$99/month | Limited | No | Yes |
| Pushpay | Enterprise/megachurch | ~$199/month | No | No | Yes |
| ChurchTrac | Tiny budget churches | Free (75 members) | No | No | No |
| Asoriba | West African churches | Regional | Partial | No | Yes |
| ChurchPlus | Nigerian churches | Regional | No | No | Yes |
| Gathrik | Global churches | Fair regional pricing | Yes | Yes (Phase 2) | Coming soon |
How to Choose the Right Software for Your Church
If you’re in the US with a healthy budget:
Planning Center gives you the most features. Breeze gives you the easiest experience.
If you’re in Africa or Latin America:
Most US tools will drain your budget without serving your needs. Look at Asoriba (West Africa), ChurchPlus (Nigeria), or Gathrik (global) for tools built with your context in mind.
If you’re a diaspora church in the UK/EU:
You need software that handles both Western and African church workflows. Gathrik is being built specifically for this use case.
If giving is your top priority:
Tithe.ly has the best donation tools. But watch the transaction fees.
If you need a branded app:
Subsplash is the leader in church app experiences.
If you have under 50 members and no budget:
ChurchTrac (free tier) or start with spreadsheets. Invest in software when you outgrow them.
FAQ
What is church management software?
Church management software (ChMS) helps churches organize member information, track attendance, manage events, process donations, communicate with members, and coordinate volunteers, all in one platform instead of spreadsheets and paper.
How much does church management software cost?
Prices range from free (ChurchTrac, limited) to $500+/month (Pushpay, enterprise). Most small-to-medium churches spend $50-150/month. Some tools like Gathrik offer fair pricing based on your market, so churches outside North America aren’t paying Silicon Valley rates.
Can I use church management software on my phone?
Most modern platforms (Planning Center, Breeze, Tithe.ly) have mobile apps. Some older or smaller platforms are desktop-only. Always check mobile support before committing. Most church admin work happens on phones in many parts of the world.
Is there church management software with WhatsApp?
As of early 2026, Gathrik is the first church management platform building native WhatsApp integration. This matters hugely for churches in Africa, Latin America, and Asia where WhatsApp is the primary communication channel. Other platforms rely on email and SMS only.
What about data security?
Look for platforms with SSL encryption, secure authentication (JWT or OAuth), and data backup. If your church handles sensitive member data (especially in GDPR regions like the UK/EU), ask about data storage location and privacy compliance.
Have questions about choosing the right software for your church? Read our regional guides for Nigeria, Kenya, and the UK.