Choosing church management software is one of the most consequential technology decisions a church makes. The right platform saves your admin team hours every week. The wrong one wastes money and frustrates volunteers until they stop using it entirely.
According to Pushpay and Barna Group’s 2026 State of Church Technology Report, 95% of church leaders say technology opens new ministry opportunities. But only 25% of churches are in the “high-missional” category where technology is deeply aligned with their goals. The gap between adoption and alignment is often the software itself.
We tested 15 platforms hands-on, verified every pricing page, and reviewed hundreds of user reviews on Capterra, G2, and church technology forums. This guide covers options for every budget, church size, and region.
TL;DR
Planning Center is the most complete platform for US churches. Breeze is the easiest to learn. Rock RMS is the most powerful (and free). Gracely has the best free tier with unlimited members. Tithe.ly bundles everything at $119/month. If you are outside North America, most US tools will charge you American prices for features that do not work in your context. We cover global options too.
Quick Comparison: All 15 Platforms
| Platform | Best For | Monthly Cost | Free Tier | Giving | Mobile App | Our Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planning Center | Mid-large US churches | $0-200+/mo (modular) | Yes (People free) | $15/mo module | Yes | Read |
| Rock RMS | Tech-savvy large churches | $0 (open source) | Yes (self-hosted) | Built-in | Yes | Read |
| Breeze (Tithely) | Small churches wanting simplicity | $72/mo | No | Included | Yes | Read |
| Tithe.ly | All-in-one on a budget | $119/mo (All Access) | Giving only | Best-in-class | Yes | Read |
| Pushpay + CCB | Enterprise/megachurch | $500-1,500+/mo | No | Best-in-class | Yes | Read |
| Gracely | Small churches, zero budget | $0-49/mo | Yes (unlimited members) | $19/mo plan | Yes | Read |
| ChurchTrac | Tiny budget churches | $0-23/mo | Yes (75 people) | Paid plans | No | Read |
| FaithTeams | Small/mid all-in-one | $50/mo flat | No | Included | Yes | Coming soon |
| Churchteams | Budget CRM and processes | $37-67/mo | No | Included | Yes | Coming soon |
| Fluro (Elvanto) | UK/AU multi-site churches | Custom pricing | No | Included | Yes | Read |
| ChMeetings | Global/multilingual | ~$10/mo | Yes (limited) | Included | No | Coming soon |
| Subsplash | Media and app-focused | Custom (~$99-299/mo) | No | Included | Yes (premium) | Read |
| SimpleChurch CRM | Lightweight CRM | ~$35/mo | No | Separate module | Yes | Coming soon |
| Asoriba | West African churches | Regional pricing | No | Mobile money | Yes | Coming soon |
| ChurchPlus | Nigerian churches | Regional pricing | No | Local payments | Yes | Coming soon |
How We Evaluated
We tested each platform across seven criteria, weighted by what matters most to church administrators:
| Criteria | What We Checked | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Can a non-technical admin get started in a day? | High |
| Core Features | Members, giving, attendance, communication, groups | High |
| Pricing Transparency | Published pricing vs “call for a quote” | High |
| Global Readiness | Multi-currency, regional payments, WhatsApp, SMS | Medium |
| Mobile Access | Native app or responsive mobile dashboard | Medium |
| Reporting | Giving reports, attendance trends, tax statements | Medium |
| Support | Documentation quality, response time, community | Medium |
The 15 Best Church Management Platforms in 2026
1. Planning Center
Best for: Mid-to-large US churches that want deep, modular functionality.
Planning Center has been the standard for US church operations since 2006. The modular approach means you only pay for what you use: People (member database), Services (worship planning), Check-Ins, Giving, Groups, Registrations, and Publishing.
The People module is genuinely free with unlimited profiles. Workflows let you automate visitor follow-up, volunteer onboarding, and membership processes. The Services module is the best worship planning tool available anywhere.
Pricing:
| Module | Free Tier | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| People | Unlimited profiles | Free |
| Services | Up to 2 plans/month | $15-75/mo |
| Check-Ins | 1 station | $15-75/mo |
| Giving | 10 donations/month | $15-75/mo |
| Groups | 15 group members | $15-75/mo |
Pros: Most comprehensive feature set, excellent workflows, strong community, modular pricing. Cons: Costs add up fast across modules ($100-200+/mo for full suite), US-centric, no WhatsApp or SMS, no multi-currency.
Verdict: The gold standard for US church operations. If you need worship planning, Planning Center Services is unmatched. But the modular pricing means a full setup rivals enterprise platforms on cost. Read our full review.
2. Rock RMS
Best for: Large or technical churches wanting maximum power and customization.
Rock RMS is free, open-source church management software built by Spark Development Network. Life.Church and NewSpring Church both run on it. The CRM capabilities are the strongest of any church platform, with connection pipelines, engagement scoring, and discipleship step tracking.
Pricing: $0 (open source). Self-host for free, or use managed hosting at $50-150/month.
Pros: Free and open source, most powerful CRM and workflow engine, engagement scoring, massive customization, full API access, active plugin ecosystem. Cons: Requires technical knowledge (Windows/IIS/.NET stack), steep learning curve, needs a dedicated admin or hosting partner.
Verdict: If you have technical resources, Rock RMS delivers more power than any paid platform. The CRM features (connection requests, person signals, steps) are in a class of their own. Not for churches without IT support. Read our full review.
3. Breeze (by Tithely)
Best for: Small churches that value simplicity over power.
Breeze built its reputation on being the easiest ChMS to use. Setup takes minutes, the interface is clean, and volunteers can learn it without training. Tithely acquired Breeze in 2021 and now bundles it into their Church Management product.
Pricing: $72/month flat rate (Tithely Church Management). $119/month for All Access (includes app + website).
Pros: Easiest learning curve in the market, clean interface, solid giving tools, good tagging system for follow-up. Cons: No automated workflows, limited reporting, no engagement scoring, flat pricing hurts tiny churches.
Verdict: Breeze is perfect for churches under 200 that want something that just works. You will outgrow it if you need automation, CRM pipelines, or detailed analytics. Read our full review.
4. Tithe.ly
Best for: Churches wanting everything bundled at one price.
Tithe.ly started as a giving platform and grew through acquisitions (Breeze in 2021, Elvanto/now Fluro). The All Access plan at $119/month includes giving, church management, a branded app, a website builder, and worship tools. That is the best bundled value in the market.
Pricing: Free (giving only, 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). $72/month (Church Management). $119/month (All Access).
Pros: Best bundled value at $119/mo, strong giving tools, includes church app and website builder, transparent pricing. Cons: Church management side is still maturing (acquired product), transaction fees on giving add up, limited international payment support.
Verdict: If you want one login, one bill, and everything included, Tithe.ly All Access at $119/month is hard to beat. The giving tools are excellent. The ChMS is good but not as deep as Planning Center. Read our full review.
5. Pushpay + CCB
Best for: Large US churches (500+) focused on giving optimization and donor analytics.
Pushpay offers the most polished digital giving experience available, with the highest adoption rates in the industry. The 2019 acquisition of Church Community Builder (CCB) added a mature ChMS with process queues and group management. Taken private in 2023 for NZD $1.3 billion.
Pricing: Not published. Estimated: $199-399/month (giving only), $500-1,500+/month (full suite with CCB). Annual contracts required. Transaction fees: 2.9% + $0.30 cards, 1% + $0.30 ACH.
Pros: Best giving UX in the space, premium branded church app, strong donor analytics with engagement scoring, CCB’s process queues for structured follow-up. Cons: Most expensive platform ($500-800+/mo typical), opaque quote-based pricing, annual contracts, CCB interface feels dated, US-only giving infrastructure.
Verdict: If you are a large US church where maximizing digital giving is the top priority, Pushpay’s track record is proven. For everyone else, the pricing is prohibitive. Read our full review.
6. Gracely
Best for: Small churches wanting a free plan with unlimited members.
Gracely is a newer entrant with a standout free tier: unlimited members, groups, families, events, and attendance tracking at $0/month. The paid plans add giving ($19/mo) and advanced features like check-in and accounting ($49/mo).
Pricing: Free ($0/mo, unlimited members, 10 emails/mo, 2 admins). Standard: $19/mo. Pro: $49/mo.
Pros: Genuinely free with unlimited members (rare), clean modern interface, transparent pricing, built-in church website builder. Cons: No WhatsApp, no offline access, limited to US/Canada payment processing, newer platform with smaller user base.
Verdict: The most generous free tier available. If you are a small church with zero software budget, Gracely gives you more at $0 than most platforms give at $50. Read our full review.
7. ChurchTrac
Best for: Very small churches on the tightest budgets.
ChurchTrac offers a free plan for up to 75 people and paid plans starting at just $9/month. The feature set covers the basics: people, attendance, giving, and reporting.
Pricing: Free (75 people). Paid: $9-23/month (scales by database size). Messaging add-on: $7/month extra.
Pros: Most affordable paid plans in the market, free tier available, covers the basics well, built-in accounting. Cons: Dated interface, no mobile app, limited communication tools, messaging costs extra.
Verdict: Unbeatable on price for tiny churches. You get real church management features at costs other platforms charge for a single module. Read our full review.
8. FaithTeams
Best for: Small to mid-size churches wanting all-in-one simplicity.
FaithTeams charges one flat fee ($50/month) for everything: member management, giving, check-in, events, groups, volunteer scheduling, text-to-give, and automated guest follow-up. No per-module pricing, no user limits.
Pricing: $50/month flat rate (or $500/year). Includes everything.
Pros: Simple flat pricing, guest follow-up workflows built in, text-to-give included, good for non-technical teams. Cons: Less customizable than Planning Center, no engagement scoring, smaller ecosystem.
Verdict: Solid all-in-one value at $50/month. The built-in guest follow-up workflow is a standout feature that many more expensive platforms lack.
9. Churchteams
Best for: Budget-conscious churches that need CRM and process tracking.
Churchteams offers surprisingly capable CRM features at low prices. Process tracking, automated follow-up sequences, engagement benchmarks, and assimilation tracking are all included.
Pricing: Starter: $37/month. All Pro: $47/month. MVP: $67/month. Scales by database size.
Pros: Strong CRM and workflow automation for the price, engagement/discipleship tracking, process-based follow-up, affordable. Cons: Less polished interface than competitors, smaller market presence, limited integrations.
Verdict: Punches above its weight class on CRM features. If you need process tracking and automated follow-up without Rock RMS complexity, Churchteams delivers.
10. Fluro (formerly Elvanto/UCare)
Best for: Multi-site churches in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
Fluro rebranded from Elvanto and UCare into a unified platform. Strong international support, multi-site management, and pipeline-based CRM features. The most established option for churches outside North America that want a modern platform.
Pricing: Custom (contact sales). Generally competitive with Planning Center per-module pricing.
Pros: Strong international presence (UK/AU/NZ), multi-site management, visual pipeline CRM, automated workflows, form-based data capture. Cons: Pricing not published, smaller US market presence, fewer reviews available.
Verdict: The strongest option for churches outside North America that want a modern, full-featured ChMS. Read our Elvanto/UCare review (written before the rebrand).
11. ChMeetings
Best for: Global and multilingual churches.
ChMeetings supports 22 languages and multi-currency giving. The free tier accommodates approximately 50 active profiles, and paid plans start around $10/month.
Pricing: Free (limited). Paid: $120/year ($10/month).
Pros: 22 languages, multi-currency support, affordable, covers core features (people, attendance, groups, events, giving). Cons: Free plan is limited, SMS/voice messaging costs extra, smaller user base.
Verdict: The most language-diverse option available. If your church operates in multiple languages, ChMeetings is worth a serious look.
12. Subsplash
Best for: Media-heavy and app-focused churches.
Subsplash specializes in custom branded church apps, streaming, media libraries, and content delivery. The church management features are secondary to the engagement and media platform.
Pricing: Custom (typically $99-299/month).
Pros: Best custom church app quality, strong streaming and media tools, good for tech-forward churches, engagement focused. Cons: Expensive, management features are secondary, complex setup, quote-based pricing.
Verdict: If your church prioritizes a branded mobile app and media content delivery, Subsplash leads the market. For pure church management, other platforms offer more depth at lower cost. Read our full review.
13. SimpleChurch CRM
Best for: Churches wanting a lightweight CRM-first approach.
SimpleChurch CRM focuses on the relational side of church management: interaction tracking, automated workflows, engagement dashboards, and smart reports.
Pricing: Starting around $35/month.
Pros: Strong interaction tracking (assign and track calls, emails, visits), automated workflows, engagement dashboards. Cons: Smaller ecosystem, fewer integrations, giving is a separate module.
Verdict: A good choice if you care more about tracking relationships than administration. The CRM features are stronger than what you get from Breeze or ChurchTrac at similar price points.
14. Asoriba
Best for: Churches in Ghana and West Africa.
Asoriba is one of the few church management platforms built specifically for the African market. Mobile money integration, regional pricing, and an understanding of local church workflows set it apart from US-built tools.
Pricing: Regional pricing (significantly more affordable than US platforms).
Pros: Built for African churches, mobile money integration, understands local workflows, affordable. Cons: Primarily Ghana/West Africa focused, smaller feature set than global competitors, smaller support team.
Verdict: If your church is in West Africa, Asoriba understands your context in ways that Planning Center and Breeze never will.
15. ChurchPlus
Best for: Nigerian churches.
ChurchPlus is the leading church management platform in Nigeria. Built for the local market with Naira pricing, Nigerian payment integrations, and features designed for how Nigerian churches actually operate.
Pricing: Regional pricing in Naira.
Pros: Built for Nigerian churches, local payment methods, understands Nigerian church administration, affordable in local currency. Cons: Limited outside Nigeria, smaller feature set than international platforms.
How to Choose: Decision Framework
By Church Size
| Church Size | Top Recommendation | Budget Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Under 75 members | ChurchTrac (free) | Gracely (free, unlimited) |
| 75-200 members | Breeze ($72/mo) | Gracely Standard ($19/mo) |
| 200-500 members | Planning Center ($50-150/mo) | Tithe.ly All Access ($119/mo) |
| 500-2,000 members | Planning Center ($100-200+/mo) | Rock RMS (free, self-hosted) |
| 2,000+ members | Rock RMS or Pushpay + CCB | Planning Center |
By Priority
| If You Care Most About… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Simplicity | Breeze |
| Worship planning | Planning Center Services |
| Digital giving | Tithe.ly or Pushpay |
| CRM and follow-up | Rock RMS or Churchteams |
| All-in-one value | Tithe.ly All Access ($119/mo) |
| Branded church app | Subsplash or Pushpay |
| Zero budget | Gracely or ChurchTrac |
| Global/multilingual | ChMeetings (22 languages) or Fluro |
| African churches | Asoriba (West Africa) or ChurchPlus (Nigeria) |
Church Tech Landscape in 2026
The church technology market is maturing quickly. A few trends worth noting:
Adoption is near-universal. 86% of churches now use church management software, according to Pushpay and Barna Group’s 2025 report. 52% of church leaders increased their technology budgets in the past year, and concerns about tech adoption costs fell for the first time.
The small church reality. 70% of US churches have 100 or fewer weekly attendees, according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. The median congregation has just 60-65 regular participants. Most church software marketing targets larger churches, but the majority of the market is small congregations with limited budgets.
AI is arriving. 60% of church leaders already use AI monthly, but only 5% have an AI policy (Pushpay/Barna 2026). Expect ChMS platforms to integrate AI features for communication, reporting, and engagement analysis over the coming year.
Global growth. The church management software market is projected to reach $1.6 billion by 2032, up from $398 million in 2025 (Straits Research). Cloud-based solutions account for 68% of the market.
FAQ
What is church management software?
Church management software (ChMS) helps churches organize member data, track attendance, process donations, manage events, communicate with members, coordinate volunteers, and run reports. It replaces spreadsheets, paper sign-in sheets, and disconnected tools with a centralized platform.
How much does church management software cost?
Costs range from free (ChurchTrac for 75 people, Gracely for unlimited members, Rock RMS for self-hosting) to $500-1,500+/month (Pushpay + CCB enterprise). Most small-to-medium churches spend $50-150/month. Tithe.ly at $119/month offers the best bundled value.
What is the best free church management software?
Gracely offers the most generous free tier: unlimited members, groups, families, events, and attendance at $0/month. Planning Center People is free with unlimited profiles but limited to the member database module. ChurchTrac is free for up to 75 people. Rock RMS is completely free and open source but requires technical setup. See our dedicated guide to free church management software.
What is the easiest church management software to use?
Breeze consistently wins for ease of use. Setup takes minutes, the interface is intuitive, and volunteers can learn it without formal training. Gracely and FaithTeams are also known for simple onboarding.
Can I use church management software on my phone?
Most modern platforms have mobile apps: Planning Center, Breeze/Tithely, Gracely, Pushpay, Subsplash, and FaithTeams all offer native iOS and Android apps. ChurchTrac and some smaller platforms are desktop-only.
Is there church management software with WhatsApp integration?
As of April 2026, native WhatsApp integration remains a major gap across almost all ChMS platforms. This is a significant limitation for churches in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia where WhatsApp is the primary communication channel. Some platforms are beginning to add support. Check our article on WhatsApp as a church communication tool for workarounds.
How do I switch from one church management software to another?
Export your data (most platforms support CSV), clean it up, import into the new system, and run both in parallel for 2 weeks before cutting over. The full process takes 4-8 weeks. See our complete guide to switching church management software.
What features should I prioritize?
For most churches, prioritize in this order: member database, online giving, communication tools (email/SMS), attendance tracking, and groups management. Check-in, volunteer scheduling, and worship planning are important but secondary. See our guide to choosing church management software for a detailed evaluation framework.
Looking for deeper analysis? Read our individual reviews for Planning Center, Breeze, Rock RMS, Tithe.ly, Pushpay, Subsplash, and ChurchTrac. Or explore our regional guides for Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, India, and the UK.