TL;DR: Pushpay is the premium option with best-in-class giving tools, donor analytics, and a polished church app, but it comes with quote-based pricing that typically runs $500-1,500+/month. Tithe.ly bundles giving, church management, a branded app, a website builder, and worship tools for $119/month. Both platforms offer strong online giving for US churches. Pushpay wins on giving optimization and donor analytics. Tithe.ly wins on value, transparency, and bundled features. Neither supports WhatsApp, mobile money, or multi-currency giving, so churches outside North America will need to look elsewhere.
Two Giving Giants, Two Very Different Approaches
If you’re comparing Pushpay vs Tithe.ly, you’re looking at two of the most popular church giving platforms in 2026. Both are well-established, both serve thousands of churches, and both have earned strong reputations for making online giving easy.
But they take fundamentally different approaches. Pushpay is a premium, sales-driven platform built for large US churches that want maximum giving adoption and polished donor tools. Tithe.ly is an all-in-one bundle that grew from a giving platform into a full church management suite, all at a transparent, predictable price.
This comparison breaks down every major category so you can make the right call for your church. For individual deep dives, see our full Pushpay review and Tithe.ly review.
Quick Comparison at a Glance
| Category | Pushpay (+ CCB) | Tithe.ly (All-Access) |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 | 2014 |
| Pricing model | Quote-based, annual contract | Published, monthly/annual |
| Estimated monthly cost | $500-1,500+ | $119/month |
| Free tier | No | Yes (giving only) |
| Transparent pricing | No | Yes |
| Best at | Giving optimization, donor analytics | Bundled value, ease of setup |
| Giving quality | Best in class | Strong |
| Custom church app | Premium (add-on) | Included in All-Access |
| Church website | No | Included in All-Access |
| Church management (ChMS) | CCB (deep, mature) | Tithely ChMS (formerly Breeze, solid) |
| Worship planning | No | Basic (included) |
| Donor analytics | Best in class | Basic |
| Check-ins | Yes (via CCB) | Good |
| Communication | App, email, SMS, push | Email, SMS, push, in-app |
| Integrations | Moderate | Moderate (Zapier, Mailchimp) |
| Multi-campus | Good | Basic |
| No | No | |
| Mobile money (M-Pesa) | No | No |
| Multi-currency giving | No | No |
| Best for | Large US churches with big budgets | Budget-conscious US churches of any size |
Pricing: The Biggest Difference
This is where the Pushpay vs Tithe.ly decision usually starts, and it’s the most dramatic contrast between the two platforms.
Pushpay Pricing
Pushpay does not publish pricing. You need to contact their sales team for a custom quote. Based on community reports, user reviews, and publicly available information:
| Package | Estimated Monthly Cost | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Pushpay Giving | ~$199-399/month | Digital giving, recurring giving, donor management, reporting |
| Pushpay + Church App | ~$399-799/month | Everything above + branded mobile app |
| Pushpay + CCB | ~$500-1,500+/month | Full suite: giving, app, ChMS, analytics |
| Enterprise / Multisite | Custom pricing | Volume discounts, dedicated support, API access |
Important: These are estimates. Your actual quote depends on church size, feature bundle, and contract length. Pushpay typically requires annual contracts.
Tithe.ly Pricing
Tithe.ly publishes everything. No sales call needed.
| Plan | Monthly Cost | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free Giving | $0/month | Online giving, mobile app, recurring giving, pledge campaigns |
| Church Management + Giving | $72/month | Free Giving + member database (formerly Breeze), volunteers, email/text messaging |
| All-Access | $119/month | Everything above + custom church app, website builder, worship tools |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | 2,000+ attendees, negotiated rates |
Transaction Fees Compared
| Payment Method | Pushpay | Tithe.ly |
|---|---|---|
| Credit/debit card | ~2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| ACH bank transfer | ~1% + $0.30 | 1% + $0.30 |
| American Express | Not published | 3.5% + $0.30 |
| Card reader (in-person) | Not available | 2.6% + $0.10 |
Transaction fees are nearly identical. The real cost difference is in the monthly platform fee, and that gap is enormous. A church paying $600/month for Pushpay + CCB could use Tithe.ly All-Access for $119/month and save $5,772 per year.
What Your Church Actually Pays
| Church Size | Pushpay (Giving + App + CCB) | Tithe.ly (All-Access) |
|---|---|---|
| 200 members | ~$500-800/month | $119/month |
| 500 members | ~$600-1,000/month | $119/month |
| 1,000 members | ~$800-1,500/month | $119/month |
| 2,000+ members | Custom | Custom (Enterprise) |
Edge: Tithe.ly on affordability. Tithe.ly’s entire All-Access bundle costs less than Pushpay’s entry-level giving-only plan. The only scenario where Pushpay’s pricing makes sense is if the giving optimization ROI (increased donations) outweighs the premium cost, which is possible for large churches with significant giving volume.
Online Giving: Pushpay’s Quality Edge
Both platforms were built on giving, and both do it well. But Pushpay’s giving experience is still the most polished in the church tech space.
| Feature | Pushpay | Tithe.ly |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app giving | One-tap “Quick Give” | Standard mobile giving |
| Web giving | Yes | Yes |
| Text-to-give | Yes | Yes |
| Recurring giving | Yes (high adoption rates) | Yes |
| Pledge campaigns | Yes | Yes |
| Giving kiosk | Yes | Yes |
| Card reader (in-person) | No | Yes |
| Cover the Fees (donor absorbs) | Yes | Yes (~60% opt-in rate) |
| Donor engagement scoring | Yes (best in class) | No |
| Lapsed giver alerts | Yes | No |
| Fund management | Advanced | Standard |
| Campaign tracking | Advanced | Basic |
| Giving statements | Yes | Yes |
| Real-time reporting | Yes | Yes |
Where Pushpay Pulls Ahead
The giving UX is among the strongest in the space. Pushpay’s “Quick Give” feature saves payment details so returning donors can complete a gift with a single tap. The entire checkout flow feels more like a consumer fintech app than church software. Every extra tap or form field in a giving flow costs churches donations, and Pushpay understands this better than anyone.
Donor analytics are a major strength. Pushpay provides engagement scoring that identifies at-risk givers before they lapse, year-over-year trends, campaign performance tracking, and custom reports for board presentations. For churches that treat generosity as a discipleship metric, these tools are genuinely valuable.
Adoption support is real. Pushpay invests heavily in helping churches drive digital giving adoption. You get a dedicated customer success manager, launch strategies, training materials, and an adoption playbook. According to Pushpay’s published case studies, churches using their platform report higher recurring giving rates and overall digital giving increases of 30-60% in the first year, though results vary by congregation size, prior digital giving adoption, and how the transition was communicated.
Where Tithe.ly Holds Its Own
Setup is faster. You can have Tithe.ly’s giving platform running in 15-30 minutes. No sales call, no onboarding process, no waiting for a quote. Sign up, connect your bank account, and start accepting donations.
In-person card readers. Tithe.ly offers physical card readers for lobby kiosks and in-service giving. Pushpay doesn’t offer this.
Cover the Fees works well. About 60% of donors opt to cover transaction fees, which saves churches meaningful money over time.
Free giving plan. You can accept donations through Tithe.ly with zero monthly cost. You only pay transaction fees. Pushpay has no free option.
Winner: Pushpay on quality and optimization. Tithe.ly on accessibility and speed to launch. If maximizing every dollar of digital giving is your top strategic priority and you have the budget, Pushpay’s giving tools are the best in the industry. If you want solid giving that works well without paying a premium, Tithe.ly delivers.
Church Apps: Both Are Strong
Both platforms offer branded church apps, and both do it well. This category is closer than most.
| Feature | Pushpay | Tithe.ly |
|---|---|---|
| Custom branded app | Yes (premium add-on) | Yes (included in All-Access) |
| In-app giving | One-tap, best in class | Standard, solid |
| Sermon and media library | Yes | Yes |
| Live stream integration | Yes | Yes |
| Push notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Prayer wall | Yes | Yes |
| Group features | Yes | Yes |
| Event listings | Yes | Yes |
| Custom content tabs | Yes | Yes |
| App builder (no code) | No (managed) | Yes (automatic) |
Pushpay’s app is one of the most polished in the space. The design quality, performance, and overall member experience are premium. In-app giving with Quick Give is seamless. However, you pay a premium for it, typically $200-400+/month as part of a bundle.
Tithe.ly’s app is included in the $119/month All-Access plan. The Automatic App Builder lets you generate your app from your website and logo without a developer. It’s professional, functional, and well-received by churches. The quality gap between Tithe.ly’s app and Pushpay’s has narrowed considerably.
Winner: Depends on your priorities. Pushpay’s app is more polished. Tithe.ly’s app is included in a plan that costs a fraction of Pushpay’s app add-on. For most churches, Tithe.ly’s app quality is more than sufficient, and the cost savings are significant.
Church Management: CCB vs. Tithely ChMS
Both platforms now include church management capabilities, but they come from very different backgrounds.
| Feature | CCB (Pushpay) | Tithely ChMS (formerly Breeze) |
|---|---|---|
| People management | Deep (detailed profiles, custom fields) | Good (clean, tag-based) |
| Household grouping | Yes | Yes |
| Groups management | Advanced (leader tools, group search) | Good |
| Volunteer scheduling | Advanced (automated reminders) | Good |
| Process queues / workflows | Yes (CCB’s standout feature) | No |
| Check-ins | Yes | Yes |
| Event management | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting | Customizable dashboards | Basic |
| Ease of use | Moderate (older interface) | Very easy |
| Learning curve | 1-2 weeks | 1-2 days |
CCB’s Advantage: Depth and Workflows
Church Community Builder has been around since 1999. It’s one of the most mature church management systems on the market. The standout feature is process queues, which let you create step-by-step follow-up workflows. For example: when a new visitor is added, assign a welcome call to the hospitality team, then a follow-up email after three days, then a membership class invitation after two weeks. Each step can be assigned to a specific person with due dates and completion tracking.
For churches that want structured, automated pastoral care workflows, CCB’s process queues are genuinely powerful and difficult to replicate elsewhere.
Tithely ChMS’s Advantage: Simplicity
Tithely ChMS (formerly Breeze) is the opposite of CCB in philosophy. It’s clean, simple, and fast. Your 70-year-old church secretary can learn it in a day. The tag-based organization system is flexible without being overwhelming.
The trade-off is clear. CCB gives you more capability but requires more time to learn and manage. Tithely ChMS gets you up and running fast but lacks the automation depth of CCB.
The Integration Question
One common criticism of Pushpay + CCB is that the two products still feel like separate systems stitched together. User reviews mention inconsistent interfaces, data sync friction, and a learning curve that comes from navigating between Pushpay’s giving/app side and CCB’s management side.
Tithe.ly’s integration of Breeze feels more unified because it was built as a single platform experience. Giving data ties directly to member profiles. The app connects to the ChMS. It feels like one product, not two.
Winner: CCB for depth and automation. Tithely ChMS for ease of use and integration. Larger churches with complex pastoral workflows will appreciate CCB. Churches that want something simple and unified will prefer Tithely ChMS.
Worship Planning: Tithe.ly Has It, Pushpay Doesn’t
This is a straightforward comparison. Pushpay has no worship planning tools. Tithe.ly includes basic worship tools in the All-Access plan.
Tithe.ly’s worship features cover service planning and team scheduling. They’re basic compared to Planning Center Services, which remains the industry standard, but they exist. Pushpay offers nothing in this category.
For churches with serious worship production needs (multiple services, full band, ProPresenter integration, CCLI reporting), neither Pushpay nor Tithe.ly will replace Planning Center Services. But for churches with simple services that want basic scheduling and planning in one platform, Tithe.ly includes it. Pushpay doesn’t.
Winner: Tithe.ly. Having basic worship tools beats having none. Churches with complex production will need Planning Center regardless of which giving platform they choose.
Communication: Roughly Even
Neither platform is a communication powerhouse, but both cover the basics.
| Feature | Pushpay | Tithe.ly |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes (drag-and-drop editor) | |
| SMS/Text messaging | Yes (US) | Yes (US) |
| Push notifications | Yes (via app) | Yes (via app) |
| In-app messaging | Yes | Yes |
| No | No | |
| Email automation | No | No |
| International SMS | No | No |
Both platforms reach members through their church app (push notifications, in-app messages), email, and US-based text messaging. Neither supports WhatsApp, email automation sequences, or international SMS.
For US churches, both platforms provide adequate communication tools. For churches with international members or congregations outside North America, both fall short. If WhatsApp is how your congregation communicates, check our guide on WhatsApp as a church communication tool.
Winner: Tie. Both offer similar communication capabilities with similar limitations.
Data, Reporting, and Analytics
This is where Pushpay’s premium positioning becomes most apparent.
| Feature | Pushpay | Tithe.ly |
|---|---|---|
| Giving reports | Advanced | Standard |
| Donor engagement scoring | Yes | No |
| Lapsed giver identification | Yes (automated alerts) | No |
| Year-over-year comparisons | Yes | Basic |
| Campaign performance tracking | Advanced | Basic |
| Custom board reports | Yes | Limited |
| Engagement metrics (giving + app + attendance) | Yes (combined with CCB) | Basic |
| Giving statements | Yes | Yes |
| Fund breakdowns | Yes | Yes |
Pushpay’s analytics go beyond basic giving reports. The donor engagement scoring system identifies givers who are trending down before they stop giving entirely. Combined with CCB’s people data, you get a comprehensive view of member engagement that merges financial data with attendance, app usage, and participation metrics.
Tithe.ly provides solid standard reports: giving summaries, fund breakdowns, giving statements, and basic trends. For most churches, these are sufficient. But churches that want data-driven decision-making around generosity and engagement will find Pushpay’s analytics significantly more powerful.
Winner: Pushpay. The analytics and donor intelligence tools are among the strongest available. If data-driven giving strategy is important to your leadership, this is Pushpay’s strongest differentiator beyond the giving UX itself.
The Global Church Perspective
Here’s what both companies rarely talk about in their marketing. Both Pushpay and Tithe.ly are built exclusively for US and Western churches. The giving infrastructure assumes credit cards and bank accounts. The communication tools assume email and SMS. The pricing assumes US church budgets.
| Global Need | Pushpay | Tithe.ly |
|---|---|---|
| M-Pesa giving | No | No |
| MTN Mobile Money | No | No |
| Paystack / Flutterwave | No | No |
| USSD payments | No | No |
| WhatsApp messaging | No | No |
| Multi-currency giving | No | No |
| Regional pricing | No | No |
| Offline / low-bandwidth | No | No |
| Multilingual admin | No | No |
For a church in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, or South Africa, neither platform can process the giving methods your members actually use. Mobile money accounts for the vast majority of digital transactions in sub-Saharan Africa. A giving platform that only accepts US credit cards and bank transfers is irrelevant in that context.
Even for UK diaspora churches with members sending offerings from overseas, the lack of international payment support creates unnecessary friction.
This isn’t a flaw in either product. They were built for the market they serve. But if you’re a church outside North America choosing between Pushpay and Tithe.ly, you’re choosing between two tools that weren’t designed for your reality. For a deeper look, read our piece on why US church software doesn’t work for African churches.
Who Should Choose Pushpay
Pushpay is the right choice if:
- You’re a mid-to-large US church (500+ weekly attendance) with a dedicated technology budget
- Maximizing digital giving revenue is your top strategic priority
- You want the most polished giving experience and premium branded app
- Donor analytics and engagement scoring matter to your leadership
- You need structured pastoral workflows (CCB’s process queues)
- You’re willing to commit to an annual contract and invest in onboarding
- You have the budget for premium pricing ($500-1,500+/month)
Who Should Choose Tithe.ly
Tithe.ly is the right choice if:
- You want transparent pricing you can evaluate without a sales call
- You’re a budget-conscious church that needs strong giving without premium costs
- You want everything bundled: giving, ChMS, church app, website, and worship tools for $119/month
- You want to start free and upgrade as your church grows
- You need a branded church app without paying $300+/month for it
- Ease of setup matters. Tithe.ly can be running in under an hour
- You’re a church of any size that wants solid features at a reasonable price
Who Should Choose Neither
Look elsewhere if:
- Your church operates outside North America and needs mobile money, multi-currency giving, or regional payment methods
- WhatsApp is your primary communication channel and you need native integration, not workarounds
- Your members give through M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, Paystack, or Flutterwave
- You need offline capability for areas with unreliable internet
- You want pricing that reflects your local economy, not US-dollar rates
For churches in these contexts, platforms built for the global church from the ground up are a better fit. See our guides on church financial management and best church management software for 2026 for more options.
The Verdict
The Pushpay vs Tithe.ly decision comes down to one core question: Is premium giving optimization worth 4-10x the monthly cost?
For large US churches with significant giving volume, it might be. If Pushpay’s adoption playbook and donor analytics help your church increase digital giving significantly in the first year (Pushpay’s case studies cite 30-60% increases, though results vary widely), the math can work. A church processing $50,000/month in digital giving might see enough incremental revenue to justify the premium. Pushpay’s giving UX is the best in the industry, the donor intelligence tools are among the strongest available, and CCB adds legitimate church management depth.
For everyone else, Tithe.ly is the smarter financial decision. At $119/month for giving, church management, a branded app, a website, and worship tools, Tithe.ly offers more features for less money than any Pushpay package. The giving platform is strong. The ChMS is clean and easy. The app is professional. And you can evaluate, sign up, and launch without ever talking to a sales rep.
Our recommendation:
- If you’re a large US church (500+) with a strong giving culture and significant budget, request a Pushpay demo. Negotiate on pricing. Ask for a trial period. The giving quality and analytics are genuinely strong, and the ROI math can work at scale.
- If you’re a church of any size looking for the best value, start with Tithe.ly’s free giving plan. See if your congregation adopts it. When you’re ready for more, the All-Access bundle at $119/month is hard to beat.
- If you’re a church outside North America, neither Pushpay nor Tithe.ly solves your core challenges. Look at platforms built for the global church from the ground up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Pushpay cost compared to Tithe.ly?
Pushpay doesn’t publish pricing, but community reports suggest $500-1,500+/month for the full Pushpay + CCB bundle. Tithe.ly’s All-Access plan is $119/month, and its giving-only plan is free. The pricing gap between the two platforms is the largest in the church tech space. See our Pushpay review and Tithe.ly review for detailed pricing breakdowns.
Which has better online giving?
Pushpay has the more polished giving experience with better donor analytics, engagement scoring, and adoption support. Tithe.ly has solid giving with more accessible pricing, a free tier, and in-person card readers. Both support credit/debit cards, ACH, text-to-give, and recurring donations. Transaction fees are nearly identical at 2.9% + $0.30 for cards.
Can I switch from Pushpay to Tithe.ly (or vice versa)?
Yes, but plan for some transition work. Giving history, member data, and donation records can be exported via CSV. The bigger challenges are rebuilding integrations, re-training staff on a new interface, and re-enrolling recurring givers. Plan for 2-4 weeks of transition time. Consider running both in parallel briefly during the switch.
Does Pushpay have a free plan?
No. All Pushpay plans require a paid subscription with an annual contract. Tithe.ly offers a free giving plan with no monthly fee (you only pay transaction fees), making it the lower-risk option for churches exploring digital giving for the first time.
Which church management system is better, CCB or Tithely ChMS?
CCB (Pushpay) is deeper with process queues, advanced reporting, and more configuration options. It’s been around since 1999 and is one of the most mature ChMS platforms on the market. Tithely ChMS (formerly Breeze) is simpler, faster to learn, and better integrated with Tithe.ly’s giving and app tools. CCB is better for large churches with complex workflows. Tithely ChMS is better for churches that value simplicity and speed.
Which has a better church app?
Both offer strong branded church apps. Pushpay’s app is slightly more polished and is often considered one of the best in the space, comparable to Subsplash. Tithe.ly’s app is included in the $119/month All-Access plan, while Pushpay’s app typically adds $200-400+/month to your bill. The quality gap has narrowed significantly, and most church members won’t notice a meaningful difference in day-to-day use.
Do either work for churches outside the US?
Both are primarily US-focused. Pushpay is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Tithe.ly supports giving in a few additional countries (UK, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong) via credit/debit cards. Neither supports mobile money, WhatsApp, multi-currency giving, or regional payment methods. Churches in Africa, Latin America, or the UK diaspora will find critical gaps with both platforms. See our church financial management guide for global alternatives.
Should I choose Pushpay or Tithe.ly for a church plant?
Tithe.ly is the better fit for church plants in almost every case. The free giving plan lets you start accepting donations immediately. The All-Access bundle gives you a website, app, ChMS, and giving for $119/month. There’s no annual contract requirement, no sales call, and no lengthy onboarding. Pushpay’s pricing and sales process are designed for established churches with existing budgets, not startups.
Can I use Pushpay or Tithe.ly alongside Planning Center?
Yes, and many churches do. A common setup is using Pushpay or Tithe.ly for giving alongside Planning Center Services for worship planning. There’s no direct integration between the platforms, so you’ll manage two logins and two bills. But if worship planning is critical to your church, Planning Center Services remains the industry standard that neither Pushpay nor Tithe.ly can match. See our Tithe.ly vs Planning Center comparison for more on this.