Churches & congregations · Updated 2026-07-23
The best church management software in 2026
Church management software carries four jobs at once: knowing your people, receiving their giving, scheduling their service and keeping their children safe at check-in. Vendors weight those jobs very differently. We compared the platforms congregations actually use — from free entry tiers to enterprise suites — without paid placements.
The picks at a glance
| Software | Best for | Indicative pricing |
|---|
| Planning Center | Churches that want modern, modular software | modular, free entry tier |
| Breeze | Small and mid-size churches that value simplicity | flat ~$72/month |
| Tithe.ly | Churches where online giving is the priority | tiered |
| Pushpay (incl. Church Community Builder) | Large churches with enterprise needs | quote-based |
| ChurchTrac | Budget-conscious churches wanting one simple tool | tiered, low entry price |
Pricing is indicative, checked at the date above — plans change; always confirm with the vendor. We have no paid relationship with any editor listed here.
The contenders, in detail
1. Planning Center
Pricing : modular, free entry tier
Churches that want modern, modular software
Planning Center is the modern favourite in church management: services, people, giving and check-ins ship as separate modules you combine as needed. Its free entry tier lets small churches start without a bill.
Strengths
- +Modular — pay only for what you use
- +Free entry tier to get started
- +The modern reference most churches shortlist
Watch out for
- −Costs stack as modules are added
- −US-centric product
2. Breeze
Pricing : flat ~$72/month
Small and mid-size churches that value simplicity
Breeze is a simple church management system at a flat price, loved by small and mid-size churches. It aims to do the everyday basics well rather than everything.
Strengths
- +Flat, predictable price
- +Simple enough for volunteer administrators
- +Well liked by small and mid-size churches
Watch out for
- −Lighter fit for large multi-site churches
- −Basic reporting
3. Tithe.ly
Pricing : tiered
Churches where online giving is the priority
Tithe.ly is a giving-first platform that has grown church management tools around its donation engine. It suits churches whose priority is online giving, with ChMS features as the surrounding layer.
Strengths
- +Online giving is the core competency
- +ChMS tools bundled around the giving engine
- +One vendor for giving and member data
Watch out for
- −Breadth over depth across the toolset
- −Regular upsells across the product line
5. ChurchTrac
Pricing : tiered, low entry price
Budget-conscious churches wanting one simple tool
ChurchTrac is a budget-friendly all-rounder covering the ChMS basics at a low entry price. It appeals to churches that want everything modest and affordable in one place.
Strengths
- +Very affordable entry point
- +Covers the all-round basics in one tool
- +Approachable for small teams
Watch out for
- −Plainer interface
- −Smaller vendor than the market leaders
Free shortlist
Not sure which one fits your business?
Tell us about your setup — we compare your case against the market and send you a personalised shortlist within 24 hours. Free, no sales call attached.
How to choose
01Member and visitor follow-up
A first-time visitor who hears nothing for two weeks rarely returns. Look for automated follow-up workflows — who visited, who was contacted, who fell through the cracks — rather than a static member directory.
02Online giving costs per transaction
Giving platforms earn on processing. Compare the effective per-transaction cost across your real donation mix — many small gifts price differently than few large ones — before comparing subscription prices.
03Volunteer scheduling
Sunday runs on volunteers: musicians, greeters, childcare, tech. Scheduling with availability, reminders and swap requests is what keeps rosters from living in group texts.
04Child check-in security
Secure check-in — printed tags, matching pick-up codes, allergy flags — is non-negotiable for families. Test the flow at the pace of an actual Sunday morning rush.
Frequently asked questions
Can a small church start for free?
Planning Center’s free entry tier makes it a genuine no-budget starting point, and ChurchTrac’s low entry price keeps the paid path modest. Costs mainly appear later, through added modules or giving volume.
How should we compare giving fees?
Take a real month of donations and compute the total cost on each platform — subscription plus per-transaction fees. Tithe.ly, Planning Center and Pushpay structure giving economics differently, and the ranking depends on your gift sizes.
What fits a large multi-site church?
At multi-site scale the shortlist usually narrows to Pushpay with Church Community Builder and a fully-equipped Planning Center stack. Breeze and ChurchTrac stay in the running mainly for simpler satellite operations.