How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Tithe.ly suits all-in-one simplicity with free giving and $72 per month ChMS, while Breeze suits simple flat-rate management at $72 per month for unlimited members.
- ChurchTrac suits the tightest budget with all-in-one management from $29 per month in one report, while Rock RMS suits churches with a developer at free software cost.
- Pushpay suits growing and multi-site churches with giving, ChMS, and app on one platform, while Subsplash suits churches prioritizing a custom app and media.
- Realm suits mid to large churches needing built-in fund accounting, while FellowshipOne suits larger churches with established ministry operations.
- Giving processing fees often exceed subscriptions: most platforms charge 2.9 percent plus $0.30 per card transaction, so add processing to the real total.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Tithe.ly | All-in-one simplicity | Free | Yes |
 Breeze | Simple flat-rate management | $72 per month | No |
 ChurchTrac | Tightest budget, all-in-one | $29 per month | Yes |
 Pushpay | Growing and multi-site churches | See website | No |
 Subsplash | Custom app, media, streaming | See website | No |
 Realm by ACS | Fund accounting, mid to large | See website | No |
 FellowshipOne | Larger church operations | See website | No |
 Rock RMS | Open source, developer-led | Free | Yes |
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The best Planning Center alternatives
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Tithe.ly is the all-in-one simplicity pick, with giving, people management, website, and app under one login, no setup fees, and cancel anytime terms. Giving costs nothing monthly, only transaction fees, while ChMS runs $72 per month and All Access runs $119 per month including giving, ChMS, a church website, a custom church app, and worship team tools. A 30-day free trial covers paid plans, and about 60 percent of donors opt in to Cover the Fees in one report.
The trade off is bundle simplicity against small-church cost. Tithe.ly simplifies vendors into one bill, but $72 per month for ChMS is steep for very small churches. Tithe.ly fits small to mid-size churches that lead with online giving on a budget and plan to grow.
What we like- Giving is free, only transaction fees at 2.9 percent plus $0.30 per card and 1 percent plus $0.30 for ACH
- ChMS at $72 per month
- All Access at $119 per month with giving, ChMS, website, app, and worship tools
- No setup fees, cancel anytime
- Cover the Fees feature
Watch out for- ChMS module is newer and less mature than rivals
- $72 per month feels steep for a 30-person church
- All Access can feel like paying for unused features
- Text giving costs $19 per month standalone
Starting price$72 per month
Free planNo
Breeze, now owned by Tithe.ly, is the simple flat-rate pick, charging $72 per month for unlimited people, unlimited users, and all features, with no tiers, no add-ons, and no per-member creep. It provides a database volunteers will actually open, with contacts, tags, basic giving, and events, and most teams are up and running the same day. Breeze integrates with other giving platforms and rates highly for support responsiveness.
The trade off is simplicity against depth. Breeze stays shallow on purpose, which keeps it easy, but accounting and layered reporting feel the edges. Breeze fits small churches that want simple flat-rate management with no contract complexity.
What we like- Flat $72 per month for unlimited people and users
- All features included, no module fees
- Easiest learning curve
- Most teams up and running same day
- Strong support reviews
Watch out for- No permanent free plan, trial only
- Light on accounting and reporting
- Now owned by Tithe.ly, with its site directing to Tithe.ly
- Flat rate binds very small churches
#3ChurchTrac
Best for: Tightest budget, all-in-one4.8/5 on
G2 (12 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit churchtrac.com
Starting price$29 per month
Free planYes
ChurchTrac is the tightest budget pick, offering everything in one login at a low price, with a free tier for the smallest churches and a 30-day trial on paid plans. One report lists $29 per month with all features included, while another lists $7 to $9 per month scaling by names, so confirm the current tier for your member count. Add-ons sit outside the base: accounting at $15 per month for fund accounting and budgets, and Enhanced Messaging at $7 per month for two-way texting and a dedicated number.
The trade off is low price against add-on creep. ChurchTrac does the most for the least, but a church that wants real accounting and lives on text pays closer to $31 per month than the headline. ChurchTrac fits small churches wanting one all-in-one bill on a tight budget.
What we like- All-in-one bill covering people records, giving, check-in, groups, volunteer scheduling, website, and app
- Free tier for smallest churches
- 30-day trial
- Accounting add-on at $15 per month
- Messaging add-on at $7 per month
- Around since 2002
Watch out for- Price conflicts across sources, with $7 to $9 per month scaling by names in one report versus $29 per month in another
- Accounting and messaging add-ons push real cost near $31 plus per month
- Interface is utilitarian
#4Pushpay
Best for: Growing and multi-site churches4.0/5 on
G2 (117 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit pushpay.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Pushpay, with ChurchStaq, is the growing and multi-site pick, bringing giving, church management, and a mobile app together on one platform so data updates immediately when someone gives or checks in. Card transaction fees run 2.9 percent plus $0.30 in one comparison, with volume-based rates of 2.1 to 2.9 percent plus $0.20 to $0.30 in another, and ACH at 0.5 to 1.0 percent plus $0.20 to $0.30. Pushpay suits growing and large or multi-site churches struggling with reconciliation.
The trade off is unified depth against small-church fit. Pushpay saves time and grows recurring giving for larger churches, but it is overkill and overpriced for a small single-service church. Pushpay fits growing and multi-site churches that want giving, ChMS, and app on one platform.
What we like- Giving, ChMS, and mobile app on one unified platform
- Everygift keeps donations flowing during interruptions
- Recurring giving volume grew 11 percent on average in 2025 across Pushpay churches
- Over 90 percent of recurring schedules retained within 8 weeks of migration in one report
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing
- Feature-heavy and costly for an 80-person church with one service
- 12-month grant for plants is a grant, not a free tier
- Smaller churches may find it overkill
#5Subsplash
Best for: Custom app, media, streaming4.2/5 on
G2 (32 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit subsplash.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Subsplash is the custom app and media pick, prioritizing a custom church app, media libraries, and streaming, with giving available at no monthly fee in one report, only processing fees at 2.99 percent plus $0.30. It suits churches where the app is the engagement hub, putting giving, groups, check-in, and communication in members pockets all week. Full platform pricing is quote based, so this guide lists it as See website.
The trade off is app and media strength against admin depth. Subsplash engages members through an app better than most, but admin and accounting depth trails Realm. Subsplash fits churches prioritizing a custom app, media, and streaming.
What we like- Custom church app, media, and streaming first
- Giving with no monthly fee in one report, only processing at 2.99 percent plus $0.30
- App and media engagement hub
- Good for media-heavy churches
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing for full platform
- App-first approach suits media churches more than admin-heavy ones
- Full feature cost requires a sales process
- Smaller admin depth than Realm
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Realm by ACS is the fund accounting pick for mid to large churches, offering built-in fund accounting plus deep accounting and payroll through ACS Technologies in a full-suite ChMS. It suits churches that want to consolidate accounting with people and ministry operations rather than integrating a separate accounting tool. Pricing is quote based and processing fees vary, so this guide lists it as See website.
The trade off is accounting depth against implementation effort. Realm handles church finances better than most ChMS tools, but setup and cost suit larger churches. Realm fits mid to large churches that need built-in fund accounting.
What we like- Built-in fund accounting
- Deep accounting and payroll through ACS Technologies
- Full-suite ChMS
- Good for mid to large churches
- Strong for churches consolidating accounting
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing
- Processing fees vary
- Implementation takes time
- Overkill for small churches
- Admin complexity exceeds Breeze and ChurchTrac
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
FellowshipOne is the larger church operations pick, focusing on people and ministry operations for larger churches, with integration to dedicated accounting tools where needed. It suits churches with established operations that need a proven platform rather than a new all-in-one bundle. Pricing is quote based or module-based in some reports, so this guide lists it as See website.
The trade off is proven operations against modern ease. FellowshipOne runs larger church operations reliably, but its interface and pricing feel older than newer rivals. FellowshipOne fits larger churches with established ministry operations.
What we like- Established ministry operations platform
- People and ministry focus
- Larger church fit
- Integrates with dedicated accounting tools
- Long track record
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing
- Module or attendance-based pricing in some reports
- Less modern than Tithe.ly and Subsplash
- Implementation takes time
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Rock RMS is the open source pick, offering free church management software for churches with a developer, with no subscription and no per-member fees. Churches host it themselves, so hosting plus technical support becomes the real cost, and setup needs technical skill. Rock RMS suits churches that want full control and have developer capacity.
The trade off is free software against hosting burden. Rock RMS costs nothing in licenses, but hosting and support cost time and money. Rock RMS fits churches with a developer who want open source control.
What we like- Free open source software
- Full ChMS features without subscription
- Self-hosted control
- Good for churches with a developer
- No per-member fees
Watch out for- Churches must host it themselves
- Hosting plus technical support is the real cost
- Needs developer skill
- Support depends on community and paid help
- Setup takes time
How we chose
We compared published 2026 church management comparisons, recording subscription prices and giving processing fees separately, since processing often exceeds subscriptions for churches with significant digital donations. We favored tools with distinct strengths, all-in-one simplicity, simple flat-rate management, tightest budget, growing multi-site unity, custom app media, fund accounting, larger operations, and open source control, and we listed Pushpay, Subsplash, Realm, and FellowshipOne as See website because their pricing is quote based. We weighed administration, giving, and accounting separately, since no single tool leads on all three.
How to choose a Planning Center alternative
Start with size: small churches should shortlist ChurchTrac, Tithe.ly free giving, and Breeze flat rate, while growing and multi-site churches should shortlist Pushpay and Subsplash. Next, check accounting needs: churches that want fund accounting in one system should shortlist Realm and ChurchTrac with its accounting add-on, while others can integrate a dedicated accounting tool. Then total the real cost: add subscription plus card processing at about 2.9 percent plus $0.30 per transaction, plus ACH fees, since processing often exceeds the subscription. Finally, test check-in, volunteer scheduling, and giving with real volunteers before committing, since ease of use decides adoption. A tool that fits your size, your accounting needs, and your real total cost will run church operations without surprise bills.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Planning Center alternative overall?
Tithe.ly suits all-in-one simplicity, Breeze suits simple flat-rate management, ChurchTrac suits tight budgets, and Pushpay suits growing multi-site churches, so the best pick depends on size.
Is there a free church management alternative?
Tithe.ly giving is free with only transaction fees, ChurchTrac offers a free tier for the smallest churches, and Rock RMS is free open source software, though hosting costs apply.
Why do church software prices vary so much?
Some tools bundle everything flat, others charge per module or per member, and giving processing fees add on top, so compare subscription plus processing together.
Should small churches use Pushpay?
Usually not yet. Pushpay suits growing and multi-site churches, while small churches should start with ChurchTrac, Tithe.ly, or Breeze.
Can church software handle accounting too?
Some can: ChurchTrac includes accounting as an add-on and Realm offers deep fund accounting, while other tools integrate with dedicated accounting software.
Do we need a church app or is a website enough?
A website handles visitors and information, while an app puts giving, groups, check-in, and communication in members pockets all week, so media-heavy churches should shortlist Subsplash and Pushpay.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.