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Planning Center

planningcenter.com

From $15/mo Free plan WebWindowsmacOSiOSAndroidAPI
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Spec score 9.0 #2 of 24 in Church Website Builders

What it is

Planning Center is a church ministry platform with products for people management, events, worship planning, donations, groups, and church apps. People centralizes membership information and ministry activity such as attendance, giving, and volunteering. Services supports worship planning, volunteer scheduling, team communication, and rehearsal tools. Other listed capabilities include group management, event registration, child check-in, and SMS messaging. Free plans are listed for Calendar, People, and Services: Calendar includes one room, People has an unlimited database and reporting, and Services includes five team members and 100 MB of storage. The pricing note lists paid access from $5/mo and a 30-day trial; a member limit of 75 is also listed. Services plans include unlimited feature access, teams, service types, and plans, with pricing based on the number of people accessing the system. The Services app supports iOS and Android phones and tablets, but not Windows devices. Integrations include SongSelect, PraiseCharts, Checkr, Mailchimp, Zapier, and third-party tools; an open API is also available. Planning Center states its products suit churches of any size.

Spec sheet

What it does
Planning Center combines church membership data, scheduling, giving, events and communications in connected products.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.planningcenter.com
Intended users
Planning Center describes its products as suitable for churches of any size, including small neighborhood churches and churches with multiple campuses.Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Integrations
The integrations directory includes services such as BoxCast, Checkr, Mailchimp, PraiseCharts, SongSelect, Zapier, Clearstream and ProPresenter; most connections are maintained by third parties.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Security
Planning Center states it is SOC 2 Type 2 certified and PCI Level One compliant, encrypts data in transit and at rest, and uses a multilayered backup strategy.Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Support
Support is free for customers and noncustomers, with a stated response time of about one business hour Monday through Friday and a weekend crew for emergencies.Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Headquarters
Carlsbad, California, United StatesRead 23 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Founded
2006Read 23 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
API documentation and SDK
The API follows JSON:API 1.0, and the public developer repository documents OAuth, personal-token authentication and a Ruby pco_api gem.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
API scope
The public API currently covers Calendar, Check-Ins, Giving, Groups, People and Services, with more endpoints planned.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
API tooling
Developers can create OAuth applications, personal access tokens, webhooks and use an API Explorer; the API is available on free subscription tiers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · api.planningcenteronline.com
Calendar feature
Calendar centralizes events, rooms and resources and supports approvals, iCal feeds, templates and synchronization with other products.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Check-Ins feature
Check-Ins handles child check-in and checkout, labels, security codes, emergency texting, medical notes, live updates and attendance reporting.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Company facts
The legal entity is Ministry Centered Technologies, Inc.; LinkedIn lists it as privately held, founded in 2006 and based in Carlsbad, California, and Planning Center says Jeff Berg owns it.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company history
Planning Center says it was formed in 2006 by founders Jeff Berg and Aaron Stewart.Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Free access and trial
Every product has a free tier, and a new account receives its first 30 days free; People remains free without a people-count limit.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.planningcenter.com
Giving fees
US Giving and event payments charge 2.15% plus $0.30 for cards and 0% plus $0.30 for ACH, with an additional 1.5% for international cards.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Groups feature
Groups supports group signups, attendance, chat, events, resources, reports, permissions and confidential groups.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Limit: account merging
Planning Center has no built-in way to merge organization accounts, and Services media and songs must be moved manually.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.planningcenter.com
Limit: Capterra cost and workflow friction
Capterra reviewers cite rising modular costs, navigation or workflow friction, duplicate profiles, form limitations and occasional bugs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Limit: G2 complexity and mobile gaps
G2 reviewers repeatedly mention choice overload, limited customization, cumbersome sign-in, unreliable media links and functions that require desktop access.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: language support
Planning Center says its documentation, videos and support are English-only and it has no immediate plans for additional languages.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.planningcenter.com
Limit: service outages
Planning Center's status history records an October 12–13, 2026 incident where some iOS users could not load chat conversations, resolved through app updates.Read 15 Oct 2026 · status.planningcenter.com
Mobile app
The Planning Center mobile app provides dashboards, tasks, push notifications and product access, but dashboard editing requires a web browser.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.planningcenter.com
Mobile compatibility
The Services mobile app supports iOS and Android phones and tablets; the Services page says it is not compatible with Windows devices.Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Notable news: October 2026 changelog
Recent releases include People search by phone or email on October 13, personal-access-token admin controls on October 12 and event approval requirements on October 7, 2026.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Over-limit behavior
The pricing page says accounts continue to work if a plan limit is exceeded and the organization receives an upgrade suggestion if it exceeds the limit more than once.Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Ownership and scale
Planning Center says it is founder-owned, bootstrapped, debt-free and not for sale; it reports 78,000 active churches, 4 million users and 200+ employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
People database
People centralizes membership information and ministry activity, including attendance, giving, and volunteering.Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Praise: Capterra all-in-one workflow
Capterra reviewers commonly praise integrated worship planning, team organization, cross-ministry communication, customizable modules and quick support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Praise: G2 usability and integration
G2 reviewers repeatedly praise easy volunteer scheduling, centralized information, connected modules, rehearsal resources and responsive support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Publishing feature
Publishing offers a free app-management, homepage and analytics tier, with paid custom pages, themes, sermon notes and audio/video channels.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Rating on Apple App Store
4.6 out of 5 from 34 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on Capterra
4.7 out of 5 from 1,138 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2
4.7 out of 5 from 354 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GetApp
4.7 out of 5 from 1,138 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Google Play
4.1 out of 5 from 8,200 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on Trustpilot
3.4 out of 5 from 2 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Rating on TrustRadius
9.1 out of 10 from 36 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
Registrations feature
Registrations provides custom signups, attendee caps and categories, household registration, add-on purchases and payments.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Security compliance
Planning Center says it is a Level One PCI-compliant merchant, uses ongoing HackerOne penetration testing, hardware-key or biometric employee two-factor authentication and applies GDPR standards to all customers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.planningcenter.com
Services feature
Services provides worship planning, volunteer scheduling, team communication and rehearsal tools, with reusable plans and media libraries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services plan limits
Services plans include unlimited feature access, teams, service types, and plans, with pricing based on the number of people who access the system.Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
SOC 2
Planning Center reports a SOC 2 audit covering security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Support and training
Planning Center provides a help center, Planning Center University courses, community support and free support that it says usually responds in about one business hour.Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
System requirements
Web products support current Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge versions; many products also have iOS and Android apps.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.planningcenter.com
Worship planning
Services supports worship planning, volunteer scheduling, team communication, and rehearsal tools.Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com

Plans and prices

Calendar Free 1 room Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
People Free Unlimited database and reporting Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services Free 5 team members · 100MB storage Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services Free Free Free 5 team members · 100MB storage · unlimited features, teams, service types and plans Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services 20 $15 a month $15/mo. 20 team members · 2GB storage Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services 50 $32 a month $32/mo. 50 team members · 4GB storage Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services 150 $69 a month $69/mo. 150 team members · 10GB storage Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services 400 $115 a month $115/mo. 400 team members · 30GB storage Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services 1000 $179 a month $179/mo. 1,000 team members · 60GB storage Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services $239 a month $239/mo. Unlimited team members · 200GB storage Read 30 Sep 2026 · planningcenter.com
Services Unlimited $239 a month $239/mo. Unlimited team members · 200GB storage Read 15 Oct 2026 · planningcenter.com

Every Planning Center plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free plans are listed for Calendar, People, and Services.
  • People includes an unlimited database and reporting.
  • Services supports volunteer scheduling and rehearsals.
  • Includes an open API and listed integrations.
  • Products are described as suitable for churches of any size.

Limits

  • Calendar's free plan includes one room.
  • Services' free plan includes five team members and 100 MB storage.
  • The Services app is not compatible with Windows devices.
  • Services pricing depends on the number of system users.

Who it suits

Planning Center suits churches seeking tools for membership information, events, worship planning, and related ministry work. The Services app supports iOS and Android phones and tablets, but not Windows devices.

Planning Center in depth

Read the full write-up

Overview

Planning Center is a suite of church ministry products covering people records, events, worship planning, giving, groups, and church apps. It suits churches that want multiple ministry workflows in one platform, especially those able to start with free product plans. The trade-off is that costs and limits vary by product, and Services pricing depends on how many people access it.

Formed in 2006 by Jeff Berg and Aaron Stewart, the company is based in Carlsbad, California. Planning Center positions its products for congregations of any size, from neighborhood churches to multi-campus organizations.

Churches comparing broader options can also browse Church Management Software, or focus on Church Directory Software, Church Volunteer Management Software, Church Website Builders, Church Giving Software, and Small Group Management Software.

Key features

People and ministry records

People centralizes membership information alongside attendance, giving, and volunteering activity. Its free plan includes an unlimited database and reporting, making it a strong starting point for churches that need organized records without paying by database size. The platform also supports group management, event registration, child check-in, and SMS messaging.

Worship planning and team coordination

Services combines worship planning with volunteer scheduling, team communication, and rehearsal tools. Its plans include unlimited features, teams, service types, and plans; the price instead scales with the number of people who access the system. That structure suits churches with varied worship workflows, but growing access needs can raise the bill even when feature use stays steady.

Connections, security, and support

Integrations include SongSelect, PraiseCharts, Checkr, Mailchimp, and Zapier, alongside third-party tools and an open API. Planning Center says it is SOC 2 Type 2 certified and PCI Level One compliant, encrypts data in transit and at rest, and uses layered backups. Support is free for customers and noncustomers, with a stated response time of about one business hour on weekdays and an emergency weekend crew.

Pricing

Planning Center uses a freemium model, offers a 30-day trial, and says paid plans start at $5/mo. Its free plans are product-specific rather than a single all-in package: Calendar costs nothing for one room; People costs nothing with an unlimited database and reporting; Services costs nothing for five team members and 100MB of storage.

Those free tiers make it practical to begin with a room calendar, a large people database, or a small Services team. The Services cap of five team members and 100MB storage is a meaningful constraint for broader coordination. Paid Services plans retain unlimited feature access, teams, service types, and plans, but are priced by system access count. The general paid-from figure does not establish a single price for every product or church size.

Accounts continue working after a plan limit is exceeded. If an organization exceeds its limit more than once, Planning Center says it receives an upgrade suggestion, giving some breathing room while making recurring overages a prompt to move up.

Platforms

Planning Center supports Android, iOS, web, and API access. The Services mobile app runs on iOS and Android phones and tablets, but not Windows devices; churches relying on Windows tablets for worship teams should account for that limitation.

Who it's for

Planning Center is a good fit for churches that want connected tools for member records, worship teams, and other ministry functions, with the option to adopt free product plans before committing to paid use. Its stated scope spans small congregations and multi-campus organizations. Churches that need Windows compatibility for the Services app, or that want one predictable price regardless of how many people use worship planning, should compare alternatives.

Pros and cons

Pros: People’s free plan includes an unlimited database and reporting, avoiding a database-size ceiling at the free tier.

Pros: Services plans keep features, teams, service types, and plans unlimited, so the access count—not feature restrictions—sets the pricing distinction.

Pros: The platform supports Android, iOS, web, and an open API, with named integrations including SongSelect, PraiseCharts, Checkr, Mailchimp, and Zapier.

Cons: Free Services is limited to five team members and 100MB storage, which may constrain larger teams.

Cons: Services pricing depends on the number of people who access the system, so the bill can rise as access expands.

Cons: The Services app does not support Windows devices, ruling it out for teams that need that mobile platform.

Alternatives

ChurchTrac is worth comparing for churches seeking a paid product with a free trial and a 75-people plan at $29 a month billed monthly; unlike Planning Center, it has no free plan.

ChurchPlan is another freemium option on Android, iOS, web, and API. Its free Essentials plan includes unlimited members, online giving and automated tax receipts, a personalized church mobile app, and donation links and QR codes, which may suit churches prioritizing those functions.

One Church Software may suit readers comparing paid church software that offers a free trial and supports Android, iOS, web, API, macOS, and Windows.

Directify is a freemium web and API option for readers whose need is a directory: its free plan covers one directory and 10 listings, with templates, a theme editor, a subdomain, and SSL.

MosesTab Worship Planning is a narrower alternative for worship planning, with a free web plan that allows unlimited members, one admin, one group and ministry, five events, three forms, and 500 MB storage.

MyUCD is a free Android, iOS, and web app offered through Universal Church Directories’ directory program.

Church Social is a paid alternative with a free trial and an annual-invoiced Small plan at $60 a month for 0–200 members and full feature access.

ChurchTools is a paid option with a free trial; its Package XS is $39 a month for 100 people, with no additional campuses, 10 resources, and 20 rosters.

Verdict

Choose Planning Center if your church wants a connected set of ministry tools and values being able to start with free plans, particularly the unlimited People database and reporting. Look elsewhere if Windows support for Services is essential or if a Services price tied to user access does not fit your budgeting needs.

Verdict

Planning Center brings several church-management functions together, with free plans for Calendar, People, and Services. Check the individual product limits and the Services device and pricing details against your needs.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to Planning CenterAll alternatives →