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SPECIFICTION
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SimpleUpdates

simpleupdates.com

From $20/mo Free plan WebAPI
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Spec score 8.6 #8 of 24 in Church Website Builders

What it is

SimpleUpdates Studio is a hosted website builder and content management system for creating and updating websites without coding. Its visual editor uses drag-and-drop controls and offers more than 36 elements and 200 ready-to-use icons; the company advertises more than 100 templates. Content tools include blogs, galleries, a form builder, collections, and custom HTML and CSS. The free Starter plan is free and includes unlimited pages and storage plus SSL, with limited features. Pro costs $37 a month for one website and includes unlimited pages and storage, SSL, up to two domains and three email addresses, and all Pro layouts, blocks, and elements. Paid website plans include free personal calls and support for technical questions. The pricing page lists contact form app integration, while legacy CMS update notes document Stripe integration for store payments and forms. SimpleUpdates says it does not collect or store end-user payment information; that information is passed to the payment processors customers choose. The service is web-based and serves commercial and nonprofit clients, including businesses and ministries. The company says Darryl Hosford founded it as Hosford Web Service in 1995, before it became SimpleUpdates.com as the CMS was developed.

Spec sheet

What it does
SimpleUpdates builds hosted business, nonprofit, church and school websites from an interview and supplies written draft pages.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Product
SimpleUpdates Studio is a hosted website CMS and builder for creating and updating websites without coding.Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
API
Release notes state that the platform exposes collection APIs and later allowed collection API access from outside the site domain.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.simpleupdates.com
Integrations
Documented integrations include Google Analytics, YouTube, Zoom, Facebook oEmbed, iTunes podcasting and social-media widgets.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.simpleupdates.com
Security
The terms allow HTTPS certificates for custom domains, while the current plans advertise SSL.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Privacy
The privacy policy says end-user payment information is passed to the payment processors customers choose and is not collected or stored by SimpleUpdates.Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Support
Support is offered by email with a stated one-business-day response target, scheduled calls and telephone numbers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Headquarters
The company says it operates remotely around the United States and lists a mailing address in Gentry, Arkansas.Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Founded
1995Read 28 Sep 2026 · simpleupdates.com
AI interview
The signup interview asks short business questions and uses the answers to generate site copy and suggested pages.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Basic modules
Basic includes blogs, calendars, galleries, forms and search in addition to pages, hosting and SSL.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Builder
The Studio site describes a drag-and-drop visual builder with 36+ elements and 200+ ready-to-use icons.Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Company history
Darryl Hosford founded the business as Hosford Web Service in 1995; the CMS later became SimpleUpdates.com and the company says it has operated online since 2005.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Company location
The company says it operates remotely around the United States and gives a mailing address in Gentry, Arkansas.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Content ownership
The company says customers retain their content and can export it or move their domain elsewhere.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Content tools
The builder includes blogs, galleries, a form builder, collections, and custom HTML and CSS.Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Domains and email
Every paid website plan includes up to 2 domains and 3 email addresses.Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Domains and mailboxes
Plan allowances range from one domain and mailbox on Basic to three domains and five mailboxes on Premium.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Growth media
Growth adds video hosting, podcast hosting and online-donation capability.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Help center
The support center provides guides for domains, email, blocks and billing.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Independent app evidence
An app catalog lists the free Madison SDA iPhone/iPad app with SimpleUpdates.com, Inc. as provider and version 2.3.Read 15 Oct 2026 · madison-sda.appstor.io
Independent classification
An Adventist web-services guide describes SimpleUpdates as a proprietary hosted CMS operated by a private ASI-member business.Read 15 Oct 2026 · awa7.netadventist.org
Independent company profile
A LinkedIn profile for founder Darryl Hosford identifies Berrien Springs, Michigan and describes SimpleUpdates website-tool development activity.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Independent engineering evidence
The Org reports that former SimpleUpdates developer Adam Jackson built a custom CMS and helped migrate its legacy codebase to React.Read 15 Oct 2026 · theorg.com
Independent legacy use
An Oklahoma Adventist article dated September 9, 2025 says churches and schools were being migrated from legacy SimpleUpdates sites to Adventist Connect's Frame WordPress platform.Read 15 Oct 2026 · okadventist.org
Legacy documentation
The older support site documents pages, blogs, themes, HTML editing, users, email, forms, galleries, media, stores and custom collections.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.simpleupdates.com
Licence
The service is copyrighted proprietary software; the terms say some open-source components may be present and licenses are available on request.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Limit: legacy migration
The 2025 support article says redesigning legacy SU2018 sites may cost up to $1,500 for a theme overhaul or about $1,000 for a ten-page SUStudio migration, based on a $120 hourly rate.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.simpleupdates.com
Limit: no refunds
The terms say monthly or annual subscriptions can be cancelled but payments for the selected plan are not refundable.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Limit: third-party dependency
The terms disclaim responsibility for third-party integrations and reserve the right to suspend or remove them without notice.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
News: ownership transition
The about page says ownership began transitioning in 2024, with Jason Strack becoming owner and CEO and Sean Strack becoming content manager.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Praise: local service
Yahoo Local shows Simpleupdates with a 5.0 score from one review and describes website creation, CMS hosting, domains, email and maintenance services.Read 15 Oct 2026 · local.yahoo.com
Premium commerce
Premium adds an online store and checkout.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Privacy payment handling
The privacy policy says complete end-user payment details are passed to the selected payment processor rather than stored by SimpleUpdates.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
RSS API
Release notes describe an RSS API enhancement that sends featured images in feeds.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.simpleupdates.com
System requirements
The archived manual says any current internet-connected computer works and lists minimum browsers including Firefox 2+, Internet Explorer 7+, Safari 3+, Opera 9.5+, Chrome 1+ and Camino 1+.Read 15 Oct 2026 · manualzilla.com
Templates
The site advertises more than 100 templates.Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Trial billing
The trial requires a card, charges nothing for 14 days, emails before the trial ends and can be cancelled from billing in one click.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Visual editing
Users edit text directly on the published page and replace images by clicking them.Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Who it serves
The company says it serves commercial and nonprofit clients, including businesses and ministries.Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com

Plans and prices

STARTER Free Limited features · unlimited pages and storage · SSL included · no end of free trial Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Basic $24 a month monthly interview and written pages · unlimited pages · blog · calendar · gallery · forms · search · SSL and hosting · 1 custom domain · 1 mailbox Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
PRO $37 a month $37 / month 1 website · unlimited pages and storage · SSL included · up to 2 domains and 3 emails · all PRO layouts, blocks and elements Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Growth $39 a month monthly everything in Basic · video and podcast hosting · online donations · 2 custom domains · 3 mailboxes Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Premium $59 a month monthly everything in Growth · online store and checkout · 3 custom domains · 5 mailboxes · priority support Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Basic $240 a year yearly interview and written pages · unlimited pages · blog · calendar · gallery · forms · search · SSL and hosting · 1 custom domain · 1 mailbox Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Growth $399 a year yearly everything in Basic · video and podcast hosting · online donations · 2 custom domains · 3 mailboxes Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
PRO $399 a year $399 / year *Save 10%* 1 website · unlimited pages and storage · SSL included · up to 2 domains and 3 emails · all PRO layouts, blocks and elements Read 7 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com
Premium $599 a year yearly everything in Growth · online store and checkout · 3 custom domains · 5 mailboxes · priority support Read 15 Oct 2026 · simpleupdates.com

Every SimpleUpdates plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Drag-and-drop builder with more than 36 elements.
  • Includes blogs, galleries, forms, and collections.
  • Starter includes unlimited pages and storage.
  • Pro includes up to two domains and three emails.

Limits

  • Starter has limited features.
  • Pro costs $37 a month.
  • Service is web-based.

Who it suits

SimpleUpdates suits commercial and nonprofit organizations that want a hosted visual website builder without coding. Starter may suit sites needing basic pages and storage; Pro adds a website, domains, email addresses, and the full Pro design elements.

Verdict

SimpleUpdates Studio pairs a visual builder and content tools with a free Starter tier and a specified Pro plan. The Starter plan has limited features, while Pro's price and included website, domains, and email are stated.

Where Specifiction places it

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