AltarDesk vs ChurchSoftware.com Groups
AltarDesk
altardesk.co.uk
ChurchSoftware.com Groups
churchsoftware.comSide by side
| Figure | AltarDesk | ChurchSoftware.com Groups |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £17/mo | $25/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 13 | 7 |
| Spec score · Church Background Check Software | 9.2 (#1) | 9.1 (#3) |
| Documentation | The help centre exposes 169 articles across setup, members, Gift Aid, events, rooms, governance, safeguarding, communications and billing. | The linked help center describes step-by-step getting-started tutorials, user guides and a Facebook community for questions. |
| Integrations | GetApp lists SMS, Google Drive, Stripe and GoCardless as AltarDesk integrations. | The maker describes integrations with Facebook for automated posts and event syncing, and SongSelect and PraiseCharts for worship planning resources. |
| Rating on Google Play | The Google Play listing displays no user rating or review count for AltarDesk Giving. | No star rating or review count is displayed on the listing. |
| Security | AltarDesk says connections use TLS 1.3, stored data is encrypted with AES-256, and organisation records are isolated with row-level security. | The privacy policy says the company uses reasonable security measures and does not guarantee absolute security; it also says it does not sell, trade, or rent users’ personal identification information. |
| Self-hosting | AltarDesk is presented as a hosted web service with UK and European infrastructure providers; self-hosting instructions are not published. | The official product pages describe a hosted web platform and mobile apps but provide no self-hosting or installation instructions. |
| Support | The support centre says its team normally responds within one working day. | The site directs users to email support and says it typically replies within 1–2 business days. |
| What it does | AltarDesk is a church and charity management platform combining member records, Gift Aid, rotas, safeguarding, giving and communications. | ChurchSoftware.com Groups lets churches create and manage small groups, Bible studies, ministries, life groups, volunteer teams and leadership groups. |
Plans
AltarDesk
- FreeFree
- Free (up to 15 people)Free
- Up to 75 people£17 a month
- 76–125 people£25 a month
- 76–125 people£25 a month
- 126–200 people£35 a month
- 126–200 people£35 a month
- 201–500 people£69 a month
- 201–500 people£69 a month
- 501–1,000 people£99 a month
ChurchSoftware.com Groups
- Your Church PlanFree
- Background Checks$10, paid once
- Payroll$25 a month
- Two-way Texting$29 a month
- Church Website$59 a month
- Branded Mobile App$149 a month
- Website & Branded Mobile App Bundle$199 a month
In their own words
AltarDesk
AltarDesk is a church management platform for member records, donor statements, schedules, safeguarding and giving. Its member portal and app let people update their details, view rota duties, give and access giving statements. Paid plans include Gift Aid and GASDS management, direct HMRC claim submission and contactless giving. Bank statement imports support Lloyds, HSBC, NatWest, Barclays and Monzo; member giving uses Stripe card payments. The free plan covers up to 15 people and includes 500 MB of storage. The displayed tier for up to 75 people costs £17 a month and includes 2 GB of storage. Member and giving records are held in UK data centres, while sermon video and audio remain in the church’s own Google Drive. AltarDesk says connections use TLS 1.3, stored data is encrypted with AES-256, and organisation records are isolated with row-level security. It also says it does not sell church data, share it with advertisers or train AI models on it. At a plan’s member cap, a church must move to a higher plan before adding people.
ChurchSoftware.com Groups
ChurchSoftware.com Groups is a church group-management tool for small groups, Bible studies, ministries, and life groups. Administrators can create groups, assign leaders, add members, and organize groups by age, interest, ministry area, or purpose. Each group can include attendance, event, and note records. Focused group messaging avoids reply-all conversations, while leaders can manage members and follow up with them. The service is available on Android, iOS, and the web. It is included in the maker’s free church plan, which also includes people and volunteer management, online giving, check-in, event registration and forms, a sermon library, mobile access, custom reports, and customer support. The maker says its core platform is free forever for eligible 501(c)(3) organizations and offers no trial. Integrations include Facebook for automated posts and event syncing, plus SongSelect and PraiseCharts for worship-planning resources. Support is provided by email, typically within 1–2 business days.