ChurchCMS vs HolyJot
ChurchCMS
churchcms.app
HolyJot
holyjot.comSide by side
| Figure | ChurchCMS | HolyJot |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $24.17/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 10 | 7 |
| Spec score · Church Directory Software | 9.3 (#1) | 8.9 (#7) |
| Spec score · Church Volunteer Management Software | 9.3 (#1) | 9.1 (#3) |
| Spec score · Small Group Management Software | 9.3 (#2) | 9.0 (#6) |
| Headquarters | Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India | Fort Myers, Florida, United States |
| Licence | ChurchCMS and its Android app are presented as MIT-licensed code that can be modified, forked, commercially deployed and white-labelled. | The terms describe HolyJot content and features as proprietary and do not publish an open-source licence. |
| Rating on Capterra | 0.0 out of 5 from 0 reviews | 0 out of 5 from 0 reviews. |
| Security | Official material states SSL support, bcrypt password hashing, managed-hosting backups and security monitoring; it also claims GDPR-oriented data ownership. | The privacy policy says data transmissions use TLS/SSL or equivalent, sensitive stored data uses AES-256 or stronger encryption, and system access follows least-privilege controls. |
| Self-hosting | The software can run on shared hosting, VPS or cloud infrastructure, with the church retaining its installation and database. | HolyJot's public pages describe a hosted web service and do not document self-hosting. |
| Support | Support is offered through email and WhatsApp, GitHub discussions/issues and optional installation or managed-hosting services. | The pricing page includes priority support for individuals and priority support and onboarding for churches; the contact page says replies usually arrive within 1–2 business days. |
| What it does | ChurchCMS combines church administration, a website, online giving, member management and a companion Android app in one open-source platform. | HolyJot combines Bible journaling, Scripture study, FaithAI, community spaces and church-management tools for individuals and churches. |
Plans
ChurchCMS
- Self-HostedFree
- Self-Host It YourselfFree
- Managed Hosting$29 a month
- Managed Hosting Monthly$29 a month
- Installation Service$99, paid once
- We Install It For You$99, paid once
- Managed Hosting (annual)$290 a year
- Managed Hosting Annual$290 a year
- Custom Website Template$399, paid once
- Custom DevelopmentPriced on request
HolyJot
- FreeFree
- Individual free planFree
- Volunteer background check$5, paid once
- Volunteer background checks$5, paid once
- FaithAI credit pack (100 credits)$10, paid once
- FaithAI credit pack (200 credits)$20, paid once
- FaithAI credit pack (500 credits)$50, paid once
In their own words
ChurchCMS
ChurchCMS is church management software for member administration, attendance, online giving, events, congregation communications, and a church website. Its CRM stores searchable member profiles, family links, giving and attendance history, messages, and printable QR membership cards. Giving supports one-time and recurring donations, donor records, statements, fundraising campaigns, and Stripe, M-Pesa, Flutterwave, and Paystack. A branded Android app provides sermons, events, giving, member messages, prayer requests, and a church calendar. The product exposes a REST API for core modules and describes payment and third-party integrations through it. Churches can self-host under the MIT license or use managed hosting. Self-hosting is free forever with all six core modules, the Android app, and no usage limits. Managed Hosting costs $29 a month; annual managed hosting costs $290 a year. A one-time installation service costs 99.00 USD. The maker says it serves small and medium churches, with no minimum congregation size.
HolyJot
HolyJot combines faith journaling, Bible study, Scripture-focused AI, community, and church management tools. Individuals can link notes to Scripture, track moods, lock entries with a PIN, record voice journals, and create time-capsule entries. The Bible reader offers six translations, full-text search, text-to-speech, and verse-level journaling. More than 5,000 study plans include daily passages, reflection prompts, progress tracking, and AI-generated plans. FaithAI answers Bible questions with Scripture context, cross-references, and commentary. Church features include member profiles and a directory, events and attendance, online giving, a sermon library, and email campaigns. Churches can also use an embeddable chat widget based on a church knowledge base. HolyJot is free for individuals and churches, with unlimited journal entries, FaithAI conversations, and community hubs; optional volunteer background checks cost $5. It works in a browser and is optimized as a progressive web app that can be added to an iPhone or Android home screen. HolyJot says it does not sell personal information.