ChurchSuite vs Planning Center
ChurchSuite
churchsuite.com
Planning Center
planningcenter.comSide by side
| Figure | ChurchSuite | Planning Center |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $15.50/mo | $15/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 11 |
| Spec score · Church Check-In Software | 9.1 (#2) | 8.9 (#5) |
| Spec score · Church Event Management Software | 9.0 (#3) | 8.9 (#4) |
| Spec score · Church Directory Software | 9.0 (#3) | 8.8 (#8) |
| Spec score · Church Management Software | 9.0 (#3) | 8.9 (#8) |
| Spec score · Church Scheduling Software | 9.0 (#4) | 8.8 (#7) |
| Spec score · Small Group Management Software | 9.0 (#5) | 8.9 (#7) |
| Company history | The product launched as ChurchApp in January 2012 and was renamed ChurchSuite in 2017. | Planning Center says it was formed in 2006 by founders Jeff Berg and Aaron Stewart. |
| Founded | 2012 | 2006 |
| Headquarters | The registered office is Floor 2, The Courtyard, 35–37 St Mary's Gate, Nottingham, NG1 1PU, United Kingdom. | Carlsbad, California, United States |
| Integrations | Listed integrations include BulkSMS, GoCardless, Mailchimp, PayFast, Planning Center Online, podcast feeds, SAML2 SSO, Stripe and Twilio. | The integrations directory includes services such as BoxCast, Checkr, Mailchimp, PraiseCharts, SongSelect, Zapier, Clearstream and ProPresenter; most connections are maintained by third parties. |
| Rating on Apple App Store | 4.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings | 4.6 out of 5 from 34 ratings |
| Rating on G2 | 4.5 out of 5 from 3 reviews | 4.7 out of 5 from 354 reviews |
| Rating on GetApp | 4.8 out of 5 from 19 reviews | 4.7 out of 5 from 1,138 reviews |
| Rating on Trustpilot | 3.1 out of 5 from 2 reviews | 3.4 out of 5 from 2 reviews |
| Security | ChurchSuite states that it uses UK AWS data centres, TLS in transit, encryption at rest, separate customer databases, access logging and annual CREST-approved penetration testing. | 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. |
| Support | Support includes an online article library, email support, training videos, Q&A sessions and optional onsite training. | 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. |
| System requirements | The mobile app requires iOS 13 or newer or Android 7.0 or newer; Chromebooks and Chrome OS devices are unsupported. | Web products support current Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge versions; many products also have iOS and Android apps. |
Plans
ChurchSuite
- Solo$15.50 a month
- Starter$33 a month
- Suite$56 a month
- BespokePriced on request
Planning Center
- CalendarFree
- PeopleFree
- ServicesFree
- Services FreeFree
- Services 20$15 a month
- Services 50$32 a month
- Services 150$69 a month
- Services 400$115 a month
- Services 1000$179 a month
- Services$239 a month
In their own words
ChurchSuite
ChurchSuite is a set of connected products for organising church life, spanning contacts, children, bookings, small groups, rotas, calendars, giving, planning, attendance, and networks. Its Address Book module is required, powers the system, and stores adult contacts. Members can use My ChurchSuite to manage their details, sign up for events, join groups, handle rotas, and access church communications. The service is available in web browsers and through free Android and iOS apps. It also provides an API and Embed components with OAuth2 authentication for custom applications, plus integrations including BulkSMS, GoCardless, Mailchimp, PayFast, Planning Center Online, SAML2 SSO, Stripe, and Twilio. Stripe handles online card payments for event tickets, donations, and booking charges; ChurchSuite says it does not retain card details. Listed monthly plans for 0–99 active contacts are $15.50 for Address Book alone, $33.00 for Address Book plus two modules, and $56.00 for all ten modules. Larger-tier pricing is available on request. The monthly cost includes email support and access to support articles. Accounts include 2GB of file storage, with unlimited storage possible.
Planning Center
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.