ChurchTools vs Planning Center
ChurchTools
church.tools
Planning Center
planningcenter.comSide by side
| Figure | ChurchTools | Planning Center |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $39/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 | 6 | 11 |
| Spec score · Church Scheduling Software | 8.4 (#9) | 8.8 (#7) |
| Spec score · Church Management Software | 8.3 (#13) | 8.9 (#8) |
| Spec score · Church Directory Software | 8.3 (#16) | 8.8 (#8) |
| Company history | Jens-Martin Rauen began developing the first version of ChurchTools in 2004, and ChurchTools Innovations UG was founded in 2015 before becoming ChurchTools Innovations GmbH. | Planning Center says it was formed in 2006 by founders Jeff Berg and Aaron Stewart. |
| Founded | 2016 | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Karlsruhe, Germany | Carlsbad, California, United States |
| Integrations | Official integrations include ALPHA Bookstore, CCLI SongSelect, SongBeamer, OpenSong, ProPresenter, CM Telecom, Optigem, Nextcloud, MailChimp, CleverReach, MailJet, LimeSurvey and Evangelische Termine. | The integrations directory includes services such as BoxCast, Checkr, Mailchimp, PraiseCharts, SongSelect, Zapier, Clearstream and ProPresenter; most connections are maintained by third parties. |
| Support | Free dedicated support is included in all ChurchTools packages, with help pages, a forum, a blog and a contact form. | 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. |
Plans
ChurchTools
- Package XS$39 a month
- Package S$59 a month
- Package M$99 a month
- Package L$159 a month
- Package XL$249 a month
- Package XXL$399 a month
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
ChurchTools
ChurchTools is church management software with modules for people, groups, posts, calendars, resources, events, wiki, check-in, chat, Sync and finances. It is designed for Christian churches and congregations of different denominations and sizes, from church plants to multi-site churches. Each package includes unlimited groups, calendars, events, wiki sites, chats, check-ins and reports, as well as a church app, 5 GB of storage, integrations, an open API, a writing assistant, ChurchTools Academy and email support. The service has web access and Android and iOS apps; the mobile app can be signed into several installations at once. ChurchTools lists more than 800 REST API endpoints, with API access free of charge. Packages start at $39 a month, billed monthly, with a 30-day trial and no free plan. Package XS allows 100 people, no additional campuses, 10 resources and 20 rosters. The service was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany.
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.