Overview

Founded in 2002 and based in Jacksonville, Florida, ChurchTrac serves churches across denominations and sizes. Its broad scope is useful for teams consolidating routine church operations, but the plan limit is based on each individual tracked—not simply attendance. Archived names do not count.

Church Connect, included with every subscription, combines a website builder, member portal, and mobile app. That makes the platform more than an internal administration system, though churches that need an open API should look elsewhere: ChurchTrac says its API is closed.

Key features

Administration, worship, and accounting

People and group management, attendance, fund accounting, and giving cover core administrative work. Worship planning and volunteer scheduling extend that coverage into service preparation, while event registration and child check-in support gatherings and family ministries. The advantage is breadth in one subscription; churches needing only one narrow tool may find that scope unnecessary.

Giving and messaging costs

Online giving integrates with Stripe, but Stripe processing fees apply. Enhanced Messaging costs $7 per month for 250 credits, so churches relying on additional messaging should factor that charge into the subscription price.

Check-in, security, and support

Check-in works on Windows 10 or later and macOS 11 or later computers, with an iPad check-in app also available. ChurchTrac says it isolates account data in separate databases, encrypts connections with TLS, makes regular backups, and does not store card or bank details. Two-factor authentication is available by email and by SMS or voice call; SMS-based 2FA is limited to North America.

Support includes one-on-one setup sessions, weekly live training, tutorial videos, and help articles, backed by a Jacksonville-based team. That mix can help churches getting started with a broad system, rather than leaving setup entirely to staff.

Pricing

ChurchTrac offers a 30-day trial and no free plan. Monthly plans are priced by the number of people tracked:

75 people: 29.00 USD per month.
125 people: 39.00 USD per month.
250 people: 59.00 USD per month.
500 people: 79.00 USD per month.
1,000 people: 99.00 USD per month.
Unlimited people: 119.00 USD per month.

The 75-person tier is the lowest-cost entry point, but a small church should still count every individual it tracks and allow room for growth. Archived names are excluded. Larger tiers raise capacity in steps, while the unlimited plan removes the tracked-people ceiling. Annual options are shown for 75, 125, and 250 people, with custom pricing.

Every subscription includes Church Connect. Enhanced Messaging adds $7 per month for 250 credits, and online giving carries Stripe processing fees. These costs matter most to churches that expect frequent additional messaging or substantial online giving.

Platforms

ChurchTrac supports Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. Its desktop check-in requirements are Windows 10 or later and macOS 11 or later; iPad check-in is also supported.

Who it's for

ChurchTrac is a good fit for congregations that want people records, accounting, giving, worship preparation, scheduling, events, and child check-in together, with a website and member app included. Churches should choose a tier based on tracked individuals, not just members attending regularly. It is less suitable for a team that needs an open API or a free plan.

Pros and cons

Broad operational coverage: People and group management, attendance, fund accounting, giving, worship planning, volunteer scheduling, event registration, and child check-in are brought together.
Church Connect included: Every subscription includes a website builder, member portal, and mobile app.
Capacity-based pricing: Monthly tiers make the people allowance explicit, and archived names do not count.
Extra costs can add up: Enhanced Messaging costs $7 per month for 250 credits, while online giving incurs Stripe processing fees.
No open API: ChurchTrac says its API is closed, limiting its fit for churches that require API access.

Alternatives

CDM+ is worth considering for churches that want a paid system with Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows support; its Essentials plan is 25.00 USD per month for one program and one user, paid monthly via auto-draw ACH.
Connection Card Pro Check-Ins is a freemium option with a free Ministry Lite plan covering 250 contacts, three admin users, 1 GB storage, and 1,000 emails per month.
Church Central Cloud has a free tier for up to 10 members, one branch, 500 one-time emails, 2 GB storage, and basic member profiles.
Planning Center offers free Calendar for one room, People with an unlimited database and reporting, and Services for five team members; consider it if those free modules match your needs.
TimelyChurch offers a free plan for up to 100 people and 500 MB storage, making it an option for churches seeking a free starting tier.
Subsplash Church App has a free Subsplash Giving option with no setup costs, though card and ACH processing fees apply.
Grace Gate Check-In is a focused alternative at 9.99 USD per month, with check-in, labels, reports, a parent app, classroom paging, volunteer scheduling, and background-check tracking.
MosesTab Worship Planning has a free plan with unlimited members, one admin, one group and ministry, five events, three forms, and 500 MB storage; it is a narrower option for worship planning.
For category-specific options, compare Church Check-In Software, Church Giving Software, Fund Accounting Software, Small Group Management Software, Church Directory Software, and Nonprofit Text-to-Give Software for dedicated tools in those areas.

Verdict

Choose ChurchTrac if your church wants a wide set of administrative and ministry tools alongside a website, member portal, and app in one subscription. Its clearest advantage is that breadth; the main reasons to look elsewhere are the people-based cap, extra messaging and giving charges, and closed API.

	ChurchTrac	VBSMate
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from		Free
Platforms	Android, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows	Web
Free plan	No	Yes
Paid from	29 /mo
Member limit	75 members
Group management	Yes
Event registration	Yes
Child check-in	Yes
SMS messaging	Yes
Mobile app	vendor
Volunteer scheduling	Yes
Mobile platforms		web

ChurchTrac vs VBSMate

ChurchTrac

VBSMate