IconCMO vs Planning Center
IconCMO
iconsystemsinc.com
Planning Center
planningcenter.comSide by side
| Figure | IconCMO | Planning Center |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $32.08/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 |
| Plans published | 18 | 11 |
| Spec score · Church Event Management Software | 8.1 (#15) | 8.9 (#4) |
| Founded | 1992 | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Fargo, North Dakota, United States | Carlsbad, California, United States |
| Security | Icon Systems says traffic uses TLS encryption, nightly backups are sent encrypted to a second hosting facility, and customer information is not shared or sold except when required by law or court order. | 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 | Icon Systems advertises ongoing software support at no extra cost by phone and email, along with training resources and webinars. | 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
IconCMO
- Membership & Donation Basic$50 a month
- Membership & Donation Basic$550 a year
- Membership & Donation Standard$75 a month
- Membership & Donation Standard$825 a year
- Membership & Donation Premium$125 a month
- Membership & Donation Premium$1,375 a year
- Accounting Standard$35 a month
- Accounting Standard$385 a year
- Accounting Premium$45 a month
- Accounting — Standard$35 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
IconCMO
IconCMO is a web-based system designed for churches, combining membership records, donations, communication, and fund accounting. Membership tools centralize contact information, allow customizable fields, and retain historical records through archiving. Donation functions track contributions and pledges, create year-end statements, and can post donations directly to accounting. The maker says the system connects to eGiving platforms such as Vanco and supports multiple payment processors. Church accounting includes fund tracking and FASB-compliant, audit-ready reports, alongside budget tracking, expense management, bank reconciliation, financial reporting, and multi-entity support. iOS and Android apps provide directory access, donation history, and member information updates. The full system also works on iPad and Android tablets through a mobile-friendly web app without a download. Listed monthly plans include Accounting Standard at $35 a month and Membership & Donation Basic at $50 a month. The 30-day trial requires no credit card and has no automatic renewal or obligation. Icon Systems is headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, and was founded in 1992.
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.