💰 Pricing Guide — Updated May 2026
Church Management Software Pricing: What Churches Actually Pay in 2026
Real costs, hidden fees, and free options for 12 platforms — no sales calls, no "contact us for pricing," just numbers.
✓ 12 platforms compared
✓ Monthly + annual pricing
✓ Hidden fees disclosed
✓ Updated May 2026
💡 Bottom Line Up Front
Most churches under 200 members should spend $0–$50/month on ChMS. If a vendor won't show you pricing without a demo call, budget 30% more than their competitor's listed price — that's typically what "contact us" ends up costing.
Full Pricing Comparison Table (2026)
These prices are for standard plans. Annual pricing saves 15–20% on most platforms. "Per member" pricing scales with your database size.
| Platform |
Starting Price |
Pricing Model |
Best For |
Hidden Fees? |
| Planning Center |
FREE → $14/mo |
Per people in DB |
Any size |
Add-on modules stack up fast |
| Breeze ChMS |
$72/mo |
Flat rate, unlimited members |
Under 500 members |
None known |
| ChurchTrac |
FREE → $17/mo |
Per members |
Small churches |
Giving module extra |
| Tithe.ly |
$37/mo |
Flat + transaction fees |
Giving-first churches |
2.9% + $0.30 per txn |
| Realm (ACS) |
$39/mo |
Per members |
Mid–large churches |
Setup fees reported |
| Church Community Builder |
~$90/mo |
Per members |
Mid-size churches |
Contact for pricing |
| Elvanto (Tithely) |
$60/mo |
Per members |
International churches |
None known |
| Rock RMS |
FREE (open source) |
Self-hosted, IT required |
Large churches with IT |
Implementation costs $5–20K |
| Pushpay |
~$150/mo |
Contact for pricing |
Large churches |
Yes — setup + per-txn |
| Faithlife/Logos |
$199/mo |
Bundle pricing |
Teaching-focused churches |
Software addons cost more |
| Ministry Tracker |
$16/mo |
Per members |
Very small churches |
None known |
| Servant Keeper |
$30/mo |
Per members |
Traditional churches |
Desktop version extra |
Genuinely Free Church Software Options
Three platforms offer truly free tiers — not "free trials" that expire:
Best Church Software Under $50/Month
These platforms offer real functionality at under $50/month for congregations under 200 members:
- ChurchTrac — $17–27/month for up to 400 members. Basic giving, member tracking, attendance. No frills, no problems.
- Ministry Tracker — $16–35/month. Good for very small churches (under 100 members) that need just the basics.
- Tithe.ly Basic — $37/month for giving + basic ChMS features. If giving is your #1 priority, this is a good bundle.
- Servant Keeper — $30/month. Traditional UI, excellent member tracking, used by liturgical churches.
→ See our full guide: Best Church Software Under $50/Month
Mid-Range Options ($50–$150/month)
This is where most mid-size churches (100–500 members) land:
- Breeze ChMS — $72/month — Flat rate, unlimited members, no per-transaction giving fees. Best pure value in this tier.
- Elvanto — $60/month — Strong international support, volunteer scheduling, good for multisite.
- Realm (ACS) — $39–90/month — Deep denomination support (especially Episcopal, Presbyterian). Good reporting.
Hidden Fees That Will Surprise You
The "starting price" rarely tells the full story. Watch for:
- Transaction fees on giving: Tithe.ly, Pushpay, and others charge 2.9% + $0.30 per card transaction. On $10,000/month in giving, that's $290+/month on top of your platform fee.
- Module stacking (Planning Center): Planning Center's $14/month is for People only. Add Services ($14), Giving ($14), Registrations ($14), and Groups ($14) and you're at $70/month before you've touched Check-Ins or Publishing.
- Setup and onboarding fees: Some enterprise platforms charge $500–$2,000 in onboarding fees. Always ask directly: "Is there any one-time setup cost?"
- Data migration fees: Switching platforms? Budget $200–$1,000 for data migration services if the vendor doesn't include it.
- Support tier fees: Some platforms charge extra for phone support. Verify before signing.
What Churches Like Yours Actually Pay
| Congregation Size |
Typical Budget |
Recommended Platform |
Why |
| Under 50 members |
$0–$20/mo |
Planning Center (free tier) or ChurchTrac |
Free tiers cover all basic needs |
| 50–200 members |
$17–$50/mo |
ChurchTrac or Breeze |
Affordable scale-up with good features |
| 200–500 members |
$50–$120/mo |
Breeze or Planning Center bundle |
Flat pricing vs. per-member starts to matter |
| 500–1,000 members |
$100–$200/mo |
Realm or Church Community Builder |
Deeper reporting and volunteer tools needed |
| 1,000+ members |
$200–$500/mo |
Pushpay or Rock RMS |
Enterprise features, multisite support |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does church management software cost per year?
Annual cost varies widely: $0/year for free-tier Planning Center or ChurchTrac, $204/year ($17/month) for ChurchTrac's smallest paid plan, $864/year ($72/month) for Breeze, and $2,400–$4,000/year for mid-size church bundles on Planning Center or Realm. Large church enterprise platforms can run $3,600–$6,000/year.
Is Planning Center actually free?
Planning Center's People module is free for churches with 25 or fewer people in the database. Once you exceed 25 people, pricing starts at $14/month. The "full Planning Center experience" (all modules) typically costs $100–$350/month depending on database size. Each module is priced separately.
What's the cheapest church management software that actually works?
For under 75 members: ChurchTrac free tier. For 75–200 members: ChurchTrac at $17/month. For 200+ members: Breeze at $72/month is the best value (unlimited members, flat rate, no per-transaction fees, solid features). Ministry Tracker is also worth considering for very small churches at $16/month.
Why do some church software vendors say "contact us for pricing"?
Enterprise vendors like Pushpay and Church Community Builder use custom pricing because they negotiate deals based on congregation size, giving volume, and contract length. As a rule: "contact us for pricing" means the cost is higher than what they want to put on a page next to their competitors. Budget 20–40% more than the mid-range estimate.
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