10 Best Church Communication Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 29 tools reviewed.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Keeping a church connected and engaged isn’t easy, especially when you’re leading a small or mid-size church with limited resources. Without the right church communication software, things can quickly become overwhelming:
- Important updates get lost, and people don’t show up for events or serve where they’re needed.
- Volunteers and staff struggle to stay on the same page, leading to confusion and last-minute scrambles.
- Time that could be spent in ministry gets eaten up by managing emails, texts, and social media posts.
These challenges pop up because communication relies too much on outdated tools or manual systems. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Ready to streamline your communication channels, and make church communiation simple and clear? The tools in this article will do just that.
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
Our team of pastors and church leaders has been testing and reviewing church software since 2019. As church and ministry leaders ourselves, we get how tough it can be to choose the right tool for your church while juggling everything else.
That’s why we put in the hard work of researching and testing these tools—so you don’t have to. Together, we’ve tested more than 2,000 software solutions for different ministry needs and written over 1,000 in-depth reviews to help you make confident decisions for your church. Learn how we stay transparent and our software review methodology.
The 12 Best Church Communication Software Summary
Tools | Price | |
---|---|---|
ChMeetings | From $12/month | Website |
Breeze ChMS | $50/account/month. | Website |
One Church Software | From $58/month | Website |
Aplos | From $29.50/month (billed annually) | Website |
Neon One | From $99/month/account | Website |
Elexio | $35.13/account/month | Website |
Servant Keeper | From $64.99/month | Website |
PushPay | pricing is available upon request. | Website |
Trumpia | From $94/month | Website |
Planning Center | From $14/month/up to 75 group members | Website |
Church Windows | from $279/month | Website |
Slack | From $7.25/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareOverviews Of The 10 Best Church Communication Software
Here’s a brief description of each of the best church management software solutions with membership communication features. I’ll go over some best use cases, feature highlights, and provide screenshots to give you a glimpse of their inner workings.
ChMeetings is a cloud-based church management software designed to handle the administrative and operational tasks of these organizations. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing church events, member data, attendance, and communication.
Key functionalities include group text messaging, email notifications, and voice messages, which ensure that important announcements and updates reach all members promptly. The software also supports event management, allowing users to schedule events, manage attendance, and send out reminders, therefore ensuring high participation and engagement.
Additionally, ChMeetings' dynamic merge fields feature allows personalized communication by addressing members by their names, making interactions more meaningful. The platform also supports bulk messaging, which is crucial for reaching out to large congregations quickly.
Furthermore, ChMeetings offers a member management system that consolidates all church contacts in one place, making it easy to group people into different ministries and search for contact information as needed.
Breeze church management software is a cloud-based solution for small to medium-sized churches. The intuitive interface allows you to search and find contact information quickly, tag people as required, and customize accordingly.
Breeze can be used for church communications as a powerful platform that simplifies and enhances communication processes within the church community. It provides features such as email and text messaging integration, allowing churches to easily send out announcements, newsletters, event invitations, and updates to their congregation. Breeze also enables targeted messaging, making it possible to create communication groups based on specific criteria or demographics within the church.
Additionally, it offers tools for tracking member engagement and communication history, ensuring personalized and meaningful interactions. Breeze's intuitive interface and mobile app capabilities make it convenient for both church staff and members to access and engage with communication materials. With Breeze, churches can optimize their communication strategies, strengthen relationships, and foster active involvement within their community.
Breeze also offers features to help with event registration, printing name tags, and tracking attendance. Alerts can be set to highlight individuals who have ceased attending for a given number of weeks.
One Church Software is a cloud-based church management system that helps ministries reach out to local communities and streamline daily operations. Features include text messaging, workflow creation, and volunteer management.
One Church Software can be used for church communications by providing a centralized platform that streamlines and enhances communication processes within the church. It offers features such as email and text messaging integration, allowing churches to easily send out announcements, newsletters, event invitations, and updates to their congregation.
One Church Software also enables targeted messaging, ensuring that specific groups or individuals receive relevant information. Additionally, it facilitates two-way communication by allowing recipients to respond to messages, increasing engagement and fostering community participation. Overall, One Church Software empowers churches to efficiently manage their communications, improving connectivity and fostering stronger relationships within their community.
One Church Software allows you to update contact preferences, send follow-up messages through the system, and inform members of upcoming church events. You can automate text in church messaging, emails, communications, and promotions.
Aplos offers a range of software tools to help large and small churches run more efficiently. Aplos offers custom communications, along with fund accounting software, church membership management, donation management, and reporting.
Aplos can be used for church communications as a comprehensive platform that facilitates efficient communication and engagement within the church community. It offers features such as email marketing and mass communication tools, allowing churches to send out personalized emails, newsletters, and event invitations to their congregation. Aplos also integrates with social media platforms, enabling churches to easily share updates and engage with their members across different channels.
Additionally, it provides tools for managing contact lists and tracking member engagement, ensuring targeted messaging and effective follow-up. With Aplos, churches can streamline their communication efforts, strengthen connections, and foster active participation and involvement within their community.
With Aplos, churches of all sizes can handle all their communications and group management needs in one place. This user-friendly software is well suited to small groups and medium-sized churches.
Neon One is a cloud-based contact management solution for nonprofit organizations of all sizes. The built-in fundraising tools include add-ons for email blasts, donor management, and automated membership renewals. They offer different modules for communication management, customer relationship management (CRM), fundraising, payroll, and website building.
The system can be customized to match the look and feel of an existing website, and event pages can be configured as required. Administrators can send automated event notifications to registered attendees. They integrate with apps like QuickBooks, Mailchimp, TrueGivers, Eventbrite, and Windfall.
Neon One can be used for church communications as a comprehensive platform that empowers churches to effectively connect and engage with their community. It provides features such as email marketing and text messaging capabilities, allowing churches to send out personalized communications, newsletters, event invitations, and donation appeals. Neon One also offers integrated donor management tools, enabling churches to track and analyze communication interactions with their members, donors, and volunteers.
With robust segmentation options, churches can create targeted communication lists based on specific demographics or engagement levels. Additionally, Neon One integrates with social media platforms, expanding churches' reach and enhancing their online presence. Overall, Neon One equips churches with the tools they need to implement cohesive and impactful communication strategies, fostering strong relationships and driving community involvement.
Elexio church administration software helps you to communicate with your members using text, mass emails, or voicemail. The system integrates church management software with church website design, check-in, giving kiosks, and a church mobile app.
Elexio can be used for church communications as a robust platform that facilitates effective and streamlined communication within the church community. It offers features such as email and text messaging capabilities, allowing churches to send out announcements, newsletters, event invitations, and updates to their members.
Elexio also provides tools for managing contact lists, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information for targeted messaging. Additionally, it offers integration with social media platforms, enabling churches to extend their reach and engage with members through multiple channels. With Elexio, churches can optimize their communication strategies, fostering strong connections, and promoting active participation within their community.
Key features include attendance tracking, contribution management, and automated workflows. You can also coordinate worship services and schedule volunteers.
Servant Keeper helps faith-based organizations organize operations more efficiently. It's easy to communicate with members by email, track attendance and pinpoint volunteers with skills needed for specific events.
Servant Keeper can be used for church communications as a versatile platform that helps churches effectively communicate with their members and manage various aspects of church administration. It offers features such as email and text messaging capabilities, allowing churches to send out announcements, event reminders, and updates to their congregation. Servant Keeper also provides tools for managing contact information, tracking attendance, and creating targeted communication lists based on specific criteria.
Additionally, it enables churches to schedule and automate communication, ensuring timely and consistent delivery of messages. With Servant Keeper, churches can enhance their communication strategies, improve engagement, and maintain strong connections with their members, ultimately fostering a vibrant and connected church community.
Visitors can be excluded from member-only communications. Other features include modules for child check-in, online scheduling, and accounting.
Pushpay assists churches in managing a range of operations. Church admins can create a database of donor information, including contact details. PushPay offers a no-code solution to building a smartphone app for your church, including a dynamic home screen, visual customizations, interactive notifications, and a built-in audio player.
Pushpay can be used for church communications as a comprehensive platform that streamlines and enhances communication processes within the church community. It offers features such as personalized push notifications, in-app messaging, and email integration, allowing churches to send out announcements, event reminders, sermon notes, and other important updates directly to their congregation's mobile devices. Pushpay also facilitates targeted messaging by enabling churches to segment their audience based on specific criteria such as demographics or group membership.
Additionally, it provides tools for managing contact information, tracking member engagement, and analyzing communication effectiveness. With Pushpay, churches can optimize their communication strategies, increase engagement, and strengthen connections with their members, resulting in a more connected and informed church community.
Data can be imported from third-party sources or uploaded through the PushPay portal. Customer support is available via an online knowledge base.
Trumpia helps churches communicate with members through an automated SMS platform. Administrators can easily send messages, collect contacts, conduct outreach, engage with visitors or new members, and improve attendance.
Features of the system include mobile keywords, mass texting, one-to-one texting, text giving, auto-response, and contact cleanup. Multiple campaigns can be run via SMS, email, or social media platforms.
Trumpia can be used for church communications as a versatile platform that enables churches to efficiently connect and engage with their members. It provides a range of features such as text messaging, email marketing, and social media integration, allowing churches to send out announcements, event reminders, inspirational messages, and updates to their congregation through various channels. Trumpia also offers automated messaging capabilities, enabling churches to schedule recurring communications or set up personalized campaigns based on specific events or triggers.
Additionally, it provides tools for managing contact lists, tracking message delivery, and analyzing engagement metrics, enabling churches to optimize their communication strategies and foster stronger connections within their community. With Trumpia, churches can effectively reach and communicate with their members, enhancing engagement, and facilitating meaningful interactions.
Planning Center is a suite of cloud-based applications designed to support church leaders in planning, scheduling, and managing church programs. The software is modular in design, so you only pay for the tools you need.
Planning Center can be used for church communications as a comprehensive tool that facilitates efficient communication and coordination within the church community. It offers features such as email and text messaging integration, allowing churches to send out important announcements, event reminders, and updates to their congregation.
Additionally, Planning Center provides tools for organizing and scheduling volunteers, enabling seamless communication with team members regarding their responsibilities and any changes or updates. It also allows for the creation of interactive event registration forms, making it easier for members to sign up and receive relevant information. With Planning Center, churches can enhance their communication strategies, ensuring effective and timely dissemination of information to their members and volunteers.
The publishing module allows you to create content and share it with your congregation. You can use customizable pages and the Android/iOS mobile app to distribute sermons and other messages.
Other Church Management Software Options
Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list.
- Textmagic
For two-way communications
- Subsplash
All-in-one church communication software
- ACS
For large churches
- CDM+
For complete data integration
- Church Teams
For discipleship communications
- Attendance Now
HTML email builder
- Click Nonprofit
For free Google advertising
- ChurchTrac
For service outlines with a song library
- Together+ by Aware3
Forms & registration tools
- Tithe.ly
For automating tithe collection
- Faithful Steward by Diakonia
For an affordable solution
- Church Software by Grplife
Free church website & hosting
- Fellowship One
For background checks
- Connection Card Pro
For large churches
- FaithLife
For sermon prep
- Pursuant
For fundraising analytics
- Wild Apricot
For building an online store
Selection Criteria for Church Communication Software
Choosing the best church communication software means focusing on how well it handles day-to-day church needs while also offering features that make operations smoother and ministry easier. Church leaders need software that saves time, supports key communication use cases, and is easy for both staff and volunteers to use. My team and I have personally tested and researched these tools to ensure they meet the criteria that matter most for pastors and church leaders.
Core Church Communication Software Functionality - 25% of total weighting score
Common features for church communication software typically include contact management, group messaging, email campaigns, text alerts, event reminders, scheduling tools, integrations with church management systems, social media posting, automated follow-ups, and analytics.
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best church communication software, the solution had to support the ability to fulfill common use cases:
- Sending emails, texts, and notifications to individuals or groups
- Scheduling and automating event reminders or follow-ups
- Managing contact lists for staff, members, and visitors
- Organizing and sending targeted messages to specific groups, like small groups or volunteers
- Tracking message delivery and engagement, like open and response rates
Additional Standout Features - 25% of total weighting score
Unique features set certain options apart by offering innovation beyond the basics. These might include:
- AI-powered personalization for targeted messaging
- Seamless integration with livestream platforms
- Robust volunteer scheduling tools
- Visual dashboards to simplify analytics and engagement tracking
- Mobile-first design that prioritizes ease of use for on-the-go access
Some options also provide built-in templates for email campaigns or drag-and-drop calendar tools for scheduling. These features go beyond generic communication and enhance overall efficiency.
Usability - 10% of total weighting score
When evaluating usability, I look for:
- Clear, clutter-free interfaces that simplify common tasks
- Features like drag-and-drop functionality for scheduling messages or organizing campaigns
- Role-based access controls to keep the tool manageable for staff and volunteers
- Smooth navigation across mobile and desktop versions
Onboarding - 10% of total weighting score
To ensure quick onboarding, I focus on:
- Availability of tutorials, webinars, and training videos
- Ready-to-use templates for common communication needs
- Interactive product tours that guide users step-by-step
- Support for importing and migrating data from previous tools
Customer Support - 10% of total weighting score
Strong customer support is essential for pastors with limited tech experience. Key factors include:
- Access to live chat, phone support, or email assistance
- Knowledge bases or FAQ sections for quick troubleshooting
- Responsiveness and availability during weekends or evenings
Value for Money - 10% of total weighting score
When considering value, I evaluate:
- Pricing tiers that fit the budget of small to mid-size churches
- Features included in each plan and whether they match the needs of ministry
- Transparency in costs, avoiding hidden fees for add-ons or upgrades
Customer Reviews - 10% of total weighting score
Feedback from other users provides valuable insights. I consider:
- Reports of reliability and ease of use from church staff
- Positive experiences with customer support and onboarding
- Feedback on whether the software delivered on promised features
By using these criteria, I focus on selecting tools that genuinely make a pastor’s work easier, save time, and create space for what matters most: meaningful ministry.
How to Choose Church Communication Software
As you work through your own unique software selection process, keep the following points in mind:
- Ease of Use: The best church communication software should be simple for your team and volunteers to use. If the system is too complicated, you might spend more time training people than actually using it. Look for tools with a clean design and intuitive features, like drag-and-drop email editors or one-click messaging, so your team can hit the ground running.
- Multi-Channel Communication: Every church has members who prefer different ways of staying connected—emails, texts, social media, or even app notifications. The right software will let you communicate across all these channels without having to juggle separate platforms. For example, if you need to remind people about an event, you can send out one message that reaches them wherever they are.
- Integration with Your Existing Tools: If your church already uses software for planning services, managing giving, or tracking attendance, make sure your new communication software works well with those tools. For instance, you might want to automatically sync your contact lists from your church database or send personalized messages based on attendance patterns.
- Customization and Targeting: Not every message needs to go to everyone in your church. Good software allows you to create groups—like parents, youth, or volunteers—so you can send updates that actually matter to them. Imagine how helpful it would be to remind just the worship team about their rehearsal or send prayer meeting details to those who’ve signed up.
- Reliable Support and Updates: Churches can’t afford to have their communication tools break down. Look for a provider with strong customer support and a track record of regular updates to improve features or fix bugs. It’s especially important to have reliable help if you run into tech issues on a Sunday morning or right before a big event.
Choosing church communication software isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about finding a tool that makes your ministry smoother and more effective. Keep these considerations in mind, and you’ll be on your way to a solution that truly serves your church.
Trends in Church Communication Software for 2025
In 2025, church communication software has evolved to address the unique challenges faced by church leaders, focusing on enhancing engagement, ensuring security, and integrating advanced technologies. These developments highlight the ongoing shift toward creating tools that better serve ministry goals while reducing operational burdens.
Enhanced Engagement and Personalization
- AI-Powered Personalization: Tools now use artificial intelligence to tailor messages to individual congregants, fostering deeper connections and creating more meaningful interactions.
- Multi-Channel Communication: Modern platforms support emails, texts, social media, and app notifications, ensuring messages reach members through their preferred channels and increasing engagement.
Security and Data Protection
- Advanced Cybersecurity Measures: With the rise in digital communications, your church security plan is hugely important. There is a stronger focus on protecting sensitive information and ensuring the safety of online interactions.
Integration and Automation
- Seamless Integration with Church Management Systems: New solutions offer robust integration capabilities, allowing for unified management of church activities and communication.
- Automated Messaging and Scheduling: Features that automate routine communications, such as event reminders and follow-ups, have become standard, reducing administrative burdens on church staff.
Emerging Technologies
- Adoption of AI and Chatbots: Artificial intelligence is being brought to bear in so many areas of ministry (AI and discipleship? Who knew...) to automate responses to common queries, improving communication efficiency and freeing up staff for more personalized tasks.
- Virtual and Augmented Reality Integration: Some platforms are exploring VR and AR to create immersive experiences, like virtual faith communities and interactive Bible teachings, offering new ways to engage congregants.
These trends highlight the ongoing evolution of church communication software, reflecting the priority of enhancing engagement, improving security, and streamlining operations to better support church leaders and their ministries.
What is Church Communication Software?
Church communication software is a tool that helps churches send messages, keep people connected, and stay organized. Like all of the best church management software tools, this type of software combines email, texting, and social media in one place, so you don’t have to juggle multiple platforms. Whether it’s sending a reminder for Sunday service, updating volunteers about a schedule change, or following up with visitors, this software makes communication clear and simple, freeing up time for ministry.
Features of Church Communication Software
When pastors spend too much energy on operations, ministry can take a back seat. Church communication software helps by simplifying the way we manage communication, stay organized, and connect with people. Here are three key benefits pastors will experience with the right software:
- Streamlined communication so you can focus on connecting, not coordinating.
- More time saved through automation to invest in preaching, teaching, and pastoral care.
- Clearer organization of groups and tasks so no one slips through the cracks.
To get these benefits, look for church communication software with these important features:
- Centralized Messaging Hub: Handles email, text, and social media in one place, so you don’t waste time bouncing between platforms.
- Group Messaging: Lets you target messages to specific groups, like small groups or volunteers, making communication faster and more relevant.
- Event Reminders: Automatically sends reminders for events or deadlines, ensuring fewer no-shows without extra work.
- Scheduling Tools: Makes it easy to schedule messages, events, or updates ahead of time, freeing you up for ministry tasks.
- Volunteer Management: Tracks volunteer schedules and sends updates, reducing confusion and last-minute cancellations.
- Automated Follow-Up Tools: Sends welcome messages to visitors or reminders to new members, making follow-up effortless.
- Contact Database Integration: Syncs with your church management software to keep contact lists up to date, so you don’t have to manage them separately.
- Mobile Access: Ensures you can manage communications on the go, whether you’re in the office, at home, or at an event.
- Analytics and Reporting: Shows what’s working (like message open rates) so you can focus on strategies that reach your people better.
- Customizable Templates: Speeds up the process of creating emails, texts, or announcements, giving you more time for personal ministry.
The right tools can free you from the grind of daily operations so you can focus on what you were called to do—serve, shepherd, and lead. Look for software that supports your ministry goals and makes your work easier.
Benefits of Church Communication Software
Church communication software makes it easier for pastors and church leaders to stay connected with their congregations, save time, and manage communication more effectively. By handling multiple communication channels in one place, this software helps churches operate smoothly and focus on ministry rather than logistics. Here are five primary benefits to consider:
- Centralized Communication: Having emails, texts, and social media in one platform eliminates confusion and ensures every message reaches the right people.
- Time-Saving Automation: Features like scheduled messages and automated follow-ups reduce repetitive tasks, giving church leaders more time for ministry.
- Improved Engagement: Targeted messaging and personalized communication keep congregants more connected and invested in the church’s mission.
- Simplified Volunteer Management: Tools to organize and communicate with volunteers make scheduling and updates effortless, keeping teams aligned.
- Better Tracking and Analytics: Insights into message performance and member engagement help leaders make smarter decisions about how to connect with their community.
By streamlining communication and making outreach more effective, church communication software lets pastors and leaders focus on what matters most—serving their people and growing their ministry. With the right tools, managing operations becomes a support for ministry, not a distraction.
Costs & Pricing for Church Communication Software
Church communication software offers various plans to accommodate different church sizes and communication needs. Here's a breakdown of common plan types, their average prices, included features, and which church scenarios they best serve:
Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features | Best For... |
---|---|---|---|
Free Plan | $0/month | Basic messaging capabilities, limited number of contacts, minimal storage. | Small churches or those just starting out. |
Basic Plan | $25–$50/month | Expanded contact list, email and text messaging, basic event management, limited automation features. | Small to mid-size churches with modest needs. |
Standard Plan | $50–$100/month | All Basic features plus advanced automation, integrations with other tools, enhanced reporting. | Mid-size churches seeking more functionality. |
Premium Plan | $100–$200/month | All Standard features plus unlimited messaging, comprehensive analytics, dedicated support, custom apps. | Large churches with extensive communication needs. |
Enterprise Plan | Custom pricing | Fully customizable features, priority support, multi-campus management, advanced security. | Very large churches or multi-campus ministries. |
When selecting a plan, consider your church's size, your church leadership's communication plan, and budget to choose the option that aligns best with your ministry's goals.
Church Communication Software Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can church communication software help us reach people who aren’t tech-savvy?
Church communication software often includes options for different communication channels like text messages or automated calls, which are easier for less tech-savvy people to use. Some platforms also provide simple, one-click access to updates, so members don’t have to navigate complicated systems.
2. Can I use church communication software to manage communication during emergencies?
Yes, many tools allow you to send urgent updates via multiple channels—texts, emails, and push notifications—all at once. This ensures you can quickly reach everyone with important information while managing a church crisis or other emergencies like weather events or last-minute service changes.
3. Does church communication software support multi-language communication?
Some platforms have built-in features for multi-language messaging, allowing you to send messages in the preferred languages of your congregation members. This is especially helpful for churches with diverse ethnic communities.
4. How does church communication software support hybrid or online churches?
Church communication software often integrates with your church's livestreaming tool (or platforms), online event tools, and apps, making it easy to communicate with members attending virtually. You can also send reminders with links to online services or create follow-up messages for online attendees.
5. Will church communication software help us keep track of attendance and engagement?
Yes, many tools include tracking of church metrics and reporting features that monitor attendance, event participation, and even message engagement. This data can help you identify trends and adjust your church communication strategy to better connect with your congregation.
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