Church Data Management Systems: 2024’s Industry-Leading Tools
10 Best Church Data Management Systems Shortlist
Here are my picks of the 10 best software:
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Balancing the priorities of church management and church ministry can leave you feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place:
- Volunteer recruitment or personal study?
- Staff development or vision casting?
- Sermon prep or crisis counseling?
Sound familiar? You've come to the right place. Church data management systems take enormous chunks of church operations off your plate, freeing up headspace, budget, and energy for the work of the ministry.
Read on to find out how church data management tools can help you thread the needle between church management and church ministry.
Why You Can Trust Our Software Reviews
We’ve been testing and reviewing church data management systems since 2019. As pastors and church leaders ourselves, we know how critical and tough it is to find the 'just right' software for you and your church.
My team and I dive deep into research to help you make the ‘just right’ software choices for your church. We’ve tested over 2,000 tools for different church needs and written more than 1,000 detailed reviews.
Want to know how we keep it honest? Check out our affiliate page. And here’s our church data management system review method.
The 10 Best Church Data Management Systems Summary
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| ChMeetings | From $12/month | Website |
| ACS | No details | Website |
| Faith Teams | From $40/month | Website |
| Elvanto | From $50/month/account | Website |
| ChurchSuite | From $15.50/month/account | Website |
| Realm | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Blackbaud | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Tithe.ly | giving app is free, but the pricing for Tithe.ly All Access is $99/month. | Website |
| Churchteams | No details | Website |
| Planning Center | From $14/month/up to 75 group members | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareHow to Choose Church Data Management System
As you lead your church leadership through your unique software selection process, keep the following points in mind:
- Ease of Use: Make sure the system is user-friendly. Many church staff and volunteers may not be tech-savvy, so a complicated system can slow things down. Look for systems with intuitive interfaces and easy navigation. For example, a drag-and-drop feature for scheduling events can save time and reduce frustration.
- Integration Capabilities: Your church likely uses multiple software tools for various tasks like accounting, communication, and event planning. Ensure the church data management system can integrate with these existing tools seamlessly. This will prevent data silos and make it easier to manage information across different platforms.
- Data Security: Protecting your congregation’s data is crucial. Choose a system with strong security features like encryption, regular backups, and access controls. Sensitive information such as donation records and personal details should be secure from unauthorized access.
- Customizability: Every church has unique needs, so it’s important that the church data management system can be tailored to fit your specific requirements. Look for features that allow customization of fields, forms, and reports. This will help you track and manage data in a way that aligns with your church’s operations.
- Support and Training: Even the best system can have a steep learning curve. Ensure that the vendor provides robust support and training resources, including tutorials, webinars, and customer service. Having access to ongoing support will help your team get the most out of the system and troubleshoot any issues that arise.
These considerations will help you choose the right church data management system to fit your needs and support your church's mission.
Overviews Of The 10 Best Church Data Management Systems
Here’s a brief description of each church data management platform to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.
Church management system for data security and accessibility
ChMeetings is a comprehensive church management software tailored to help churches efficiently manage their data. It is designed for congregations of all sizes, providing robust tools for data organization, storage, and analysis. Key features include detailed member profiles, which allow churches to store and manage extensive information about each member, and financial tracking, which offers insights into the church's overall financial health. The software also has advanced reporting capabilities, enabling church leaders to generate custom reports on various aspects of church operations, including attendance, volunteers, contributions, and event participation.
In addition to these core features, ChMeetings excels in providing data security and accessibility. The platform ensures that all sensitive information is securely stored with robust encryption and backup solutions. It also allows for easy data import and export, facilitating seamless integration with other systems. The software’s cloud-based nature ensures that church data is accessible from anywhere, making it convenient for administrators to manage and update information on the go.
ACS Suite is a church management software and church accounting software accessible online through a cloud-based OnDemand service or directly installed on a workstation. This ChMS has a membership management feature to record and manage membership information in a centralized membership database. Its ACS contributions feature lets you track the financial gifts of members and create IRS statements and tax receipts to ensure compliance with federal regulations.
The attendance of church members during events and activities is an excellent way to gauge the effectiveness of your ministry. ACS Suite has an attendance management feature that can help you do so. ACS Suite lets you track worship attendance not just on worship services but on Sunday classes, small groups, and discipleship programs. ACS Suite gives you the option to capture attendance using a barcode scanner to record attendance during events quickly. You can use ACS Suite to print attendance graphs for meetings so other members can easily understand attendance data.
Church data management system with integrated form builder for data gathering
Faith Teams is an all-in-one church management system for creating a database of church members. You can use it to automate guest follow-ups to help you convert visitors to your church website or social media accounts. It has a donation management feature for easier fund accounting and to ensure donors and supporters of fundraising events that their donations went to their intended projects.
If you want to capture critical membership data, then Faith Teams is a fantastic option for your church because it has customizable forms and templates you can use for varied uses and events. You can use Faith Teams to create digital forms and embed them on your church website to make event registration easier. The software allows you to share forms on your social media accounts to reach more members. You can use your church’s font, colors, and logo to ensure branding on the forms you use.
Elvanto is a management software for churches of all sizes to streamline admin duties and serve members better. You can use it as a centralized system for maintaining records of members, contact information, reports, files, and other critical data. It has an attendance tracking feature to track and record attendance so you can communicate with members who may need ministering to. Elvanto has a volunteer management feature to maintain a record of volunteers for easier volunteer scheduling and communication.
Churches rely on the generosity of members and sponsors, and Elvanto can help you maintain a database of online giving and contributions to promote accountability. With an accurate record of donations and expenses, you can keep tabs on your church’s financial health. You can generate reports on pledges so you can send follow-up emails and provide donors with receipts or statements. Elvanto has an integrated giving app to accept payments and donations through debit or credit cards.
You can integrate Elvanto with other church management tools like Tithe.ly, SongSelect, PayPal, Pushpay, and Mogiv.
ChurchSuite is a church management software for managing different aspects of your church, including membership, donations, and worship planning. You can use ChurchSuite to create a member directory and send mass emails and text messages to church members. ChurchSuite is scalable, making it ideal for churches of any size. You can use the software to manage churches in different locations, making it ideal for multi-site congregations.
ChurchSuite is an excellent option if you need a church management system to manage your church’s resources. You can use the software to maintain a database of all your resources, including facilities, equipment, tools, and volunteers. ChurchSuite lets you check the availability of resources to help prevent double booking and avoid conflicts. It allows you to study data on usage patterns to know which resources are in demand and which ones are underutilized.
Realm is a cloud-based church management software that offers a wide range of integrated tools and services for ministries, administration, and pastoral care. The software’s robust membership management capabilities allow churches to maintain an up-to-date, accessible database of congregant information, including personal details, family connections, and involvement in church activities. This centralization of data facilitates efficient communication, helps organize events, and enhances overall pastoral care.
Realm also has financial management features, providing churches with a comprehensive suite of tools for managing donations, pledges, and other forms of financial contributions. The platform offers financial tracking and reporting features, providing real-time visibility into financial health. It also allows for customizable dashboards that pull from its various databases to create overviews of key metrics. This reporting functionality allows church leaders to quickly access analytics to assess areas like attendance, financial contributions, and group engagement.
Blackbaud Church Management is a church management software that allows church administration to manage church members, events, and ministries in one place. This church management solution has communication tools to help you stay connected with church members. It has a volunteer management feature to track requirements for volunteer positions and conduct and store background checks.
Small groups are critical for churches, and if you need church management software to manage small groups in your church, then Blackbaud Church Management is the best software for you. You can use it to maintain a database of the small groups in your church so you can provide support easily. Blackbaud has SMS and email features to communicate with small groups quickly. You can also use Blackbaud’s small group management feature to track the attendance of small groups to know which small groups church members find more engaging. Church leaders can customize group leader permissions giving them control over what group leaders can do.
Tithe.ly is a church management software solution to help you maintain a database of member records. It has SMS and email features to help you engage church members. You can use Tithe.ly to build a church mobile app enabling you to connect with a broader audience. It has an event management feature for event planning, event registration, and payment acceptance.
If you want to ensure that church members can donate to your church using their preferred donation method, then Tithe.ly is the best software for you because it allows members to contribute to your church using six different methods. Members can send their donations via text giving, online donations, direct deposits, checks, or gifts. You can also use this contribution management system to turn tablets into kiosks so you can accept donations during events.
Tithe.ly has a financial reporting feature to generate shareable giving summary reports for easier budget tracking.
Tithe.ly integrates with Engiven, STS Consulting, Boxcast, and others.
ChurchTeams is a church management software with different modules for managing your congregation like group management, event check-in, and volunteer management. It has an email marketing feature to help you promote fundraising activities to church members. ChurchTeams has a text-from-church functionality for sending notifications to church members to remind them of their group’s schedule or of classes they signed up for.
ChurchTeam’s workflow automation feature is what you need if administrative tasks take up too much time and if you want to devote more time ministering to your congregation. You can use it to automate simple admin tasks like sending a welcome email or text to new members or sending a reminder about upcoming worship services. You can also use it to automate sending schedules to volunteers, ensuring that everyone is aware of their schedules and responsibilities.
Planning Center is a church management software with different tools to help you organize the data you need to manage your church. It has built-in tools for tracking attendance, donations, volunteers, and resources. Planning Center has an engagement dashboard to help you study different metrics like attendance and donations to implement improvement plans as needed.
Excellent worship services draw more attendees, and Planning Center is an outstanding church data management system if you want to plan and hold successful worship services. You can use Planning Center to create a detailed blueprint of worship services to help employees and volunteers understand their roles. Planning Center lets you maintain a comprehensive song library and distribute music sheets to your volunteers and ministry.
Planning Center integrates with other church management tools like Thryve, ProPresenter, Mailchimp, and Checkr. More integrations can be unlocked using a paid plan through Zapier.
Related Church Software Tools:
- Industry-Leading Church Management Software
- Church Volunteer Management Software
- Online Church Management Software
- Free Church Presentation Software
- Church Administration Software For Church Management
Church Data Management System Selection Criteria
When selecting a church data management system, it's crucial to consider the features that cater to your specific needs. This type of software includes tools for managing member information, tracking attendance, handling donations, scheduling events, and communicating with your congregation. I've personally tested and researched these tools to ensure they meet the highest standards.
Core Church Data Management System Functionality - 25% of total weighting score
Common features for a church data management system typically include member management, attendance tracking, donation management, event scheduling, communication tools, volunteer coordination, reporting and analytics, mobile access, integration capabilities, and security features.
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best church data management systems, the solution had to support the ability to fulfill common use cases:
- Tracking and managing member information
- Monitoring attendance and participation
- Handling donations and financial records
- Scheduling and organizing events
- Communicating effectively with congregation members
Additional Standout Features - 25% of total weighting score
- Integration with social media platforms for broader communication
- Customizable dashboards for tailored reporting
- Advanced security protocols for data protection
- AI-driven analytics for deeper insights
- Multi-site management for larger churches
Usability - 10% of total weighting score
- Intuitive interface design
- Drag-and-drop functionality for event scheduling
- Easy-to-navigate menus and dashboards
- Role-based access that is easy to configure
- Comprehensive search and filter options
Onboarding - 10% of total weighting score
- Availability of step-by-step training videos
- Interactive product tours
- Pre-designed templates for quick setup
- Chatbots for instant support
- Webinars for live training sessions
Customer Support - 10% of total weighting score
- 24/7 customer service availability
- Live chat support
- Dedicated account managers
- Comprehensive knowledge base
- Responsive email support
Value For Money - 10% of total weighting score
- Competitive pricing models
- Transparent pricing structure
- Bundled features offering cost savings
- Discounts for small churches
- Free trials or demos available
Customer Reviews - 10% of total weighting score
- High ratings from other church leaders
- Positive feedback on ease of use
- Reports of reliable customer support
- Recommendations for specific features
- Frequent updates and improvements noted by users
Trends in Church Data Management Systems for 2024
In 2024, church data management systems are rapidly evolving, focusing on integrating technology to streamline church operations and enhance ministry efforts.
- Increased Integration: More systems are integrating with social media and other communication tools to enhance outreach and engagement.
- AI and Analytics: AI-driven analytics are becoming more common, offering deeper insights into congregation behavior and needs.
- Enhanced Security: Stronger data protection measures are being implemented, addressing the growing concern for data security.
- Mobile Functionality: Mobile access is improving, allowing church leaders to manage operations on the go.
- Customization: There is a trend towards more customizable solutions, enabling churches to tailor the software to their unique needs.
- Multi-Site Management: Tools are increasingly supporting multi-site management, catering to larger churches with multiple locations.
- User Training and Support: Enhanced onboarding processes with interactive tutorials and chatbots are becoming standard to help users get up to speed quickly.
These trends indicate that church data management systems are focusing on improving usability, security, and integration, making it easier for pastors to manage operations efficiently and focus more on their ministry.
What is Church Data Management System?
A church data management system is a tool that helps churches manage important information. It stores member details, tracks attendance, manages donations, schedules events, and helps with communication.
Think of it as a digital filing cabinet and planner all in one.
Instead of using spreadsheets and paper files, everything is in one place, making it easier to stay organized and focus more on ministry work.
Features of Church Data Management System
When choosing a church data management system, focus on features that help you conserve resources on church operations so they can be re-focussed on ministry.
Here are the most important features to look for to achieve that goal:
- Member Management: Helps track member information efficiently, freeing up time for pastoral care.
- Attendance Tracking: Monitors attendance easily, allowing you to see patterns without extra effort.
- Donation Management: Simplifies tracking and reporting of donations, reducing the workload on financial tasks.
- Event Scheduling: Streamlines event planning and scheduling, so you spend less time organizing and more time connecting with people.
- Communication Tools: Integrates email and messaging, making it simple to communicate with your congregation.
- Volunteer Coordination: Manages volunteer information and schedules, ensuring smooth operations without constant oversight.
- Reporting and Analytics: Provides insights into church operations, helping you make informed decisions quickly.
- Mobile Access: Allows access to data from anywhere, so you can manage tasks on the go.
- Integration Capabilities: Connects with other tools you use, preventing data silos and making processes more efficient.
- Security Features: Ensures data is protected, giving you peace of mind and less worry about data breaches.
These features help streamline operations, making it easier to focus on what really matters – your ministry. By leveraging these tools, you can spend less energy on administrative tasks and more on serving your community.
Benefits of Church Data Management System
Using a church data management system can make life easier for church leaders and members. It helps keep everything organized and running smoothly so you can focus more on ministry work.
- All Data in One Place: Keeps all member info, attendance, and donations together, making it easy to find what you need.
- Better Communication: Helps you send emails and texts to keep everyone in the loop.
- Simple Event Planning: Makes it easy to plan and schedule church events, saving you time.
- Manage Finances Easily: Tracks donations and creates financial reports, helping you keep accurate records.
- Organize Volunteers: Manages volunteer info and schedules, ensuring everyone knows what to do and when.
These benefits show how a church data management system can make managing your church easier and more efficient. By using this system, you can spend less time on admin tasks and more time on ministry work.
Costs & Pricing for Church Data Management System
When looking at the costs and pricing for a church data management system, it's important to understand the different plans available. These plans vary based on the size of your church and the features you need. Below is a table that outlines the typical plan options, their average prices, common features, and who they are best suited for.
| Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features | Best For |
| Free | $0 | Basic member management, attendance tracking, email communication | Small churches or startups |
| Basic | $20/month | All Free features plus event scheduling, basic donation tracking | Small to medium-sized churches |
| Standard | $50/month | All Basic features plus advanced reporting, volunteer coordination, mobile access | Medium-sized churches |
| Premium | $100/month | All Standard features plus custom dashboards, multi-site management, advanced security | Large churches |
| Enterprise | Custom Pricing | All Premium features plus dedicated support, full customization, AI-driven analytics | Very large or multi-campus churches |
When choosing a plan, consider your church's size, budget, and specific needs. Each plan offers different features that can help you manage your church more effectively.
Church Data Management System Frequently Asked Questions
How do I move our current data to the new church data management system?
Most systems have tools or support to help you move your data. This usually means exporting your current data and then importing it into the new system. Some providers also offer guides or customer support to help with the process.
Can I use the system to make custom reports for our church board meetings?
Yes, most systems let you create custom reports. You can choose what data to include, like attendance, donations, or event participation, and format it for your needs. This helps give clear info for your church board meetings.
Does the system support multiple languages for our diverse congregation?
Many systems offer multi-language support. This helps you communicate with a diverse congregation, making sure language differences don't get in the way of engagement and participation.
How secure is the cloud storage for our church's sensitive information?
Church data management systems focus on security and usually include features like encryption, regular backups, and access controls. These keep your church's sensitive info safe from unauthorized access and data breaches.
Can the system help with tracking and following up on new visitors?
Yes, most systems can track new visitors and manage follow-ups. You can record visitor info, set reminders for follow-up actions, and even automate communication to make sure new visitors feel welcomed and engaged.
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