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When my team and I planted New Life Fellowship (Cambridge, Ontario, Canada) back in 2019, there weren’t nearly as many moving pieces as there are today. In those early days, managing church information and keeping track of everything felt more straightforward. But as our membership has grown, I’ve felt the limitations of trying to keep it all organized. Without reliable church database software, you’ll probably experience:

  • Constantly chasing down the latest contact info for members, volunteers, and visitors.
  • Struggling to keep track of people’s ministry involvement, follow-ups, or care needs.
  • Missing out on insights into giving trends and attendance patterns that could guide decisions.

These challenges usually pop up as churches grow, making it hard to keep up (without the right tools). That’s why I’m sharing this roundup of leading church database software tools. Each option here offers different features to help you save time, stay organized, and focus on the heart of ministry.

Why Trust Our Software Reviews

We have been testing and reviewing church database software since we launched TheLeadPastor in 2019. As pastors and church leaders ourselves, we know how tough it is to identify and select the right software.

Like you, we've spent countless hours finding the best tools for our ministries. To make life easier for our readers (you, basically), we've invested in extremely detailed, thorough research. We've trialed over 2,000 tools and written over 1,000 reviews to help you make the 'just right' choice.

Want to see how we stay transparent? Check out our affiliate page. For a detailed look at our process, see our review methodology.

The 10 Best Church Database Software Solutions Summary

Tools Price
Gracely From $19/month (billed annually)
ChMeetings From $12/month
Keap From $249/user/month (billed annually)
ACS No details
Planning Center From $14/month/up to 75 group members
Tithe.ly giving app is free, but the pricing for Tithe.ly All Access is $99/month.
Blackbaud Pricing upon request
Faith Teams From $40/month
ChurchSuite From $15.50/month/account
Elvanto From $50/month/account
Compare Software Specs Side by Side

Compare Software Specs Side by Side

Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.

Compare Software

How to Choose Church Database Software

As you go through the process of choosing software, keep these points in mind:

  • User-Friendly Interface: The software should be easy to use. Complex systems can frustrate your team and lead to inefficiencies. For instance, a church secretary should be able to manage the database without needing extensive training.
  • Integration Capabilities: See if the software connects with other tools your church already uses, like accounting or email marketing software. This can save time and reduce data entry errors. For example, software that works well with your church management system can make daily tasks easier.
  • Scalability: Make sure the software can grow with your church. As your congregation grows, your software needs may change too. Choosing a scalable solution now can save you the trouble of switching systems later. For instance, a database that handles your current needs should also be able to manage a larger group in the future.
  • Security Features: Look for strong security measures, like encryption and user access controls, to protect sensitive information. This keeps your members’ data safe from breaches. For example, software with two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security.
  • Support and Training: Reliable support and helpful training resources are important. Quick and effective help can make all the difference when issues come up. For example, 24/7 support or easy-to-follow online tutorials can greatly improve user experience.

By considering these factors, you’ll be better prepared to choose the right church database software for your needs.

Overviews Of The 10 Best Church Database Software Solutions

Here’s a brief description of each church database app to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.

Best for member data security

  • Free plan available
  • From $19/month (billed annually)

Gracely is a user-friendly church management software that offers features such as people management, events and attendance tracking, an online giving system, forms management, and email communication. Its platform is designed to be accessible to people without advanced tech skills and it offers a free plan, which is ideal for smaller churches with minimal resources.

As a church database software, Gracely has a detailed people directory that tracks contact information, age groups, and other optional fields like location and occupation. Additionally, the customizable church portal provides a centralized place to share updates, manage and track events and donations, and find groups within the database. Furthermore, Gracely ensures data protection by securely storing member and payment data in the encrypted cloud.

Best for accessibility from anywhere

  • Free version available
  • From $12/month
Visit Website
Rating: 4.9/5

ChMeetings is a powerful church management software designed to help churches efficiently manage their databases. Suitable for congregations of all sizes, it offers comprehensive tools for organizing and maintaining member information, contributions, and attendance records. Standout features include detailed member profiles and custom fields, allowing churches to capture and store extensive data tailored to their specific needs. The software also provides reporting capabilities to generate reports on various aspects of church operations.

Additionally, ChMeetings excels in database management with features like advanced search and filtering, enabling quick access to specific data. It supports seamless data import and export, allowing for easy integration with other systems and tools. The software's cloud-based platform ensures data accessibility from any location, while automated backup and encryption provide robust data security. 

Best for database automation

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $249/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.2/5

Keap is a versatile CRM database software designed to streamline organizational operations through powerful automation features. For churches, Keap provides essential tools to manage their congregation effectively. Its automation capabilities allow churches to automate follow-up emails to new visitors, schedule appointments, and send reminders for events and volunteer opportunities. This ensures consistent and timely communication, enhancing engagement and participation within the community.

Additionally, Keap’s robust contact management system enables churches to keep a detailed database of members, track their involvement, and segment them for targeted outreach. The software's customizable templates and workflows also help automate administrative tasks, freeing up time for church leaders to focus on ministry work. 

Robust church database app with accounting suite

Visit Website
Rating: 3/5

ACS is a church management software database you can use to capture and manage member profiles, contact information, history, family relations, and notes, allowing you to get to know your members better. You can use the software to create picture directories to place faces on member names and have a visual aid to recognize members faster. ACS Suite can also help you keep a database of your interactions with church members that you can use as a guide on how to proceed with future interactions and plans on how to improve stewardship programs.

ACS is the best church database software if you need to present church information because it has customizable pie charts, line graphs, bar graphs, and reports you can use. It also lets you create up to three statistical reports with custom setup options so you can prepare and present the data that you require. With the help of ACS’s reporting capabilities, you can take an in-depth look at the state of your church membership, so you’ll know which areas you need to improve on.

Church database with membership management & a calendar

  • 30-day free trial
  • From $14/month/up to 75 group members

Planning Center is a suite of tools you can use to record and maintain critical information about your church and its members. It has a calendar functionality you can use to schedule events and track rooms and resources to avoid scheduling conflicts. Planning Center has a membership management feature to record and organize the personal details of church members like contact information, group memberships, church history, and others.

Planning Center is the best church database software if your church has many active small groups because it has a group management feature you can use to maintain a database of groups and their members. The software lets you add a comprehensive description of a group and its goals to help encourage new members. You can also use Planning Center to share useful documents, videos, audio, and other files to specific groups to help both the group and its members grow.

Planning Center integrates with other church management tools, including ProPresenter, PushPay, Worship Extreme, Zapier, etc.

Best donation database

  • giving app is free, but the pricing for Tithe.ly All Access is $99/month.

Tithe.ly is a giving platform that churches of all sizes can use to provide members with a wide variety of options for providing financial assistance to the ministry. You can use Tithe.ly to add or update your church members’ contact details, profile images, family members, and other important details you can use to minister to them. Tithe.ly also allows you to conduct background checks for new members and volunteers, ensuring that you protect the other members of your congregation.

Tithe.ly is the best church management system if you want to manage your church’s fund-raising efforts because it has digital giving tools. You can use this ChMS to keep track of your church’s offline and online giving, like cash and check gifts, ensuring that you can keep tabs on your cash inflow. You can use Tithe.ly to generate comprehensive reports of your gifts, deposits, and other financial transactions, giving you a clear idea of your church’s financial health.

Best volunteer database

  • Free demo available
  • Pricing upon request

Blackbaud is a church management software database with people and event management capabilities to help you grow your church. It has a reporting and analytics feature to help you gain insights about your church and how you can guide your ministries. You can use Blackbaud’s email function to send follow-ups to specific members or provide updates to the entire congregation about upcoming church events and activities.

If your church conducts many events and activities like outreach programs, family weekends, or Sunday schools, then Blackbaud is the best church database software program for you because of its volunteer management feature. You can use Blackbaud to store volunteer information enabling you to match specific roles to volunteers ensuring that volunteers get assigned roles that match their skillset. You can also use Blackbaud for attendance tracking of volunteers, so you know which volunteers have records of absences so you can reassign them to groups that will pique their interest.

Best dashboards & reports

  • 10-day free trial
  • From $40/month

Faith Teams is an all-in-one church management system you can use to maintain an updated member directory, ensuring you can get in touch with members to minister to them. It has a contribution management feature so you can track contributions and print year-end statements for donors for transparency. Faith Teams allows you to add an unlimited number of members into your database, making it ideal for large churches and small churches hoping to increase its membership.

Faith Teams is the best church database software to provide excellent worship services to church members because it has a service planner feature. The software lets you maintain a database with all the tools you need to deliver successful worship services, including a database of songs, sermons, Bible texts, and multimedia presentations. Faith Teams also allows you to automate the sending of guests’ follow-ups so you can concentrate on making every worship service a success.

Best database to integrate newcomers

  • 30-day free trial
  • From $15.50/month/account

ChurchSuite is a cloud-based church management software solution for keeping your church members’ details in a secure, centralized location. It can help you maintain a database of important member information like contact details, family members, birthdays, and anniversaries, ensuring that you have access to critical information that will help you minister to members effectively. It has a suite of communication tools so you can send emails or text messages to church members and communicate crucial information about church events and services.

ChurchSuite is the best church management software if you have many young members because it allows you to securely track and manage your church’s youth and children’s ministry. It has a built-in child check-in functionality to help assure parents that the church is looking after the security and welfare of their children. You can use ChurchSuite to sort children by age group to help you formulate age-appropriate programs and events.

Church database with custom form builder

  • 30-day free trial
  • From $50/month/account

Elvanto is a SaaS church management system for handling administrative tasks like maintaining your church calendar, managing membership database, worship planning, volunteer scheduling, and donor management. It has built-in templates allowing you to send mass emails and SMS to relay critical information to all members. Elvanto has a mobile app version that works on iOS and Android mobile devices so church volunteers can participate in event planning and collaborate with fellow volunteers.

Elvanto is the best church management system if you want to create custom forms to obtain membership details because of its form builder feature. Elvanto’s form builder feature provides you with customizable forms you can use for group memberships, worship services, fund-raising events, and others. This gives you complete control over the type of information you want to obtain for your church database software program. You can embed forms on your church website so you can automatically sync information, ensuring that your church database is constantly updated.

Elvanto integrates with other church management and productivity apps like SongSelect, PayPal, MailChimp, and Stripe.

Other Options

Here are a few other options if you haven’t found what you’re looking for yet.

  1. Churchteams

    For large churches

  2. Breeze ChMS

    Affordable church management software to track areas of service, skills, tools and resources

  3. Servant Keeper

    Track areas of service, skills, tools and resources for church members

  4. Fellowship One

    Church mobile app builder

  5. Aplos

    Web-based church management software with people management and robust reporting

  6. ChurchTrac

    For small to mid-sized churches

Editor's Insight:

Editor's Insight:

The challenge of choosing and implementing church database software is not insignificant – but it can yield great results. A case study by Ben Stroup tells the story of three churches that saw observable, measurable impact as a result of the software they implemented to support their church management.

 

 

The churches each reported growth in numbers, member engagement, and online giving as a result of the new software solutions.

 

As Stroup writes “Each church achieved greater clarity about the health of the systems and processes that support their chruch. The implementation process empowered them to name, define, and modify existing systems and processes.”

Selection Criteria for Church Database Software

When selecting church database software, we focus on features that reduce admin time, allowing you to dedicate more to ministry. Our team carefully tests and reviews these tools to ensure they meet essential needs and solve common challenges.

Core Church Database Features (25% of total score)

Key functions include member management, attendance tracking, donation and volunteer tracking, event scheduling, communication, reporting, mobile access, security, and integrations.

To qualify, the software must effectively handle:

  • Tracking member information and history
  • Managing donations and finances
  • Organizing events and volunteers
  • Communicating with members via email and SMS
  • Generating reports for church leadership

Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)

These features set some tools apart:

  • Mobile app access for on-the-go management
  • Advanced reporting and analytics
  • Integration with social media for outreach
  • Customizable dashboards
  • Enhanced security, like two-factor authentication

Some also offer automated attendance tracking and data analytics for deeper insights.

Usability (10% of total score)

Look for:

  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Drag-and-drop event scheduling
  • Simple navigation and search
  • Clear data entry forms

Onboarding (10% of total score)

Strong onboarding makes a difference, including:

  • Training videos and interactive tutorials
  • Pre-designed templates for quick setup
  • Step-by-step product tours
  • Chatbots and webinars for ongoing support

Customer Support (10% of total score)

Reliable support matters. Look for:

  • 24/7 customer support
  • Responsive, knowledgeable staff
  • Multiple support channels (phone, email, live chat)
  • Comprehensive help center or FAQ

Value for Money (10% of total score)

Make sure pricing is:

  • Competitive and transparent
  • Tiered for different church sizes
  • Offering a free trial or demo

Customer Reviews (10% of total score)

  • Seek positive feedback on functionality, ease of use, and reliable customer support, as well as testimonials highlighting time savings.

By focusing on these criteria, we aim to recommend church database software that truly supports pastors in focusing on ministry rather than admin tasks.

What is Church Database Software?

Church database software helps churches manage day-to-day tasks. It can send member emails, track event attendance, and automatically record donations. This software allows leaders to easily track member information, donations, event planning, and communications.

Using church database software lets you focus on ministry, not paperwork.

Key Features to Look For

Choose software that reduces admin time so you can focus on ministry. Important features include:

  • Easy Member Management: Quickly update member details to support pastoral care.
  • Automated Reporting: Generate reports with minimal effort, saving time for higher priorities.
  • Event Scheduling: Organize events easily, freeing you to focus on spiritual leadership.
  • Online Giving: Simplifies donations, reducing admin tasks and increasing transparency.
  • Communication Tools: Email or text members easily, enhancing outreach.
  • Volunteer Management: Track volunteers effectively, ensuring smooth activities.
  • Attendance Tracking: Monitor attendance simply to understand member involvement.
  • Mobile Access: Manage operations on the go.
  • Customizable Dashboards: View key info at a glance for quick, informed decisions.
  • Security Features: Protect data to give peace of mind and enable focus on ministry.

Benefits of Church Database Software

Here are five key benefits for pastors and church leaders:

  • Better Member Management: Easily track and update member info for stronger connections.
  • Efficient Communication: Send important messages quickly to keep members engaged.
  • Simple Donation Tracking: Keep donations organized, improving financial transparency.
  • Effective Event Coordination: Manage events and volunteers efficiently, letting you focus on ministry.
  • Quick Reporting: Generate reports fast, gaining insights that help you lead effectively.

Using church database software helps you manage church tasks more efficiently, freeing more time for ministry. These tools boost member engagement, improve financial oversight, and streamline admin work, ultimately strengthening your church.

How pastors are using church software tools

How pastors are using church software tools

Kent Fillinger of the Christian Standard wrote an article studying how various churches are using church management software tools. According to Fillinger, the top five most common uses are:

 

  • Church database (91% of churches surveyed)
  • Child check-in (85%)
  • Event registration (68%)
  • Financial tracking/reporting (68%)
  • Attendance tracking (68%)

 

These usage statistics suggest that churches are seeing value and measurable improvements in these areas after implementing church software tools.

Costs & Pricing for Church Database Software

When selecting church database software, understanding the different plan options and their prices is essential. This knowledge will help you find the best fit for your church’s needs and budget. Below is a table summarizing common plans, average prices, and included features.

Plan TypeAverage PriceCommon FeaturesBest For...
Free$0Basic member management, limited communication tools, basic reporting.Small churches with tight budgets.
Basic$20/monthMember management, email communication, donation tracking, basic event scheduling.Small to medium churches needing core features.
Standard$50/monthAll Basic features, plus text messaging, advanced reporting, volunteer management.Medium churches needing more tools.
Premium$100/monthAll Standard features, plus mobile app access, custom dashboards, enhanced security features.Larger churches needing advanced features.
Enterprise$200/monthAll Premium features, plus full integration with other software, priority support, unlimited users.Very large churches needing top-tier features.

Each plan offers a variety of features to meet different needs. Think about your church size, budget, and specific needs when choosing a plan.

Church Database Software Frequently Asked Questions

Is our members' information safe and secure with this software?

Yes, most church database software offers strong security features like encryption and user access controls to keep member information secure. Look for options with two-factor authentication and regular security updates.

Can this software manage multiple church locations?

Yes, many church database tools can support multiple locations. They allow you to manage data, events, and finances for each site while keeping everything connected.

Can we customize the software to fit our church’s needs?

Yes, you can usually customize dashboards, reports, and member fields. Many tools also allow integration with other software your church uses.

How does the software back up and recover our data?

Good church database software automatically backs up your data and offers easy recovery options, ensuring your information stays safe and accessible.

Are there any extra fees or hidden costs?

Some software may have extra fees for added features or users, particularly transaction fees. Most providers are upfront about pricing, but it’s a good idea to review the details and ask about any extra costs before deciding.

Recommended Next Step:

Recommended Next Step:

If you’ve not done so already, consider exploring church management software (ChMS). My team and I have thoroughly researched the best (free!) ChMS tools on the market today; we’ve shortlisted our top picks.

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Joshua Gordon
By Joshua Gordon

Joshua Gordon is a lay-pastor, author, and editor of TheLeadPastor.com. Over the last two decades, Josh has worked closely with pastors and other christian leaders, helping them to sharpen and elevate their messages. Today, Joshua pastors at New Life Fellowship, a thriving church he helped plant in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.