20 Best Church Financial Software To Track Donations & Expenses In 2024
10 The Best Church Finance Software
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.
Selecting the right church finance software can feel overwhelming, especially if you're a lead pastor managing tight budgets. Affordability is often the top concern, but the right choice is crucial. The software you select will directly impact how efficiently your church manages donations, supports staff, and complies with tax law. Effective software simplifies these challenges, freeing you to focus on serving your communities.
For pastors, the stakes are real: managing finances without the right tools can lead to:
- Costly errors
- Strained relationships with donors
- Jeopardized tax-regulation compliance
My team and I are pastors and church leaders, so we understand these struggles. We've extensively reviewed church finance software to help you find the best fit for your church's needs.
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
The team at TheLeadPastor.com has been testing, trialing, and exhaustively reviewing church finance software since 2019. We understand how critical (and tough!) it is to make the right decision when selecting software.
We aren’t afraid to invest in deep research, if it helps our readers make better software purchasing decisions. We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools with a variety of pastoral and church use cases. We've written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews.
Learn how we stay transparent & our church finance software review methodology.
The Best Church Finance Software Summary
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Xero | From $15/user/month, (billed annually). | Website |
| ChMeetings | From $12/month | Website |
| PowerChurch Plus | costs from $395 | Website |
| Elexio | $35.13/account/month | Website |
| FlockBase | Basic plan costs $15/month, plus plan for $29/month and pro plan for $59/month | Website |
| Aplos | $29.50/account/month | Website |
| CDM+ | custom pricing upon request | Website |
| Church Windows | from $279/month | Website |
| One Church Software | From $58/month | Website |
| QuickBooks Online | From $15/user/month | 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 Finance Software
Each church is as unique as its lead pastor - so every church has its own process for researching, testing, and selecting various software options. We recommend you keep the following points in mind:
Consider the Long-term Costs for Your Church
When selecting church finance software, keep these key points in mind:
- Budget Fit: Choose software that aligns with your budget, considering both initial costs and ongoing fees.
- Long-Term Savings: Effective software should reduce the need for manual bookkeeping and financial consultants.
- Time Efficiency: Features like automatic tithing and donation tracking save significant time on financial record-keeping, allowing staff to focus on ministry tasks.
Prioritize Ease of Use
When choosing church finance software, usability is key. Keep in mind that not all church volunteers and staff are technically inclined. Your software should be:
- User-Friendly: Ensure it’s intuitive and easy to navigate.
- Training Support: Look for comprehensive training options to help your team learn quickly and avoid errors.
Ensure Seamless Integration
Your church finance software should work effortlessly with your other digital tools:
- Integration with Existing Tools: Make sure it integrates with membership management systems, email platforms, event scheduling, and more.
- Holistic Management: When your tools work together, you get a complete overview of church operations and finances, simplifying management from a central point.
Prioritize Security Features
As stewards of God’s resources, protecting financial data is crucial. Look for:
- Robust Security Measures: Choose software with data encryption, regular backups, and user access controls.
- Trust and Integrity: Secure handling of financial data maintains and deepens trust within your community.
Demand Reporting Flexibility
Informed decision-making requires accurate information. Your software should offer:
- Strategic Decision-Making: These features help you identify trends and make informed decisions on forecasting, budgeting, and planning future projects.
- Customizable Reports: Look for reports on income, expenditures, budget comparisons, and financial forecasts.
By focusing on these aspects, you ensure a cost-effective, efficient solution for your church's financial management.
Overviews Of The 10 Best Church Finance Software
Here’s a brief description of each finance software to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the interface.
Xero is a church accounting software you can use to safely accept donations online so you can replenish funds for your church’s operations and expenses. You can use it to track expenses and settle your bills so your church can continue operating and serving its members. Xero also enables users to track accounts receivables and payables, allowing church administrators a clear view of their churches’ cash flow.
Xero is best for small churches because it has a basic interface ideal for straightforward and recurring pay runs. A small church can use Xero to compute payroll, and it allows churches to pay employees manually or via batch payments depending on the church’s preference. Xero gives you the option of a third-party payroll app as your church grows and your payroll needs become more complex.
ChMeetings is a church management software designed to assist churches in organizing their administrative tasks. The software’s financial tracking capabilities allow users to add and manage transactions, accounts, funds, categories, and payees seamlessly. Additionally, ChMeetings offers insightful visual financial insights through its accounting dashboard. This feature provides at-a-glance visuals of account and fund balances, income, and expenses using graphs, enabling churches to quickly understand their financial standing.
In addition to its robust financial features, ChMeetings offers a wide array of tools that enhance overall church management. Standout features include comprehensive member management, event planning and scheduling, communication tools, and volunteer management. The software supports online and offline donation tracking, pledge management, and online payment processing. It integrates with services like MailChimp, PayPal, Twilio, and SMSGlobal, and has a developer API.
Powerchurch Plus software combines church management and a church accounting system you can use to balance your accounts and produce auditable trails to enhance accountability. It also has a simplified payroll system to plug in specific requirements that will automatically compute for you. The system also allows you to track restricted gifts to ensure compliance with FASB 117.
PowerChurch Plus is best for religious organizations that issue many checks for their transactions because of its Quick Check feature. You can use Quick Check to print checks for issuance to suppliers, partner organizations, utility companies, and payroll. Powerchurch Plus software also allows you to keep an accurate record of issued checks to ensure that your account stays balanced and has available funds for your checks.
Elexio is a church management system you can use to manage your church’s database, ensuring that you have up-to-date information on all your members. You can also use Elexio to automate simple and repetitive tasks to streamline workflow so you can concentrate on ministering to your flock. Elexio’s church accounting feature is an add-on you can purchase to ensure that your church complies with government requirements even if you don’t have a CPA on board.
Elexio is best for those who want access to their ChMS while working remotely because Elexio is a cloud-based system. You can use Elexio wherever you are as long as you have an internet connection. Since it is a cloud-based system, other team members will automatically see any updates or changes you implement on the system, ensuring that there won’t be any conflicts or discrepancies.
FlockBase is a web-based church management software you can use to compute payroll, pay your staff and comply with IRS regulations. A fund accounting feature allows you to track your fund balances and ensure that your programs have enough funding. FlockBase also has a robust reporting feature you can use to view balances, funds, and expenses on different levels of your organization.
FlockBase is the best church accounting software if you want one with a robust bank reconciliation feature that allows you to match your bank balance with your book balance. FlockBase’s bank reconciliation feature allows you to immediately detect accounting and bank errors so you can correct them immediately. This feature also helps your church prevent and detect fraud to protect the fund and needs of your church.
Aplos church software offers a robust suite of financial features, including fund accounting, bank integration, bank reconciliation, pledge tracking, and check to print. It also has an integrated payroll system to ensure that all employees receive accurate salaries helping you avoid payroll disputes and ensuring employee satisfaction. Aplos also has a donor portal that allows church members to contribute to your church safely and securely.
Aplos is best for those who need to generate financial reports so they can get a clear view of their church’s financial health. You can use aplos church software to generate budgeting reports to ensure that expenses stay within budget. Aplos also allows you to generate donation reports to give you a better idea of where contributions are coming from and plan how you can improve them.
Aplos integrates with Gusto Payroll System.
CDM+ is a fund accounting software designed specifically for the unique needs of churches and nonprofits. You can use it to track your income and expenses, ensuring that you have enough funds to attend to your ministry’s needs. Church leaders can use CDM+ to generate reports about the church’s financial health and share them with boards, committees, and staff to give them a clear view of its structure and financial standing.
CDM+ is best for those who work remotely because it has a mobile app version that you can use on iPhones and Android mobile devices. CDM+ mobile allows users a safe and secure way of accessing sensitive financial information. CDM+ also has features available on church management software like access to the member database, calendar management, and push notifications.
Church Windows is a church management system that can also serve your church’s accounting needs like payroll, accounts receivable, financial reporting, and tax computations. You can use it in event registration, child check-in, and post-event reporting so you can assess the effectiveness of your church’s services. Church Windows allows you to send SMS and email communications to ensure that church members are up-to-date with what’s happening in your church.
Church Windows is best for those who want a software solution that works even with no internet connection because it still allows you to work offline. You can still view and update membership records even if you have no internet connectivity meaning you are always productive. Church Windows also allows you to its accounting program offline with records automatically updated once you have internet connectivity to work on your laptop in an area where you don’t have a reliable internet connection.
One Church Accounting has a bank integration feature that provides users a convenient way of importing and categorizing bank transactions for accurate reconciliation. It has a chart of accounts feature to have a complete listing of every account in a general ledger allowing you an easy-to-understand view of your fund’s subcategories. Its budgeting feature will enable you to track your annual budget and ensure that your expenses are within your church’s financial capability.
One Church Accounting is best for those who want customizable dashboards for easier viewing of financial records. This church accounting software presents you with graphs and metrics to have an overview of your income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow in a user-friendly and easy-to-understand format. With the real-time data of One Church Accounting’s dashboards, you can immediately address financial concerns and prevent them from becoming major issues.
QuickBooks is a church accounting software you can use to automatically run payroll daily so you can concentrate on your ministerial duties for your congregation. You can use QuickBooks to manage employee benefits to ensure employee satisfaction and increase loyalty. It has a time-tracking functionality ensuring that timesheets are correct and preventing payroll disputes.
QuickBooks is best for settling taxes because it automatically calculates, files, and pays payroll taxes for users after setup completion. QuickBooks also provides users with a guarantee that tax calculations are accurate, and QuickBooks promises to cover up to $25,000 of payroll tax penalty if the calculations are incorrect.
Other Church Finance Software Options
Here are a handful or two of honorable mentions that my team and I felt deserved to be listed here. Some are church-specific software programs but others are simply non-profit friendly with free or low-cost plans.
Related Church Finance Software Reviews
After reading this list, you may have decided you need something a bit more compact or robust than the church financial software listed here. Here are a few similar church software review articles that may help:
- We've reviewed church accounting software solutions for setting budgets and guiding your church finance committee.
- Church bookkeeping software is specifically designed to handle the day to day fiscal needs (tracking spending, generating reports, etc.)
- If your church employs staff, you'll need church payroll software.
- There are a significant number of church giving apps to consider for you congregation.
- For managing donors specific types of software can help streamline tracking, and support developing donor relationships.
Selection Criteria for Church Finance Software
Selecting church finance software is a critical process. For our reviews, we examined a host of variables. We left no stone unturned in our efforts to understand the specific functionalities and use cases.
Now, church finance software these days comes packed with features, all of which claim to streamline church ops. After personally testing and researching these tools, my team and I developed a criteria-based approach to software evaluation and selection:
Core Church Finance Software Functionality: 25% of total weighting score
Common features for church finance software typically include budget tracking, donation management, fund accounting, financial reporting, tax compliance, expense management, payroll integration, member contributions tracking, and secure financial data storage.
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best church finance software, the solution had to support the ability to fulfill common use cases.
- Streamlined donation tracking
- Efficient budget management
- Comprehensive financial reporting
- Accurate tax compliance
- Secure data handling
Additional Standout Features: 25% of total weighting score
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best church finance software, the solution had to include:
- Automation tools that reduce manual data entry, like automated donation receipts and payment processing.
- Analytics features, such as predictive budgeting tools that help forecast financial trends and expenditures.
- Mobile access capabilities that allow staff to manage and view financial information securely from anywhere.
- Integration with other church management tools to ensure a unified platform for all church operations.
- Enhanced security features beyond basic encryption, such as multi-factor authentication and continuous security monitoring.
Usability: 10% of total weighting score
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best church finance software, the solution had to include:
- A clean and intuitive interface that simplifies complex financial tasks.
- A dashboard that provides a quick overview of the church's financial health at a glance.
- Drag-and-drop functionality in financial reporting sections for ease of custom report creation.
Onboarding: 10% of total weighting score
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best church finance software, the solution had to include:
- Availability of comprehensive training materials, such as video tutorials and step-by-step guides.
- Interactive product tours that familiarize new users with key functionalities immediately after purchase.
- A responsive customer support team that assists with data migration and software setup.
Customer Support: 10% of total weighting score
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best church finance software, the solution had to include:
- Quick response times and multiple channels of support, including live chat, email, and phone.
- Proactive support, including regular check-ins and updates on new features.
- Dedicated account managers for personalized service and assistance.
Value For Money: 10% of total weighting score
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best church finance software, the solution had to include:
- Transparent pricing models with no hidden fees.
- Tiered pricing structures that accommodate churches of different sizes and budgets.
- Cost comparisons with similar products to ensure competitive pricing.
Customer Reviews: 10% of total weighting score
To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best church finance software, the solution had to include:
- High ratings in user satisfaction, particularly regarding ease of use and customer support.
- Positive feedback on specific features like reporting accuracy and security measures.
- Comments on long-term benefits and improvements in financial management efficiency.
Over the years, we’ve found this criteria-based approach effective, yielding recommendations that provide not only the essential functions critical to church financial health and excellent user experience.
Trends in Church Finance Software for 2024
This year, our team has seen that church finance software is changing quickly to meet the growing and shifting needs of church administration. We've been keeping our eyes on the latest product updates, press releases, and release logs from top church finance tools to spot key trends in the industry. Here's what we're observing:
AI and Automation
Increased Integration: Many church finance tools are now integrating with other church management systems, such as:
- Managing finances
- Organizing members
- Planning events
When all of this happens in one place, financial administration is much easier.
AI and Machine Learning: AI is becoming more common in church finance software, and for good reason. AI increases your capacity when it comes to:
- Predicting financial trends
- Spotting errors or unusual transactions
- Planning better for the future
Customer Experience and Security
Better User Experience: Developers are making software easier to use with:
- User-friendly interfaces
- Mobile access for on-the-go use
- Simple for all users, regardless of tech skills
Enhanced Security: With rising digital threats, security is stronger than ever as software providers work to make their software more robust with:
- Advanced encryption to protect data
- Multi-factor authentication to keep accounts secure
- Tools to ensure your church meets all legal requirements
Declining Need for Manual Data Entry
Less Manual Work: Automation is reducing the need for:
- Typing in receipts manually
- Handling data entry line by line
- Manual processes that used to take up time
These trends show a clear direction for church finance software, focusing on making things easier, safer, and more efficient. This allows church leaders to spend less time on finances and more time on ministry, helping their donors, staff, and communities.
What Is Church Finance Software?
Simply stated, church finance software is a specialized tool designed to manage the financial operations and transactions of a church. It automates processes like donations, budgeting, payroll, and financial reporting.
This has a lot to offer for lead pastors, as it can significantly cut down on your administrative task load, while still ensuring accurate and transparent handling of funds.
By using church finance software, you’ll find you have higher capacity for ministry, thanks to much reduced day-to-day management load. And, further to the point, you’ll have access to accurate, up to date insight to inform your decisions.
Features of Church Finance Software
When choosing church finance software, look for a solution that delivers simplicity, flexibility, and accuracy. Software that provides those benefits will not only meet your church’s immediate needs, but will also adapt to future changes while still delivering precision in its financial records.
Here are the most important features to look for:
User-Friendly Interface: Financial software with a simple design makes managing church finances easier. It helps staff and volunteers learn and use the software quickly, reducing mistakes and boosting productivity.
Customizable Reporting: This feature lets you create reports in the format you prefer, showing you the financial data you need. This flexibility helps you make smart decisions based on accurate, relevant information.
Integration with Other Tools: Financial software that works well with your existing church management systems means you don’t have to enter the same data twice. It keeps everything accurate across all church operations.
Robust Security Measures: Strong security features protect sensitive financial data, keeping your congregation’s trust and guarding against data breaches.
Automated Data Entry: This feature reduces the time spent on manual data entry and increases accuracy by cutting down on human errors in financial records. (This one’s really important.)
Multi-User Access: You can set different access levels for users, ensuring that staff and volunteers can do their financial tasks without risking sensitive information.
Scalability: Financial software that can grow with your church means you won’t need to switch software as your congregation expands. It will handle more demand without any problems.
Cloud-Based Technology: Cloud-based financial software can be accessed from anywhere, which is essential for staff working remotely. It also means updates and backups happen automatically, making things easier and more accurate.
Comprehensive Support and Training: With ongoing support and training, any financial software issues are fixed quickly, so there’s little disruption to your work.
Budget Tracking and Forecasting: Tools for tracking your church budget and predicting future financial conditions are vital. They help maintain financial health and support strategic planning.
These features are the backbone of good church finance software. If you focus on solutions that offer these capabilities, you’ll stretch your resources further and be a better steward of the finances entrusted to your church.
Benefits of Church Finance Software
Choosing the right church finance software will have an immediate and recognizable impact - especially in the streamlining of financial responsibility. Here are other notable benefits you can anticipate:
- Improved Financial Accuracy: great software automates calculations and record-keeping, reducing human error and ensuring that financial reports are precise and reliable. This accuracy is crucial for maintaining trust and transparency within the church community.
- Enhanced Security Measures: With robust security protocols, church finance software protects your sensitive financial data against unauthorized access and potential breaches. This peace of mind is essential for safeguarding member contributions and church funds.
- Streamlined Administrative Processes: Automation of routine tasks such as donation tracking and expense reporting frees up staff and volunteers to focus on more strategic activities. This efficiency boost can lead to more effective ministry and community outreach.
- Comprehensive Reporting Capabilities: Your church finance committee can generate detailed reports with ease, providing valuable insights into the financial health of the church. These insights are critical for your leadership team to make informed decisions about budgeting, spending, and fundraising.
- Scalability for Growth: As churches grow, their financial needs become more complex. Church finance software can scale to meet these evolving demands without the need for significant changes or additional resources
Investing in high-quality church finance software is not only about improving financial management - it’s also about empowering your ministries. It’s about providing tools that facilitate growth and promote good stewardship. This honors God, serves your members, and (ultimately) extends your impact further into the community where you’re planted.
Costs & Pricing for Church Finance Software
While individual pricing options can vary wildly from one software solution to another, the table below will give you a good overview of the costs you can expect.
Plans are generally designed to cater to different sizes and types of church operations, from small congregations with straightforward financial needs to large organizations requiring detailed financial analytics and extensive user support. When choosing a plan, consider both the current and future needs of your church to ensure the software can grow with your congregation and continue to serve your needs effectively.
| Plan Type | Average Price | Transaction Fees | Common Features | Best For... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2.5% + $0.30 per transaction | Basic bookkeeping, simple reporting, limited users | Best for small or new churches with minimal needs and limited budgets. |
| Basic | $10-25/month | 2.3% + $0.30 per transaction | Budget tracking, financial reporting, user support | Best for small to medium-sized churches needing basic tools and budget tracking. |
| Standard | $25-50/month | 2.1% + $0.30 per transaction | Enhanced security, integration with other systems, multi-user access, advanced reporting | Best for medium-sized churches that require integration with other systems and advanced reporting features. |
| Premium | $50-100/month | 1.9% + $0.30 per transaction | All Standard features, automation, advanced analytics, custom integrations, priority support | Best for large churches or those with complex financial needs, requiring top-tier features and support. |
Church Finance Software Frequently Asked Questions
Here are questions we encountered many times throughout our research for this article. They’re worth touching on here:
What sort of church finance reports will I be able to generate?
Generally speaking, most of the church finance software options we recommend allow you to generate a variety of financial reports, such as balance sheets, profit and loss statements, cash flow statements, and specific reports for tracking donations and tithes. The church finance reports you need will likely vary depending your board of directors (or church finance committee.) The software options described in this article will allow you to create reports can be customized to show weekly, monthly, or annual data, helping you understand the financial health of your church in detail.
Can church finance software integrate with other systems I am currently using?
Short answer: Yes, most likely.
Longer answer: Probably, depending on the software you’re already using. Part of what we look for in the church finance software we recommend is exactly this: integrations. The software you’ll find here does integrate smoothly with a wide range of other systems, including most industry leading church management tools, email marketing platforms, and payroll systems. This integration capability ensures that you can maintain a cohesive and efficient workflow across all aspects of your administration and management.
What is the learning curve associated with church finance software, and what kind of support and training should I expect?
The specifics will vary from provider to provider, but we have highlighted software that is user-friendly with an intuitive interface. We know that your staff/volunteers will be at different technical levels.
That being said – it’s important to do your due-diligence: look for comprehensive onboarding training, detailed user manuals, and ongoing support via phone, email, and live chat to ensure you and your team can effectively use your software from day one.
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