ChMeetings vs. Tithely: Expert Church Software Comparison in 2026
ChMeetings and Tithely take different approaches to church management, from administration and accounting to giving and member engagement. This comparison breaks down where each platform fits best.
We review tools independently, and commissions help fund our testing. See our transparency policy, our methodology, or suggest a tool.
ChMeetings
4.9/5
- Free plan available + 30-day free trial
- From $12/month
Tithe.ly
4.8/5
- 30-day free trial available
- From $72/month
Why Trust Our Software Recommendations
6,700+
Reviews
20
Industry experts
16+
Evaluation factors
14
Years
Our team has been testing and reviewing software since 2012. As church leaders ourselves, we know how difficult—and important—it is to choose the right software.
For this guide, we evaluated tools using hands-on testing and independent research, scoring tools using our selection criteria.
Our reviews reflect our human editorial judgment, not a sales pitch.
| ChMeetings | Tithe.ly | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free plan available + 30-day free trial | 30-day free trial available |
| Pricing | From $12/month | From $72/month |
ChMeetings vs. Tithely Pricing & Hidden Costs
ChMeetings uses tiered pricing based on the number of active people, with a permanent free plan, monthly or annual billing, no separate user or administrator limits, and free managed migration on paid plans. Extra costs can come from messaging credits, the optional branded app, additional media storage, and payment processing. By comparison, Tithely offers free online giving with standard processing fees, alongside flat-rate Church Management and All Access subscriptions.
To compare the two, look beyond the base subscription and calculate what your church will actually use. Factor in congregation size, donation volume, messaging, app and website needs, payment processing, included features, and how costs may change as your ministry grows. This gives you a clearer view of long-term value instead of comparing monthly fees alone.
| ChMeetings | Tithe.ly | |
|---|---|---|
| API | Yes | No |
| Calendar Management | Yes | No |
| Contact Management | Yes | No |
| Dashboards | Yes | No |
| Data Export | Yes | Yes |
| Data Import | Yes | Yes |
| Document Management | No | No |
| External Integrations | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-User | Yes | Yes |
| Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Payment Gateway Integration | Yes | No |
| Scheduling | Yes | No |
| Workflow Management | Yes | No |
| Integration | ChMeetings | Tithely |
|---|---|---|
| IntegrationStripe | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely✅ |
| IntegrationMailchimp | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely✅ |
| IntegrationPayPal | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely❌ |
| IntegrationTwilio | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely✅ |
| IntegrationPaystack | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely❌ |
| IntegrationSMS Global | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely❌ |
| IntegrationClickatell | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely❌ |
| IntegrationBlueSnap | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely❌ |
| IntegrationAPI | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely✅ |
| IntegrationZapier | ChMeetings✅ | Tithely❌ |
Both ChMeetings and Tithely support common church software integrations, APIs, and payment or messaging connections, but ChMeetings offers broader direct connectivity across external services. Tithely supports a smaller set of integrations around its giving and church management ecosystem. Overall, ChMeetings is better suited to churches that want more flexibility to connect their church management software with third-party tools, while Tithely keeps integrations more closely tied to its own product suite.
| Factor | ChMeetings | Tithely |
|---|---|---|
| FactorData Privacy | ChMeetingsGDPR compliant and certified under the EU-U.S., UK Extension, and Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Frameworks, with data exports and US-only residency. | TithelySupports GDPR, CCPA, PIPEDA, UK data protection requirements, and Australian privacy laws through its privacy program and Data Processing Addendum. |
| FactorEncryption | ChMeetingsUses TLS encryption in transit and infrastructure-level encryption at rest through Microsoft Azure. | TithelyUses encrypted data-transfer methods, secure connections, VPN controls, and other safeguards for customer data. |
| FactorAccess Controls | ChMeetingsProvides granular role-based permissions, optional two-factor authentication (2FA) that can be enforced for elevated users, immediate access revocation, and detailed activity logs. | TithelyUses role-based user accounts, password-protected access, failed-login lockouts, authorization controls, and audit logging. |
| FactorPayment Security | ChMeetingsStores only limited payment details while full payment information is handled by integrated gateways such as Stripe, PayPal, and Paystack. | TithelyEncrypts financial information and stores it with a banking partner using PCI DSS Level 1 compliant standards. |
| FactorBackups & Reliability | ChMeetingsPerforms daily backups retained for 90 days, supports user exports and API backups, offers point-in-time restore for eligible Enterprise databases, and includes a 99.9% uptime SLA. | TithelyPerforms encrypted daily offsite backups retained for up to 90 days and maintains 99.9% service availability, with redundancy and disaster-recovery controls. |
Both platforms provide layered safeguards for church and donor data. ChMeetings combines detailed role controls, 2FA, activity logging, defined backup retention, GDPR and Data Privacy Framework coverage, and incident-response procedures, while Tithely pairs role-based access and recovery controls with PCI DSS Level 1 payment protection and support for multiple privacy frameworks.
| Factor | ChMeetings | Tithely |
|---|---|---|
| FactorInterface | ChMeetingsUses a unified web and mobile interface for people, giving, events, communications, worship planning, accounting, and other church workflows. | TithelyBrings church management, giving, messaging, check-in, volunteers, and other ministry tools into its broader product ecosystem. |
| FactorOnboarding | ChMeetingsSupports self-guided setup or free guided onboarding, with help resources and free managed migration, including accounting data, on paid plans. | TithelyProvides self-guided onboarding, training resources, and free data migration, with personalized onboarding also available. |
| FactorMobile Access | ChMeetingsGives both administrators and members mobile access to church records, events, giving, communications, groups, and other day-to-day functions. | TithelySupports mobile giving and member engagement, with a custom church app included in its broader All-Access offering. |
| FactorDaily Workflows | ChMeetingsKeeps attendance, messaging, giving, events, volunteer scheduling, follow-ups, and member management connected within the same system. | TithelyConnects people management with giving, communications, check-in, volunteers, groups, and service planning. |
| FactorSupport | ChMeetingsProvides phone, live chat, Zoom support, documentation, video guidance, onboarding assistance, and migration support. | TithelyProvides phone, messaging, email support, onboarding resources, tutorials, and personalized onboarding options. |
From an ease-of-use perspective, ChMeetings keeps church administration, accounting, and member management closely connected, with guided onboarding, managed migration, and mobile access helping reduce setup friction. Tithely also offers an accessible experience across church management and digital ministry tools, though its broader ecosystem can require more product-specific setup. ChMeetings may feel more focused for teams that want one connected system, while Tithely may suit churches already using its giving and engagement tools.
ChMeetings
- Combines member management, giving, events, volunteers, worship planning, communications, and fund accounting in one church-focused system.
- Member portal and mobile app let congregants update profiles, register for events, give online, and receive church communications directly.
- Built-in AI supports tasks such as people searches, form creation, and email drafting, while read-only AI connections can query church data without changing records.
- Customer data is hosted only in the United States, with no option to choose another hosting region.
- Some capabilities, including accounting and appointments, require higher paid plans.
- SMS and voice messaging require additional credits, adding usage-based costs beyond the subscription price.
Tithe.ly
- The user-friendly interface makes donations and fundraising easy for your team.
- Customizable donation forms enhance your donor's experience.
- Strong donor management features support your church's financial tracking needs.
- Some users report technical glitches that may disrupt your workflow.
- Limited features compared to other platforms might not meet all your needs.
- Users seek more advanced reporting tools to better analyze contributions.
ChMeetings
- Small and Growing ChurchesSmaller churches can start with core member, giving, event, and communication tools, then expand into more advanced features as their needs grow.
- Mid-Sized and Large ChurchesLarger congregations can manage membership, attendance, giving, volunteers, worship planning, accounting, forms, and follow-ups without splitting those workflows across several systems.
- Multi-Campus ChurchesMulti-location churches can organize people, ministries, groups, events, and permissions across locations while maintaining centralized administration.
- Dioceses and Church NetworksDioceses can oversee multiple independent churches, manage shared members and reporting, and run elections while allowing each church to manage its own operations.
- Churches Consolidating Multiple ToolsChurches using separate systems for membership, giving, worship planning, communications, and accounting can bring more of those workflows into ChMeetings.
- Faith-Based Nonprofits and MinistriesChristian nonprofits and ministries with similar needs around membership, donations, events, groups, and fund accounting may also be a good fit.
Tithe.ly
- Small ChurchesTithe.ly is ideal for small churches needing a simple, cost-effective way to manage donations and engage their community.
- Mid-Sized CongregationsMid-sized congregations benefit from Tithe.ly's robust donor management and customizable forms to enhance member contributions.
- Church Finance TeamsFinance teams use Tithe.ly to track donations efficiently, thanks to its strong reporting capabilities and user-friendly interface.
- Nonprofit OrganizationsNonprofits find Tithe.ly valuable for its donation tracking and management features that support fundraising efforts.
- Religious SchoolsReligious schools can use Tithe.ly to streamline fundraising campaigns, leveraging its customizable donation forms.
- Community CentersCommunity centers benefit from Tithe.ly’s straightforward platform to handle contributions and support ongoing projects.
Who Should Use ChMeetings, and Who Should Use Tithely?
If you want church management software that keeps people, giving, events, communications, worship planning, accounting, and member engagement closely connected, ChMeetings is likely the better fit. It’s especially useful if you value built-in accounting, AI-assisted administration, mobile access, multilingual support, API and Zapier connectivity, or centralized management across multiple churches and dioceses.
If, instead, you want church management tied closely to a broader giving and digital ministry ecosystem, Tithely may suit your organization. It can work well for churches that prioritize online and text giving, a custom church app, website tools, worship resources, and member engagement features from the same provider.
| ChMeetings | Tithe.ly | |
|---|---|---|
| AI & Automation | ChMeetings Provides built-in automated tasks, AI-assisted people search, form creation, and email writing, plus read-only AI connectivity, API access, and Zapier. | Tithe.ly Provides API access, while its own AI capabilities remain in limited availability and it does not currently offer a public Zapier integration. |
| Church Accounting | ChMeetings Includes built-in fund accounting, budgeting, bank reconciliation, transaction management, and financial reporting. | Tithe.ly Focuses on giving and financial reporting, with QuickBooks Online connectivity rather than comparable built-in fund accounting. |
| Digital Ministry Ecosystem | ChMeetings Delivers most church administration within its core platform, with the branded app available as an optional add-on. | Tithe.ly Extends Church Management through separate or bundled products for giving, custom apps, websites, and worship tools. |
| Multi-Church & Language Support | ChMeetings Supports 26 languages and dedicated diocese tools for centralized administration across multiple churches. | Tithe.ly Supports multilingual giving and larger organizations, but does not provide comparable dedicated diocese administration. |
| Pricing Model | ChMeetings Uses people-based tiers with a permanent free plan, no separate user or administrator limits, and functionality bundled by tier. | Tithe.ly Offers free online giving with processing fees alongside flat-rate Church Management and All Access subscriptions. |
| Communication & Member Engagement | Both provide email and text communication, forms, member-facing tools, and mobile access that help churches share updates, collect information, and stay connected with their congregations. |
|---|---|
| Events & Check-In | Both help churches create events, manage registrations, track attendance, maintain calendars, and handle children’s check-in for services and ministry activities. |
| Giving | Both support online and recurring giving, donor records, designated funds, pledges, contribution reporting, and tools for managing and tracking church donations. |
| People & Groups | Both platforms manage member and household records, groups, custom information, attendance, and other congregation data used for day-to-day church administration. |
| Volunteers & Service Planning | Both support volunteer scheduling, team coordination, reminders, and service planning so churches can organize ministry roles and upcoming worship activities. |