Gracely Review: Pros, Cons, Features & Pricing
Gracely is a church management software designed to simplify and automate the daily tasks of running a church community. It best serves small to mid-sized churches and non-profit organizations looking for an efficient way to manage their congregation, events, and communications. Gracely offers a straightforward solution to keep your church organized and focused on its mission.
In this article, you'll find a comprehensive review of Gracely's features, pros and cons, best and worst use cases, and pricing. With your experience in mind, we'll help you determine if Gracely aligns with your church's goals and needs.
Gracely Evaluation Summary
- From $19/month
- 30-day free trial
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
Gracely Overview
In my opinion, Gracely stands out as a top-tier church management software, excelling in user-friendliness and customer support. It outperforms many competitors with its intuitive interface, making it ideal for churches that prioritize ease of use. However, it may fall short for those seeking extensive customization options. Gracely is best suited for small to mid-sized churches looking for a reliable, straightforward tool to enhance their community management.
pros
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Onboarding is quick and straightforward, getting your team up to speed fast.
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Customer support is responsive and helpful, ensuring smooth problem resolution.
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It offers an intuitive interface that's easy for your team to navigate.
cons
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Some users find the event management tools lack depth compared to competitors.
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Advanced reporting features may not be as robust as other solutions.
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Customization options are limited, which might not suit all your church's needs.
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How We Test & Score Tools
We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.
Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.
Core Functionality (25% of final scoring)
The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.
Standout Features (25% of final scoring)
Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.
We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.
Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)
We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.
Onboarding (10% of final scoring)
We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.
Customer Support (10% of final scoring)
We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.
Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)
Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.
Value for Money (10% of final scoring)
Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.
Core Features
Member Management: Keep track of your congregation with easy-to-use member profiles that store contact details and engagement history. This helps you personalize your interactions and foster a stronger community.
Effortless Event and Check-In Management: Plan events and handle check-ins through one simple dashboard. You can track attendance, manage registrations, and ensure a smooth experience for members and volunteers.
Donation Tracking: Monitor and manage donations with a simple interface that records contributions and generates reports. This makes financial management transparent and accessible.
Form Builder: Create registration forms, surveys, or information requests without needing extra software. These forms can be shared online and connected to member profiles automatically.
Communication Tools: Connect with your congregation through built-in email, chat, and SMS features. You can send updates, share announcements, and keep everyone in the loop without switching platforms.
Group Management: Create and manage ministry groups, Bible studies, or volunteer teams in one place. You can assign leaders, track attendance, and send updates to keep everyone connected and active.
Ease of Use
Gracely excels in user-friendliness, making it a top choice for those who value simplicity. Its intuitive interface allows your team to navigate tasks without hassle, which is a huge plus for churches with limited tech resources.
The straightforward design means you can focus more on your community and less on figuring out the software. Users often praise Gracely for its ease of use, highlighting the quick onboarding process and seamless daily operations.
New Product Updates from Gracely
Gracely's Smarter Scheduling and Enhanced Volunteer Tools
Gracely's new updates introduce smarter event scheduling and improved volunteer coordination to simplify church management. Users can now create flexible recurring events, assign volunteers efficiently, and enjoy smoother workflows through better organization and communication tools. Here are the details of the updates:
- Advanced Event Recurrence: Plan recurring events with flexible options such as “2nd Tuesday of each month” or “last Sunday of the month.”
- Volunteer Assignments: Assign volunteers for individual events and track their availability more easily.
- Improved Workflows: Resend SMS with one click, sort member lists alphabetically, and experience more accurate timezone handling and family searches.
Visit Gracely's official site for more details.
for more details.Gracely's Member Directory and In-App Chat
Gracely's recent update introduces significant features aimed at enhancing user experience, including communication and management improvements. Some important aspects that were part of this update include:
- Customizable Member Login Page: This allows users to personalize their login interface.
- In-App Chat for Members and Groups: Enhances communication by allowing real-time messaging within the platform.
- Family Management in Church Portal: Provides new tools for easier management of family data and interactions.
- Preset Donation Amounts in Online Giving Forms: Simplifies donations by offering predefined amounts for users to select.
- New Member Directory: Facilitates easier access and networking among members.
Visit Gracely's official site for more details.
Gracely Expands Management and Communication Tools
Gracely's latest update introduces new features to improve user control and flexibility in managing their online presence. Some important aspects that were part of this update include:
- Customizable Embed Calendar: Empowers users to personalize calendar displays to fit their unique community needs.
- Embeddable Version for Groups: Allows seamless integration of group content into external sites, enhancing accessibility.
- Archive People: Gives administrators the ability to archive inactive members, optimizing organization.
- Mark as Visitors: Offers the option to distinguish between regular members and occasional visitors for better engagement strategies.
- Auto-Creation of Members from Forms: Streamlines the process of membership registration by automatically creating profiles from submitted forms.
Visit Gracely's official site for more details.
Gracely Introduces the My Gracely Mobile App
Gracely introduces 'My Gracely,' a new native mobile application available on both iOS and Android platforms, tailored specifically for church members. This launch aims to enhance user engagement by providing easy access to various church activities and personal management features directly from mobile devices. Some important aspects that come with this release include:
- Events and Registration: Members can easily view and sign up for upcoming church events, streamlining the process of staying involved.
- Attendance Tracking: Users can monitor their attendance records, helping them stay consistent and involved with church activities.
- Giving Management: The app allows the management of both one-time and recurring donations, supporting members' ability to contribute conveniently.
- Announcements and Updates: Receive timely updates and important announcements to stay well-informed about ongoing and upcoming church activities.
- Group and Profile Management: Members can browse group information and update personal and family profiles to keep their connections current.
Visit Gracely's official site for more details.
Gracely Elevates Customization and Reporting Features
Gracely’s updates bring a wave of new customization, reporting, and export features aimed at giving ministries greater flexibility and insight. The release also includes interface improvements, bug fixes, and a preview of ambitious tools in development. Key updates include:
- Customizable Giving Widget – Adjust button text, colors, shapes, and messages to match your church’s branding.
- Universal Export Options – Export data to Excel or PDF from all major pages, including People, Giving, and Groups.
- New People & Finance Reports – Track trends and gain insights, with more report types coming soon.
- Balance Sheet & Income Statement in Accounting – Access full financial statements directly in Gracely for planning and audits.
- Custom Account Defaults – Set your own gender/pronoun options, phone code, and default currency.
For more details, visit Gracely Release Notes.
Gracely's Update: New Customization Tools and Improvements
Gracely's latest update introduces several new features designed to enhance customization and efficiency for users:
- Church Portal Customization: The Church Portal now serves as an integrated website builder, allowing customization of themes, pages, navigation, and footer controls.
- Custom Fields for People Profiles: Enables tracking of ministry-specific data with visibility settings, allowing personalized data management.
- Advanced Filters: Supports multi-criteria searches, such as by custom fields or date ranges, and facilitates mass actions like email or SMS.
- Donation Batches: Groups gifts for simpler entry and tracking, optimizing financial management.
- Custom Role Creation: Tailors permissions to specific roles, enhancing security and administrative control.
- Form Editing: Allows forms to be edited before submission, ensuring accuracy.
- Dashboard Layout Improvements: Enhances navigation and user accessibility.
More details at Gracely Release Notes.
Gracely Specs
- API
- Calendar Management
- Contact Management
- Dashboards
- Data Export
- Data Import
- Document Management
- External Integrations
- Multi-User
- Notifications
- Payment Gateway Integration
- Scheduling
- Workflow Management
