The Best Church Payroll Software in 2026
We researched church payroll software from official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. Products are ranked on their core payroll job, value for money and verified features for clergy compensation, housing allowances, tax filings and reporting.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
CarbonHRM#1 of 279.4/10Specialized church payroll coverage with connected accounting and ministry integrations.
Pricing on request
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Runner-up
Payroll Mate#2 of 279.0/10A church-focused payroll option for clergy earnings, tax forms, reporting, and accounting exports.
-
Lowest paid price in the top 10
Patriot Payroll#8 of 278.4/10Affordable church payroll with direct deposit, contractor payments, and optional tax filing.
30-day trial
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 27 tools, best first
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Best forChurches needing specialized, connected payroll
Specialized church payroll coverage with connected accounting and ministry integrations.
- Housing allowance
- Tax filing support
- Direct deposit
9.4/10★★★★★Visit CarbonHRM -
Best forChurches needing detailed clergy payroll controls
A church-focused payroll option for clergy earnings, tax forms, reporting, and accounting exports.
- Housing allowance
- Tax filing support
- Direct deposit
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Payroll Mate -
Best forBudget-conscious churches needing core payroll
A focused church payroll add-on with core processing and tax administration.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit ChurchSoftware -
Best forEstablished churches using Shelby Financials
A clergy-focused payroll module for churches already using Shelby Financials.
- Housing allowance
- Tax filing support
- Direct deposit
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Shelby Systems -
Best forChurches wanting affordable mobile payroll
Affordable church payroll with tax, filing, clergy, and direct-deposit support.
- Tax filing support
- Direct deposit
- Clergy compensation
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit IconCMO -
Best forMulti-campus churches needing payroll and accounting
A church-focused platform for clergy payroll, fund accounting, and multi-campus financial management.
- Housing allowance
- Tax filing support
- Clergy compensation
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forChurches pairing clergy payroll with fund accounting
A church finance platform that connects fund accounting with clergy payroll workflows.
- Housing allowance
- Clergy compensation
- W-2 and 1099 support
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forSmall churches wanting low-cost full-service payroll
Affordable church payroll with direct deposit, contractor payments, and optional tax filing.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Patriot -
Best forSmall churches needing straightforward payroll
A practical payroll option for small churches that need scheduled runs and employee self-service.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit SurePayroll -
Best forChurches already using QuickBooks
A cloud payroll service with automated tax handling and strong QuickBooks fit.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit QuickBooks -
Best forChurches wanting broad HR and payroll coverage
A broad payroll and HR suite for churches that need more than payroll alone.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Gusto -
Best forChurches needing multi-state payroll flexibility
A flexible payroll option for churches paying workers across multiple states.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit OnPay -
Best forChurches seeking scalable HR and payroll
Paycor combines payroll with scalable HR, time, scheduling and performance tools.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Paycor -
Best forChurches wanting an integrated HCM suite
A broad HCM suite for churches that want payroll, HR, time and talent in one system.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Paycom -
Best forLarger churches needing extensible HCM
A broad HCM platform for larger churches that need payroll plus extensible HR operations.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Paylocity -
Best forChurches prioritizing mature enterprise HR
A broad HR and payroll suite for churches with complex workforce operations.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit ADP -
Best forChurches needing configurable payroll reporting
A broad payroll and HCM suite for churches that prioritize reporting flexibility.
- Tax filing support
- Direct deposit
- W-2 and 1099 support
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit isolved HCM -
Best forChurches wanting payroll inside a church suite
A church suite that combines payroll, accounting, membership, and administration on Windows.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit PowerChurch -
Best forSmall churches wanting payroll plus accounting
A practical church finance and payroll suite for small and midsize congregations.
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit FlockBase -
Best forChurches wanting low-cost payroll in a church suite
A low-cost church suite that adds payroll to broader administrative operations.
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Church Windows -
Best forChurches needing payroll linked to fund accounting
A fund-accounting platform with integrated payroll and ledger posting for churches.
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit CDM+ -
Best forChurches using Elexio’s accounting ecosystem
Church-focused accounting and clergy payroll that fits the Elexio ecosystem.
- Direct deposit
- Clergy compensation
- Payroll reporting
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Elexio -
Best forChurches needing ChMS before payroll
A broad church management suite, but payroll buyers should look elsewhere.
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit FellowshipOne -
Best forParishes focused on member and finance management
A broad parish management suite, but not a payroll-centered choice.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit ParishSOFT -
Best forChurches prioritizing member engagement tools
A broad church engagement platform, but not a payroll-focused system.
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Realm -
Best forChurches needing mature nonprofit accounting
A mature church accounting system, but not a verified payroll solution.
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit site -
Best forChurches needing facilities scheduling alongside payroll
A strong church-facilities scheduler, but not a payroll-focused system.
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit site
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CarbonHRM | No | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Payroll Mate | No | 9.0 | |
| 3 | ChurchSoftware Payroll | No | $25/mo | 8.9 |
| 4 | Shelby Financials Payroll | 8.8 | ||
| 5 | IconCMO Payroll | No | $40/mo | 8.7 |
| 6 | Amplify Accounting | 8.6 | ||
| 7 | Storehouse Finance | No | 8.5 | |
| 8 | Patriot Payroll | No | $17/mo | 8.4 |
| 9 | SurePayroll | No | $20/mo | 8.3 |
| 10 | QuickBooks Payroll | No | $50/mo | 8.2 |
| 11 | Gusto | No | 8.1 | |
| 12 | OnPay | No | 8.0 | |
| 13 | Paycor | No | 7.9 | |
| 14 | Paycom | No | 7.8 | |
| 15 | Paylocity | No | 7.7 | |
| 16 | ADP Workforce Now | 7.6 | ||
| 17 | isolved HCM | 7.5 | ||
| 18 | PowerChurch Plus | No | $445 one-time | 7.4 |
| 19 | FlockBase | No | $99/yr | 7.3 |
| 20 | Church Windows | No | $19/mo | 7.2 |
| 21 | CDM+ | No | $25/mo | 7.1 |
| 22 | Elexio Church Accounting | 7.0 | ||
| 23 | FellowshipOne | 6.9 | ||
| 24 | ParishSOFT | 6.8 | ||
| 25 | Realm | No | 6.7 | |
| 26 | ACS General Ledger | No | 6.6 | |
| 27 | PDS Facility Scheduler | 6.4 |
Head-to-head All 27 comparisons →
- CarbonHRM vs Payroll Mate
- CarbonHRM vs ChurchSoftware Payroll
- CarbonHRM vs Shelby Financials Payroll
- CarbonHRM vs IconCMO Payroll
- CarbonHRM vs Amplify Accounting
- CarbonHRM vs Storehouse Finance
- CarbonHRM vs Patriot Payroll
- Payroll Mate vs ChurchSoftware Payroll
- Payroll Mate vs Shelby Financials Payroll
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How we rank church payroll software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update