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Head-to-head · Church Volunteer Management Software

church.chat vs Simple Church Rota

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score church.chat #6 in Church Volunteer Management Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 6 features Visit church.chat
Simple Church Rota #8 in Church Volunteer Management Software 8.5/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit site

church.chat leads on 1 check, Simple Church Rota on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorechurch.chat · 8.7/10
  • Free planonly church.chat
  • Free trialonly Simple Church Rota
  • Most featuresSimple Church Rota · 6 of 6

church.chat scores higher on our rubric for church volunteer management software: 8.7 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #8.

church.chat offers free plan; Simple Church Rota doesn't.

church.chat is the better fit for churches wanting free scheduling with calendars. Simple Church Rota is the better fit for small churches wanting low-cost mobile rotas.

  • church.chat fits best

    Churches wanting free scheduling with calendars

  • Simple Church Rota fits best

    Small churches wanting low-cost mobile rotas

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.

Side by side

Feature church.chat 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Simple Church Rota 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.5
Ranking #6 in Church Volunteer Management Software #8 in Church Volunteer Management Software
Best for Churches wanting free scheduling with calendars Small churches wanting low-cost mobile rotas
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free £35/yr
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — 30 days
Deployment Cloud Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web Web, Android
Support Email Email
Integrations 2 integrations 6 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market Small business
Features church.chat 4/6 · Simple Church Rota 6/6
Shift scheduling ✓ ✓
Recurring schedules ✓ ✓
Availability tracking ✓ ✓
Automated reminders Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Volunteer messaging ✓ ✓
Mobile app Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Volunteer limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free plan with no limits on teams, volunteers, or services
  • Auto-assignment uses volunteer availability and commitment rules
  • Two-way Google Calendar synchronization supports shared planning
  • £35 per church per year with unlimited volunteers and rota types
  • Availability, swaps, messages and notifications support volunteer coordination
  • Google Calendar, iCal, Apple Calendar and Outlook connectivity
Cons
  • Web platform coverage only
  • No numeric volunteer limit is provided
  • Mobile app availability is not part of the published product details
  • There is no permanent free plan after the 30-day full-access trial
  • Platform access is centered on web and Android
  • Its focus is rota management rather than broader church administration
Our verdict

church.chat is a free scheduling and team-management application for churches and volunteer serve teams. It brings volunteer scheduling, service planning, recurring services, special-event management, team chat, check-in, and time tracking…

Read the review →

Simple Church Rota is a scheduling and rota management service for churches and faith-based organisations. It is designed for small and growing churches that need to organise weekly services, one-off events and volunteer teams.…

Read the review →
  1. church.chatChurch Volunteer Management Software 8.7Free plan
  2. Simple Church RotaChurch Volunteer Management Software 8.530-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • church.chat — where it wins

    • Free plan with no limits on teams, volunteers, or services
    • Auto-assignment uses volunteer availability and commitment rules
    • Two-way Google Calendar synchronization supports shared planning

    Where it doesn't

    • Web platform coverage only
    • No numeric volunteer limit is provided
    • Mobile app availability is not part of the published product details

  • Simple Church Rota — where it wins

    • £35 per church per year with unlimited volunteers and rota types
    • Availability, swaps, messages and notifications support volunteer coordination
    • Google Calendar, iCal, Apple Calendar and Outlook connectivity

    Where it doesn't

    • There is no permanent free plan after the 30-day full-access trial
    • Platform access is centered on web and Android
    • Its focus is rota management rather than broader church administration
  • church.chat8.7/10 · Free plan

    A free web-based hub for church volunteer scheduling, planning, chat, and time tracking.

    Visit church.chatFull verdict →
  • Simple Church Rota8.5/10 · 30-day trial

    A low-cost church rota tool with strong scheduling, messaging and calendar support.

    Visit siteFull verdict →

More comparisons

All church volunteer management software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update