Churchory vs Shepard

Churchory8.8Visit Shepard8.7Visit

Higher score Churchory #4 in Church App Builders 8.8/10 45-day trial Free trial✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Churchory

vs

Shepard #5 in Church App Builders 8.7/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Shepard

• Churchory fits best

  Small churches needing an all-in-one branded app

• Shepard fits best

  Churches wanting automation and community depth

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Side by side

Feature	Churchory 8.8/10 Visit ↗	Shepard 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.7
Ranking	#4 in Church App Builders	#5 in Church App Builders
Best for	Small churches needing an all-in-one branded app	Churches wanting automation and community depth
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	$747/yr	$39/mo
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	45 days	14 days
Free trial length	45 days · no card needed	14 days · no card needed
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, iOS
Support	Email	Email
Built for	Small business, Mid-market	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Churchory 5/5 · Shepard 5/5
Custom branding	✓	✓
Sermon library	✓	✓
Digital giving	✓	✓
Groups	✓	✓
Push messaging	✓	✓
Specs
App store publishing	Both	Vendor_managed
Member limit	250 members	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Combines ministry, communication, giving, check-in, and analytics features Publishes an app under the church’s name on Apple App Store and Google Play Includes priority support and a monthly call with the founders	Combines giving, groups, events, sermons, chat, and prayer tools Workflow automation includes triggers, conditions, filters, and delays Granular permissions and multi-site management support larger teams
Cons	The $89 monthly plan is limited to 250 people There is no free plan Larger churches pay $208 per month or $1,250 per year	No free plan; monthly pricing starts at $39 Platform coverage is limited to web and iOS Advanced features require the Premium or Enterprise plans
Our verdict	Churchory brings church management and mobile engagement into one platform. It covers small-group rosters, prayer requests, attendance, follow-up nudges, events, kids check-in, church chat, email, text, channels, push notifications,… Read the review →	Shepard brings member communication and church administration into one service. It is designed for churches that need community feeds, groups, chat, events, prayer requests, digital giving, sermon publishing, check-in, and staff tools in… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Churchory — where it wins

  • Combines ministry, communication, giving, check-in, and analytics features
  • Publishes an app under the church’s name on Apple App Store and Google Play
  • Includes priority support and a monthly call with the founders

  Where it doesn't

  • The $89 monthly plan is limited to 250 people
  • There is no free plan
  • Larger churches pay $208 per month or $1,250 per year

• Shepard — where it wins

  • Combines giving, groups, events, sermons, chat, and prayer tools
  • Workflow automation includes triggers, conditions, filters, and delays
  • Granular permissions and multi-site management support larger teams

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan; monthly pricing starts at $39
  • Platform coverage is limited to web and iOS
  • Advanced features require the Premium or Enterprise plans

• Churchory8.8/10 · 45-day trial

  A broad branded church app platform with pricing tied to church size.

  Visit ChurchoryFull verdict →
• Shepard8.7/10 · 14-day trial

  Shepard combines church communication, giving, events, workflows, and AI assistance.

  Visit ShepardFull verdict →