Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Church Web Hosting

Mainfolk vs Shepherd Sites

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Mainfolk #1 in Church Web Hosting 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Mainfolk
Shepherd Sites #2 in Church Web Hosting 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Shepherd Sites

Mainfolk leads on 0 checks, Shepherd Sites on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreMainfolk · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresShepherd Sites · 4 of 4

Mainfolk scores higher on our rubric for church web hosting: 9.4 against 9.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #2.

Mainfolk is the better fit for churches wanting broad, modern website capabilities. Shepherd Sites is the better fit for churches prioritizing sermons, events, and giving.

  • Mainfolk fits best

    Churches wanting broad, modern website capabilities

  • Shepherd Sites fits best

    Churches prioritizing sermons, events, and giving

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 Mainfolk 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Shepherd Sites 9.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 9.2
Ranking #1 in Church Web Hosting #2 in Church Web Hosting
Best for Churches wanting broad, modern website capabilities Churches prioritizing sermons, events, and giving
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $150/yr $19/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web
Compliance 2FA PCI DSS
Integrations 3 integrations 6 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market Small business
Features Mainfolk 1/4 · Shepherd Sites 4/4
Church templates Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Donation tools Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Event tools Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Custom domain ✓ ✓
Specs
Sermon media hosting Not checked yet Both
Storage limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free plan includes AI site creation, hosting, security, and updates
  • Church-specific tools cover services, sermons, events, groups, and ministries
  • Paid plans add custom domains, editors, analytics, and migration support
  • Searchable sermon publishing with notes and audio or video embeds
  • Recurring events, registrations, and RSVPs support ministry scheduling
  • Pro includes custom domains, giving integration, and advanced analytics
Cons
  • The Free plan uses a Mainfolk subdomain
  • Launch limits editing access to two invited people
  • Giving pages use external donation links rather than built-in donations
  • Starter is limited to a single-page website and one template
  • Custom domains are limited to Pro and Premium plans
  • Premium is required for all giving integrations and campaign pages
Our verdict

Mainfolk is a hosted website builder for churches and other community organizations. It combines AI-generated site creation with church-focused content tools, including service times, plan-your-visit pages, sermon and media publishing,…

Read the review →

Shepherd Sites is a web-based website platform for churches and ministries that need a focused home for sermons, events, giving, and ministry content. Its templates are designed for church websites, while the visual content editor is…

Read the review →
  1. MainfolkChurch Web Hosting 9.4Free plan
  2. Shepherd SitesChurch Web Hosting 9.2Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Mainfolk — where it wins

    • Free plan includes AI site creation, hosting, security, and updates
    • Church-specific tools cover services, sermons, events, groups, and ministries
    • Paid plans add custom domains, editors, analytics, and migration support

    Where it doesn't

    • The Free plan uses a Mainfolk subdomain
    • Launch limits editing access to two invited people
    • Giving pages use external donation links rather than built-in donations

  • Shepherd Sites — where it wins

    • Searchable sermon publishing with notes and audio or video embeds
    • Recurring events, registrations, and RSVPs support ministry scheduling
    • Pro includes custom domains, giving integration, and advanced analytics

    Where it doesn't

    • Starter is limited to a single-page website and one template
    • Custom domains are limited to Pro and Premium plans
    • Premium is required for all giving integrations and campaign pages

More comparisons

All church web hosting comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update