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Head-to-head · Church App Builders

Shepard vs Choicely Church App

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score Shepard #5 in Church App Builders 8.7/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Shepard
Choicely Church App #7 in Church App Builders 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Choicely

Shepard leads on 0 checks, Choicely Church App on 2, and 5 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 scoreShepard · 8.7/10
  • Lowest starting priceChoicely Church App · $25/mo
  • Free planonly Choicely Church App
  • Free trialonly Shepard
  • Most featuresShepard · 5 of 5

Shepard scores higher on our rubric for church app builders: 8.7 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #7.

Choicely Church App offers free plan; Shepard doesn't. Choicely Church App is cheaper to start at $25/mo against $39/mo. On app store publishing, Choicely Church App gives you Both where Shepard offers Vendor_managed.

Shepard is the better fit for churches wanting automation and community depth. Choicely Church App is the better fit for churches wanting low-cost visual app creation.

  • Shepard fits best

    Churches wanting automation and community depth

  • Choicely Church App fits best

    Churches wanting low-cost visual app creation

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 Shepard 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Choicely Church App 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.5
Ranking #5 in Church App Builders #7 in Church App Builders
Best for Churches wanting automation and community depth Churches wanting low-cost visual app creation
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $39/mo $25/mo (best)
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 14 days —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS Web, iOS, Android
Support Email Phone, Email, Live chat
Integrations 9 integrations 5 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Shepard 5/5 · Choicely Church App 4/5
Custom branding ✓ ✓
Sermon library ✓ ✓
Digital giving ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Groups ✓ ✓
Push messaging ✓ ✓
Specs
App store publishing Vendor_managed Both
Member limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • 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
  • Free plan includes public apps, notifications and unlimited collaborators
  • Publishes sermons, events, groups, podcasts and livestreams
  • Creates native iOS and Android apps with publishing assistance
Cons
  • No free plan; monthly pricing starts at $39
  • Platform coverage is limited to web and iOS
  • Advanced features require the Premium or Enterprise plans
  • Premium features begin at $25 per month
  • Advanced capabilities are split across multiple paid tiers
  • Enterprise features require a custom plan
Our verdict

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 →

Choicely Church App is a no-code platform for churches creating branded mobile apps without developing an app from scratch. Its visual editing tools support sermons, devotionals, podcasts, livestreams, announcements and events, while…

Read the review →
  1. ShepardChurch App Builders 8.714-day trial
  2. Choicely Church AppChurch App Builders 8.5Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • 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

  • Choicely Church App — where it wins

    • Free plan includes public apps, notifications and unlimited collaborators
    • Publishes sermons, events, groups, podcasts and livestreams
    • Creates native iOS and Android apps with publishing assistance

    Where it doesn't

    • Premium features begin at $25 per month
    • Advanced capabilities are split across multiple paid tiers
    • Enterprise features require a custom plan

More comparisons

All church app builders comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update