Best ChurchTools Alternatives in 2026
The top ChurchTools alternatives are Planning Center, ChurchRaise and Rock RMS: 15 church management software our editors would look at instead of ChurchTools, in our ranking order.
ChurchTools: A broad ChMS for churches that need operations, communication, finance, and integrations. Where it falls short: package XS supports 100 people and has no additional campuses.
Switching from ChurchTools? For most church management software buyers the best ChurchTools alternative is Planning Center, built for churches wanting broad value and mobile access. On a budget, ChMeetings starts at $12/mo, against $39/mo for ChurchTools. ChMeetings offers the most member limit (100 members).
Why People Look for a ChurchTools Alternative
- Package XS supports 100 people and has no additional campuses
- SMS messaging requires CM Telecom and incurs provider charges
- Feature and capacity limits vary substantially across six paid packages
- No free plan — 6 of the alternatives below have it
- Paid from $39/mo — ChMeetings is $12/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallPlanning Center9.4
Churches wanting broad value and mobile access
Visit Planning Center - Lowest priceChMeetings8.9
Paid plans from $12/mo
Visit ChMeetings - Best free optionPlanning Center9.4
Has a free plan (ChurchTools has none)
Visit Planning Center - Most member limitChMeetings8.9
100 members
Visit ChMeetings
All 15 ChurchTools Alternatives, Ranked
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.
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Best forChurches wanting broad value and mobile access
- Better than ChurchTools:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.4 vs 8.6
A modular church suite covering people, groups, events, giving, services, and check-in.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
9.4/10★★★★★Try Planning Center -
Best forBudget-conscious churches needing an all-in-one system
- Better than ChurchTools:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.3 vs 8.6
A broad, free web platform covering church administration, communication, giving, and events.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
9.3/10★★★★★Visit ChurchRaise -
Best forChurches wanting open-source breadth and extensibility
- Better than ChurchTools:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.6
A broad, extensible church platform for organizations prepared to manage hosting.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Rock RMS -
Best forChurches wanting strong finance and ministry workflows
- Better than ChurchTools:
- Paid from: $29/mo vs $39/mo
- Editor score 9.1 vs 8.6
ChurchTrac combines ministry, finance, giving, and member workflows in one subscription.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
9.1/10★★★★★Visit ChurchTrac -
Best forChurches needing comprehensive features at low cost
- Better than ChurchTools:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $12/mo vs $39/mo
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.6
A broad church management suite with a permanent free tier and scalable people limits.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit ChMeetings -
Best forSmall churches needing affordable ministry operations
- Better than ChurchTools:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.6
An affordable church operations suite with broad ministry coverage and limited integrations.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit ChurchSuite -
Best forTechnical churches wanting open-source flexibility
- Better than ChurchTools:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.7 vs 8.6
A flexible church platform for teams that want broad features and deployment control.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit ChurchCMS -
Best forTechnical churches wanting a free self-hosted core
- Better than ChurchTools:
- Free plan
A capable free core for churches prepared to manage hosting and administration.
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
- Volunteer scheduling
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit ChurchCRM -
Best forLarge churches or dioceses needing customization
A broad, customizable system for churches, parishes, dioceses, and denominational offices.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
8.4/10★★★★☆Try MinistryPlatform -
Best forChurches prioritizing communications and workflows
A broad church operations platform with strong communication and workflow coverage.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit SimpleChurch -
Best forChurches needing giving, worship, and check-in together
A wide church operations suite combining membership, giving, worship, and check-in.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit FellowshipOne -
Best forOrganizations needing customizable API-led church management
A broad church management platform with records, communications, finance, APIs, and mobile apps.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit TouchPoint -
Best forEstablished churches needing broad core ChMS features
A broad ChMS covering membership, ministry coordination, communication, giving, and reporting.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Realm -
Best forChurches wanting a polished paid all-in-one system
A broad paid church management system with records, ministry workflows, and giving options.
- Event registration
- Child check-in
- SMS messaging
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Tithely -
Best forChurches focused on event registration depth
- Better than ChurchTools:
- Paid from: $19/mo vs $39/mo
A strong fit for churches that need registration, ticketing, payments, and check-in in one system.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Elvanto
ChurchTools Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to ChurchTools?
Planning Center: #1 in our Church Management Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A modular church suite covering people, groups, events, giving, services, and check-in.
Is there a free alternative to ChurchTools?
Yes. Planning Center, ChurchRaise, Rock RMS, ChMeetings and ChurchCMS have a free plan or a free tier (6 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to ChurchTools?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, ChMeetings starts lowest, at $12/mo.
Why do people look for ChurchTools alternatives?
Package XS supports 100 people and has no additional campuses; SMS messaging requires CM Telecom and incurs provider charges; Feature and capacity limits vary substantially across six paid packages.
Which ChurchTools alternative has the most member limit?
ChMeetings, with 100 members.
How do I switch from ChurchTools?
Export your data from ChurchTools (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel ChurchTools.
How to Switch from ChurchTools
- Export your data from ChurchTools (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel ChurchTools.
ChurchTools vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Group management | Event registration | Child check-in | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | ChurchTools | No | $39/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.6 |
| 1 | Planning Center | Yes | $15/unit/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | ChurchRaise | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.3 |
| 3 | Rock RMS | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 |
| 4 | ChurchTrac | No | $29/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.1 |
| 5 | ChMeetings | Yes | $12/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 |
| 6 | ChurchSuite | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | ||
| 7 | ChurchCMS | Yes | $290/yr | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.7 |
| 8 | ChurchCRM | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 8.5 | |
| 9 | MinistryPlatform | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.4 | ||
| 10 | SimpleChurch CRM | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.3 | ||
| 11 | FellowshipOne | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.2 | ||
| 12 | TouchPoint | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 13 | Realm | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | |
| 14 | Tithely Church Management | No | $72/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
| 15 | Elvanto | No | $19/mo | 7.8 |
Head-to-Head
- ChurchTools vs Planning Center
- ChurchTools vs ChurchRaise
- ChurchTools vs Rock RMS
- ChurchTools vs ChurchTrac
- ChurchTools vs ChMeetings
- ChurchTools vs ChurchSuite
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update