Shepherding Connections

Freemium#3 of 25 in Church Text Messaging Software

Church SMS messaging with automations, inbox conversations, and visitor follow-up.

9.0/10Editor score

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Shepherding Connections9.0 Visit site

At a glance

Editor score
9.0 / 10
Pricing
Free plan · paid from $29/mo
Best for
Budget-conscious churches wanting automation
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
$29/mo
Two-way messaging
Yes
Facts checked
20 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Two-way texting, sequences, keyword replies, and scheduled sends
- Visitor connect pages, segmentation, consent, and opt-out tools
- Web, iOS, Android, and integrations with church software
Where it doesn't
- Free Forever excludes SMS messaging
- Messaging is limited to United States and Canada numbers
- Connections is currently in beta

Our verdict on Shepherding Connections

Shepherding Connections is the SMS-focused application in Shepherding Tools, designed for pastors, elders, outreach teams, and churches managing announcements and follow-up. Its feature set covers SMS announcements, a two-way texting inbox, automated multi-step sequences, keyword auto-responses, visitor connect pages, welcome cards, targeted contact segments, scheduled announcements, repeating-cadence automations, and trackable shortened links. Churches can also manage SMS consent and opt-outs through a church phone number. The product is available on web, iOS, and Android.

Pricing is structured for churches at several sizes. Free Forever provides limited Connections access without SMS messaging and does not require a credit card. Small Church costs $29 per month or $290 per year and adds full SMS messaging through Connections plus priority email support. Medium Church costs $49 per month or $490 per year, with full access to every application and phone and email support. Large Church costs $99 per month or $990 per year and adds dedicated onboarding support. Unlimited costs $199 per month and includes full access to every application with custom onboarding and training.

The strongest fit is a church that wants more than one-off announcements: sequences, recurring messages, visitor follow-up, keyword replies, and audience segmentation support ongoing communication workflows. Planning Center People, Breeze ChMS, and other ChMS platforms with an open API provide integration options. The free tier is useful for exploring limited Connections access, but churches that need SMS must choose a paid plan. Connections is in beta, and messaging is currently limited to United States and Canada numbers, so churches outside those regions or seeking a non-beta messaging tool should consider an alternative.

Shepherding Connections pricing

Plans Free plan · paid from $29/moFreemium A usable free plan; paid tiers unlock the limits above. Prices re-checked Sep 2026.

See plans on shepherdingtools.com

All 5 Shepherding Connections plans and prices →

Shepherding Connections fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	$29/mo
Two-way messaging	Yes
Scheduled messages	Yes
Recurring messages	Yes
Audience segmentation	Yes
Included messages	Not verified
Church software integrations	Yes
Mobile app	Yes
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android
Compliance & security	PCI DSS
Support	Email, Phone, Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Integrations	3 integrations: Planning Center People, Breeze ChMS, Other ChMS platforms with an open API
Pricing	Free plan · paid from $29/mo (source)
Website	shepherdingtools.com
Facts checked	20 Sep 2026

Shepherding Connections integrations

Shepherding Connections lists 3 integrations on its own site.

Planning Center People
Breeze ChMS
Other ChMS platforms with an open API

Alternatives to Shepherding Connections

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Shepherding Connections vs the competition

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

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