Planning Center
UnclaimedIntegrated church management software designed to streamline operations and enhance congregant engagement.
Visit WebsiteWhat is Planning Center?
Planning Center is a crm tool. Planning Center is a comprehensive suite of church management software products designed to help churches of all sizes manage their operations, connect with congregants, and streamline administrative tasks. Key capabilities: People database with profile management, custom reporting, online forms, workflows, and communication tools, Event management with unlimited events and room/resource tracking (Calendar), Check-in system for attendees with unlimited stations and administrators (Check-Ins), Donation tracking and processing with low fees (Giving), Group management for members and leaders with unlimited groups (Groups). Planning Center ships a free plan plus paid tiers that unlock as usage grows. Buyers most often compare Planning Center against Pushpay, ACS Technologies, FellowshipOne.
TL;DR - Planning Center
- Modular church management system with a free core database.
- Integrates various church functions like people management, giving, and events.
- Offers tools for both church staff and congregant engagement via mobile app and website.
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
4.6/5 across review platforms
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Modular pricing allows churches to pay only for what they need.
- Core 'People' database is always free.
- Seamless integration between all products prevents information siloing.
- Offers a free mobile app and website for congregant engagement.
- Provides free and responsive support and training.
Cons
- Payment processing for donations and registrations incurs additional fees from Stripe.
- Pricing for some modules scales with usage (e.g., number of rooms, check-ins, donations, group members, event attendees, team members), which could become costly for larger churches.
- Requires integration with multiple modules to achieve full functionality, potentially increasing complexity.
Ratings Across the Web
4.6(1,574 reviews)
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Preview
Key Features
People database with profile management, custom reporting, online forms, workflows, and communication toolsEvent management with unlimited events and room/resource tracking (Calendar)Check-in system for attendees with unlimited stations and administrators (Check-Ins)Donation tracking and processing with low fees (Giving)Group management for members and leaders with unlimited groups (Groups)Church Center app and website for congregant engagement, custom pages, sermon notes, and audio/visual channelsRegistration management for events with payment processing (Registrations)Service planning and scheduling for teams (Services)
Pricing Plans
Free TrialPeople
$0
- Membership database
- Profile management
- Custom reporting
- Online forms
- Workflows
- Communication tools
Rooms (Unlimited Events)
$0
- Manage unlimited events for free
- Priced by the number of rooms you are managing
Daily Check-Ins
$0
- Priced by the number of check-ins on your busiest day of the week
- Full feature access
- Unlimited number of check-in stations
- Unlimited administrators
Monthly Donations
$0
- Priced by the total number of donations you collect and track each month
- Full feature access
- Card, ACH transfer, and Apple Pay transactions processed for a low, additional fee by Stripe
Group Members
$0
- Priced by the number of members (including leaders) in an active group
- Members counted once
- Unlimited groups
- Unlimited group events
Essential App Management
$0
- App setup and management
- Home page
- Engagement analytics
Event Attendees
$0
- Priced by the number of attendees for your largest event
- Full feature access
- Unlimited number of events
- Card and Apple Pay transactions processed for a low, additional fee by Stripe
Team Members (100MB Storage)
$0
- Priced by the number of people who access the system in any way
- Full feature access
- Unlimited number of teams
- Unlimited service types
- Unlimited plans
Music Stand Add-on
$5
About Planning Center
By Toolradar Team·
Planning Center is a comprehensive suite of church management software products designed to help churches of all sizes manage their operations, connect with congregants, and streamline administrative tasks. It features a modular approach, allowing churches to subscribe to specific products based on their needs, with a core free product called 'People' that serves as a shared database for all other applications.
The platform aims to provide an integrated system where specialized work can be done without siloing information. It offers tools for managing people, events, giving, groups, check-ins, and services, all accessible through a unified system. For congregants, Planning Center provides a free mobile app and website to engage with ministries, while church staff benefit from efficient behind-the-scenes tools and free support and training.
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Planning Center FAQ
What is Planning Center?
Planning Center is a suite of church management software products designed to help churches manage their people, events, giving, groups, check-ins, and services. It provides an integrated platform for administrative tasks and congregant engagement.
How much does Planning Center cost?
Planning Center operates on a modular, à la carte pricing model. The core 'People' product is always free. Other products like Rooms, Check-Ins, Giving, Groups, Registrations, and Services have tiered pricing based on usage metrics (e.g., number of rooms, daily check-ins, monthly donations, group members, event attendees, team members). All plans start with a 30-day free trial, and there are no contracts or cancellation fees.
Is Planning Center free?
Yes, Planning Center offers a free tier. The 'People' product, which is the core database, is completely free. Additionally, every other product has a free plan option that users can switch to, and all plans include a 30-day free trial.
Who is Planning Center for?
Planning Center is designed for churches of all sizes, from small congregations to large ministries. It caters to church staff, administrators, ministry leaders, and also provides tools for congregants to engage with their church.
Source: planningcenter.com