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Religion · head to head

ChurchDesk vs ChurchPlanner

ChurchDesk logo

ChurchDesk

Religion

Church management and member portal platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

ChurchPlanner

Religion

Integrated church service and ministry planning platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ChurchPlanner has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ChurchDesk all subscription plans carry a one time setup fee of 655 GBP per parish for onboarding and training; ChurchPlanner limited to basic church management functions; lacks financial/giving analysis compared to full suites
  • They diverge on capability: ChurchDesk covers Member Portal, ChurchPlanner covers Service Planning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ChurchDesk and ChurchPlanner actually diverge.

Attributes where ChurchDesk and ChurchPlanner differ
AttributeChurchDeskChurchPlanner
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Android mobile app
Founded20102020

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Religion).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ChurchDesk

  • Member Portal
  • Announcements
  • Event RSVP
  • Volunteer Coordination
  • Email Integration
  • Giving Platforms
  • Mobile App
  • Mobile support

Only in ChurchPlanner

  • Service Planning
  • Team Collaboration
  • Volunteer Scheduling
  • Song Selection
  • Planning Center
  • Music Databases
  • Email Notifications
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Calendar Systems
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ChurchDesk

  • Member management
  • Donation tracking
  • Event planning
  • Volunteer scheduling
  • Communication

ChurchPlanner

  • Member management
  • Donation tracking
  • Event planning
  • Volunteer scheduling
  • Communication

Both are used for member management, donation tracking, event planning, volunteer scheduling, communication, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ChurchDesk

  • All subscription plans carry a one time setup fee of 655 GBP per parish for onboarding and training
  • Multi-Parish support is only available by contacting sales on the Small, Medium and Large plans
  • Payment Terminal add-on costs 456 GBP per year on top of the Basic through Medium plans

ChurchPlanner

  • Limited to basic church management functions; lacks financial/giving analysis compared to full suites
  • No built-in website or membership portal included in pricing
  • Mobile app limited to Android; limited iOS functionality

Pricing, plan by plan

ChurchDesk

On request
  • Starter$99/month
    • Basic features
    • Up to 500 members
  • Plus$299/month
    • All features
    • Unlimited members
    • Advanced portal

ChurchPlanner

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 15 contacts
    • Unlimited trial period
    • No credit card required
  • Premium$9.99/month
    • Up to 80 contacts
    • Service planning and volunteer scheduling
    • Attendance tracking
  • Pro$19.99/month
    • Unlimited contacts
    • All Premium features
    • SMS and email reminders

Which should you pick?

Choose ChurchDesk if

  • You need member portal.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want announcements.
ChurchDesk review

Choose ChurchPlanner if

  • You need service planning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Android mobile app.
  • You also want team collaboration.
ChurchPlanner review

Questions people ask

Is ChurchDesk or ChurchPlanner better?
Neither clearly leads. ChurchDesk starts at On request and ChurchPlanner at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ChurchDesk or ChurchPlanner?
ChurchPlanner has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ChurchDesk and Free for ChurchPlanner.
Does ChurchDesk or ChurchPlanner run on more platforms?
ChurchDesk runs on Web, Mobile. ChurchPlanner runs on Web, Android mobile app.
Can I use ChurchPlanner for free?
Yes. ChurchPlanner has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ChurchDesk starts at On request.
What is ChurchDesk best used for?
ChurchDesk is most often used for member management, donation tracking, event planning, volunteer scheduling.
What can ChurchDesk do that ChurchPlanner cannot?
ChurchDesk covers Member Portal, Announcements, Event RSVP, Volunteer Coordination. ChurchPlanner covers Service Planning, Team Collaboration, Volunteer Scheduling, Song Selection. Both handle Calendar Systems, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ChurchDesk: What is ChurchDesk's pricing structure?

ChurchDesk offers four subscription plans billed annually: Basic at £54/month, Small at £97/month, Medium at £140/month, and Large at £239/month, excluding VAT.

Source
ChurchPlanner: How much does ChurchPlanner cost?

ChurchPlanner has a free tier with up to 15 contacts indefinitely (no credit card required), Premium at $9.99 CAD/month (up to 80 contacts), and Pro at $19.99 CAD/month (unlimited contacts with SMS reminders).

Source
ChurchDesk: What is included in ChurchDesk plans?

All tiers include the same core modules: Calendar, People, Forms, Website, Workflows, and Finance, plus attendance tracking, payments, booking enquiries, and studio access.

Source
ChurchPlanner: Does ChurchPlanner include worship planning?

Yes. ChurchPlanner includes worship planning with service order building, ministry team scheduling, and support for chord charts in ChordPro format.

Source
ChurchDesk: What setup costs does ChurchDesk charge?

ChurchDesk charges a one-time setup fee of £655 per parish for 'Upstart & Training,' which covers initial configuration and onboarding.

Source
ChurchPlanner: Can volunteers get automated reminders?

Yes. ChurchPlanner sends automated SMS and email reminders to volunteers before services, reducing no-shows on the Pro plan.

Source
ChurchDesk: What ChurchDesk add-ons are available?

Add-ons include Studio (£57/month), Cookies & Analytics (£10/month), Additional Websites (£36/month), and Payment Terminal (£456/year for smaller plans). The Large plan includes one Payment Terminal.

Source
ChurchPlanner: Is attendance tracking included?

Yes. ChurchPlanner includes attendance tracking from any device with trend analysis and follow-up flagging capabilities.

Source
ChurchPlanner: Can I export my church data?

Yes. ChurchPlanner emphasizes data ownership and allows users to export their information anytime without restrictions.

Source
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