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Religion · head to head

ChurchPlanner vs MediaShout

C

ChurchPlanner

Religion

Integrated church service and ministry planning platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MediaShout logo

MediaShout

Religion

Worship presentation and media management software

From
$198/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ChurchPlanner has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ChurchPlanner limited to basic church management functions; lacks financial/giving analysis compared to full suites; MediaShout the perpetual MediaShout 7 Site licence is a $599 one-time purchase, and phone support is limited to 2 sessions in the first 30 days before dropping to email and live chat
  • They diverge on capability: ChurchPlanner covers Service Planning, MediaShout covers Lyric Display.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ChurchPlanner and MediaShout actually diverge.

Attributes where ChurchPlanner and MediaShout differ
AttributeChurchPlannerMediaShout
Starting priceFree$198/year
Pricing modelUnknownone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Android mobile appWindows
Founded20202000

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 ChurchPlanner

  • Service Planning
  • Team Collaboration
  • Volunteer Scheduling
  • Song Selection
  • Music Databases
  • Calendar Systems
  • Email Notifications
  • Web support

Only in MediaShout

  • Lyric Display
  • Video Integration
  • Theme Creation
  • Remote Control
  • Song Databases
  • CCLI Integration
  • Web Remote
  • Windows support

Both cover

  • Planning Center

What people use each for

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

ChurchPlanner

  • Member managementnot MediaShout
  • Donation trackingnot MediaShout
  • Event planningnot MediaShout
  • Volunteer schedulingnot MediaShout
  • Communicationnot MediaShout

MediaShout

  • Church worship presentation and lyrics displaynot ChurchPlanner
  • Multi-screen sermon notes and Bible verse displaynot ChurchPlanner
  • CCLI SongSelect integration for compliancenot ChurchPlanner
  • 70+ Bible translation displaynot ChurchPlanner

Where each one falls short

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

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

MediaShout

  • The perpetual MediaShout 7 Site licence is a $599 one-time purchase, and phone support is limited to 2 sessions in the first 30 days before dropping to email and live chat
  • Ongoing phone and video support with remote desktop control requires the Plus Membership at $199 per year on top of the software
  • The cheapest option, MediaShout LE at $198 per year, licenses one computer only and omits the stage and confidence display
  • Shift Worship media access requires MediaShout 7 Complete at $798 one-time plus $299 per year
  • Upgrading from a previous MediaShout version still costs $399 for the Site licence or $498 for Essentials
  • The published plans are for MediaShout 7 for Windows, listed separately from the Mac product

Pricing, plan by plan

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

MediaShout

$198/year
  • MediaShout 7 LE (Subscription)$198/year
    • Single computer
    • Limited features
    • Annual subscription
  • MediaShout 7 Essentials (Windows)$698/one-time
    • Perpetual license
    • 1 year Plus Membership ($199 annual renewal)
    • Unlimited computers with Site License upgrade
  • MediaShout 7 Complete (Windows)$798/one-time
    • Perpetual license
    • Plus Membership
    • Shift Worship media library access
  • MediaShout 7 Site License (Windows)$599/one-time
    • Unlimited computers
    • Perpetual license

Which should you pick?

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

Choose MediaShout if

  • You need lyric display.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want video integration.
MediaShout review

Questions people ask

Is ChurchPlanner or MediaShout better?
Neither clearly leads. ChurchPlanner starts at Free and MediaShout at $198/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ChurchPlanner or MediaShout?
ChurchPlanner has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ChurchPlanner and $198/year for MediaShout.
Does ChurchPlanner or MediaShout run on more platforms?
ChurchPlanner runs on Web, Android mobile app. MediaShout runs on Windows.
Can I use ChurchPlanner for free?
Yes. ChurchPlanner has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MediaShout starts at $198/year.
What is ChurchPlanner best used for?
ChurchPlanner is most often used for member management, donation tracking, event planning, volunteer scheduling. Of those, member management and donation tracking are not what MediaShout is typically brought in for.
What can ChurchPlanner do that MediaShout cannot?
ChurchPlanner covers Service Planning, Team Collaboration, Volunteer Scheduling, Song Selection. MediaShout covers Lyric Display, Video Integration, Theme Creation, Remote Control. Both handle Planning Center.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
MediaShout: What is the cheapest way to use MediaShout for a church?

MediaShout 7 LE subscription at $198/year provides single-computer access. Alternatively, Site License at $599 one-time covers unlimited computers permanently without annual fees.

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
MediaShout: Does the perpetual license include ongoing support after purchase?

No, perpetual licenses (Essentials $698, Complete $798, Site $599) require optional Plus Membership renewal annually ($199-299/year) for priority support and training access.

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
MediaShout: What is the cost difference between Windows and Mac versions?

Mac Essentials costs $598 (vs $698 Windows). Mac Complete costs $698 (vs $798 Windows). Mac Site License costs $499 (vs $599 Windows). All include same perpetual license model with annual membership options.

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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