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Church · head to head

ChurchPlanner vs Text In Church

C

ChurchPlanner

Church

Integrated church service and ministry planning platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Text In Church logo

Text In Church

Church

SMS-based giving and engagement for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ChurchPlanner limited to basic church management functions; lacks financial/giving analysis compared to full suites; Text In Church text volume is the binding limit: 500 texts per month on Basic, 1,500 on Pro and 2,500 on Premium
  • They diverge on capability: ChurchPlanner covers Service Planning, Text In Church covers Text Giving.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ChurchPlanner and Text In Church actually diverge.

Attributes where ChurchPlanner and Text In Church differ
AttributeChurchPlannerText In Church
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Android mobile appSMS, Web
Founded20202009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Church).

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
  • Planning Center
  • Music Databases
  • Calendar Systems
  • Email Notifications

Only in Text In Church

  • Text Giving
  • SMS Messaging
  • Keyword-based Giving
  • Real-time Alerts
  • Payment Processing
  • Church Management
  • Analytics
  • Reporting

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ChurchPlanner

  • Member managementnot Text In Church
  • Donation trackingnot Text In Church
  • Event planningnot Text In Church
  • Volunteer schedulingnot Text In Church
  • Communicationnot Text In Church

Text In Church

  • Two-way texting with a congregation and automated guest follow-upnot ChurchPlanner
  • Digital connect cards and keyword text-in for visitorsnot ChurchPlanner
  • Automated reminder and welcome message workflows for church eventsnot 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

Text In Church

  • Text volume is the binding limit: 500 texts per month on Basic, 1,500 on Pro and 2,500 on Premium
  • Local phone numbers are capped at 1, 2 and 3 across the three plans
  • Monthly billing costs $37, $67 and $97 against $31, $56 and $81 when paid annually, so monthly is roughly 19% more
  • The calling features are a separate Calling Plus add-on at $10 per month per seat
  • Concierge onboarding starts at $249 as a one-off charge purchased at checkout
  • Churches needing more than 2,500 texts a month have no published plan and must contact support

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

Text In Church

Free
  • Basic$31/month
    • 500 texts per month
    • 1 local phone number
    • Unlimited keywords
  • Pro$56/month
    • 1500 texts per month
    • 2 local phone numbers
    • All Basic features
  • Premium$81/month
    • 2500 texts per month
    • 3 local phone numbers
    • All Basic and Pro features

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 Text In Church if

  • You need text giving.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on SMS, Web.
  • You also want sms messaging.
Text In Church review

Questions people ask

Is ChurchPlanner or Text In Church better?
Neither clearly leads. ChurchPlanner starts at Free and Text In Church at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ChurchPlanner or Text In Church?
ChurchPlanner starts at Free and Text In Church at Free.
Does ChurchPlanner or Text In Church run on more platforms?
ChurchPlanner runs on Web, Android mobile app. Text In Church runs on SMS, Web.
Can I use ChurchPlanner for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Text In Church is typically brought in for.
What can ChurchPlanner do that Text In Church cannot?
ChurchPlanner covers Service Planning, Team Collaboration, Volunteer Scheduling, Song Selection. Text In Church covers Text Giving, SMS Messaging, Keyword-based Giving, Real-time Alerts. Both handle Web support.

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
Text In Church: How much do you save with annual billing?

Annual billing saves $75 on Basic ($31/month vs $37/month), $136 on Pro ($56/month vs $67/month), and $197 on Premium ($81/month vs $97/month).

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
Text In Church: Is there a free trial?

Yes, Text In Church offers a free 30-day trial for all plans with no credit card required. They also provide a 30-day money-back guarantee if unsatisfied.

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
Text In Church: What is the Calling Plus add-on?

Calling Plus ($10/month per seat) adds automated text replies, digital receptionist features, automated greetings, direct extensions, call forwarding, and smart voicemail capabilities.

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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