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Religion · head to head

MediaShout vs Text In Church

MediaShout logo

MediaShout

Religion

Worship presentation and media management software

From
$198/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Text In Church logo

Text In Church

Religion

SMS-based giving and engagement for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Text In Church has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; 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: MediaShout covers Lyric Display, Text In Church covers Text Giving.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where MediaShout and Text In Church differ
AttributeMediaShoutText In Church
Starting price$198/yearFree
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsSMS, Web
Founded20002009

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 MediaShout

  • Lyric Display
  • Video Integration
  • Theme Creation
  • Remote Control
  • Song Databases
  • Planning Center
  • CCLI Integration
  • Web Remote

Only in Text In Church

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

What people use each for

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

MediaShout

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

Text In Church

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

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

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 MediaShout if

  • You need lyric display.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want video integration.
MediaShout 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 MediaShout or Text In Church better?
Neither clearly leads. MediaShout starts at $198/year and Text In Church at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MediaShout or Text In Church?
Text In Church has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $198/year for MediaShout and Free for Text In Church.
Does MediaShout or Text In Church run on more platforms?
MediaShout runs on Windows. Text In Church runs on SMS, Web.
Can I use Text In Church for free?
Yes. Text In Church has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MediaShout starts at $198/year.
What is MediaShout best used for?
MediaShout is most often used for church worship presentation and lyrics display, multi-screen sermon notes and bible verse display, ccli songselect integration for compliance, 70+ bible translation display. Of those, church worship presentation and lyrics display and multi-screen sermon notes and bible verse display are not what Text In Church is typically brought in for.
What can MediaShout do that Text In Church cannot?
MediaShout covers Lyric Display, Video Integration, Theme Creation, Remote Control. Text In Church covers Text Giving, SMS Messaging, Keyword-based Giving, Real-time Alerts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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
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
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
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