Software · head to head
Planning Center Services vs eGiving
Planning Center Services
Software
Digital worship planning and service execution platform
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only eGiving has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Planning Center Services the free tier of Services stops at 5 team members; eGiving being rebranded to Amplify by Ministry Brands, so the eGiving name is on its way out and egiving.com redirects to ministrybrands.com
- They diverge on capability: Planning Center Services covers Service Planning, eGiving covers Online Giving.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Planning Center Services and eGiving actually diverge.
| Attribute | Planning Center Services | eGiving |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | transaction |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2006 | 2009 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Planning Center Services
- Service Planning
- Volunteer Scheduling
- Song Setlists
- Planning Center Giving
- Music Database
- Calendar Systems
- IOS support
- Android support
Only in eGiving
- Online Giving
- Mobile Giving
- Recurring Donations
- Fund Management
- Payment Processing
- Church Systems
- Email Integration
- Accounting Software
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Planning Center Services
- Member managementnot eGiving
- Donation trackingnot eGiving
- Event planningnot eGiving
- Volunteer schedulingnot eGiving
- Communicationnot eGiving
eGiving
- Online and mobile donations for a churchnot Planning Center Services
- Recurring giving and pledge trackingnot Planning Center Services
- Text and kiosk giving alongside the webnot Planning Center Services
- Donation records feeding church management reportingnot Planning Center Services
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Planning Center Services
- The free tier of Services stops at 5 team members
- Each Planning Center product is billed separately, so Registrations, Giving, Check-ins, Groups and Calendar each carry their own free cap and their own subscription
- The Music Stand add-on is a further $5 a month
- Text messaging costs $5 a month for a toll-free number plus $0.02 per message
- Card payments are charged at 2.15 percent plus $0.30 per transaction, with a further 1.5 percent on international cards
eGiving
- Being rebranded to Amplify by Ministry Brands, so the eGiving name is on its way out and egiving.com redirects to ministrybrands.com
- Sold as part of a wider church management suite rather than as standalone giving software
- Pricing is not published and requires a demo
Pricing, plan by plan
Planning Center Services
On request- Basic$49/month
- Service planning
- Basic volunteer scheduling
- Plus$99/month
- All features
- Advanced scheduling
- Mobile app
eGiving
Free- Free AccountFree
- Basic giving
- Transaction fees (2.19% + $0.49)
- Premium$29/month
- Enhanced features
- Reduced fees
- Advanced reporting
Which should you pick?
Choose Planning Center Services if
- You need service planning.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want volunteer scheduling.
Choose eGiving if
- You need online giving.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want mobile giving.
Questions people ask
- Is Planning Center Services or eGiving better?
- Neither clearly leads. Planning Center Services starts at On request and eGiving at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Planning Center Services or eGiving?
- eGiving has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Planning Center Services and Free for eGiving.
- Does Planning Center Services or eGiving run on more platforms?
- Planning Center Services runs on Web, IOS, Android. eGiving runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use eGiving for free?
- Yes. eGiving has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Planning Center Services starts at On request.
- What is Planning Center Services best used for?
- Planning Center Services is most often used for member management, donation tracking, event planning, volunteer scheduling. Of those, member management and donation tracking are not what eGiving is typically brought in for.
- What can Planning Center Services do that eGiving cannot?
- Planning Center Services covers Service Planning, Volunteer Scheduling, Song Setlists, Planning Center Giving. eGiving covers Online Giving, Mobile Giving, Recurring Donations, Fund Management. Both handle Web support.