Softwr

Religion · head to head

ChurchPlanner vs Realm

C

ChurchPlanner

Religion

Integrated church service and ministry planning platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Realm logo

Realm

Religion

Church management and engagement platform by Community

From
On request
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; Realm realm is deprecated. MongoDB Realm documentation redirects to MongoDB Atlas pricing. No Realm-specific pricing published. Realm was MongoDB's mobile and edge database platform.
  • They diverge on capability: ChurchPlanner covers Service Planning, Realm covers Member Directory.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ChurchPlanner and Realm actually diverge.

Attributes where ChurchPlanner and Realm differ
AttributeChurchPlannerRealm
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Android mobile appWeb, IOS, Android
Founded20202012

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

Only in Realm

  • Member Directory
  • Group Management
  • Online Giving
  • Communications
  • Payment Processing
  • Email Integration
  • Event Management
  • Mobile App

Both cover

  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

ChurchPlanner

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

Realm

  • 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.

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

Realm

  • Realm is deprecated. MongoDB Realm documentation redirects to MongoDB Atlas pricing. No Realm-specific pricing published. Realm was MongoDB's mobile and edge database platform.

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

Realm

On request
  • Essential$99/month
    • Basic features
    • Up to 500 members
  • Complete$299/month
    • All features
    • Unlimited members
    • Advanced analytics

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 Realm if

  • You need member directory.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want group management.
Realm review

Questions people ask

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

Realm appears to be deprecated or consolidated into MongoDB's other offerings. Documentation pages redirect to MongoDB Atlas without specific Realm information.

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
Realm: What happened to Realm pricing?

Realm no longer has published pricing. The product was MongoDB's mobile and edge database platform but has been discontinued or merged into other MongoDB services.

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
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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