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Religion · head to head

Rock RMS vs Roku

Rock RMS logo

Rock RMS

Religion

Comprehensive relationship and resource management system for churches

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Roku logo

Roku

Entertainment

Streaming made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Roku has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Rock RMS non-traditional pricing model based on donations rather than standard software licenses; Roku roku takes a 20 percent cut of all revenue channel publishers receive through Roku Pay (purchases, subscriptions, ads), paying out the remaining 80 percent no later than 60 days after the end of the month the payment was received, with non-US partners restricted to PayPal or wire transfer (ACH/direct deposit is US-only) and bank fees applying to wire and ACH payouts (archived developer documentation, 2 May 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: Rock RMS covers Member Management, Roku covers Streaming aggregation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rock RMS and Roku actually diverge.

Attributes where Rock RMS and Roku differ
AttributeRock RMSRoku
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile apps, TV appsRoku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android
CategoryReligionEntertainment
Founded20082002

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Rock RMS

  • Member Management
  • Giving & Finances
  • Group Management
  • Event Planning
  • Payment Processing
  • Email Marketing
  • Accounting Software
  • Custom APIs

Only in Roku

  • Streaming aggregation
  • Free content
  • Voice search
  • Private listening
  • All major streaming apps
  • Smart home
  • PIN protection
  • Parental controls

What people use each for

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

Rock RMS

  • Churches managing 10M+ people records with integrated giving and event systemsnot Roku
  • Organisations needing offline-first workflows with eventual replicationnot Roku
  • Tech-enabled churches seeking customisable digital engagement and mobile appsnot Roku

Roku

  • TV streamingnot Rock RMS
  • Content discoverynot Rock RMS
  • Free entertainmentnot Rock RMS

Where each one falls short

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

Rock RMS

  • Non-traditional pricing model based on donations rather than standard software licenses
  • Pricing based on self-reported average weekend attendance with honor system
  • Grant applications required for churches unable to afford donations
  • Cloud hosting fees may apply separately to donation amount

Roku

  • Roku takes a 20 percent cut of all revenue channel publishers receive through Roku Pay (purchases, subscriptions, ads), paying out the remaining 80 percent no later than 60 days after the end of the month the payment was received, with non-US partners restricted to PayPal or wire transfer (ACH/direct deposit is US-only) and bank fees applying to wire and ACH payouts (archived developer documentation, 2 May 2021)

Pricing, plan by plan

Rock RMS

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Rock RMS review.

Roku

Free
  • FreeFree
    • The Roku Channel
    • Free content
    • Ad-supported

Which should you pick?

Choose Rock RMS if

  • You need member management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile apps, TV apps.
  • You also want giving & finances.
Rock RMS review

Choose Roku if

  • You need streaming aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android.
  • You also want free content.
Roku review

Questions people ask

Is Rock RMS or Roku better?
Neither clearly leads. Rock RMS starts at On request and Roku at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rock RMS or Roku?
Roku has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Rock RMS and Free for Roku.
Does Rock RMS or Roku run on more platforms?
Rock RMS runs on Web, Mobile apps, TV apps. Roku runs on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android.
Can I use Roku for free?
Yes. Roku has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rock RMS starts at On request.
What is Rock RMS best used for?
Rock RMS is most often used for churches managing 10m+ people records with integrated giving and event systems, organisations needing offline-first workflows with eventual replication, tech-enabled churches seeking customisable digital engagement and mobile apps. Of those, churches managing 10m+ people records with integrated giving and event systems and organisations needing offline-first workflows with eventual replication are not what Roku is typically brought in for.
What can Rock RMS do that Roku cannot?
Rock RMS covers Member Management, Giving & Finances, Group Management, Event Planning. Roku covers Streaming aggregation, Free content, Voice search, Private listening.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rock RMS: How much does Rock RMS cost?

Rock operates on a donation model of $4.45 per average weekend attendee per year. Example: 100-person congregation = $445 annual commitment. No contracts, license fees, or hidden costs.

Source
Rock RMS: What if a church cannot afford the donation?

Grant applications are available for churches unable to donate. Rock also offers alternative donation models for non-church nonprofits.

Source
Rock RMS: Does Rock charge for cloud hosting?

Cloud-hosted churches combine the donation with hosting fees into a single monthly payment. Rock Cloud and Cloud 9 partner-hosted options are available with integrated billing.

Source
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