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Religion · head to head

Text In Church vs The Church App

Text In Church logo

Text In Church

Religion

SMS-based giving and engagement for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
The Church App logo

The Church App

Religion

Branded church app and digital engagement platform

From
On request
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: Text In Church text volume is the binding limit: 500 texts per month on Basic, 1,500 on Pro and 2,500 on Premium; The Church App specific pricing is not published on the public website
  • They diverge on capability: Text In Church covers Text Giving, The Church App covers Custom Branding.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Text In Church and The Church App differ
AttributeText In ChurchThe Church App
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsSMS, WebIOS, Android
Founded20092012

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Text In Church

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

Only in The Church App

  • Custom Branding
  • Sermon Streaming
  • Giving Integration
  • Event Management
  • Giving Platforms
  • Sermon Storage
  • Push Notifications
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Analytics

What people use each for

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

Text In Church

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

The Church App

  • Church and faith community management and engagementnot Text In Church
  • Giving and donation management (mentioned 10% or more increase in giving)not Text In Church
  • Member and volunteer coordinationnot Text In Church

Where each one falls short

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

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

The Church App

  • Specific pricing is not published on the public website
  • Requires contacting sales team or booking a demo to obtain pricing information

Pricing, plan by plan

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

The Church App

On request
  • Starter$99/month
    • Basic app
    • Core features
  • Premium$299/month
    • Custom branding
    • Advanced features
    • Analytics

Which should you pick?

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

Choose The Church App if

  • You need custom branding.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want sermon streaming.
The Church App review

Questions people ask

Is Text In Church or The Church App better?
Neither clearly leads. Text In Church starts at Free and The Church App at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Text In Church or The Church App?
Text In Church has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Text In Church and On request for The Church App.
Does Text In Church or The Church App run on more platforms?
Text In Church runs on SMS, Web. The Church App runs on IOS, Android.
Can I use Text In Church for free?
Yes. Text In Church has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. The Church App starts at On request.
What is Text In Church best used for?
Text In Church is most often used for two-way texting with a congregation and automated guest follow-up, digital connect cards and keyword text-in for visitors, automated reminder and welcome message workflows for church events. Of those, two-way texting with a congregation and automated guest follow-up and digital connect cards and keyword text-in for visitors are not what The Church App is typically brought in for.
What can Text In Church do that The Church App cannot?
Text In Church covers Text Giving, SMS Messaging, Keyword-based Giving, Real-time Alerts. The Church App covers Custom Branding, Sermon Streaming, Giving Integration, Event Management. Both handle Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
The Church App: How much does The Church App cost?

Specific pricing is not published on The Church App website. Contact sales at 469-564-3922, [email protected], or use the contact form to request pricing information.

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
The Church App: Is there a free trial or demo available?

The Church App offers the ability to book a demo to learn about their platform and pricing. Visit their website and click the 'Book a Demo' link to connect with a sales representative.

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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