Software · head to head
Tithe.ly vs Church Alive
The short version
- Only Tithe.ly has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- They diverge on capability: Tithe.ly covers Online Giving, Church Alive covers Member Management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Tithe.ly and Church Alive actually diverge.
| Attribute | Tithe.ly | Church Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2013 | 2006 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Tithe.ly
- Online Giving
- Membership Management
- Attendance Tracking
- Accounting Software
- Planning Center
- PayPal
- Stripe
- IOS support
Only in Church Alive
- Member Management
- Event Planning
- Group Coordination
- Volunteer Scheduling
- Email Integration
- Calendar Systems
- Payment Processing
- Giving Integration
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Tithe.ly
- Online and text giving for churchesnot Church Alive
- Church management, websites and mobile apps for congregationsnot Church Alive
Church Alive
- Member managementnot Tithe.ly
- Donation trackingnot Tithe.ly
- Event planningnot Tithe.ly
- Volunteer schedulingnot Tithe.ly
- Communicationnot Tithe.ly
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Tithe.ly
- Card giving carries a 2.9% plus $0.30 fee, so every donation is reduced before it reaches the church
- American Express is charged at 3.5% plus $0.30
- ACH at 1% plus $0.30 makes small bank transfers proportionally expensive
- Church management is $72 a month and the mobile app $89, sold separately from the free giving product
- Bundling everything is $119 a month, so a church wanting app, website and management pays regardless of donation volume
Church Alive
Nothing recorded yet. See the Church Alive review.
Pricing, plan by plan
Tithe.ly
Free- FreeFree
- Basic giving
- Up to 100 members
- Mobile app
- Pro$99/month
- Full suite
- Unlimited members
- Advanced reports
Church Alive
On request- Basic$49/month
- Core management
- Up to 200 members
- Professional$149/month
- All features
- Unlimited members
- Advanced reporting
Which should you pick?
Choose Tithe.ly if
- You need online giving.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want membership management.
Choose Church Alive if
- You need member management.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want event planning.
Questions people ask
- Is Tithe.ly or Church Alive better?
- Neither clearly leads. Tithe.ly starts at Free and Church Alive at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Tithe.ly or Church Alive?
- Tithe.ly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Tithe.ly and On request for Church Alive.
- Does Tithe.ly or Church Alive run on more platforms?
- Tithe.ly runs on Web, IOS, Android. Church Alive runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use Tithe.ly for free?
- Yes. Tithe.ly has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Church Alive starts at On request.
- What is Tithe.ly best used for?
- Tithe.ly is most often used for online and text giving for churches, church management, websites and mobile apps for congregations. Of those, online and text giving for churches and church management, websites and mobile apps for congregations are not what Church Alive is typically brought in for.
- What can Tithe.ly do that Church Alive cannot?
- Tithe.ly covers Online Giving, Membership Management, Attendance Tracking, Accounting Software. Church Alive covers Member Management, Event Planning, Group Coordination, Volunteer Scheduling. Both handle Web support.