B1 Checkin

Overview

B1 Checkin is a church kiosk app for family and visitor check-in. It is best suited to congregations that want children assigned to groups and printed pickup slips without paying a software subscription. The trade-off is a firm setup dependency: an administrator must configure B1 Admin before the kiosk can be used.

Families can find their household by phone number or last name, then assign children to groups or classes. Visitors can scan a displayed QR code to register on their phones before checking in. B1 was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Key features

Family check-in and child pickup

Household lookup, family linking, and attendee check-in support a self-service arrival flow. Children can be assigned to groups or classes, with name labels and parent pickup slips printed for handoff. Unique security codes on pickup slips add a practical check at collection; churches should choose another fit if their process does not rely on printed slips.

Visitor registration and printing

A visitor can register on a phone by scanning the kiosk's displayed QR code, rather than beginning with staff-entered details at the kiosk. B1 Checkin supports network printers and can discover and configure them directly, which may reduce printer setup work. It also includes safety alerts, attendance reports, and custom registration forms.

Administration and integrations

Before check-in, a church administrator must configure services, service times, and groups in B1 Admin. That prerequisite makes the product a less direct choice for churches seeking a standalone kiosk they can deploy without administrator setup.

B1's site says it works with Slack, Discord, Zapier, Make, Google Sheets, Mailchimp, Claude, ChatGPT, Checkr, Donorbox, Subsplash, and Text In Church. The privacy policy says card and bank details are handled by Stripe and not stored by ChurchApps; data is hosted on AWS in the United States, in the us-east-2 region. It also says data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS, database servers sit behind a firewall, and passwords use one-way hashing. Support is by email at [email protected].

Pricing

B1 is $0 per month for everything, with no tiers or trials. Its B1 Church plan is described as including everything for every church size, with no per-member pricing; online giving card processing is charged at processor rates. This makes the offer unusually straightforward for a church that wants the full check-in feature set without a paid software tier, though payment processing can still carry fees.

There is no trial to evaluate before adoption, and the B1 Admin configuration requirement remains regardless of price. The free offer is not described with seat or usage caps, so churches should weigh the setup dependency rather than a stated quota when deciding whether it fits.

Platforms

B1 Checkin runs on Android, iOS, and the web. The kiosk mode and badge printing suit churches that want an on-site check-in station, while mobile access lets visitors complete registration from their phones.

Who it's for

B1 names church plants, small and mid-size churches, multi-site churches, and global ministries as its audience. The no-tier, no-per-member model can suit organizations of different sizes, provided they can complete the required B1 Admin setup and want the household lookup, group assignment, and printed pickup workflow.

Pros and cons

Pros

• No subscription tiers: everything is priced at $0 per month, without per-member pricing.
• Useful child handoff detail: pickup slips carry unique security codes alongside printed name labels.
• Phone-based visitor path: QR registration lets guests enter details on their own phones before check-in.
• Broad device coverage: Android, iOS, and web access support varied church setups.

Cons

• Requires B1 Admin first: services, times, and groups must be configured before the kiosk is usable.
• No trial: churches cannot use a trial period to assess the product before committing to setup.
• Processor fees remain: online giving card processing is charged at processor rates, despite the $0 software price.

Alternatives

Planning Center is worth considering when a church wants a freemium platform with free Calendar, People, and Services options, including a one-room Calendar, unlimited People database and reporting, and five Services team members. Its free trial and Android, iOS, web, and API platforms may suit a church comparing a broader set of entry points.

Subsplash Church App is a possible alternative for churches focused on a church app and giving: its Subsplash Giving plan is free, with card and ACH processing fees, while Enterprise uses custom pricing.

TimelyChurch may suit a smaller congregation that wants a free option capped at 100 people and 500 MB storage, or a Growth plan at $49 a month for up to 500 people. ACTS is an alternative for churches seeking free, open-source membership, attendance, activity, accounting, and financial-reporting software across web, Windows, and Linux.

Church Central Cloud, Churchease, Connection Card Pro Check-Ins, and Gracely are other church software alternatives to compare.

For a wider shortlist, browse Church Check-In Software, Church Event Management Software, Church Directory Software, and Church Scheduling Software.

Verdict

B1 Checkin is a strong fit for churches that want a free, multi-platform kiosk with household lookup, child group assignment, QR visitor registration, and coded pickup slips. Its main advantage is full functionality without tiers or per-member charges. Look elsewhere if your church needs a kiosk that can be put into service without first configuring B1 Admin, or if a trial is essential before rollout.