ChurchCMS

ChurchCMS is church management software that combines member records, giving, events, communications and a church website. It is aimed at small and medium churches, especially those that want an unlimited self-hosted option or managed hosting with onboarding. Its main trade-off is practical: self-hosting costs nothing for the software, while handing hosting and upkeep to the provider costs extra.

Overview

The MIT license allows churches to download, use, modify and share ChurchCMS without a software license fee. Its six core modules and Android app are included in the free self-hosted plan, with no usage limits, per-member charges or feature paywalls. Payment providers set their own transaction fees, however, so online donations can still incur costs.

Self-hosting keeps church data on the church’s own server, giving the church control but also making it responsible for hosting. The maker says data transmission is encrypted via SSL and passwords are hashed using bcrypt. Managed hosting includes daily automated backups, SSL, and uptime and security monitoring, which reduces the operational burden but comes with a recurring fee.

Key features

Member records and church operations

The searchable CRM links member profiles to family relationships, giving and attendance history, messaging and printable QR membership cards. Group management, child check-in, event registration, SMS messaging and volunteer scheduling extend the system beyond a directory into routine congregation administration. That breadth is useful to churches seeking one system for several workflows, though the facts do not establish how those workflows compare with specialist products.

Giving and communications

Online giving supports one-time and recurring donations, donor history, giving statements and fundraising campaigns. Stripe, M-Pesa, Flutterwave and Paystack are supported; transaction fees are set by those payment providers, not ChurchCMS. The included branded Android app adds sermons, events, giving, member messaging, prayer requests and a church calendar, giving congregants a mobile channel for common church activities.

API and integrations

A REST API covers core modules, and the developer page describes connections to payment gateways and third-party tools through that API. This gives churches room to connect other services, but it may be more useful to organizations with the capacity to configure integrations than to those seeking a fully managed setup.

Pricing

Self-Host It Yourself is free forever: it includes all six core modules and the Android app, with no usage limits. It is the strongest fit for churches able to host and maintain the software themselves. The software has no per-member fee, but payment gateway charges still apply.

Managed Hosting costs $29 / month and includes AWS hosting, daily backups, upgrades, a custom domain and SSL, and email support. This suits churches that want the provider to handle hosting and updates. Managed Hosting (annual) costs $290/yr (2 months free) and includes the same package; it lowers the equivalent monthly cost compared with paying $29 each month, in exchange for an annual commitment.

We Install It For You costs $99 / one time for installation, configuration, data migration and admin training. It fits churches that want help setting up a self-hosted instance rather than an ongoing managed-hosting arrangement. There is no free trial, so churches should choose their hosting route before committing to paid services.

Platforms

ChurchCMS supports Android, web, API access and self-hosting. The Android app is included, while the API offers a route for integrations. No iOS platform is offered, so churches whose congregants need a dedicated iPhone app should compare alternatives.

Who it's for

ChurchCMS is designed for small and medium churches, with no minimum congregation size. It makes particular sense for churches that want member, giving and event tools together without per-member pricing, and can either manage their own server or budget for managed hosting. Churches that do not want to host software themselves and cannot justify the $29 monthly plan should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The free self-hosted plan includes all six core modules and the Android app without usage limits, making congregation growth less likely to trigger software charges.
• Pros: Member records, giving, events, child check-in and volunteer scheduling cover a broad range of church operations in one product.
• Pros: Managed hosting includes backups, upgrades, SSL and email support; the one-time installation service adds migration and admin training for churches that need a setup hand.
• Cons: The free plan requires self-hosting, which leaves the church responsible for its own hosting arrangement.
• Cons: Managed hosting starts at $29 / month, and donation providers may charge transaction fees, so the free license does not eliminate every cost.
• Cons: The listed mobile platform is Android, not iOS, which limits its fit for churches seeking a dedicated app on both major mobile platforms.

Alternatives

Choose ChurchPlan if its free Essentials plan is a better match: it includes unlimited members, online giving with automated tax receipts, a personalized church mobile app, and donation links and QR codes, and it supports Android, iOS, API and web.

MyUCD is a free Android, iOS and web alternative available through Universal Church Directories’ directory program. Consider it if that program is the route you want to use.

Planning Center is worth comparing if you want a free plan for specific functions: Calendar covers one room and People includes an unlimited database and reporting. It also offers a free trial and Android, iOS, API and web platforms.

Consider Churchease for its free Starter plan, which includes people management, family grouping, group management, announcements, a message center and a church dashboard; it also supports Android, iOS and web and offers a free trial.

HolyJot is a free Android, iOS and web option for individuals and churches, with unlimited journal entries, FaithAI conversations and community features and no subscriptions, tiers or upsells. Choose it if those uses matter more than ChurchCMS’s management toolkit.

Church Membership Directory may suit a church focused on a directory: its free plan covers up to 50 members and includes secure member storage, printable directories, multiple admin accounts, email support and phone support.

Directify is a directory-building alternative with a free plan for one directory and 10 listings, plus templates, a theme editor, a subdomain and SSL. It may be the better fit when publishing a directory is the main need.

MosesTab Worship Planning is another free web option, with unlimited members, one admin, one group and ministry, five events, three forms and 500 MB of storage. Compare it if worship planning and those specific free-plan limits fit your needs better.

For broader comparisons, browse Church Directory Software, Church Management Software, Small Group Management Software, Church Volunteer Management Software and Church Event Management Software.

Verdict

ChurchCMS is a strong choice for small and medium churches that want broad management tools without per-member software charges and can either host the system themselves or pay for managed service. The free, unlimited self-hosted plan is its clearest advantage; the main reason to look elsewhere is that self-hosting is not right for every church, while managed hosting costs $29 / month and the mobile app is Android-only.