ChurchRaise

ChurchRaise is a browser-based church management system covering administration, giving, communications, and ministry work. It is best suited to churches that want one broad system rather than several specialist tools. The core platform is free to use, while AI consumption and donation processing can still affect the budget.

Overview

ChurchRaise combines people and household records with online giving, bulletins, events, groups, forms, reports, website building, and service planning. That scope is useful for congregations trying to keep routine operations in one place instead of stitching together separate databases and event tools. Faith Systems positions it for churches of every size, including small and mid-size congregations.

Moving from another system is supported through CSV templates and guided setup for people, households, groups, and giving history. Connections to Zapier, Slack, Vanco, QuickBooks, Stripe, Square, Google, Outlook, and MinistrySafe can help fit it into an existing workflow. Email support comes from real people, with an stated aim of answering every ticket within 12 hours.

Key features

The administrative set includes group management, event registration, child check-in, SMS messaging, and volunteer scheduling alongside the core records and giving tools. Churches coordinating member information, gatherings, volunteers, and communications may therefore cover much of their weekly work in one account.

Nine AI assistants handle jobs such as drafting newsletters, planning sermons, and generating graphics. Every account starts with 1,000 free Ministry Credits; further AI use requires paid credits. AI is optional, so churches can keep using the core platform without sending prompts or conversation context to OpenAI and/or Google Gemini.

Security measures include TLS/SSL encryption in transit, Google Cloud encryption at rest, role-based access controls, and Firebase rules that separate organizations. Stripe and Square process payment credentials directly, while ChurchRaise says it does not store raw card or bank details. Faith Systems says it does not sell personal information and deletes organization data within 30 days of account closure except where law requires retention.

Pricing

The Free Platform plan has no monthly platform fee, unlimited people, no feature gates, and core church-management features included. It is the natural starting point for churches that need a full administrative foundation without a recurring platform charge, and the unlimited-people allowance avoids a membership ceiling as a congregation grows.

There is no free trial because the core plan is free. Giving is not entirely costless: churches receive 100% of donations, while optional donor tips or a service fee covers online payment processing, and standard Stripe processing fees still apply. AI users should also budget for Ministry Credits after the initial 1,000 are used. Those terms make the platform most attractive when a church can keep AI usage modest and donors absorb or offset processing costs.

Platforms

ChurchRaise runs on the web and has no mobile app. A browser-based setup suits office and volunteer teams working from computers, but churches that require a dedicated mobile experience for staff or members should choose a product with native apps.

Who it's for

Small and mid-size churches seeking broad ChMS coverage without a monthly platform fee are the clearest match. It also suits congregations consolidating data from another system, thanks to guided CSV migration, and organizations already using the listed accounting, communication, payment, or safety integrations.

It is less suitable for teams that depend on a mobile app, need predictable AI expenditure beyond the included credits, or want donation processing with no transaction-related charges.

Pros and cons

Pros

• No monthly platform fee: the Free Platform includes unlimited people and core features without feature gates.
• Wide operational coverage: records, giving, events, groups, forms, reporting, websites, service planning, check-in, SMS, and volunteer scheduling share one system.
• Practical migration and integrations: guided CSV imports and connections including QuickBooks, Stripe, Square, Zapier, and Slack can reduce transition work.
• Optional AI: nine assistants and 1,000 starter credits add drafting and planning help without making AI mandatory.

Cons

• No mobile app: mobile-first teams must use the web or find another platform.
• Additional usage costs: AI credits beyond the starter allocation are paid, and standard Stripe fees apply to giving.
• Payment-offset model: processing depends on optional donor tips or a service fee rather than being entirely absorbed by the platform.

Alternatives

For facility-focused work, compare Church Facility Management Software; for worship planning, see Worship Planning Software. Broader comparisons are collected in Church Management Software, while scheduling and groups have dedicated lists for Church Scheduling Software and Small Group Management Software.

Choose Fiix instead when you need maintenance management with Android, iOS, API, and web access; its free plan limits users but includes 25 active preventive-maintenance items. TheFaithApp is a better fit for a small ministry needing up to 100 members, three staff admins, and one branch, with a paid Prayer Rooms Plus add-on. usBIM.platform suits teams seeking BIM-oriented applications, including a free 10 GB configuration. Atlas CMMS is the alternative for organizations wanting an open-source maintenance system. MaintainX targets maintenance teams with unlimited work orders and procedures on its Basic plan. Vivantio is a paid ITSM option priced at $49–$99 per agent per month when billed annually. VenueArc is aimed at facility booking, with a free single-facility Starter plan. ParishSOFT is a paid church option that also offers consulting and training.

Verdict

Choose ChurchRaise if your church wants a wide set of ChMS and ministry tools, unlimited people, and no monthly platform fee in a web application. Look elsewhere if a mobile app is essential, if AI usage will be substantial, or if you need donation processing costs to disappear rather than shift to tips, service fees, and standard Stripe charges.