Flocknote

Flocknote is web-based software for churches and ministries that brings messaging, member administration, signups, and online giving into one service. It is best suited to congregations that want those functions connected rather than a standalone texting or donation tool. Starter can cover a small church at no subscription cost, while larger memberships and Complete’s added records tools raise the ongoing cost.

Overview

Flocknote serves churches and ministries, including diocesan and multi-campus organizations. Administrators can reach groups or individuals by email or text, collect event responses and payments, and manage member information. This combination is useful when communications and participation records belong in the same workflow; organizations that need only one of those functions may prefer a more focused service.

Members do not need to install an app to receive church messages. Flocknote recommends administrators use a mobile browser, so its stated mobile access is browser-based rather than a dedicated administrative app. Flocknote is a 100% employee-owned company.

Key features

Messaging and member records

Email and text messages can go to one group, multiple groups, or individual people. Member tools include customizable profile fields, household grouping, relationship and attendance tracking, and document storage. These records offer more structure than messaging alone, but household grouping and donor management require Complete; Starter is the narrower option for churches primarily seeking communications and signups.

Signups, giving, and integrations

Signups support registrations, RSVPs, polls, surveys, volunteering, and event payments, with custom registration forms and payment collection. Online giving is included with U.S. plans without setup or monthly fees, but transaction charges still apply: 1.1% plus 30¢ for ACH, or 2.9% plus 30¢ for credit or debit cards. Those costs matter for organizations collecting frequent or larger gifts.

Starter includes one free Text-to-Join keyword and Complete includes five; each additional keyword costs $5 per month. Flocknote says users can export data for accounting software, connect signup forms and RSS feeds to a church website, and post notes to social media. Its online giving is processed through Stax, which Flocknote identifies as a Level 1 PCI service provider; it says card details are encrypted and not stored after a transaction. Flocknote also says data sent to and from its service uses TLS and is encrypted and authenticated using SHA-256 with RSA encryption.

Pricing

Flocknote offers a free plan and a free trial. Starter is Free for life for 0–40 members. For 41–50 members it costs $10 per month, and for 51–70 members it costs $17 per month; the monthly price varies by church size beyond those ranges. Starter includes unlimited email, unlimited standard texting, online giving, and event signups. It is a sensible entry point for small congregations that can work without household and donor management, but its price is not universally zero as membership grows.

Complete costs $75/month plus the Starter price based on total members; for 0–40 members, the total is $75. It adds a household database, donor management, registration, and five free Text-to-Join keywords while retaining Starter features. This is the better fit for churches that need richer member and donor records, though the combined charge is a notable step up from free Starter. Each additional keyword costs $5 per month.

Enterprise has custom pricing and is aimed at diocesan and multi-campus organizations. It includes subnetworks, training, support, and migration, which suit organizations coordinating across locations rather than a single small congregation. Flocknote does not publish a fixed Enterprise price.

Platforms

Flocknote is available on the web. Members can receive messages without downloading an app, and administrators are advised to use a mobile browser.

Who it's for

Flocknote is a strong fit for churches that want to combine routine email and text communication with signups, member records, and giving. Smaller congregations can begin on Starter if its basic feature set is enough; organizations that need household or donor management should budget for Complete. Diocesan and multi-campus groups have an Enterprise option with subnetworks and migration support. A church seeking only text messaging, or one that wants to minimize donation transaction charges, should compare more specialized services.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Starter combines unlimited email and standard texting with signups and online giving, including a free-for-life tier for 0–40 members.
• Pros: Signups cover more than event registration, including polls, surveys, volunteering, and payments.
• Pros: Complete adds household and donor records, while Enterprise addresses diocesan and multi-campus needs.
• Cons: Starter’s monthly charge rises with membership, so churches above 40 members cannot assume the free tier will continue.
• Cons: Household and donor management require Complete, which costs $75/month plus the Starter price.
• Cons: Giving has per-transaction fees, and extra Text-to-Join keywords cost $5 per month each.

Alternatives

For nonprofit text messaging, Nonprofit Text Messaging Software is a useful category to compare; churches focused on outreach by text can also review Church Text Messaging Software. If text-based donations are the priority, compare Nonprofit Text-to-Give Software and Church Giving Software; churches whose main need is coordinating events can look at Church Event Management Software.

CallHub is worth considering when broad platform availability matters: it supports Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows, has a free plan and trial, and describes its Essential plan as using standard rates with free starter credits. Text-Em-All may suit organizations wanting to try voice and text broadcasting before upgrading; its free Starter includes 25 voice-broadcast testing credits and texting to your own number, while mass texting requires an upgrade.

KindEngage is another freemium option with a free plan and trial. OpenFn may be a better fit for teams seeking workflow automation: its free plan includes one workflow, 100 runs per month, a 60-second run limit, and one user. Ascend uses custom pricing, with subscription and messaging fees dependent on account usage.

Donr is an alternative for text giving, with a Text Giving plan priced at £5 a month and donation charges of 5% plus VAT; it has no signup or subscription fees and no long-term contracts. mCommons offers custom pricing tied to results. momoGood uses a custom quote based on guest count, event frequency, capabilities, and support level, making it an option to consider for event needs.

Verdict

Choose Flocknote if your church wants messaging, signups, member administration, and giving together, and its membership-based costs fit your budget. Starter is compelling for congregations with 40 or fewer members that need the core communication and signup tools; Complete is the logical step when household and donor records matter. Look elsewhere if you need only one function or if giving transaction fees and rising membership-based charges outweigh the value of an integrated church service.