Side by side
Church Directory vs Church Social
Both stand on church directory software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose Church Directory if your congregation uses Planning Center People and wants a private roster combined with prayer and name-learning tools. Look elsewhere if you cannot authorize that connection or need offline access through the web app rather than the mobile apps.
Visit Church Directory
Churches seeking shared tools for directories, events, messages, and contributions should consider Church Social. Churches that need replacement accounting software should look elsewhere, since Church Social is designed to work alongside an existing accounting system.
Visit Church SocialThe facts
| Church Directory | Church Social | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | A free trial | A free trial |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, iPhone, Web | Android, API, iPhone, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Monthly: $39 a month | Small: $60 a month |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | churchdirectory.app | churchsocial.com |
| On church directory software | #14 of 40 | #15 of 40 |
Church Directory: what it does well
- Offers member-only roster browsing and search.
- Prayer lists can be organized over several time spans.
- Mobile apps keep a directory copy available offline.
- Prayer-note text is encrypted on the member’s device.
- Both plans include unlimited members for one church.
What to know first
- Self-serve signup requires Planning Center People and administrator authorization.
- Members usually need an email on their Planning Center profile to sign in.
- The web app requires a network connection to load rosters and save edits.
Church Social: what it does well
- Searchable directory includes family details and membership statistics.
- Calendar supports recurring events and Google, Apple, or Outlook subscriptions.
- Members can email groups, reply, and retrieve archived messages.
- Giving tools include statements, receipts, and Excel or CSV imports.
- Mobile apps support offline access and push notifications.
What to know first
- No free plan is available.
- The Small plan covers up to 200 members.
- Church Social does not replace existing accounting software.
- Annual invoicing applies to the listed plans.
Alternatives to Church Directory Alternatives to Church Social The whole list