Planning Center vs Fellowship One: Complete Comparison 2026
An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.
Planning Center
8.8(4,200 reviews)
Modular church management platform with per-app pricing for worship, groups, giving, check-in, and people management.
Fellowship One
6.4(480 reviews)
Church management platform from Ministry Brands focused on member engagement, giving, and multi-campus church operations.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Planning Center | Fellowship One |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Churches of any size wanting modular, pay-for-what-you-use software | Existing Fellowship One churches where migration cost is prohibitive |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Contact Sales |
| Starting Price | Free | $150/mo |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Platforms | WEB, IOS, ANDROID | WEB, IOS, ANDROID |
| Rating | 8.8/10 | 6.4/10 |
Pros & Cons
Planning Center
Pros
- Modular pricing means you only pay for the apps you actually use
- Church Center member app is the best-designed church app on any platform
- Worship planning in Services is unmatched — scheduling, music, rehearsal management
- Free tier supports small churches with up to 75 profiles at zero cost
- Over 70,000 churches use it — massive community for support and best practices
Cons
- Per-app pricing adds up for churches using all modules — $140+/month for full suite
- Giving transaction fees (2.6% + $0.30) are standard but not the lowest available
- Limited customization for reports — can be frustrating for data-driven church admins
- No built-in accounting or finance management beyond giving tracking
- Less suitable for non-English-speaking churches — limited language support
Fellowship One
Pros
- Multi-campus support was an early differentiator and remains solid
- Comprehensive member profiles with detailed family relationship tracking
- Established platform with years of stability for existing customers
- Ministry Brands ecosystem connects with other church tech products
- Check-in system is reliable for children's ministry security
Cons
- Interface feels dated — early 2010s design language
- Development pace has slowed under Ministry Brands ownership
- New features and improvements come slowly compared to Planning Center
- Migration to/from Fellowship One can be complex due to data structure
- Pricing requires contacting sales and is generally higher than modern alternatives
Pricing Comparison
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Planning Center | freemium | Free0 |
| Fellowship One | contact sales | $150/mo |
Our Verdict
Choose Planning Center if...
Churches of any size wanting modular, pay-for-what-you-use software
Choose Fellowship One if...
Existing Fellowship One churches where migration cost is prohibitive
Still Not Sure?
Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.