Planning Center vs Shelby Systems: 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.
Shelby Systems
6.8(640 reviews)
Church and nonprofit management software with financial management, membership, and giving tools for established congregations.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Planning Center | Shelby Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Churches of any size wanting modular, pay-for-what-you-use software | Established churches with complex nonprofit accounting needs |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Contact Sales |
| Starting Price | Free | $75/mo |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Platforms | WEB, IOS, ANDROID | WEB, IOS, ANDROID |
| Rating | 8.8/10 | 6.8/10 |
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
Shelby Systems
Pros
- Enterprise-grade nonprofit accounting handles the most complex church financial structures
- 48 years of church experience means edge cases in church finance are well-understood
- Full payroll processing built in — eliminates need for ADP or Gusto
- Denominational reporting templates for major denominations
- Migration tools available for churches on legacy Shelby desktop software
Cons
- Interface still feels enterprise-heavy despite ShelbyNext modernization
- Overkill for churches under 200 members with simple financial needs
- Pricing requires contacting sales — not fully transparent
- Learning curve for the financial modules is steep for non-bookkeepers
- Mobile experience trails Planning Center and Breeze
Pricing Comparison
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Planning Center | freemium | Free0 |
| Shelby Systems | contact sales | $75/mo |
Our Verdict
Choose Planning Center if...
Churches of any size wanting modular, pay-for-what-you-use software
Choose Shelby Systems if...
Established churches with complex nonprofit accounting needs
Still Not Sure?
Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.