Tithe.ly vs Planning Center: Complete Comparison 2026
An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.
Tithe.ly
8.0(2,800 reviews)
Church giving platform with free ChMS, online donations, church app, website builder, and streaming tools for modern churches.
Planning Center
8.8(4,200 reviews)
Modular church management platform with per-app pricing for worship, groups, giving, check-in, and people management.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Tithe.ly | Planning Center |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Churches where online giving is the primary technology need | Churches of any size wanting modular, pay-for-what-you-use software |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Platforms | WEB, IOS, ANDROID | WEB, IOS, ANDROID |
| Rating | 8.0/10 | 8.8/10 |
Pros & Cons
Tithe.ly
Pros
- Free ChMS is genuinely usable — not a stripped-down demo or trial
- Giving platform supports text-to-give, online, kiosk, and recurring donations
- Integrated ecosystem means giving, ChMS, app, and website all work together
- Transaction fees (2.9% + $0.30) are competitive with industry standard
- Modern interface that younger church staff appreciate
Cons
- Free ChMS is strategically tied to Tithe.ly Giving — vendor lock-in risk
- Advanced features (app, website, streaming) add up to $199+/month total
- Giving transaction fees take 2.9% + $0.30 from every donation
- Worship planning lacks the depth of Planning Center Services
- ChMS reporting is less customizable than Realm or Planning Center
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
Pricing Comparison
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Tithe.ly | freemium | Free0 |
| Planning Center | freemium | Free0 |
Our Verdict
Choose Tithe.ly if...
Churches where online giving is the primary technology need
Choose Planning Center if...
Churches of any size wanting modular, pay-for-what-you-use software
Still Not Sure?
Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.