Online giving isn’t optional anymore. Your congregation expects it, and the data is clear: churches with online giving receive 32% more in donations than those without it. But choosing the right platform matters — fees, ease of use, and integration with your church management system all directly impact how much actually ends up in your bank account.
We compared the top church giving platforms on fees, features, and how well they work with the tools you’re already using.
Quick Comparison
| Platform | Best For | Processing Fees | Recurring Giving | ChMS Integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tithe.ly | Churches wanting a full giving suite | 2.9% + $0.30 | Yes | Yes (Tithe.ly ChMS, Planning Center, CCB) |
| Pushpay | Large churches needing mobile-first giving | 2.99% + $0.39 | Yes | Yes (wide ChMS integration) |
| Vanco | Churches wanting ACH/direct debit focus | 2.75% + $0.25 | Yes | Yes (Realm, Shelby, Servant Keeper) |
| Planning Center Giving | Churches already using Planning Center | 2.9% + $0.30 | Yes | Native (Planning Center) |
| Stripe + Custom Form | Tech-savvy churches wanting lowest fees | 2.9% + $0.30 (or lower for nonprofit) | Custom | Custom |
| PayPal / Venmo | Smallest churches, simplest setup | 2.89% + $0.49 | Partial (PayPal only) | No |
1. Tithe.ly — Best Overall Church Giving Platform
Tithe.ly is the most complete church giving platform. It handles online, mobile, text, kiosk, and in-person giving — plus it includes a full church management system and church website builder if you want them. It’s built for churches from the ground up.
Pros:
- Full giving suite: online, mobile app, text-to-give, kiosk
- Lowest fees in the category with the Tithe.ly+ plan
- Built-in ChMS and website builder available
- Excellent donor dashboard and recurring giving management
- Integrates with Planning Center, CCB, ChurchTrac, and more
- Custom giving forms and campaigns
- Strong admin reporting
Cons:
- Full suite can feel like overkill if you just need a simple giving page
- Customization of giving forms is somewhat limited
- Customer support can be slow during peak seasons
- The ChMS is newer and less mature than dedicated platforms
Pricing: Free to start; processing 2.9% + $0.30; Tithe.ly+ reduces fees further
Best for: Churches that want a complete giving solution with mobile, text, and kiosk options — especially if they’re considering Tithe.ly’s ChMS too.
2. Pushpay — Best Mobile-First Giving
Pushpay built its reputation on making mobile giving frictionless. Their app-based giving flow is the fastest in the industry — donors can give in under 10 seconds after initial setup. If your church skews younger or mobile-first, Pushpay is hard to beat.
Pros:
- Fastest mobile giving flow in the industry
- Excellent recurring giving setup and management
- Beautiful, branded church apps available
- Wide ChMS integration library
- Strong analytics and donor insights
- Good campaign and fund-specific giving tools
- ChurchStaq dashboard for multi-campus churches
Cons:
- Higher processing fees than Tithe.ly
- Premium pricing for church apps and advanced features
- Sales process can feel pushy
- Contract terms may require commitment
- Overkill for small churches
Pricing: Processing 2.99% + $0.39; custom pricing for apps and advanced features
Best for: Mid-to-large churches (300+ attendance) where mobile giving speed and recurring donations are the priority.
3. Vanco — Best for ACH and Direct Debit
Vanco has been serving churches for over 20 years and specializes in ACH/direct debit giving, which has significantly lower fees than credit card processing. If your church wants to encourage bank-based giving (and you should — the fees are much lower), Vanco is the leader.
Pros:
- Lowest ACH/direct debit fees available
- 20+ years serving churches and faith-based organizations
- Excellent integration with church-specific ChMS (Realm, ShelbyNext, Servant Keeper)
- Strong recurring giving from bank accounts
- Good compliance and security track record
- Custom giving pages with your branding
Cons:
- Credit card processing fees are average
- Interface feels dated compared to Pushpay or Tithe.ly
- Less emphasis on mobile-first experience
- Setup can take longer than newer platforms
- Text-to-give not as seamless as competitors
Pricing: Credit card 2.75% + $0.25; ACH 0.95% + $0.25
Best for: Churches that want to promote ACH/bank-based giving for lower fees, especially those using Realm or ShelbyNext for ChMS.
4. Planning Center Giving — Best for Planning Center Users
If your church already uses Planning Center for services, people, or check-ins, adding the Giving module keeps everything in one ecosystem. It’s simple, clean, and tightly integrated with the rest of Planning Center.
Pros:
- Seamless integration with other Planning Center modules
- Clean, simple giving interface
- Good recurring giving and fund-specific donations
- Offline mode for in-person giving entry
- Batch tracking and deposit management
- Free for smaller churches on the basic tier
- No long-term contracts
Cons:
- Only makes sense if you’re already using Planning Center
- Less feature-rich than Tithe.ly or Pushpay
- No text-to-give
- No kiosk mode
- Donor-facing experience is more functional than beautiful
- Limited customization of giving forms
Pricing: Processing 2.9% + $0.30; platform fee based on church size (free for small churches)
Best for: Churches already using Planning Center that want to keep giving in the same system without adding another vendor.
5. Stripe + Custom Form — Best for Lowest Fees (DIY)
If you have someone on your team who can build a simple web form, using Stripe directly gives you the lowest possible processing fees. Stripe also offers discounted rates for registered nonprofits (501c3). You’ll need to build and maintain the giving form yourself, but you’ll save on every transaction.
Pros:
- Lowest possible processing fees (especially with nonprofit discount)
- Full control over the giving experience and form design
- Stripe’s developer tools are excellent
- No platform lock-in
- Supports one-time, recurring, and ACH payments
- Can integrate with any ChMS via API
Cons:
- Requires technical setup (developer or no-code builder)
- No built-in ChMS integration — you build it
- No text-to-give, kiosk, or mobile app
- You handle PCI compliance and form security
- No donor management features
- Maintenance is on you
Pricing: Credit card 2.9% + $0.30 (nonprofit discount available); ACH 0.8% + $0.30
Best for: Churches with technical volunteers or staff who want maximum control and the lowest fees, and don’t need a turnkey solution.
How to Choose
1. Are you already using a ChMS?
Planning Center → Planning Center Giving. Realm/Shelby → Vanco. ChurchTrac/CCB → Tithe.ly. No ChMS → Tithe.ly (all-in-one).
2. What’s your church size?
Under 200 → Planning Center Giving or Tithe.ly. 200-1,000 → Tithe.ly or Pushpay. 1,000+ → Pushpay.
3. What giving method matters most?
Mobile speed → Pushpay. ACH/direct debit → Vanco. Lowest fees → Stripe (DIY). All-in-one → Tithe.ly.
Our Top Pick
For most small to mid-size churches, Tithe.ly offers the best combination of features, fees, and ease of use. If you’re already in the Planning Center ecosystem, stick with Planning Center Giving. Large churches focused on mobile should look at Pushpay.
SoftDecide helps churches, nonprofits, and small organizations find the right software. Our comparisons are independently researched. We may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page — at no extra cost to you.
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