Aplos vs Tithe.ly
Which church management platform is right for your church? An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide.
Overview: Aplos vs Tithe.ly
Aplos and Tithe.ly are not direct competitors — they solve different problems. Aplos is fund accounting first, with donor management as a supporting feature. Tithe.ly is giving and member engagement first, with limited accounting.
Many churches end up considering both because they share donor/giving overlap. The right answer usually depends on whether your treasurer needs formal nonprofit accounting (Aplos) or whether your priority is the donor and giving experience (Tithe.ly).
This comparison helps clarify when to pick which — or whether you need both alongside a separate ChMS.
At a Glance
Aplos
Fund accounting and donor management for nonprofits and churches
Strengths
- Strong fund accounting (restricted/unrestricted)
- IRS Form 990 preparation tools
- Board-ready financial reports
- AI-guided Data Visualizer (added 2024)
- 40,000+ orgs use it
Weaknesses
- Not a full ChMS — no events, check-in, volunteers, worship planning
- Pricing starts at $79/month with no free tier
- Most churches still need a separate ChMS alongside
- Steep learning curve for non-accountants
Best for churches that need formal nonprofit fund accounting and treasurer-grade reporting
Lite $79/mo, Core (mid-tier), Advanced $229/mo. Free trial available.
Tithe.ly
Church giving and engagement platform
Strengths
- Best-in-class mobile giving experience
- Polished native church app
- All-Access bundle adds ChMS + Sites + Apps
- Free giving-only tier (transaction fees apply)
- Recently expanded ChMS via Elvanto acquisition
Weaknesses
- No formal fund accounting — donor management focused
- All-Access pricing is $149/month
- ChMS layer is newer and less integrated than giving
- No AI media or social scheduling
Best for churches that prioritize mobile giving and a polished donor experience over formal accounting
Giving-only is free + transaction fees. All-Access ~$149/month.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
How Aplos and Tithe.ly compare across key church management categories.
Aplos is built around fund accounting — restricted/unrestricted funds, board-ready statements, IRS Form 990 prep. Tithe.ly does not offer formal fund accounting. For churches that prepare formal nonprofit financial statements, Aplos is the only real choice between the two.
Tithe.ly's giving experience is best-in-class — polished mobile flow, multiple methods, donor app integration. Aplos has giving but it's secondary to accounting. For churches where giving experience drives engagement, Tithe.ly wins clearly.
Tithe.ly has a polished member-facing app and engagement features. Aplos is treasurer-facing — there's no member experience. If member engagement matters, Tithe.ly is the better fit.
Tithe.ly All-Access includes ChMS via the Elvanto acquisition. Aplos is not a ChMS at all — no events, check-in, volunteers, worship planning. For full church management, Tithe.ly is closer; Aplos requires a separate ChMS alongside.
Both are mid-to-premium priced. Aplos starts at $79 and goes to $229/month. Tithe.ly All-Access is around $149/month. For churches that need both accounting and ChMS, running both means $228-378/month combined.
Aplos is purpose-built for nonprofit financial reporting — IRS 990, board reports, budget vs actual. Tithe.ly's reporting is donor-focused. For boards and audits, Aplos is significantly better.
Our Verdict
Aplos is the right pick if your treasurer needs formal nonprofit accounting and you have a separate ChMS for member-facing operations. The accounting depth genuinely matters for churches preparing audited statements.
Tithe.ly is the right pick if mobile giving and member engagement are central to your church and you don't need formal fund accounting. The All-Access bundle covers more of the everyday surface.
Many growing churches end up running both alongside a separate ChMS — that's expensive ($228-378/month combined plus a third tool). Most small to mid-size churches consolidate to a single all-in-one ChMS instead.
Why Consider MosesTab?
Full disclosure: MosesTab is our product. We aim to keep this comparison honest and balanced.
MosesTab consolidates ChMS, giving, member portal, AI media, and reporting into one platform at $39 or $99/month — significantly cheaper than running Aplos + Tithe.ly + a ChMS. The trade-off: MosesTab doesn't replicate Aplos' formal fund accounting. Churches that need that pair MosesTab with Aplos for accounting only; everything else lives in MosesTab.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use Aplos or Tithe.ly?
If your priority is treasurer-grade accounting and formal financial statements, Aplos. If your priority is mobile giving and member engagement, Tithe.ly. They solve different problems — many churches end up using both alongside a ChMS.
Does Tithe.ly have fund accounting like Aplos?
No. Tithe.ly tracks designated giving but doesn't offer formal restricted/unrestricted fund accounting at the GL level. For churches that need to prepare board-level financial statements with formal fund balances, Aplos is required.
Can I run both Aplos and Tithe.ly?
Yes. Many churches do — Aplos for accounting, Tithe.ly for giving and member engagement. Combined cost is $228-378/month. Donations from Tithe.ly typically need to be exported and imported into Aplos for accounting reconciliation.