Planning Center vs Tithe.ly
Which church management platform is right for your church? An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide.
Overview: Planning Center vs Tithe.ly
Planning Center and Tithe.ly represent two different philosophies in church software. Planning Center offers a collection of specialized, best-in-class apps you can mix and match. Tithe.ly aims to be an all-in-one ecosystem that combines giving, church management, a website builder, and even live streaming under one roof.
The decision between these platforms often hinges on what your church values most: depth in specific areas like worship planning (Planning Center's forte) or breadth across giving, web presence, and basic management (Tithe.ly's strength). Tithe.ly originally built its reputation on digital giving before expanding into a full platform, so its giving tools remain particularly strong.
Both platforms serve thousands of churches, but they attract different profiles. Understanding where each excels and where it falls short will help you invest wisely in the tools your ministry needs. This comparison examines the key areas where these platforms differ and helps you determine which is the better fit.
At a Glance
Planning Center
A suite of separate church software apps
Strengths
- Best-in-class worship planning with detailed service order management
- Powerful volunteer scheduling with automated reminders and conflict detection
- Mature, well-tested platform with a large user base and community
- Extensive third-party integrations and developer API
- Separate specialized apps allow deep functionality in each area
Weaknesses
- Per-app pricing model can become expensive for churches needing multiple tools
- No built-in live streaming, website builder, or media generation tools
- Data can feel fragmented across separate applications
- Limited social media management capabilities
Best for churches that prioritize worship planning and volunteer scheduling, and have the budget for multiple specialized apps
Each app priced separately. Free tiers available. Paid plans range from $5-$99/month per app based on church size. Total cost varies widely based on apps used.
Tithe.ly
All-in-one church platform with strong giving tools
Strengths
- Comprehensive giving platform with text-to-give, kiosk mode, and mobile giving
- Integrated website builder included in higher plans, reducing the need for separate web hosting
- Church app builder lets churches create branded mobile apps without coding
- All-in-one approach with ChMS, giving, streaming, and website in one ecosystem
- Competitive processing fees for online donations
Weaknesses
- Church management features are less mature than dedicated ChMS platforms
- Worship planning tools are basic compared to Planning Center Services
- Some features only available in higher-priced tiers
- Reporting capabilities are less advanced than longer-established platforms
Best for churches that want a unified platform combining giving, website, app, and basic church management in one subscription
Free plan available for giving only. Tithe.ly ChMS starts around $49/month. The all-in-one platform with website and app builder ranges from $99-$199/month depending on features needed.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
How Planning Center and Tithe.ly compare across key church management categories.
Tithe.ly was originally built as a giving platform and it shows. It offers text-to-give, mobile giving, kiosk mode, giving cards, and a seamless donor experience. Processing fees are competitive, and the platform supports ACH, credit card, and debit card payments. Planning Center Giving is solid but more basic, handling recurring gifts, pledges, and fund management well without the breadth of giving channels Tithe.ly provides.
Planning Center People is a mature, feature-rich ChMS with custom fields, workflows, automated follow-ups, and powerful list-building tools. Tithe.ly's ChMS module covers the basics of contact management, family grouping, and basic reporting, but it lacks the depth and automation capabilities of Planning Center. Churches with complex member management needs will find Planning Center significantly more capable.
Planning Center Services is the industry standard for worship planning, with chord charts, transposition, rehearsal planning, and detailed service orders. Tithe.ly does not offer a comparable worship planning tool. If worship planning is a priority, Planning Center is the clear choice. Tithe.ly users would need to supplement with a third-party worship planning solution.
Tithe.ly includes a website builder and church app builder in its platform, allowing churches to create a web presence and mobile app without separate subscriptions. Planning Center does not offer website or app building tools. While Tithe.ly's website builder is not as flexible as dedicated platforms like Squarespace, having it integrated with your church data is convenient for many churches.
Both platforms are reasonably user-friendly. Tithe.ly's all-in-one approach means less context-switching between apps, which can simplify daily workflows. Planning Center's individual apps are well-designed but require navigating between separate interfaces. Neither platform presents significant usability barriers, though staff comfortable with technology may prefer Planning Center's depth.
Tithe.ly's bundled pricing can be more economical for churches that would otherwise need separate subscriptions for a website, giving platform, and ChMS. Planning Center's per-app pricing means you only pay for what you use, but costs add up when you need several tools. For churches seeking a complete digital presence, Tithe.ly's all-in-one plans often represent better value. For churches that only need one or two tools, Planning Center's free tiers are appealing.
Our Verdict
Planning Center is the stronger choice for churches that need deep, specialized tools, particularly in worship planning and volunteer management. Its maturity and extensive integrations make it reliable for established churches with experienced tech teams. If your worship services are complex and you rely heavily on service planning tools, Planning Center is hard to beat.
Tithe.ly is the better choice for churches that want a unified digital presence without managing multiple subscriptions. If online giving is a top priority, Tithe.ly's best-in-class giving tools combined with its website builder and church app create a compelling package. It works well for churches that value having everything under one roof, even if individual features are not as deep.
Churches that currently use no software should consider their growth trajectory. If you expect to need advanced worship planning in the future, starting with Planning Center may save a migration later. If your focus is on establishing a strong online giving and web presence, Tithe.ly gets you there faster.
Why Consider MosesTab?
Full disclosure: MosesTab is our product. We aim to keep this comparison honest and balanced.
If you like Tithe.ly's all-in-one approach but want deeper church management features, MosesTab offers a compelling middle ground. MosesTab includes 16 integrated features, including AI-powered media generation and social media scheduling, without requiring separate subscriptions. It provides the unified experience of Tithe.ly with more advanced member management and event tools, all at transparent pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Planning Center Giving alongside Tithe.ly?
While technically possible, using two giving platforms simultaneously is not recommended. It creates confusion for donors and complicates financial reporting. Choose one platform for giving and commit to it. If you prefer Tithe.ly for giving but Planning Center for worship planning, that combination works since they handle different functions.
Does Tithe.ly offer a free plan?
Tithe.ly offers a free giving plan that allows churches to accept online donations with standard processing fees. However, the ChMS, website builder, and app builder features require paid plans. Planning Center also offers free tiers for individual apps with limited functionality.
Which platform handles recurring donations better?
Both platforms handle recurring donations well, but Tithe.ly edges ahead with more giving channels (text-to-give, kiosk, giving cards) and a more streamlined donor experience. Planning Center Giving is reliable for recurring gifts but focuses more on the administrative side of donation management.
Can I build a church website with either platform?
Tithe.ly includes a website builder in its platform, allowing you to create a church website integrated with your member and giving data. Planning Center does not offer a website builder. If you need a church website and prefer not to use a separate service, Tithe.ly has the advantage here.