Shelby Systems vs Realm by ACS Technologies
Which church management platform is right for your church? An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide.
Overview: Shelby Systems vs Realm by ACS Technologies
Shelby Systems and ACS Technologies are separate church software companies. Shelby Systems, whose website is © Ministry Brands Holdings, LLC, offers ShelbyNext Membership for church management, ShelbyNext Financials for church accounting and the MinistryOne church mobile app. ACS Technologies makes Realm, a church management platform with Inform, Connect and Multiply plans and a Realm Accounting add-on.
This comparison sets out what each company says its products do, so you can check the details that matter to your church.
At a Glance
Shelby Systems
ShelbyNext church management and accounting, from Ministry Brands
Strengths
- ShelbyNext Membership: member, group and calendar management, including rooms, equipment and events
- Volunteer tracking, check-in, communications and prayer requests
- Church Member Access for members
- ShelbyNext Financials: general ledger, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, and purchasing with approvals
- Bank reconciliation, fixed assets and reporting Shelby Systems describes as GAAP compliant
- MinistryOne church mobile app, listed among Shelby Systems' products
Best for churches that want church management and church accounting from the same provider; Shelby Systems' tagline is Manage your whole ministry with one system
Pricing is not published. Shelby Systems invites churches to talk to its sales team.
Realm by ACS Technologies
Your church, connected
Strengths
- Plans for church staff (Inform), the entire church (Connect) and multisite churches (Multiply)
- Member profiles and households with up to 75 custom fields
- Groups with discussions, rosters and leader tools
- Online, mobile and text giving, with pledges
- Check-in with kiosks, mobile check-in and security ID badges
- Realm Accounting add-on with general ledger, disbursements and payroll
Best for churches choosing between a plan for church staff, a plan for the entire church and a plan for multisite churches from ACS Technologies
Realm Inform: $49/month after a 30-day free trial. Connect and Multiply are priced by typical weekly attendance; those prices are not published.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
How Shelby Systems and Realm by ACS Technologies compare across key church management categories.
ShelbyNext Membership lists member management, group management, calendar management, volunteer tracking, check-in, communications and prayer requests. Realm lists member profiles and households with up to 75 custom fields, and a unified database with staff notes.
ShelbyNext Financials covers general ledger, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, purchasing with approvals, bank reconciliation and fixed assets, with reporting Shelby Systems describes as GAAP compliant. ACS Technologies offers Realm Accounting as an add-on to any Realm plan, with fund accounting, disbursements, bank reconciliation and payroll.
ShelbyNext Membership includes group management and Church Member Access, and Shelby Systems lists the MinistryOne church mobile app among its products. Realm groups include discussions, rosters and leader tools, and Realm includes a free mobile app, Connect – Our Church Community.
ShelbyNext Membership lists check-in, and the MinistryOne app lets members set up one-time and recurring giving. Realm supports online, mobile and text giving with pledges, and check-in with kiosks, mobile check-in and security ID badges.
Shelby Systems' website invites churches to join over 3,000 churches using its software. ACS Technologies says it has helped churches since 1978 and lists its address in Florence, SC.
Shelby Systems pricing is not published; its site invites churches to talk to its team. Realm Inform is $49/month after a 30-day free trial, and ACS Technologies prices Connect and Multiply by typical weekly attendance.
Our Verdict
Shelby Systems suits churches that want church management (ShelbyNext Membership) and church accounting (ShelbyNext Financials) from one Ministry Brands provider, with the MinistryOne app for members.
Realm suits churches choosing between a plan for church staff, a plan for the entire church and a plan for multisite churches, with accounting available as an add-on from ACS Technologies.
Compare each product's current features and pricing directly before you decide.
Why Consider MosesTab?
Full disclosure: MosesTab is our product. We aim to keep this comparison honest and balanced.
MosesTab brings giving, member management, events and communications together in one platform. Its plans are published on mosestab.com, with a free plan to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Shelby Systems and ACS Technologies the same company?
No. Shelby Systems' website is © Ministry Brands Holdings, LLC. ACS Technologies' online store lists ACS Technologies Group, Inc. of Florence, SC.
Is MinistryOne a Shelby Systems product?
MinistryOne is a church mobile app from Ministry Brands. Shelby Systems lists MinistryOne (Church Mobile App) among its products, and MinistryOne says it was built to work with platforms from Shelby Systems, Elexio, easyTithe and Clover.
What does ACS Technologies make?
ACS Technologies makes Realm, with Inform, Connect and Multiply plans and a Realm Accounting add-on. Its website says it has helped churches since 1978.
Can I move data from one to the other?
ACS Technologies' help centre says Realm reports can be exported as .pdf or .csv files. Ask Shelby Systems how to export ShelbyNext data before you plan a move.
Shelby Systems and Realm by ACS Technologies are trademarks of their respective owners, used here for identification purposes only. MosesTab is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Shelby Systems and Realm by ACS Technologies, and they have not reviewed or approved this page. Product information is based on publicly available materials and may change; to report an error, contact [email protected].