How to Set Up Online Giving for Your Church
Online giving is no longer optional for churches — studies show that congregations offering digital giving see 32% higher overall donations. This guide walks you through selecting a platform, configuring it, and communicating the change to your congregation so adoption is smooth.
Step-by-Step Guide
Evaluate Your Church's Giving Needs
Before choosing a platform, inventory what you actually need. Consider: How many giving funds do you need (general, missions, building, etc.)? Do you want to accept recurring donations? Do you need text-to-give capability? What about event-specific giving for fundraisers? Make a simple list of must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Also consider your congregation's demographics — a younger congregation may prefer mobile-first giving, while an older one might want a simple web page.
Pro Tip
Survey 10-15 members across different age groups to understand their giving preferences before you choose a platform.
Choose an Online Giving Platform
You have three main options: a church-specific platform (like MosesTab, Tithe.ly, or Planning Center Giving), a general payment processor (like Stripe or PayPal), or your church management software's built-in giving module. Church-specific platforms typically handle tax receipts, donor management, and fund designation out of the box. Compare processing fees carefully — they typically range from 1.5% to 3% per transaction, and that difference adds up. Also check whether the platform deposits funds daily, weekly, or on a custom schedule.
Pro Tip
Calculate your annual giving and multiply by the fee percentage to see the real dollar impact. A 0.5% difference on $200,000 in annual giving is $1,000.
Set Up Your Account and Payment Processing
Most platforms require you to verify your church's identity and connect a bank account for deposits. Have these ready: church legal name, EIN (tax ID number), bank account and routing number, a voided check or bank letter, and the contact information for an authorized signer. Identity verification usually takes 1-3 business days. While you wait, you can typically configure the rest of your settings.
Pro Tip
Use your church's main operating account for deposits, not a separate account. It simplifies bookkeeping and reconciliation.
Configure Giving Funds and Options
Create your donation categories (General Fund, Missions, Building Fund, etc.) to match what you use for in-person giving. Enable recurring giving — this is one of the biggest advantages of online giving, as it smooths out your cash flow throughout the year. Set up automatic email receipts so donors get immediate confirmation. If your platform supports it, configure a branded giving page with your church logo and colors so it feels familiar to your members.
Pro Tip
Put your most important fund (usually General/Tithes) as the default option. Most donors will give to whatever is pre-selected.
Test the Entire Process
Before launching, make a real donation (even $1) and verify every step: the giving page loads correctly, the transaction processes, the donor receives an email receipt, the donation appears in your dashboard, and the fund designation is correct. Test on both a phone and a computer. Have someone who was not involved in setup test it too — fresh eyes catch confusing steps that you might overlook. Also verify that the deposit hits your bank account correctly.
Pro Tip
Test with different browsers and an older phone model. If your oldest-tech member cannot complete a donation in under 60 seconds, simplify the process.
Communicate to Your Congregation
Launch day matters. Announce online giving from the pulpit with a brief demonstration — show the congregation how easy it is by making a donation live on screen. Send an email with step-by-step instructions (screenshots help). Add a prominent 'Give' button to your website. Print simple instruction cards for the bulletin. Emphasize that this is an additional option, not a replacement for traditional giving — you are not taking the offering plate away, you are adding convenience.
Pro Tip
Feature a short testimonial from a church member who has already tried it and found it convenient. Peer endorsement is more persuasive than a pastoral announcement.
Monitor Adoption and Optimize
In the first month, track how many people use online giving versus traditional methods. If adoption is low, the issue is usually awareness (people did not know it existed) or friction (the process was confusing). Send a follow-up reminder email after two weeks. Consider a text-to-give option for people who prefer their phones. Review your giving page analytics to see where people drop off and simplify those steps.
Pro Tip
Set a goal: aim for 30% of your regular givers to use online giving within three months. Most churches that actively promote it reach 40-60% within six months.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Choosing a platform based solely on the lowest fees
Factor in features like recurring giving, donor management, and tax receipts. A slightly higher fee with better tools often saves money overall.
Launching without telling the congregation
Make a clear announcement from the pulpit, send an email, and add it to your website. People cannot use what they do not know about.
Not enabling recurring donations
Recurring giving is the single biggest advantage of digital giving. It stabilizes your church's cash flow and increases total annual giving.
How MosesTab Makes This Easier
MosesTab includes online giving as a built-in feature — no need to integrate a third-party payment platform. You can set up your giving page, configure funds, and enable recurring donations in about 15 minutes. The giving page is automatically branded with your church's logo and colors, and donors receive instant email receipts.
Because giving is integrated with your member database, every donation is automatically linked to the correct donor profile. Year-end giving statements, giving reports, and fund tracking all happen without any extra work.
Related Features
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this topic
Most platforms charge between 1.5% and 3% per transaction, plus a small flat fee (usually $0.30). Some platforms offer ACH/bank transfer at lower rates (often under 1%). Annual costs depend on your total giving volume.