More about ChMeetings vs Planning Center: In-Depth Comparison

ChMeetings Already Released Most Of The 2024 RoadmapIn the beginning of 2024, we have announced 7 upcoming major updates. Out of those, 3 have already been released: Appointments, Accounting, and Service Planning. Still coming up this year are the Email Designer, Workflows, the Online Store, and Summer Camps; as well as Text Giving, which we later added to our roadmap.Breeze has not announced a 2024 roadmap. Their latest announcement dates from April 2023, when 5 major updates were announced. Out of the 5, at least two have not yet been released since then (event check-in with air print, and custom apps). Breeze has not published any roadmap for 2024 and the last product update is 3 months old at the time of writing this comparison.

Chmeetings Is Better Equipped For The FutureBeing ready for the future means keeping up with the fast-changing technological world. it’s worth considering how future-ready your chosen solution is. Frequent updates mean that your chosen solution provider is mastering current technologies and delivers the best value and the modern features your community expects. A low number of updates may mean that the company developing your chosen solution cannot keep up for some reason. Therefore, your church, as the customer, would be slower in implementing the tech that your members and servants want to see.When comparing ChMeetings with Breeze, we can notice a significant difference in product update frequency. ChMeetings releases updates every two weeks on average; while Breeze releases about twice a year.

Let’s take a look at how future-ready ChMeetings and ChurchTrac are

A key aspect to consider is whether the ChMS platform you choose is ready to support your church for long-term growth. To do that, your solution of choice must also grow and release features that churches need to keep up with the times.

Future-Readiness

ChMeetings allows multi-site churches, parishes, and dioceses to manage all their locations under a unified hierarchy. This structure helps leadership oversee multiple campuses, consolidate reports, and maintain consistent operations across every location. Breeze, while strong for single-site churches, doesn’t offer this level of multi-location management. For churches planning to grow or already operating as a multi-campus ministry, ChMeetings provides the system architecture needed to keep everything running smoothly. C

Diocese Management

Breeze focuses mainly on giving and contribution tracking, but it doesn’t offer a full accounting system. ChMeetings includes built-in accounting features that help churches manage funds, track expenses, and generate financial reports without relying on external tools. By keeping financial data and ministry data in one place, churches gain clearer visibility and avoid the manual work and errors that come with third-party accounting software.

Built-in Accounting

Breeze adds additional processing fees on top of the standard payment provider fees, which means churches pay more every time someone donates. ChMeetings takes a different approach: you only pay the standard provider fee, nothing extra from us. This keeps donation costs lower, supports better stewardship, and ensures more money stays inside your ministry. For growing churches or those with active online giving, this fee structure can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year.

No Extra Processing Fees (You Only Pay the Provider Fee)

Why Chmeetings Standout

With Breeze, you can create and share forms through which you can accept payments. This feature can be used for various purposes, including collecting giving during surveys, or charging for services or events.

Breeze lets your members give via SMS. The service is linked to the online giving feature, so people still need a credit card or bank account and internet access to give. When giving for the first time, they will receive a link to the online giving page where they must provide payment information. When giving again later, all they have to do is send a text with the amount they want to give and their submitted payment method will be charged. This feature is coming soon from Chmeetings as well.

Here are the features that are available with Breeze and not with ChMeetings

ChMeetings offers additional features to large Dioceses; including centralized management while keeping church autonomy, the option to be hosted on a private database, a dedicated domain, and more. Breeze does not offer such accounts.

Optional, Branded Mobile App: ChMeetings provides the option to have a branded mobile app, based on ChMeetings. It is listed separately on Google Play and the Apple App Store, under the name of your church; not as ChMeetings. Our team handles the entire development process and lists it in the stores, ready for your members to download. This service costs $45 / month or $450 / year in addition to your ChMeetings plan. With Breeze, this service is coming soon and there is no pricing information available yet.

Elections: This feature offers the tools that larger churches need to run elections; from candidacy to the voting process to counting and showing results. This feature is only available with the Unlimited plan and the Diocese Account.

Blog: You can host a blog right within the ChMeetings app. Members can find it in the app menu, read your content, like and comment.

Accounting: The ChMeetings Accounting module lets you manage accounts, funds, transactions, or budgets, reconcile accounts; or run dedicated reports. While this module does not claim to be an advanced accounting suite, it’s great for churches that don’t need complex tools, because you can do your accounting right within ChMeetings with no need for external tools. If you are using them; however, you can easily integrate with Quickbooks and other similar tools via Zapier.

Appointments:This feature lets you book appointments between people in your church. It’s fast, easy, and accessible to both servants and members.

Mobile Push Notifications: With ChMeetings you can send mobile notifications to people who are logged into the mobile app. This feature is included with all paid plans and is unlimited.

Voice Messaging: You can use a ChMeetings message credit package to send voice messages.

Here are the features that are available with ChMeetings and not with Breeze:

Breeze manages event registration and payment via forms. There is no link between the registration form and the event. The only way to connect forms with events is to use them as an eligibility criterion (e.g.: only form respondents can attend an event). There is no dedicated registration section for events, so you must find event-related data among your forms.

The ChMeetings Events module includes dedicated options to manage and view event registrations and to charge for church events. You also get features that encourage people to register; such as promo codes and discounts, the option to pay later, or to grant refunds. Paid tickets are associated with each event, which makes it easy for you to navigate them.

Both ChMeetings and Breeze let you organize paid events, but each platform does it in a particular manner. We suggest examining both to see what suits you best.In a nutshell:

A Note On Event Registration And Payment

Optional, Branded App: Both solutions offer an optional, Branded Mobile App. A Media Library is included with this app in both cases.

Integrations and a developer API.

Automations are available in both apps

Giving: Both provide comprehensive giving features; including online giving or pledges.

Events with Calendars, Checkin, Volunteer Scheduling, and Service Planning are available with both apps.

Both apps allow you to create user accounts and let members access the app; though note that with Breeze, member access is limited on the mobile app, unless you sign up for the $119/month bundle Only admins can use the mobile app with the standar

Advanced, drag-and-drop email editor

Both providers will import your data for free if you sign up - in the case of ChMeetings, this service is not included with the free plan but is complimentary for all paid plans.

Let’s begin with the mobile app, which is essential to any church today. Both ChMeetings and Breeze include one and you can find them by searching Google Play or the Apple App Store, There is; however, a crucial difference: ChMeetings offers member access via the mobile app for free; while Breeze App only includes an Admin Mobile App with the standard plan. Members can only access a church app if your church signs up for the $119 bundle that includes the Church App.

Both ChMeetings and Breeze are modern, user-friendly platforms that provide numerous features that will improve your church work. However, each church has its own needs, which is why, in this section, we will compare ChMeetings and Breeze features by focusing on the major differences between the two platforms. We will discuss the features that both platforms offer, and then look into those that are exclusive to one or the other. We will then continue with a comparison table which will provide a more detailed list of features available with each solution.

With Breeze, the Website Builder (using Tithe.ly sites) is included in a bundle that costs $119 per month and lets you build a website that integrates to your church app as an extension that lets you embed some church app features into your website.

The Member Portal Builder Is Free With ChMeetings. Any ChMeetings paid plan gives you access to the Member Portal Builder, which you can use to build a page for your church if you want to. It’s not necessarily designed to be a website builder, but you can use it as such. The pages you build with it can be the in-app homepage for members; but you can also share it publicly using your ChMeetings church URL. This page is built into your church app, so you can use it to keep people updated with everything going on in your community. So, if you don’t have an online page for your church yet, and you don’t want anything too complex, you don’t have to spend more money to create one.

While both platforms provide reliable and secure payment processing methods, you may want to examine the fee structure in detail to ensure you get the best price and features package. This comes down to choosing who facilitates your payment collection and what else they provide besides plain payment processing. That said, if you have a preference or are already using a specific provider, you won’t have to worry about this aspect when choosing between Breeze and ChMeetings.

Online giving fees can certainly add up; but luckily, both ChMeetings and Breeze let you ask donors to cover the fees. Even so, not everyone might choose to; so you may still need to pay some transaction costs for the donations you collect online.

See If You Need A Church Page Or Website

Analyze Online Giving Fees ChMeetings does not process payments internally and charges no online giving fees. We work with Stripe and  PayPal to process giving transactions. Accordingly, all you pay is their transaction fees.Breeze manages payment processing for the USA and Canada internally, so they charge fees for the service. For other countries, Breeze works with Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, and Tithe.ly giving.

Analyze Online Giving Fees

We suggest that you think about the messaging costs in the context of each platform’s billing methods and user options. You may prefer a specific method, even if it may cost more; or vice-versa: you may want to pay less regardless of other factors. ChMeetings does not include any free text messages. You can; however, use your phone plan to send them; and depending on your mobile carrier, you might already have unlimited texts included. So, you can simply go to someone’s profile in ChMeetings, tap to send them a message and choose your phone plan for billing. Alternatively, you can purchase text packages from ChMeetings, which are charged at market-specific prices. For the USA, for example, the most affordable package costs $10 for 1000 standard GSM messages. This means 1 cent per message. Breeze includes 250 free messages and charges additional texts at 1.9 cents per message. There is no option to send texts using your phone plan. So, the cost of sending 1000 standard GSM messages with Breeze within the US would be about $19.

Think About Messaging Costs

Some costs are difficult to determine, so you must analyze them and decide what best fits your needs. Let’s explore this aspect below.

Further Cost Analysis

f you are running a larger church with more requirements, you may benefit from a ChMS with unlimited members management; in this case, you would pay $60 per month with ChMeetings and $72 per month with Breeze. ChMeetings also provides an annual plan with which you pay for 10 months instead of 12. Breeze does not bill annually.

v.Smal

We conclude that ChMeetings Small is much more valuable than Breeze Basic, for the same price or less. Moreover, Breeze Basic is an almost 1-to-1 equivalent of ChMeetings Very Small, which costs less than half the price.

You may be interested in a direct comparison of ChMeetings Small and Breeze Basic because they cost the same: $25/month (if you do not consider annual discounts). Below is a comparison table showing the features included with each option.

If your church is medium-sized and needs to store 500-1000 people, then ChMeetings offers lower prices for the same set of features as Breeze’s standard plan. With ChMeetings, you pay $40/month ($400/year) for 500 people and $50/month ($500/year) for 1000 people. Breeze costs $72/month with no annual discount.

So, overall, if all you need are the features offered by Breeze Basic, you can opt for ChMeetings Very Small and pay half the price. If you need more features and have to choose between Breeze Basic and ChMeetings Small, then the latter option offers much more value for the same price (or even for a lower price if paid annually).

Despite the cost difference, Chmeetings’ Small Plan offers many more features

If you require more features than our Very Small Plan, then you can go up to ChMeetings Small, which costs the same as Breeze Basic per month ($25), but costs less per year (ChMeetings costs $250 Breeze Basic costs $300).

If you are a smaller church, you may want to reduce costs and focus only on the features you need. In this case, you can start with ChMeetings Free, which supports core church management and online giving for getting started. As your church grows, you can move to the Very Small plan, which supports up to 100 people with no admin limitations and includes full access to features such as unlimited online giving and paid events, helping churches generate income for $12 per month or $120 per year. This plan is, as far as we can tell, comparable to Breeze Basic in terms of features and pricing.

Costs For Churches With Limited Budgets

ChMeetings bills according to the number of people you want to manage; while Breeze practices two flat-rate plans, one limited to 100 people (2 admins) and a reduced set of features, and another offering unlimited people and the full set of features.

Baseline Costs Are Lower With ChMeetings

Store up to 50 members and give them access to the app (including the mobile app). Create up to 5 custom people profile fields. Create groups. Manage events. Send text messages (with your phone plan or a paid SMS package). Share calendars. Create follow-ups. Create and share forms. Manage user permissions. Import data into ChMeetings. Customize the app language - choose from 24 available languages. Accept online giving on the Free plan with up to 25 donations per month.

ChMeetings is free forever for churches with up to 50 people. There are fewer features available, but we cover more than the essentials. You can’t send email with a free account; for security reasons; but you can do all of the below:

ChMeetings Can Be Free Forever

Chmeetings vs Breeze: Which Offers the Best Value for Money?

Breeze might be a good choice if: You are comfortable paying a potentially higher flat rate. You don’t necessarily need a church website builder or you don’t mind paying extra for it. You need text-giving features right now and can’t wait for it to be available later.

ChMeetings might be a good choice if: You want to pay based on your church size and avoid extra fees. You absolutely need features such as easy-to-manage paid events, appointments, accounting, or mobile push notifications. You want a solution that keeps up with current technologies and makes updates often.

To save you time, here’s a short breakdown of the pros and cons:

Breeze started independently in 2015 and was acquired by Tythe.ly in 2021. Breeze simplifies church management by providing a cloud-based solution that facilitates member management, member access, event management, giving, form creation, automation, and more. Breeze aims to make it simpler for churches to do their work; which reflects into all of their ecosystem – from the flat rate pricing to the app’s user interface.

ChMeetings is an all-in-one Church Management platform, built by Jios Apps Inc, offering various features for churches of all sizes and denominations. ChMeetings started operating in 2018 with essential ChMS features to help churches transition from paper-based membership management to streamlined, cloud-based processes. Today, it has grown into a comprehensive platform that includes most of the features churches require to keep up with our times. ChMeetings now makes it fast and easy to manage members, organize events with registration and check-in, book appointments, create follow-ups, manage accounting, collect online giving, and more.

Do you struggle to decide whether ChMeetings is a suitable Breeze alternative for your church?This guide will help you see what the difference are in terms of cost and features; so you can then decide which platform provides you with the most value.

Experience the Difference Between ChMeetings and Breeze Church Management Today!

Both ChMeetings and Planning Center are powerful tools for church management. ChMeetings offers a broader range of built-in features, making it a great fit for churches looking for an all-encompassing solution. Planning Center, meanwhile, excels in specialized tools for event and worship management and is highly customizable with its modular approach, allowing churches to only pay for what they need. However, when analyzing the value offered for a similar price, ChMeetings is a strong alternative to Planning Center.

Unlike Planning Center, which focuses mainly on donations and requires other tools for full accounting, ChMeetings includes built-in accounting features that cover much more than giving. You can manage funds, track expenses, monitor budgets, and generate financial reports from the same place where you manage people, events, and communication. This reduces the need for external accounting solutions, keeps financial and ministry data connected, and helps church leadership understand the full picture of church health in one dashboard.

Switching from Planning Center or any other church management software can feel intimidating because of the risk of losing data or spending weeks on imports. With ChMeetings, our team handles the entire data migration process for you at no extra cost when you choose a paid plan. We help you move your people records, giving history, groups, and events into ChMeetings, so your staff can stay focused on ministry instead of spreadsheets and complex exports. This makes it much easier and safer to move away from Planning Center and start using a more affordable and unified church management system.

more powerful features catering to large communities

Planning Center does not mention specific multi-language support, potentially making ChMeetings more appealing for diverse congregations.

uded at no other cost. $10 - 1000 Credits $30 - 3000 Credits $50 - 5000 Credits $90 - 10000 Credits

Costs for highest available feature usage (not all unlimited): $1,559/month No annual discounts

Planning Center offers a free plan for their People app, which includes basic membership management features. This free option provides limited access to specific features within other modules, such as a limited number of check-ins, donations, and event attendees across modules like Check-Ins, Giving, Registrations, and Groups.

You want specialized tools for worship planning, like song management or music sheet customization. You need integrated forms that accept payments. You prefer modular pricing and don’t mind that it may be higher. You need step-by-step task-tracking tools. You need text-based giving capabilities. You want to be able to customize reports

With ChMeetings, churches that want a stronger digital presence can upgrade to a fully branded mobile app that is deeply integrated with the core church management system. Your members download an app that carries your church name, logo, and identity in the app stores, while still enjoying all the functionality they need for events, giving, and communication. Compared to Planning Center’s more generic member app approach, this gives churches a more professional image, improves recognition among visitors, and makes it easier for people to stay connected with your church throughout the week.

Why Chmeetings Standout

The main differences lie in pricing structure, feature integration, and target audience

more complex workflow princess

Advanced Service Planning: Planning Center has advanced worship planning tools, including song management and music sheet customization, which are not available in ChMeetings;

ChMeetings stands out with its built-in accounting features, making it a more complete tool for managing finances beyond just donation tracking.

Both platforms excel in event manag

Now, let us look at the features offered by both platforms. Just note that here, we are only discussing the availability of these features, and the costs or the plans that they are included with. We will highlight costs or plan availability where relevant, though.

- starting with the v. Small pan, costing #25/month or $250/year..

starting with the V. Small pan, costing #25/month or $250/year.

15 group members included $15 for 75 Group Members $239 for unlimited gro

No limitations or costs related to the number of group members.

10 monthly donations included $15 for 75 monthly donations $239 for unlimited do

- no limitations. Online giving is not available with the free plan (though donation tracking and in-person giving are included with this plan too.)

$239

$15

$0 if you do not use room and resource planning. $15 for 5 rooms $239 for unlimited ro

$0 No room tracking available

- in every plan Including other features on low usage.

$60/month or $600/year Full platform access, no plan limitations.

Let’s take a deeper look at how costs compare between ChMeetings and Planning Center.

Detailed Cost Comparison: ChMeetings Provides Considerable Value For Money

Costs for unlimited features: $60/month or $600/year $110/month or $1100/year including a custom branded app listed separately in Google Play and Apple App Store, which costs $50/month or $500/year. This app is billed separately from standard app plans.

Event Management Limited number of events per month, check-in and advanced scheduling features available only in paid plans Unlimited events with registration, check-in capabilities, volunteer scheduling, and resource management included Mobile App Access Generic mobile app with limited branding options, some features restricted based on subscription tier Full-featured mobile app with custom branding, offline access, and all functionality available to members and staff Support & Training Email support during business hours only, self-service knowledge base, premium support available at additional cost 24/7 email support, comprehensive video tutorials, live onboarding sessions, and dedicated customer success manager

$15/month, no annual discounts

$12/month or $120/year (pay 10 months instead of 12 when subscribing annually)

- limited features

- limited features

Overall, ChMeetings costs significantly less than Planning Center and offers a rather similar set of features for a lower price. Here are some cost highlights in a nutshell:

Quick Cost Comparison: ChMeetings Is Much More Affordable Than Planning Center

Planning Center works with a modular pricing structure which adds to your costs depending on feature usage. You can choose how much of each feature to add to your package, but this flexibility may come with higher prices because the more you use a specific feature, the more it costs. There is no fixed increment for adding usage though we could notice that the first 2 tiers add more than 110% to the initial price, and starting with the 3rd tier, the added costs drop to over 66%, 55%, and 33% compared to the previous tiers.

ChMeetings offers several pricing plans that come with specific features and are based on the number of people you want to manage. This structure is predefined and you can’t change the features offered by each plan. However, it’s much simpler for churches to understand what they get, and costs may be lower with this model.

ChMeetings and Planning Center practice different pricing models:

Both platforms offer a free plan, and each comes with a specific set of features. Some key differences consist of the following:

Here’s a pricing comparison for ChMeetings and Planning Center, including key differences and a breakdown of monthly costs.

Cost Comparison: Which ChMS offers more value for money?

ChMeetings’ Free Plan includes most core features but with limitations on communication and customization options, making it suitable for smaller churches This plan offers 50 people with no team member, giving, event attendance, or group-related restrictions, a free mobile app with member access, as well as the ability to collect and track giving.

In summary, ChMeetings tends to be easier for smaller churches or those with less technical expertise due to its straightforward design and supportive onboarding process. In contrast, Planning Center, while feature-rich and highly customizable, may present a steeper learning curve, particularly for users who need to navigate multiple, differently-built modules. Both platforms offer robust support, but deciding “which is easier” may ultimately depend on the specific needs and capabilities of your church staff​.

1. Modular Structure: While Planning Center’s modular design allows for specialized tools tailored to different church needs, some users find it a bit overwhelming initially. Each module (like People, Check-Ins, and Giving) has a specific interface, which can require additional staff training.2. Steeper Learning Curve: While Planning Center offers robust features, the learning curve can be steeper compared to ChMeetings. This is especially true for churches that intend to use multiple modules, as each may require separate familiarization due to notable differences between them.3. Comprehensive Documentation: Planning Center compensates for its complexity with extensive documentation and customer support. Their help center provides detailed guides, tutorials, and community forums that can assist users in troubleshooting and maximizing their use o

1. User-Friendly Interface: ChMeetings is noted for its straightforward, intuitive interface that makes it easy for church staff and volunteers to navigate. Many users report that they can quickly familiarize themselves with the platform, which can be a significant advantage for those with limited technical experience​.2. Onboarding Support: ChMeetings provides onboarding support and resources, which help new users get started with the system more effectively. The platform includes tutorials and guides that assist churches in setting up their accounts and using various features​.3. Mobile App Accessibility: The mobile app enhances accessibility, allowing users to manage church activities and communications on-the-go. This feature has been particularly well-received by churches that need flexibility​ because it provides access to features for admins and members alike.

When comparing ChMeetings and Planning Center in terms of ease of use, several factors contribute to the user experience, including interface design, onboarding processes, and the intuitiveness of features. Here’s a breakdown

You need built-in, advanced communication tools with automated workflows; You require built-in accounting tools; You manage complex events with multiple check-ins and scheduling; You serve a multi-lingual congregation; You run a Diocese and require dedicated features; You want a branded mobile app with its own Google Play and Apple App Store listing.

To save you time, here’s a short breakdown of the pros and cons:

Planning Center is a cloud-based church management software that offers a suite of applications designed to help churches manage various aspects of their operations, including membership management, event scheduling, giving, worship planning, and volunteer coordination. Each application is modular, allowing churches to choose the features they need, making it highly customizable for different church sizes and needs

ChMeetings is a cloud-based church management software designed to help churches manage their operations more efficiently. It offers comprehensive features, from member management to event planning, attendance tracking, communication, and financial management. ChMeetings focuses on ease of use, value for money, and reliable, responsive support; while responding to the needs of churches of all sizes and denominations.

ChMeetings and Planning Center are popular church management systems (ChMS) designed to help churches streamline administration, communication, and engagement with their congregations. However, they offer a variety of features tailored to different needs. Let’s explore a detailed comparison between the two.

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Why ChMeetings is the Ultimate Planning Center Alternative

ac or ChMeetings offer a free version?

for a generally lower price when compared to ChurchTrac.

Ticket, calls (no scheduling needed)

online giving is not available in the free plan; donation tracking & in-person giving are

ChMeetings is designed to be user-friendly

ee versions of ChurchTrac

small churches: Chu

ChurchTrac offers three pricing tiers:​Free Plan: Includes features like people and family management, user accounts, security, and tech support.​Standard Plan: Starting at $9/month, with pricing based on the number of names in your church database and including essential and commonly-used features like attendance tracking and online giving.​Plus Plan: Starting at $24/mo, with pricing

Trying them both for a while is probably your best bet, especially since both platforms provide free trials and free permanent plans.

ChMeetings may be the best choice

for roughly the same price

With ChurchTrac you also get team scheduling features, a song library, lyrics and chords management, as well as an integration with SongSelect.

ChurchTrac’s set of features is a bit more advanced

More Advanced Worship Planning, including a song library, lyrics and chords, and SongSelect integration; as well as team scheduling. Room Tracking: Within their Worship Planning set of features, ChurchTrac lets you assign a location to a scheduled event or service. This is useful when you want to track which rooms are occupied and which are available at a particular time.

Giving

$105/month Or $94.50/month paid annually ($1,134/year)

Access to people, events, free mobile app, reports & more

- limited features

Pricing Models

offers two main plans, Standard and Plus, which provide access to different sets of features, the Plus plan being the more advanced. The prices for these plans increase based on the number of people you want to manage.

offers several pricing plans that come with specific features and are based on the number of people you want to manage. This structure is predefined and you can’t change the features offered by each plan. However, it’s much simpler for churches to understand what they get, and costs may be lower with this model.

Churches must subscribe to a paid plan to access church management features, including people management, reporting, and online giving, which may make it less accessible for churches looking to start with minimal or no budge

ChurchTrac is known for its ease of use, with a straightforward interface that simplifies workflows for church administrators. The dashboard and navigation structure make it accessible to users with little technical experience. The learning curve is rather minimal for this platform as well, though, like with ChMeetings, some features may require specialized knowledge. This includes their Accounting module or the Background Check option.

For anyone requiring assistance when getting started

You need more advanced worship planning tools, like a song library or room tracking.

Your church is small to mid-sized and values simplicity.

ChMeetings is a comprehensive cloud-based church management software (ChMS)

ChurchTrac is known for its all-in-one approach

Pin the Hypothesis extension in Chrome (1 and 2), then activate the sidebar by clicking the button in the location bar (3).

Create an account using the sidebar on the right of the screen.