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Planning Center People vs IconCMO Comparison

Last updated:

Planning Center People

4.7(60 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Planning Center People is church management software for church. It contains the functionality user need to track people and groups, manage offerings, acknowledge attendance, and more. Planning Center People can even hel…

IconCMO

4.0(11 reviews)

Starting at $36 /month

  • Free Trial
  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

IconCMO is church management software that helps to manage all the congregation's information in one organized place, including financials and contributions. IconCMO is a software specifically built for churches to adapt…

Planning Center People leads on user satisfaction with a 4.7-star rating across 60 reviews.

Planning Center People vs IconCMO — at a glance

FeaturePlanning Center PeopleIconCMO
Rating4.7 / 54.0 / 5
Reviews6011
Starting priceContact for pricing$36 /month
Free trial No Yes
Free version No No
Best forLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
CategoryChurch Management SoftwareChurch Management Software
Integrations5+ apps
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOSSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS
APIAvailableAvailable
Support modesOnlineBusiness Hours, Online
Certifications
Data residencyUSUS

Key differences between Planning Center People and IconCMO

  • Pricing: IconCMO starts at $36 /month. Planning Center People pricing is not publicly listed.
  • Free trial: IconCMO offers a free trial; Planning Center People does not.
  • User satisfaction: Planning Center People scores higher with a 4.7-star average.
  • Deployment: Planning Center People supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS; IconCMO supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS.

Planning Center People vs IconCMO — find the better fit before you commit.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Church Management Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

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IconCMO - Church Management Software
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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Planning Center People

Best for comprehensive church member and group management with seamless integration.

Choose if
  • You need to track people, groups, and attendance efficiently within a church setting.
  • You want to manage offerings and acknowledge contributions seamlessly.
  • You require integrated scheduling and field service route planning for ministry teams.
Consider alternatives if
  • You are a non-church organization needing general CRM or event management tools.
  • You need highly customizable or industry-specific features outside church administration.

IconCMO

Best for churches needing integrated fund accounting and donation tracking.

Choose if
  • You want an intuitive, easy-to-learn system with minimal training.
  • You need comprehensive church management features including accounting and payroll.
  • You value responsive and helpful customer support tailored to churches.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your organization requires extensive third-party app integrations.
  • You need highly customizable or advanced niche features.

Planning Center People: Best for comprehensive church member and group management with seamless integration. IconCMO: Best for churches needing integrated fund accounting and donation tracking.

Description

Planning Center People is church management software for church. It contains the functionality user need to track people and groups, manage offerings, acknowledge attendance, and more. ... Read More about Planning Center People

IconCMO is church management software that helps to manage all the congregation's information in one organized place, including financials and contributions. IconCMO is a software ... Read More about IconCMO

Entry Level Pricing

  • Not Available
  • Starts from $36 , monthly

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial

SpotScore

What's this? ↗

8.7/10

9.2/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.7

(60)

Best Company Size

1-50 employees51-500 employees
Get pricing help
Get pricing help

Where each option fits best

See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.

Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.

Strengths

Key strengths

IconCMO

  • Reliable Fund Accounting & Donation Tracking: Combines full ledger accounting with contribution management, recurring gifts, and easy annual giving statements—providing transparency and control over church finances.
  • Secure Member & Contribution Database: Stores detailed congregation records, online giving history, and privacy-compliant donation data—all within a secure, church-specific cloud environment.
  • Simplified Church Reporting Tools: Generates standard financial, attendance, stewardship, and contribution reports quickly—supporting oversight and decision-making in church administration.
Best fit

Best fit

IconCMO

  • 1 – 50 Employees
  • Religious Organizations, Non-Profit Ministries, Community Outreach Programs
  • Church Administrators, Finance Directors, Office Managers, Volunteer Coordinators, Pastors, Bookkeepers
Watchouts

Reasons buyers look elsewhere

IconCMO

  • While IconCMO covers email and reporting, users often turn to platforms like Breeze or Churchteams for built-in mass texting, group messaging, and mobile reminders.
  • Compared to Planning Center or ChurchTrac, IconCMO’s volunteer scheduling and event tracking features can feel underdeveloped.
  • IconCMO scores lower on ease-of-setup than newer solutions, which many users praise for quicker, more intuitive onboarding

Software Demo

Demo

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Step 1 of 4

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How do Planning Center People and IconCMO Compare on Features?

Total Features

12 Features

18 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

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Compare Planning Center People and IconCMO on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

      Starting From

      • Not Available
      • $36 , monthly

      Pricing Plans

      • Not Available
      • IconCMO - Base Package

        $36

        /month

        • Communication

        • Event Registration

        • Membership

        Show more +

      Pricing Page

      Pricing information not available

      IconCMO pricing

      Other Details

      Organization Types supported

      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals
      • Large Enterprises
      • Freelancers
      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals
      • Large Enterprises
      • Freelancers

      Platforms Supported

      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)

      Modes of support

      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online
      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online

      API Support

      • Available
      • Available
      Get help choosing
      Get help choosing

      Security & Compliance

      Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

      HIPAA

      ✗ No
      ✗ No

      Single Sign-On (SSO)

      ✓ Yes

      Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

      ✓ Yes

      Data Encryption

      ✓ Yes

      Data Residency

      🇺🇸 US
      🇺🇸 US

      Planning Center People User Reviews & Rating Comparison

      User Ratings

      Rating Distribution

      40

      6

      1

      0

      0

      14

      4

      1

      0

      0

      Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

      Buyer sentiment

      Buyer sentiment is very strong across 47 reviews, with consistently positive feedback.

      What buyers like

      • Provides a suite with features like scheduling, event coordination, automating tasks, and data management.
      • Ease of communication with members through automated emailing features.
      • Integration with other Planning Center modules and smooth workflows across the platform.

      Common complaints

      • The process of adding a new person can be cumbersome.
      • Limited customization options in reports.
      • Difficulty in creating custom lists, especially for specific group categorization.

      Buyer sentiment

      Users generally praise IconCMO for its ease of use, comprehensive church management features, and strong customer support, though some find the feature set complex and customization limited.

      What buyers like

      • Ease of use
      • Comprehensive feature set
      • Customer support

      Common complaints

      • Complexity for new users
      • Limited customization options

      Pros and Cons

      • Comprehensive member tracking enhances organization.

      • Flexible reporting aids in decision-making.

      • Integration capabilities improve overall functionality.

      • Learning curve may deter some users.

      • Limited mobile functionality could hinder access.

      • Intuitive and easy to use with minimal training required

      • Comprehensive features covering accounting, membership, payroll, and donations

      • Responsive and helpful customer support

      • Feature richness can be overwhelming for new users without training

      • Limited marketplace for additional apps and connectors

      Positive Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

      Used Planning Center People or IconCMO? Tell buyers what actually differs.

      Integrations

      Integration with other apps

      No Integration information available.

      List of Customers

      Customers

      Stonegate

      Stonegate

      Fellowship Church

      Fellowship Church

      The River Church

      The River Church

      No Customers information available.

      Media and Screenshots

      Screenshots

      Mass emails to everyone

      4 Screenshots

      Membership

      8 Screenshots

      Videos

      video-0

      3 Videos

      video-0

      3 Videos

      Top Alternatives to Planning Center People and IconCMO in 2026

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      Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

      Frequently asked questions

      Which is better, Planning Center People or IconCMO?
      Planning Center People edges out the other on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
      Do Planning Center People and IconCMO offer a free trial?
      IconCMO offers a free trial. Planning Center People does not.
      What is the starting price of Planning Center People vs IconCMO?
      Planning Center People starts at Contact for pricing. IconCMO starts at $36 /month.
      What are the top alternatives to Planning Center People?
      Top alternatives to Planning Center People include Church Community Builder, Pushpay, ChurchTools, Church Windows, One Church Software.
      What are the top alternatives to IconCMO?
      Top alternatives to IconCMO include Pushpay, Churchteams, ChurchTools, ChurchSuite, Church Windows.