Which is better, Pushpay or Planning Center?

Planning Center edges out Pushpay based on user ratings across 35 reviews. That said, the best pick depends on your workflow — Pushpay may be a stronger fit for specific team sizes or use cases. Review the full comparison to decide.

What are the main differences between Pushpay and Planning Center?

Key differences between Pushpay and Planning Center include free trial availability (Planning Center offers one, Pushpay does not). Use the Spotsaas comparison table to evaluate each dimension before deciding.

Do both Pushpay and Planning Center offer a Free trial?

Planning Center offers Free Trial, but Pushpay does not.

Who are the typical users of Pushpay?

Pushpay is designed for Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

Who are the typical users of Planning Center?

Planning Center is designed for Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

What is the starting price of Pushpay and Planning Center?

Pricing details for both Pushpay and Planning Center are unavailable.

What are the best alternatives to Pushpay?

Some top alternatives to Pushpay include Planning Center Giving, Tithe.ly Church Giving, Planning Center People, ChurchTools, Church Windows.

What are the best alternatives to Planning Center?

Some top alternatives to Planning Center include Breeze, Pushpay, ChurchTools, Church Windows, One Church Software.

Pushpay vs Planning Center vs Rock RMS Comparison

Last updated: May 20, 2026

Pushpay

4.0(2 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Large Enterprises
Medium Business

Pushpay is designed for churches, but also works well for businesses of any type. It allows user to collect and manage payments, fees, donations, and charges. With Pushpay's real-time collection capabilities, user can in…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Planning Center

4.6(35 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Free Trial
Large Enterprises
Medium Business

The Planning Center is a comprehensive, web-based software package designed from the ground up with the specific needs of church leaders in mind. It is so intuitive, churches can be up and running within minutes. With it…

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Rock RMS

4.4(40 reviews)

Starting at $3 /User

Large Enterprises
Medium Business

Rock RMS (Rock Record Management System) is easy to learn, affordable, and loaded with features including, but not limited to, event registration, donation processing, member management, inventory management, reports, st…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Planning Center leads on user satisfaction with a 4.6-star rating across 35 reviews.

Pushpay vs Planning Center vs Rock RMS — at a glance

Feature	Pushpay	Planning Center	Rock RMS
Rating	4.0 / 5	4.6 / 5	4.4 / 5
Reviews	2	35	40
Starting price	Contact for pricing	Contact for pricing	$3 /User
Free trial	No	Yes	No
Free version	No	No	No
Best for	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Category	Church Management Software	Church Management Software	Church Management Software
Platforms	SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac	SaaS/Web/Cloud	SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS
API	Available	Available	Available
Support modes	24/7 (Live rep), Online	Online	Online
Certifications	—	GDPR	—
Data residency	US	US	US

Key differences between Pushpay and Planning Center

Free trial: Planning Center offers a free trial; Pushpay does not.
User satisfaction: Planning Center scores higher with a 4.6-star average.
Deployment: Pushpay supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Planning Center supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Compare Pushpay vs Planning Center vs Rock RMS — and walk away knowing which one fits.

Which tool fits your team best

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

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.

Biggest differences

Features

Pricing

Buying details

Security

Buyer feedback

Integrations

Product tour

Other options

	Pushpay (30) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	Planning Center (21) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	Rock RMS (21) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert

Free PDF comparison

Download this Pushpay vs Planning Center vs Rock RMS comparison

Get the full side-by-side as a PDF — these picks plus the top Church Management Software tools, with verified ratings, pricing and features.

Side-by-side on pricing, features & ratings
Plus the category top 10, scored & ranked
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Biggest differences

Affiliate Disclosure

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Pushpay

Best for churches needing simple, real-time donation and payment management.

Choose if

You manage donations or payments for a small to medium church or nonprofit.
You want real-time tracking of donations with automated email receipts.
You need straightforward recurring donation setup without complex data requirements.

Consider alternatives if

Your organization requires advanced, customizable financial reporting and analytics.
You have limited resources for potentially complex app setup and slower support.

Planning Center

Best for streamlined church event and ministry team management.

Choose if

You need quick, intuitive setup for church event coordination.
Your team values seamless integration with other Planning Center tools.
You want a platform tailored specifically for church leadership needs.

Consider alternatives if

You require advanced event attendee analytics beyond basic registration.
Your organization demands highly personalized data fields and customization.

Rock RMS

Best for customizable church event, donation, and member management.

Choose if

You need a flexible, open-source system tailored for church administration.
Your team requires efficient tools for event registration and community communication.
You have technical expertise to handle medium-complexity setup and customization.

Consider alternatives if

Your organization lacks technical resources for initial setup and ongoing customization.
You require extensive customer support, especially outside regular business hours.

Pushpay: Best for churches needing simple, real-time donation and payment management. Planning Center: Best for streamlined church event and ministry team management.

Description	Pushpay is designed for churches, but also works well for businesses of any type. It allows user to collect and manage payments, fees, donations, and charges. With Pushpay's real-time ... Read More about Pushpay	The Planning Center is a comprehensive, web-based software package designed from the ground up with the specific needs of church leaders in mind. It is so intuitive, churches can be up and ... Read More about Planning Center	Rock RMS (Rock Record Management System) is easy to learn, affordable, and loaded with features including, but not limited to, event registration, donation processing, member management, ... Read More about Rock RMS
Entry Level Pricing	Not Available	Not Available	Starts from $3
Free Trial Availability	No free trial	Free Trial available	No free trial
Spotsaas Score What's this? ↗	9.8/10	9.6/10	9.2/10
User Ratings Based on verified Spotsaas reviews	4 (2)	4.6 (35)	4.4 (40)
Best Company Size	Small BusinessMedium Business	Small BusinessMedium Business	Small BusinessMedium Business
	Get pricing help	Get pricing help	Get pricing help

Software Demo

Demo

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Share your priorities, budget, and team needs, and we’ll help you narrow the options and understand the tradeoffs before you talk to vendors.

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How do Pushpay, Planning Center and Rock RMS Compare on Features?

Total Features	14 Features	14 Features	13 Features
Unique Features	No unique features	No unique features	No unique features
	Get Quote	Get Quote	Get Quote

Compare Pushpay, Planning Center and Rock RMS 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	Not Available	$3
Pricing Plans	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Pricing Page		Pricing information not available
	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported	Medium Business Small Business Individuals Large Enterprises Freelancers	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)	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	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online
API Support	Available	Available	Available
	Get help choosing	Get help choosing	Get help choosing

Security & Compliance

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

HIPAA	✗ No	✗ No	—
GDPR	—	✓ Yes	—
Single Sign-On (SSO)	—	✓ Yes	—
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)	—	✓ Yes	—
Data Encryption	—	✓ Yes	—
Data Residency	🇺🇸 US	🇺🇸 US	🇺🇸 US

Pushpay vs Planning Center User Reviews & Rating Comparison

User Ratings	4 (based on 2 reviews)	4.6 (based on 35 reviews)	4.4 (based on 40 reviews)
Rating Distribution	12 16 2 0 0	17 4 0 0 0	9 12 0 0 0
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI	Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights ease of use and real-time donation tracking, tempered by concerns over reporting limitations and setup complexity. What buyers like Ease of use Real-time donation tracking Recurring donation setup Common complaints Limited reporting capabilities Complex app setup	Buyer sentiment Users generally praise the software for its ease of use, quick setup, and integration capabilities, while noting some limitations in mobile app stability and customization. What buyers like Ease of use Integration with Planning Center products Customer support Common complaints Mobile app glitches Limited customization options	Buyer sentiment Users generally appreciate Rock RMS for its comprehensive church management features and customization options, though some find setup and updates challenging. What buyers like Ease of customization Event and project management efficiency Improved communication within communities Common complaints Complexity of initial setup Limited customer support availability
Pros and Cons	Simplifies donation processing and acceptance for church members Real-time donation tracking with email receipts enhances transparency Supports recurring donations to ensure consistent funding Reporting features are limited and lack personalization App setup can be complex without clear guidance	Easy setup and intuitive user interface Customizable features with strong customer support Seamless integration with other Planning Center products Mobile app experiences glitches Users must register accounts to participate	Efficient management of church events and projects Simplifies communication within church communities Easy customization and user interface Initial setup complexity requiring technical expertise Limited customer support availability, especially after hours
Positive Reviews	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product
	Read reviews	Read reviews	Read reviews

List of Customers

Customers	Elevation Berean North Point	NewSpring Church Stonegate Fellowship Church	NewSpring Church The Village Church LifeChurch

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots	3 Screenshots	No screenshots available.	5 Screenshots
Videos	3 Videos	2 Videos	3 Videos

Alternatives

Alternatives	Planning Center Giving Tithe.ly Church Giving 4.2 Planning Center People 4.7	Breeze 4.4 Pushpay 4 ChurchTools 4.4	TouchPoint Church Management Software 4.1 Planning Center People 4.7 Planning Center 4.6

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Pushpay or Planning Center?: Planning Center edges out the other on user ratings (4.6 vs 4.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
Do Pushpay and Planning Center offer a free trial?: Planning Center offers a free trial. Pushpay does not.
What is the starting price of Pushpay vs Planning Center?: Pushpay starts at Contact for pricing. Planning Center starts at Contact for pricing.
What are the top alternatives to Pushpay?: Top alternatives to Pushpay include Planning Center Giving, Tithe.ly Church Giving, Planning Center People, ChurchTools, Church Windows.
What are the top alternatives to Planning Center?: Top alternatives to Planning Center include Breeze, Pushpay, ChurchTools, Church Windows, One Church Software.

Pushpay vs Planning Center vs Rock RMS Comparison

Pushpay

Planning Center

Rock RMS

Pushpay vs Planning Center vs Rock RMS — at a glance

Key differences between Pushpay and Planning Center

Compare Pushpay vs Planning Center vs Rock RMS — and walk away knowing which one fits.

Pushpay

Planning Center

Rock RMS

Download this Pushpay vs Planning Center vs Rock RMS comparison

Biggest differences

Description

Entry Level Pricing

Free Trial Availability

Spotsaas Score

User Ratings

Best Company Size

Software Demo

Demo

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

How big is your team?

How do Pushpay, Planning Center and Rock RMS Compare on Features?

Compare Pushpay, Planning Center and Rock RMS on pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported

Platforms Supported

Modes of support

API Support

Security & Compliance

Pushpay vs Planning Center User Reviews & Rating Comparison

List of Customers

Customers

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots

Videos

Alternatives

Related Blogs and Articles for Church Management Software

Frequently asked questions