Planning Center
Planning Center is a church ministry platform with products for people management, events, worship planning, donations, groups, and church apps.
What Planning Center is
Planning Center is a church ministry platform with products for people management, events, worship planning, donations, groups, and church apps. People brings together membership information and ministry activity such as attendance, giving, and volunteering. Services helps with worship planning, volunteer scheduling, team communication, and rehearsals. Other listed capabilities include group management, event registration, child check-in, and SMS messaging. Free plans are listed for Calendar, People, and Services: Calendar includes 1 room, People provides an unlimited database and reporting, and Services includes 5 team members and 100MB storage. Services pricing is based on the number of people accessing the system, while plans include unlimited feature access, teams, service types, and plans. The Services mobile app supports iOS and Android phones and tablets, but not Windows devices. Listed integrations include SongSelect, PraiseCharts, Checkr, Mailchimp, Zapier, third-party tools, and an open API. Planning Center states that it is SOC 2 Type 2 certified and PCI Level One compliant, encrypts data in transit and at rest, and uses a multilayered backup strategy.
Good
- People centralizes attendance, giving, and volunteer activity
- Services supports scheduling and team communication
- Free plans are listed for Calendar, People, and Services
- Free customer and noncustomer support is available
- Services app supports iOS and Android phones and tablets
Watch out
- Calendar's free plan includes 1 room
- Services' free plan includes 5 team members and 100MB storage
- Services mobile app is not compatible with Windows devices
- Services pricing depends on the number of system users
Who it suits
Planning Center suits churches looking for tools spanning membership, worship services, groups, events, and donations. Its products are described as suitable for churches of any size, from small neighborhood congregations to those with multiple campuses.
Verdict
Planning Center covers several church operations in one platform, with dedicated people and worship-planning tools and a set of free product plans. Churches should consider the Services user-based pricing and its mobile app's lack of Windows support.
Plans and prices
From Planning Center's own pricing page, checked 30 Sep 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| People | Free | Unlimited database and reporting |
| Services | Free | 5 team members · 100MB storage |
| Services Free | Free | 5 team members · 100MB storage · unlimited features, teams, service types and plans · Free |
| Calendar | Free | 1 room |
| Services 20 | $15 a month | 20 team members · 2GB storage · $15/mo. |
| Services 50 | $32 a month | 50 team members · 4GB storage · $32/mo. |
| Services 150 | $69 a month | 150 team members · 10GB storage · $69/mo. |
| Services 400 | $115 a month | 400 team members · 30GB storage · $115/mo. |
| Services 1000 | $179 a month | 1,000 team members · 60GB storage · $179/mo. |
| Services | $239 a month | Unlimited team members · 200GB storage · $239/mo. |
| Services Unlimited | $239 a month | Unlimited team members · 200GB storage · $239/mo. |
The facts
Each one read from Planning Center's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API documentation and SDK
- The API follows JSON:API 1.0, and the public developer repository documents OAuth, personal-token authentication and a Ruby pco_api gem.checked 15 Oct 2026
- API scope
- The public API currently covers Calendar, Check-Ins, Giving, Groups, People and Services, with more endpoints planned.checked 15 Oct 2026
- API tooling
- Developers can create OAuth applications, personal access tokens, webhooks and use an API Explorer; the API is available on free subscription tiers.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Calendar feature
- Calendar centralizes events, rooms and resources and supports approvals, iCal feeds, templates and synchronization with other products.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Check-Ins feature
- Check-Ins handles child check-in and checkout, labels, security codes, emergency texting, medical notes, live updates and attendance reporting.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Giving fees
- US Giving and event payments charge 2.15% plus $0.30 for cards and 0% plus $0.30 for ACH, with an additional 1.5% for international cards.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Groups feature
- Groups supports group signups, attendance, chat, events, resources, reports, permissions and confidential groups.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The integrations directory includes services such as BoxCast, Checkr, Mailchimp, PraiseCharts, SongSelect, Zapier, Clearstream and ProPresenter; most connections are maintained by third parties.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Planning Center describes its products as suitable for churches of any size, including small neighborhood churches and churches with multiple campuses.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Limit: account merging
- Planning Center has no built-in way to merge organization accounts, and Services media and songs must be moved manually.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: G2 complexity and mobile gaps
- G2 reviewers repeatedly mention choice overload, limited customization, cumbersome sign-in, unreliable media links and functions that require desktop access.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: language support
- Planning Center says its documentation, videos and support are English-only and it has no immediate plans for additional languages.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: service outages
- Planning Center's status history records an October 12–13, 2026 incident where some iOS users could not load chat conversations, resolved through app updates.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Mobile compatibility
- The Services mobile app supports iOS and Android phones and tablets; the Services page says it is not compatible with Windows devices.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Notable news: October 2026 changelog
- Recent releases include People search by phone or email on October 13, personal-access-token admin controls on October 12 and event approval requirements on October 7, 2026.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Over-limit behavior
- The pricing page says accounts continue to work if a plan limit is exceeded and the organization receives an upgrade suggestion if it exceeds the limit more than once.checked 30 Sep 2026
The company
- Company facts
- The legal entity is Ministry Centered Technologies, Inc.; LinkedIn lists it as privately held, founded in 2006 and based in Carlsbad, California, and Planning Center says Jeff Berg owns it.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Company history
- Planning Center says it was formed in 2006 by founders Jeff Berg and Aaron Stewart.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Founded
- 2006checked 23 Sep 2026
- Headquarters
- Carlsbad, California, United Stateschecked 23 Sep 2026
- Ownership and scale
- Planning Center says it is founder-owned, bootstrapped, debt-free and not for sale; it reports 78,000 active churches, 4 million users and 200+ employees.checked 15 Oct 2026
Money
- Free access and trial
- Every product has a free tier, and a new account receives its first 30 days free; People remains free without a people-count limit.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Capterra cost and workflow friction
- Capterra reviewers cite rising modular costs, navigation or workflow friction, duplicate profiles, form limitations and occasional bugs.checked 15 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Mobile app
- The Planning Center mobile app provides dashboards, tasks, push notifications and product access, but dashboard editing requires a web browser.checked 15 Oct 2026
The full review of Planning Center
Overview
Planning Center is a collection of church operations tools, spanning member records, worship planning, events, giving, groups, and church apps. It is best suited to congregations that want several ministry workflows under one roof; the trade-off is that Services pricing depends on the number of people accessing it, and its mobile app excludes Windows devices.
Formed in 2006 by Jeff Berg and Aaron Stewart, the company is based in Carlsbad, California. Planning Center positions its products for churches ranging from small neighborhood congregations to multi-campus organizations. Its freemium model includes free product plans, paid plans from $5/mo, and a 30-day trial.
For a broader comparison, consider Church Management Software.
Key features
People records
People brings membership information together with attendance, giving, and volunteering activity. That central record is useful for churches that need a shared view of participation, though the free plan's unlimited database and reporting are more compelling for recordkeeping than a complete picture of what every product costs as a church grows.
Worship planning and volunteer coordination
Services combines worship planning with volunteer scheduling, team communication, and rehearsal tools. Plans provide unlimited feature access, teams, service types, and plans, so the pricing distinction is based on how many people access the system rather than restricting those capabilities. This favors congregations with many service teams, but the user-based pricing makes access growth a budget consideration.
Connected operations
The platform also covers events, donations, groups, and church apps. Group management, event registration, child check-in, SMS messaging, and volunteer scheduling are among its capabilities. Listed integrations include SongSelect, PraiseCharts, Checkr, Mailchimp, and Zapier, alongside third-party tools; an open API offers another integration route.
Security and support
Planning Center states that it is SOC 2 Type 2 certified and PCI Level One compliant, encrypts data in transit and at rest, and uses a multilayered backup strategy. Support is free for customers and noncustomers, with a stated response time of about one business hour on weekdays and a weekend crew for emergencies. Accounts continue working after exceeding a plan limit; an upgrade suggestion follows if the organization exceeds that limit more than once.
Pricing
The free plans provide useful starting points, but their individual caps matter: Calendar is free for one room, People is free with an unlimited database and reporting, and Services is free for five team members with 100MB of storage. These are product-specific plans, not one blanket allowance across the platform. Paid plans start at $5/mo, and a 30-day trial is offered. Services pricing is based on the number of people with system access, even though its plans include unlimited feature access, teams, service types, and plans. Churches should therefore weigh how broadly they need to grant access, rather than assuming that unlimited teams mean unlimited users at one price.
The stated 75-member limit is relevant when evaluating capacity, while the pricing page's over-limit behavior means exceeding a plan cap does not immediately stop an account from working. The upgrade prompt after repeated overages still makes choosing a plan with enough headroom important.
Platforms
Planning Center supports Android, iOS, web, and API access. The Services mobile app runs on iOS and Android phones and tablets but is not compatible with Windows devices, which rules it out for teams relying on Windows tablets for mobile worship workflows.
Who it's for
Planning Center is a strong fit for churches that want membership records and worship-team coordination alongside events, giving, groups, and other church operations. Its free Calendar, People, and Services tiers let organizations start with distinct tools before moving to paid plans. Churches should look elsewhere if Windows compatibility is essential or if user-based Services pricing does not suit their access needs.
Readers comparing specific workflows can also browse Church Directory Software, Church Check-In Software, Small Group Management Software, Church Volunteer Management Software, and Church Website Builders.
Pros and cons
- Pros: People includes unlimited database and reporting on its free plan, giving churches room to maintain records without an immediate database cap.
- Pros: Services includes unlimited teams, service types, plans, and feature access, making its user-based pricing more relevant than limits on worship-planning structure.
- Pros: Free support extends to noncustomers, with a stated weekday response time of about one business hour and emergency weekend coverage.
- Cons: The free Services plan is limited to five team members and 100MB storage, so it may not cover broader coordination needs.
- Cons: Services pricing scales with the number of people accessing it, which can make wide access a cost factor.
- Cons: The Services app does not support Windows devices.
Alternatives
ChMeetings is worth comparing for churches that prefer a free tier capped at 50 people and 50 donations per month, with a listed V. Small plan at $12 a month. Tithely Giving is a more focused option for churches prioritizing donations: its Free Giving plan has no monthly fees, applies transaction fees, and allows unlimited donations; Giving + Church Management is $72 a month.
Faith Teams has a free account for up to 100 active people, with online giving activation required within 30 days of sign-up. ChurchTrac may suit churches seeking a paid plan with desktop platform support; its 75-people plan is $29 a month and supports Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows.
FellowshipOne is another church software option with custom pricing. Rock RMS is a free, self-hosted alternative with a recommended donation of $4.45 per average weekend attendee per year. ChurchSuite starts with its Solo plan at $15.50 a month for 0–99 active contacts and the Address Book module. ChurchTools offers a Package XS plan at $39 a month for 100 people, with no additional campuses, 10 resources, 20 rosters, and paid add-ons for Sync and LDAP Service.
Verdict
Planning Center is a sensible choice for churches that want connected people records and worship-planning tools with free entry points for several products. Its strongest case is breadth paired with substantial free People and Services functionality; its clearest reasons to look elsewhere are the access-based Services cost model and the lack of Windows support in the Services app.
Getting started
- Visit https://www.planningcenter.com/.
- Choose among the Calendar, People, or Services free plans, or review paid access from $5/mo.
- Use the 30-day trial if evaluating a paid option.
- Access the Services mobile app on an iOS or Android phone or tablet.
- Connect relevant tools through listed integrations or the open API.
Limits worth knowing
The free Calendar plan includes one room, while free People includes an unlimited database and reporting. Free Services includes five team members and 100MB storage; a 75-member limit is also listed. Services pricing depends on the number of people accessing the system.
Questions
Does Planning Center have a free plan?
Yes. Free plans are listed for Calendar, People, and Services.
What does the free Services plan include?
It includes five team members and 100MB of storage.
Which platforms support the Services mobile app?
It supports iOS and Android phones and tablets, and is not compatible with Windows devices.
Does Planning Center offer integrations or an API?
Listed integrations include SongSelect, PraiseCharts, Checkr, Mailchimp, Zapier, and third-party tools. Planning Center also offers an open API.
What security measures does Planning Center state it uses?
It says it is SOC 2 Type 2 certified and PCI Level One compliant, encrypts data in transit and at rest, and uses a multilayered backup strategy.
Alternatives to Planning Center
- 1
ChurchCMS
Free planOpen sourceAndroidWebAPISelf-hosted8.3From $290 a year - 2
ChurchTrac
AndroidiOSWebmacOS8.0From $7 a month - 3
KingdomERP
Free planAndroidiOSWeb7.9From 3,000 ZMW a year - 4
ChurchSuite
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.8From $15.50 a month - 5
Flocknote
Free planiOSWeb7.8From $10 a month - 6
ChurchPlan
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI7.5From $99 a month