RollCall

RollCall is an attendance tool for groups that want members to check themselves in and leaders to follow arrivals live. It is best suited to small churches, youth groups and community programmes; the free plan is practical for up to 30 members, but larger groups face a meaningful feature lockout.

Overview

RollCall focuses on arrival and departure records rather than broad group administration. Members enter their names at a check-in screen, choose a match and confirm; leaders can watch attendance update as people arrive. Newcomers can register on site, so the process can accommodate people who are not already in the group records.

Optional sign-out adds departure times and shows leaders who is still on site and how long each person stayed. That makes RollCall a stronger fit for programmes where knowing who remains matters, not just counting arrivals. It is less compelling for organisations seeking a full church-management system.

Key features

Groups can use a kiosk-style screen or offer a QR code or shared link for check-in through a phone browser. Duplicate protection helps prevent repeat arrivals. During brief internet outages, the check-in device continues working and syncs records once the connection returns, a useful safeguard for sessions where connectivity is unreliable.

The Planning Center integration imports people and check-in history, and can add newly registered RollCall members back to Planning Center. Attendance recorded in RollCall does not sync back, however. Groups that need a two-way attendance record should choose a different workflow or be prepared to manage that gap.

Group data is hosted on Google Firebase in Sydney, Australia. RollCall says data is encrypted in transit and at rest, group databases are isolated with security rules, and member data is neither sold nor used for advertising. The service is operated from Christchurch under New Zealand's Privacy Act 2020. Email support is included on Free; Pro adds priority support, with support currently provided directly by the founder.

Pricing

RollCall Free costs nothing and includes one group, up to 30 members, unlimited leaders, full check-in and kiosk mode, optional sign-out, leader portals and member profiles, session history, CSV import and export, and email support. For a small group, that is a substantial working tier rather than a time-limited demo. But once a Free group exceeds 30 members, check-in and registration continue while reports and the full member list lock until it upgrades or returns to 30 active members.

RollCall Pro is billed at $9.99/month at the launch price, with a $19.99/month standard price; yearly billing is $107.89/year. It includes 150 members, with each additional 50 costing $9.99, unlimited groups, full reports and attendance charts, a session planner and activities bank, streak tracking, custom colours and wording, and priority support. It suits organisations that need more than one group or reporting beyond the free tier. The launch price is distinct from the standard monthly price, so buyers should account for the stated $19.99/month standard rate. A 14-day trial is available.

The free tier gives up reports and full member-list access above its cap; Pro removes the one-group restriction and raises capacity but still charges for each additional block of 50 members. Groups with a larger roster should weigh that scaling cost against the value of the reporting and planning features.

Platforms

RollCall is available on Android, iOS and the web. Phone-browser check-in through a QR code or link can reduce reliance on a shared kiosk, while leaders can use the web or mobile apps to access the service.

Who it's for

RollCall fits churches, sports clubs, youth groups, community organisations, events and programmes that need a focused way to record attendance and optionally track departures. It is particularly suitable for small groups that can stay within the free-plan member cap, or for larger organisations willing to pay for reports, multiple groups and additional member capacity. It is not the right choice for teams that require RollCall attendance to flow back into Planning Center.

Pros and cons

• Useful arrival and departure visibility: Live check-ins and optional sign-out help leaders see who has arrived, who remains and how long members stayed.
• Flexible entry for guests: Door registration and QR or link-based phone check-in work for groups where not everyone is on the roster in advance.
• Free for a small group: Up to 30 members get a full check-in workflow, unlimited leaders and one group without a subscription.
• Free-plan lockout above 30: Check-in continues, but reports and the full member list become inaccessible until the group upgrades or reduces active membership.
• One-way Planning Center sync: Imports and new-member returns help with roster setup, but RollCall attendance does not travel back.
• Pro capacity has incremental cost: The plan includes 150 members, then charges $9.99 per additional 50, which matters for growing groups.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Small Group Management Software.

Church Central Cloud is worth considering for a church seeking member profiles and storage alongside a free tier of up to 10 members; its Foundation plan is $15 a month.

ChurchSoftware.com Groups may suit eligible 501(c)(3) organizations seeking a free church-management plan without a trial, though its free plan does not include attendance tracking.

Planning Center is the natural alternative for groups that want to use Planning Center directly rather than rely on RollCall's one-way integration; its People plan is free with an unlimited database and reporting.

TimelyChurch offers a free tier for up to 100 people and a Growth plan at $49 a month for organisations needing a higher stated free capacity or paid growth tier.

Trellis is an option for groups prioritising unlimited members, groups and staff on its $35 a month paid plan, with an additional $10.00 per month per staff account.

Arbor is aimed at individuals and groups seeking faith-oriented tools such as a Bible, prayer journal and daily challenges rather than RollCall's attendance workflow.

GroupVitals suits web-only teams comparing group-count pricing: its free tier covers 0–5 groups, while 6–25 groups cost $49 a month.

HolyJot is a free alternative for individuals and churches focused on journaling and faith conversations.

Verdict

Choose RollCall if your group needs straightforward self-service check-in, live attendance and optional departure tracking, especially if 30 members or fewer can use the free plan. Its focused workflow, guest registration and brief-outage support make it a sensible fit for recurring programmes. Look elsewhere if you need reports on the free plan above 30 members, a two-way Planning Center attendance sync, or a broader management suite.