ChurchCMS
8.3#2 in church event management softwareFrom $290 a yearFree planAndroidWebAPISelf-hosted
VisitChurchCMS vs Congregate
Congregate
7.6#7 in church directory softwareFrom $10 a monthAndroidiOSWebAPI
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | ChurchCMS | Congregate |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | Communication features include push, SMS and in-app messages, targeted announcements, birthday and anniversary greetings and daily scripture. | The platform supports email messaging, premium SMS messaging, and premium text-to-speech voice messages. |
| Documentation | Documentation covers Laravel web/API setup, browser and CLI installers, Android installation, requirements, troubleshooting and module guides. | Support provides quick-start guides, feature documentation, tutorial videos, FAQs, launch instructions, and ticket support. |
| Intended users | ChurchCMS says it was designed for small and medium churches and has no minimum congregation size. | Congregate describes its service as built for local churches and their visitors, members, and leaders. |
| Licence | ChurchCMS and its Android app are presented as MIT-licensed code that can be modified, forked, commercially deployed and white-labelled. | Terms assign Congregate platform intellectual-property rights to Congregate and its licensors and prohibit copying, reverse engineering, and derivative works. |
| Member management | Its CRM includes searchable member profiles, family relationships, giving and attendance history, messaging, and printable QR membership cards. | Features include a member directory, attendance tracking, visitor registration and follow-up, and a leadership CRM. |
| Mobile app | The branded Android app offers profiles, events, sermons, giving, messaging, prayer requests and push notifications. | The native members app is available for iPhone, iPad, and Android and includes member modules, directory, Bible, and sermon audio. |
| Security | Official material states SSL support, bcrypt password hashing, managed-hosting backups and security monitoring; it also claims GDPR-oriented data ownership. | The service supports two-factor authentication for administrators and members. |
| Support | Support is offered through email and WhatsApp, GitHub discussions/issues and optional installation or managed-hosting services. | Free technical support is included in every service plan, and the company says it responds to support tickets within 24 hours or less. |
| System requirements | The getting-started page lists PHP 8.1 or newer, MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.3 or newer, a domain and SSL certificate. | Congregate Admin runs in a modern browser on a computer, tablet, or phone and requires an internet connection. |
ChurchCMS plans
- Self-HostedFree
- Self-Host It YourselfFree
- Managed Hosting Monthly$29 a month
- Managed Hosting$29 a month
- Installation Service$99, paid once
- We Install It For You$99, paid once
Congregate plans
- Virtual Library$10 a month
- Sermon Transcriptions$15 a month
- Economy$20 a month
- Members Only$20 a month
- Voice Messaging$25 a month
- Text Messaging$25 a month
Pick ChurchCMS if…
You want what its maker publishes above — check its page for the details.
Pick Congregate if…
You want what its maker publishes above — check its page for the details.