Congregate
7.6#7 in church directory softwareFrom $10 a monthAndroidiOSWebAPI
VisitCongregate vs Planning Center
Planning Center
8.4#1 in church event management softwareFrom $15 a monthFree planAndroidiOSWebAPI
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | Congregate | Planning Center |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | The Congregate service was launched in 2009. | 2006 |
| Integrations | Congregate supports embedded or linked live-stream and online-giving providers and offers Google Analytics and Google Maps API settings. | The integrations directory includes services such as BoxCast, Checkr, Mailchimp, PraiseCharts, SongSelect, Zapier, Clearstream and ProPresenter; most connections are maintained by third parties. |
| Intended users | Congregate describes its service as built for local churches and their visitors, members, and leaders. | Planning Center describes its products as suitable for churches of any size, including small neighborhood churches and churches with multiple campuses. |
| Mobile app | The native members app is available for iPhone, iPad, and Android and includes member modules, directory, Bible, and sermon audio. | The Planning Center mobile app provides dashboards, tasks, push notifications and product access, but dashboard editing requires a web browser. |
| Rating on Apple App Store | 3.9 out of 5 from 19 ratings | 4.6 out of 5 from 34 ratings |
| Rating on Google Play | 2.4 out of 5 from 20 reviews | 4.1 out of 5 from 8,200 reviews |
| Security | The service supports two-factor authentication for administrators and members. | Planning Center states 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. |
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
Planning Center plans
- PeopleFree
- ServicesFree
- Services FreeFree
- CalendarFree
- Services 20$15 a month
- Services 50$32 a month
Pick Congregate if…
You want what its maker publishes above — check its page for the details.
Pick Planning Center if…
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.