The Complete Guide to Church Giving Software (2025)
More than 70% of American adults no longer carry cash regularly. For churches that depend primarily on plate-passing or cash boxes, that statistic represents a generosity gap that's growing every year. Church giving software closes that gap — but choosing the right platform and implementing it well makes an enormous difference in outcomes.
What Is Church Giving Software?
Church giving software (also called church giving platforms or online giving tools) enables congregations to collect donations digitally through websites, mobile apps, text messages, and giving kiosks. The best platforms also include giving management features: recurring donation management, donor profiles, fund tracking, giving statements, and detailed financial reporting.
The Business Case for Digital Giving
Churches often wonder whether the investment in giving software is worth it. The data is clear:
- Churches with digital giving report an average 10–30% increase in total annual giving
- Recurring givers contribute 42% more annually than one-time givers
- Mobile giving is now the preferred method for donors under 45
- 75% of donors who cover transaction fees continue to do so when prompted
Even at a 10% giving increase, a church averaging $10,000/month in giving would see $1,000/month additional — easily covering $100/month in platform fees.
Types of Church Giving Software
Standalone Giving Platforms
Platforms like Tithe.ly started as pure giving tools. They offer deep expertise in donation optimization, mobile UX, and generosity analytics but may not include a full member management system.
ChMS-Integrated Giving
Platforms like Planning Center Giving, Breeze Giving, and Pushpay combine giving tools with a full church management system (member directory, events, volunteer scheduling). This integration means giving history is tied directly to member profiles — valuable for pastoral follow-up and stewardship conversations.
How Church Giving Fees Work
Every platform charges transaction fees — a percentage of each donation. Understanding this math is critical:
| Payment Method | Typical Fee Range | On a $100 Gift |
|---|---|---|
| Credit/Debit Card | 2.3% – 2.9% + $0.30 | $2.60 – $3.20 |
| ACH Bank Transfer | 0.8% – 1% + $0.30 | $1.10 – $1.30 |
| Google/Apple Pay | Same as card | $2.60 – $3.20 |
The fee-coverage option: Most platforms allow donors to optionally cover transaction fees by adding a small amount to their gift. Studies show 60–80% of donors choose to cover fees when prompted. This feature alone can recover your entire platform cost from fees.
Key Features to Prioritize
1. Mobile Giving
The most important feature in 2025. Your giving experience must be fast and frictionless on a smartphone. Tithe.ly has the best mobile UX — most donors can complete a gift in under 30 seconds.
2. Text-to-Give
Members text a dollar amount to your church's dedicated number and receive a secure link to complete the gift. Highly effective during services for first-time givers. Best implementation: display the text number on screen during the offering moment.
3. Recurring Gifts
Encourage members to set up weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly automatic gifts. Recurring givers are more likely to continue giving through attendance dips, vacations, and church transitions. Prioritize platforms that make setting up recurring gifts as easy as setting up a one-time gift.
4. Fund Management
Allow donors to designate gifts to specific funds: general budget, missions, building fund, youth ministry. Fund management helps churches track restricted giving and report back to donors on how their gifts were used.
5. Year-End Giving Statements
Automated, customizable year-end tax statements (required for donors who give $250+). Good platforms generate and email these automatically. Bad ones require hours of manual work.
6. Giving Kiosks
iPad-based kiosks in your lobby for members who want to give on-site without cash. Particularly valuable for first-time visitors who want to give during a visit. Tithe.ly and Pushpay have the best kiosk implementations.
Implementation: Setting Up Your First Giving Campaign
Once you've chosen a platform, here's a proven launch sequence:
- Week 1: Set up your account, configure funds, test the donation flow end-to-end
- Week 2: Soft launch — enable giving on your website, email the congregation with instructions
- Week 3: Announce text-to-give from the pulpit during service. Display QR code and text number on screen during the offering
- Week 4: Run a "recurring giving challenge" — encourage members to set up their first auto-gift
- Month 2: Analyze your first month of data. What % gave digitally? What's the average digital gift? How many recurring givers?
Strategies to Grow Digital Generosity
- Make it visible: Put giving buttons everywhere — website header, sermon notes, email newsletter, church app
- Celebrate digital givers: When appropriate, acknowledge the growth in digital giving (without shaming cash givers)
- Offer giving education: Some members don't know digital giving exists or how to use it. A simple tutorial video goes a long way
- Year-end campaigns: Q4 giving campaigns with a matching gift or specific goal can significantly boost year-end totals
- Mobile app: A custom church app (available via Tithe.ly for $99/month) with integrated giving increases giving frequency among app users
Our Recommendations
After testing multiple platforms, these are our top picks for church giving:
- Tithe.ly — Best overall for most churches. Free to start, best mobile experience.
- Pushpay — Best for large churches (500+ members) needing enterprise features.
- Planning Center Giving — Best if you're already using Planning Center for ChMS.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage does church giving software take?
How do I encourage church members to give online?
What is recurring giving for churches?
Start Growing Digital Giving Today
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