7 best church accounting software: Pros, cons, & costs

‍

Practicing good stewardship is essential for maintaining the health of every church. When it comes to managing church finances, having the right church account software can make all the difference. For pastors, it ensures financial transparency and the ability to focus on spiritual matters, free from financial fretting. For staff and accountants, it streamlines fiscal reporting, ensuring every tithe, offering, and expense is recorded with precision.

With so many options to choose from, finding the right church software for accounting can feel like a daunting process. But don’t worry, we’ve done the research for you!

Let’s take a look at the top 7 software for church accounting, their features, costs, along with their pros and cons. 

Top 7 best church accounting software

Chances are if you are a U.S.-based church, you’ve heard of QuickBooks Online. They are the leader in the cloud accounting space for small businesses and nonprofits. In addition to standard accounting features—like chart of accounts, expense tracking, profit and loss, and balance sheet financial reports—Quickbooks also offers features that are particularly beneficial for churches like tracking donations for specific missions, managing expenses for community projects, or allocating funds for future endeavors.

QuickBooks offers a structured yet flexible framework. This ensures not just accuracy, but also transparency—a trait essential for maintaining trust within the congregation and with external donors. So, you can have a close-up of your churches’ finances and make informed data-driven decisions. 

Pros:

• Popularity: One of the most widely used accounting software solutions. This also means you’ll have no problem finding controllers, accountants, or bookkeepers, who are familiar with Quickbooks, to help with your churches’ finances.  
• Ease of use: Quickbooks is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly.
• Integrations: There are thousands of third-party apps and integrations in their app ecosystem. So, it can integrate with all of the software your church is already using. 
• Accessibility: It is cloud-based, so can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.
• Regular updates & maintenance: The software gets regular updates and new feature rollouts.

Cons:

• Limited customization: While user-friendly, it is not as customizable as enterprise-grade ERP solutions, like Netsuite.  
• Not designed for mega churches: It is designed for small businesses. If you have lots of financial data, a million plus members in your congregation or over $10 million in annual revenue, you’ll likely run into some limitations. 
• Performance issues: Some users have reported occasional slowdowns and performance hiccups.
• Subpar support: If you go on software review sites, like Capterra, you’ll find many customers complaining about the quality and responsiveness of Quickbooks’ support team. 

Pricing 

Quickbooks Online has a 30-day free trial. Pricing starts at $15 per month for their lowest plan. 

While it is not publicized on their website, many sources say that Quickbooks has a discount for nonprofits and churches. 

Xero is a popular church accounting software choice for ministries in Australia and New Zealand, and they’re gaining market share in the U.S. 

Xero is the most customer-friendly and adaptable software for small businesses. While not exclusively designed for churches, its flexibility ensures it can cater to various organization types. Its financial management and reporting tools are robust enough to handle complex financial scenarios yet intuitive enough for those not deeply versed in accounting. 

Churches can customize the platform to align with their specific needs, whether it's tracking donations for a particular outreach program, managing expenses for a community event, or integrating with other software tools used by the church. Plus, it is easy to delegate specific tasks with defined user types to different church staff, so you can streamline processes.  

Pros:

• User-friendly, flexible interface: Xero is known for its clean and intuitive design, making it easy even for non-accountants to navigate.
• Cloud-based: Being a cloud solution, Xero can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, providing flexibility to users. All financial data is updated in real-time, allowing businesses to have a live view of their financial health.
• Integrations: Similar to Quickbooks, Xero has a vast ecosystem of third-party apps and integrations, which means businesses can extend its functionality according to their needs.
• Automated features: Features like Chart of Accounts and bank reconciliation are largely automated, saving users a significant amount of time.
• Multi-currency support: Xero supports multiple currencies, which is beneficial for businesses with international operations.
• Regular maintenance & updates: The platform is continuously improved with regular feature updates and enhancements.

Cons:

• Not designed specifically for churches: Xero was specifically built for SMBs not churches. While it is an adaptable software, this can sometimes mean limited customization in terms of financial statements or specific accounting functionalities. And it also lacks many enterprise-grade features.  
• Not designed for businesses or nonprofits doing over $10M in annual revenue: While the cloud-based nature is a pro for accessibility, some users have reported occasional slowdowns, especially when dealing with large volumes of data.  
• Inventory management: While Xero does offer inventory management features, they might not be as comprehensive as some churches might need, pushing them to seek third-party integrations.

Pricing: 

Xero pricing starts at $15 per month for their lowest plan. You can often get a 50% discount for the first three months. They also have a generous free trial. 

Wave is a great option if you are looking for a simple, easy-to-use, budget-friendly accounting software. That’s because all of their accounting features, except payments and payroll, are free-to-use. 

From expense tracking to basic financial reporting, small churches can manage their financial operations without needing an accounting degree. 

However, it's essential to recognize that while Wave offers fundamental accounting tools for free, it might not encompass advanced features or specialized functionalities tailored for larger churches or those with more intricate financial operations. 

Pros:

• Free options: Wave's primary accounting, invoicing, and receipt-tracking features are free, making it appealing for small churches on a budget.
• Ease of use: Wave offers an intuitive interface that's user-friendly, particularly for those without a background in accounting.
• Cloud-based: Just like Xero and Quickbooks, this means users can access their data from any device with an internet connection, providing flexibility and ease of access.
• Automated features: Features such as recurring billing and automatic expense tracking help automate some of the tedious parts of financial management.
• Regular maintenance & new feature rollouts: Wave is continuously updated and improved based on user feedback and the evolving needs of small businesses.

Cons:

• Limited features for larger organizations: While perfect for small businesses, as an organization grows, they might find Wave lacking in more advanced features.‍
• Not designed specifically for churches: Xero was specifically built for small service businesses not churches. While it is an adaptable software, this can sometimes mean limited customization in terms of reports or specific accounting functionalities. And it also lacks many enterprise-grade features.  ‍
• Payment & payroll costs: While the core software is free, Wave charges for payment processing and payroll services, which can add up depending on the volume of transactions.‍
• Limited integrations: Compared to Xero and Quickbooks, Wave does not have as extensive a range of third-party integrations.
• ‍Ads in the dashboard: Given its free nature, Wave does display ads within the software, which some users might find distracting.
• ‍No inventory tracking: Churches that need robust inventory management features will find Wave lacking in this area.‍
• Subpar support: Some users have mentioned that while Wave offers support, the response times or quality of support do not always meet their expectations.

Pricing

It is free to use their accounting features. If you want to use their non-charitable payments functionality, it is $1 per bank transaction or 2.9% + $0.60 for credit cards. And 3.4% + $0.60 for AMEX transactions.  

Unlike most cloud church accounting software, IconCMO is tailored specifically for the unique needs of churches and religious organizations. Its core architecture considers the operational style, fund accounting necessities, and member management intricacies typical of churches. This ensures that churches don't have to retrofit a generic solution to their distinct needs. 

It is also cloud-based, so church staff can access financial information, member directories, or donation records in real-time wherever they are. 

With robust features—like detailed financial reporting and congregation communication tools—churches can have a holistic software solution that goes beyond mere accounting. 

Pros:

• Tailored for churches: IconCMO is specifically designed for the financial management needs of churches. 
• Integrated modules: It combines several functionalities such as membership management, contributions, fund accounting, and event scheduling in a single platform.
• Cloud-based: Church staff and leaders can access data from any location with an internet connection, promoting flexibility and remote access.
• Affordable: Given its niche targeting, its pricing is usually more affordable for churches compared to broader enterprise software.
• Fund accounting: The software incorporates fund accounting, which is crucial for nonprofit entities like churches to keep track of designated funds.
• Data security: IconCMO places a significant emphasis on ensuring that the data (especially donation and member information) is secure.
• Responsive support: Many users appreciate the responsive and helpful customer support provided.

Cons:

• Steep learning curve: Many users on review sites report a steep learning curve.  
• Outdated design: Some users have commented that the user interface, while functional, feels a bit dated and could be more intuitive.
• Fewer software updates: While the software is updated, some users feel that the frequency or the scope of updates isn't as aggressive as some of their larger competitors. 
• Limited integrations: Given its niche nature, it doesn’t have as many third-party integrations as many of the other solutions on this list. 

Pricing: 

Pricing is usage/membership based. So, the lowest usage plans start at $35 per month or $385 for the year. This doesn’t include SMS messaging or payroll.  

While it is not designed specifically for churches or nonprofits, Zoho Books is one of the most versatile and adaptable cloud accounting solutions. Zoho’s dedicated suite of products means churches don't have to juggle multiple software platforms to manage different financial activities. 

From tracking expenses for community outreach programs to handling income from various church events, Zoho Books provides a one-stop solution that can cater to a church's multifaceted financial landscape.

Plus, with many churches operating under tight budgets, cost can be a significant deciding factor when choosing accounting software. Zoho Books offers a balance between functionality and affordability, ensuring churches get the necessary tools without straining their finances. Additionally, the platform's automated workflows and banking integrations can significantly reduce manual data entry and administrative overhead. 

Pros:

• Ease of use: Zoho Books offers an intuitive UI/UX that makes it accessible for church staff that don’t have an accounting or finance background. 
• Comprehensive features: It provides a wide array of features, from invoicing and expense tracking to inventory management and bank reconciliation.
• Affordable: Zoho Books is the only option, outside of Wave, with a free version. Their paid plans are also affordable. 
• Integration with Zoho Suite: If an organization is using other Zoho products (like Zoho CRM or Zoho Projects), integration is seamless. 
• Cloud-based: Being an online platform, it offers the flexibility to access financial data from anywhere and on any device with an internet connection.
• Multi-currency & multi-user support: Zoho Books supports transactions in multiple currencies and allows for multi-user collaboration, which is great for churches with bigger teams. 
• Automations: You can set up workflow automations for regular tasks, saving time and reducing errors.

Cons:

• Limited scalability: While great for small to medium enterprises, larger organizations might find Zoho Books lacking in certain advanced features.
• Not built specifically for churches: On the one hand, Zoho Books is one of the most adaptable solutions in this guide. However, as a church, you’ll likely need to customize a bunch of things. And you still might not be happy with the level of customizations you can do, especially in reporting. 
• Integration with non-Zoho apps: While it does offer integrations, the range might not be as extensive as some competitors, especially for apps outside the Zoho ecosystem.
• Learning curve: As with any software, there can be a learning curve initially, especially if you are new to accounting software.
• Performance: A few users have noted occasional slowdowns, particularly when handling large volumes of data or complex operations.

Pricing: 

Zoho Books has a limited free plan that is designed for businesses doing under $50,000 in annual revenue. Paid plans start per month for up to 3 users in an organization. 

Aplos is an accounting software designed specifically for nonprofits, including churches. At its core, you have features, like fund accounting, donation tracking, and member management. This trifecta ensures that churches can manage designated funds like missions or building projects, track tithes and offerings seamlessly, and maintain a detailed database of their congregation. 

Pros:

• Built for churches & nonprofits: Aplos is designed specifically for nonprofits, churches, and ministries.
• Intuitive: It is an easy-to-use interface with no accounting jargon. 
• Fund accounting: This enables your staff to track funds separately and generate fund-specific reports.
• Integrated donor management: This makes it easy to accept online donations and handle all aspects of donor management in one platform. 

Cons:

• Not scalable: Compared to many of the other solutions, you’ll be more likely to outgrow it as your congregation expands or if you have a large amount of data and reporting requirements. 
• Limited integrations: Unlike other solutions, there aren’t many third-party apps that integrate with it. 
• Pricing: It is more expensive than other solutions on this list. And you get less features for the price you pay. They also charge for some features, like text-to-give, that Subsplash Giving offers for free. 

Pricing:

They have a 15-day free trial. However, you need to contact sales to get pricing details.   

Sage Intacct, with its cloud-based architecture, is particularly beneficial for large churches that need centralized financial management across multiple ministries or locations. 

The software's multidimensional data model is especially pertinent to religious institutions. Churches can track, analyze, and report on financial information across various fields—be it by specific ministry, outreach project, or mission trip. This level of data means church congregations can see how funds are being utilized, which is essential in promoting trust and stewardship within the church community. It is also an American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) preferred financial management solution. 

Pros:

• Enterprise-grade features: This platform is designed for churches and businesses that need complex financial management solutions.
• Scalability: It is designed to meet the needs of large enterprises.
• Multi-dimensional reporting: Sage Intacct offers granular financial reporting options with the ability to view data across multiple business dimensions.
• Customization: Highly customizable to suit specific business or church needs.

Cons:

• Steep learning curve: Due to its wide array of features and the level of customization needed to get started, it can take a while to feel comfortable using this platform. 
• Need a deep financial background: Churches without a dedicated CFO may find this platform hard to use. 
• Price: This is an enterprise-grade solution with an enterprise price tag. 
• Overwhelming for smaller churches. The level of customization and advanced features might be overkill for small and mid-size churches. 

Pricing:

Pricing isn’t available on their website. You need to speak to sales for pricing information. However, since this is an enterprise-grade solution, you can expect to pay at least $20,000 per year for a license. 

How to select your church accounting software

The best church accounting software simplifies your financial management by tracking donations, expenses, and budgets with precision and transparency. It should help streamline your financial operations by automating processes such as generating comprehensive financial reports and managing payroll. 

Other benefits they offer include helping your church maintain compliance with tax regulations and increase transparency by managing and monitoring various funds and ministry expenses.

With so many options available, here are some key factors to consider when choosing your church accounting software. 

• Fund accounting capabilities—Fund accounting is essential for churches as it helps in tracking designated funds, such as missions, building projects, or other special purposes. 
• ‍Budget—Not all churches have the same financial capabilities. The software should be affordable and offer good value for its price. Additionally, understanding the total cost, including any add-ons or future scaling, is essential.
• ‍Ease of use—If you plan on delegating key tasks to church staff or volunteers who don’t have an accounting background, you need to make sure the solution is easy to use. 
• ‍Scalability—As your church grows, your financial management needs will evolve. Given that migrating to a new solution takes time, you want to make sure your solution can grow with you.
• ‍Integrations—Do you need your accounting software to integrate with other platforms that your church uses? Third-party integrations can streamline operations and reduce manual data entry.
• ‍Security & compliance—This should be obvious, but whenever you are dealing with sensitive financial data, you want to use a platform with robust security features. This ensures that your data stays protected and confidential.  
• ‍Customer support—Having a responsive customer support team can be invaluable, especially during the initial setup or when facing issues.
• ‍Donation tracking & reporting—With churches often relying on tithes, offerings, and other donations, it's crucial to have software that can categorize, track, and report these donations. This aids in acknowledging contributions and also helps in annual tax reporting.

Encourage generosity & easily track donations

Donations are a key component of a healthy and growing church. That’s where Subsplash Giving shines as it makes it easy for members of your congregation to donate money to your church anytime, anywhere. 

And we make it even easier for you and your staff to manage these donations, including: 

• Better donation analytics to see and understand where the money is going. 
• Easily merge duplicate donor accounts. 
• Quickly see all your donors’ info and giving history in one spot. 
• Conveniently track cash or check donations alongside your digital donations.

With no setup fees or monthly fees, along with the best processing rates in the industry, there’s no reason to wait! To start using Subsplash Giving, [.blog-contact-cta]connect with one of our ministry consultants today![.blog-contact-cta]