ChurchTools
Karlsruhe church platform covering people, groups, events, resources and check-in
Summary table
| Company | ChurchTools Innovations GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Church Management Software |
| Headquarters | Karlsruhe, Germany |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | Germany and Finland (Hetzner Online, ISO 27001) |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | People, groups, posts, calendars, resources, events, wiki, check-in, chat, sync, finances, church app, church finder |
| Pricing | Packages from $39 a month (XS, 100 people) to $249 a month (XL, 2,500 people) plus an XXL package at $399 a month; 30-day free trial; EUR toggle on the pricing page |
| Best For | German-speaking and international congregations that want one platform for people, events and finances |
| Replaces | Planning Center |
Full review
ChurchTools is a church management platform from ChurchTools Innovations GmbH, Waldstraße 63, 76133 Karlsruhe. The imprint lists CEO Matthias Huber, registry court Amtsgericht Mannheim and register number HRB 724299.
ChurchTools describes itself as an all-in-one software solution for churches. The modules named on the site are People, Groups, Posts, Calendars, Resources, Events, Wiki, Check-in, Chat, Sync and Finances.
What ChurchTools covers in church management
ChurchTools keeps records of people and their information and helps people find a group. Resources handle bookings for rooms, vehicles and objects.
ChurchTools Events coordinates volunteers, and Check-in records attendance at meetings and events of any size.
ChurchTools prices and packages
ChurchTools lists packages by number of people. Package XS is $39 a month for 100 people, Package M is $99 a month for 500 people with 2 campuses, and Package XL is $249 a month for 2,500 people.
The pricing page offers a USD and EUR toggle and extra services such as a database dump at 29 EUR.
Hosting and data protection at ChurchTools
ChurchTools states that its servers are located in Germany and Finland with the provider Hetzner Online, which holds ISO 27001 certification. The page states that data transmission is SSL-encrypted and that two-factor authentication is optional.
ChurchTools Finance is stated to be GoBD-compliant, and the English legal pages are marked as translations of the binding German text.
Points against
ChurchTools prices by number of people, so a large congregation moves up several packages. The English pages are translations and the German version is the legally binding one. ChurchTools has no stated free plan, only a 30-day trial and a free first year for church plants. Compared with ChurchSuite, Gift Aid style UK giving rules are not described on the pages we read.
Best suited to users of ChurchTools
Congregations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland or abroad that want one platform for members, events, rosters and finances with servers in Germany and Finland.
Strengths and weaknesses
Pros
- Public package prices by number of people
- Servers in Germany and Finland stated
- Full legal imprint with HRB register number
- Finance module stated as GoBD-compliant
- First year free for church plants
Cons
- Price rises with each people tier
- English legal pages are translations only
- No permanent free plan stated
- Encryption at rest not mentioned on the security page
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Public package prices by number of people
- Servers in Germany and Finland stated
- Full legal imprint with HRB register number
- Finance module stated as GoBD-compliant
- First year free for church plants
Cons
- Price rises with each people tier
- English legal pages are translations only
- No permanent free plan stated
- Encryption at rest not mentioned on the security page
Alternatives to ChurchTools
Further European church management software to compare:
See all European church management software or compare them directly against Planning Center on our alternatives page.
FAQ
Yes. ChurchTools Innovations GmbH in Karlsruhe is a German company with servers in Germany and Finland, and ChurchTools covers people, groups, events, resources and check-in.
ChurchTools lists Package XS at $39 a month for 100 people, Package M at $99 for 500 people and Package XL at $249 for 2,500 people. The pricing page also offers a EUR view.
ChurchTools states that its servers are in Germany and Finland with Hetzner Online, which holds ISO 27001 certification.