Quick Overview
- 1#1: Text In Church - Specialized church texting platform for mass announcements, prayer requests, event reminders, and two-way member communication.
- 2#2: Planning Center - Comprehensive church management software with integrated SMS messaging for groups, events, and personalized outreach.
- 3#3: Breeze ChMS - User-friendly church database with built-in texting for quick member updates, attendance follow-ups, and engagement.
- 4#4: Subsplash - Church engagement platform featuring SMS messaging alongside apps for sermons, giving, and community building.
- 5#5: Church Community Builder - All-in-one church management system with robust texting capabilities for groups, workflows, and next steps.
- 6#6: Pushpay - Church giving and communication tool with SMS for donations, events, and personalized member interactions.
- 7#7: SimpleTexting - Reliable SMS marketing platform ideal for churches to send broadcasts, automate responses, and segment contacts.
- 8#8: EZ Texting - Powerful SMS solution for churches offering keywords, scheduling, drip campaigns, and compliance tools.
- 9#9: Textedly - Affordable bulk texting service with features for church announcements, polls, and contact list management.
- 10#10: SlickText - Advanced SMS platform for non-profits and churches with automation, MMS, and detailed analytics.
Tools were selected based on their ability to address church-specific workflows (group communication, next-step outreach) alongside usability, reliability, and overall value, ensuring they deliver impactful, accessible solutions for diverse congregational needs.
Comparison Table
This comparison table highlights leading church texting software, including Text In Church, Planning Center, Breeze ChMS, Subsplash, and Church Community Builder, to guide religious groups in identifying tools that align with their communication goals. Readers will explore key features, usability, and suitability for diverse church needs, helping them make informed choices to enhance outreach and engagement.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Text In Church Specialized church texting platform for mass announcements, prayer requests, event reminders, and two-way member communication. | specialized | 9.6/10 | 9.8/10 | 9.4/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 2 | Planning Center Comprehensive church management software with integrated SMS messaging for groups, events, and personalized outreach. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 3 | Breeze ChMS User-friendly church database with built-in texting for quick member updates, attendance follow-ups, and engagement. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 7.9/10 | 9.1/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 4 | Subsplash Church engagement platform featuring SMS messaging alongside apps for sermons, giving, and community building. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 5 | Church Community Builder All-in-one church management system with robust texting capabilities for groups, workflows, and next steps. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.7/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 6 | Pushpay Church giving and communication tool with SMS for donations, events, and personalized member interactions. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.9/10 | 7.5/10 |
| 7 | SimpleTexting Reliable SMS marketing platform ideal for churches to send broadcasts, automate responses, and segment contacts. | other | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.1/10 |
| 8 | EZ Texting Powerful SMS solution for churches offering keywords, scheduling, drip campaigns, and compliance tools. | other | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 |
| 9 | Textedly Affordable bulk texting service with features for church announcements, polls, and contact list management. | other | 7.4/10 | 7.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 10 | SlickText Advanced SMS platform for non-profits and churches with automation, MMS, and detailed analytics. | other | 7.1/10 | 7.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
Specialized church texting platform for mass announcements, prayer requests, event reminders, and two-way member communication.
Comprehensive church management software with integrated SMS messaging for groups, events, and personalized outreach.
User-friendly church database with built-in texting for quick member updates, attendance follow-ups, and engagement.
Church engagement platform featuring SMS messaging alongside apps for sermons, giving, and community building.
All-in-one church management system with robust texting capabilities for groups, workflows, and next steps.
Church giving and communication tool with SMS for donations, events, and personalized member interactions.
Reliable SMS marketing platform ideal for churches to send broadcasts, automate responses, and segment contacts.
Powerful SMS solution for churches offering keywords, scheduling, drip campaigns, and compliance tools.
Affordable bulk texting service with features for church announcements, polls, and contact list management.
Advanced SMS platform for non-profits and churches with automation, MMS, and detailed analytics.
Text In Church
specializedSpecialized church texting platform for mass announcements, prayer requests, event reminders, and two-way member communication.
Advanced ministry automations, such as automated baptism follow-ups or small group matching based on text replies
Text In Church is a specialized SMS platform designed exclusively for churches, enabling mass texting, two-way conversations, keyword opt-ins, and automated campaigns to engage congregations effectively. It offers robust segmentation based on attendance, groups, or custom lists, along with integrations to popular church management systems like Planning Center and Rock RMS. The tool ensures TCPA compliance, delivers high deliverability rates, and provides analytics to track open rates, replies, and conversions.
Pros
- Church-specific features like sermon follow-ups and event RSVPs via text
- Seamless integrations with leading church software for effortless data sync
- Outstanding deliverability (99%+) and responsive customer support from church experts
Cons
- Higher pricing tiers needed for very large churches (10k+ contacts)
- Primarily SMS-focused, with limited multichannel options like email or voice
- Learning curve for advanced automations despite intuitive interface
Best For
Churches of all sizes seeking a turnkey texting solution to boost attendance, giving, and member engagement.
Pricing
Starts at $49/month for up to 500 contacts (Essentials plan); scales to $299+/month for 25,000+ contacts (Enterprise), with pay-per-text options available.
Planning Center
specializedComprehensive church management software with integrated SMS messaging for groups, events, and personalized outreach.
Deep integration with worship planning and people data, allowing automated texts to volunteers based on service schedules and attendance patterns.
Planning Center is a comprehensive church management platform with integrated texting capabilities via its Messaging module, enabling churches to send targeted SMS messages to congregations, groups, or individuals directly from their people database. It supports two-way texting, message scheduling, automation based on attendance or events, and seamless integration with tools like Check-Ins, Groups, and Services for contextual communication. This makes it a powerful solution for churches needing texting tied to broader operations rather than standalone messaging.
Pros
- Exceptional integration with church database for precise audience segmentation and automated messaging
- Two-way texting with reply management and threading for efficient communication
- Unlimited texts included in subscription with scheduling and templating features
Cons
- Not ideal as a standalone texting tool; best within the full Planning Center ecosystem
- Pricing scales with church size, which can become costly for larger congregations
- Steeper learning curve for users new to the multi-module platform
Best For
Mid-sized to large churches already using or planning to adopt the full Planning Center suite for integrated church management and texting.
Pricing
Tiered based on active people records ($0-$159+/month across modules); Messaging add-on is $29/month flat fee for unlimited texts.
Breeze ChMS
specializedUser-friendly church database with built-in texting for quick member updates, attendance follow-ups, and engagement.
Direct integration with people database and groups for instant, accurate texting without CSV imports or manual segmentation
Breeze ChMS is a comprehensive church management system that includes robust texting capabilities for sending mass SMS messages, two-way conversations, and keyword responses directly from its people database. It enables churches to text groups, individuals, or attendees for events, reminders, and engagement without needing external tools. The platform supports MMS, scheduling, and basic automation tied to church workflows like check-ins and giving.
Pros
- Seamless integration with church database for quick group texting and personalization
- User-friendly interface with two-way messaging and keyword opt-ins
- Reliable delivery and scheduling for events and announcements
Cons
- Additional per-message credit costs on top of subscription (e.g., ~$0.02/text)
- Lacks advanced automation like drip campaigns or A/B testing found in dedicated SMS tools
- Requires full ChMS subscription, overkill for texting-only needs
Best For
Small to medium churches already using Breeze ChMS that want simple, integrated texting without extra logins.
Pricing
ChMS starts at $72/month (100 people); texting credits sold separately (~$50 for 2,500 outbound messages).
Subsplash
specializedChurch engagement platform featuring SMS messaging alongside apps for sermons, giving, and community building.
Deep integration with church apps for hybrid push notifications and SMS, enabling unified engagement across digital touchpoints
Subsplash is a comprehensive church management platform that includes robust texting software for SMS/MMS communication, enabling churches to send broadcasts, manage two-way conversations, and automate engagement workflows. It integrates seamlessly with Subsplash's custom church apps, websites, and giving tools, allowing for targeted messaging based on attendance, giving history, or app interactions. The platform supports keyword opt-ins, mass texting with high deliverability, and analytics to track engagement metrics.
Pros
- Seamless integration with Subsplash's full church ecosystem including apps and giving
- Advanced segmentation and automation for personalized messaging
- Reliable high-deliverability SMS with two-way conversations and keyword signups
Cons
- Pricing is custom and can be expensive for small churches or standalone texting needs
- Full potential requires adoption of the broader Subsplash suite
- Steeper learning curve for advanced features compared to dedicated texting-only tools
Best For
Mid-to-large churches already using or planning to adopt Subsplash's all-in-one platform for integrated communication and engagement.
Pricing
Custom pricing based on church size, typically starting at $99/month for basic plans with texting included; scales to $300+/month for larger congregations with full features.
Church Community Builder
specializedAll-in-one church management system with robust texting capabilities for groups, workflows, and next steps.
Dynamic Smart Lists for real-time audience segmentation in texts based on live data like attendance and engagement
Church Community Builder (CCB) is a comprehensive church management software (ChMS) with integrated SMS texting capabilities designed for engaging congregations through targeted messaging. It enables churches to send mass texts, personalized messages, and two-way conversations using smart segmentation based on attendance, groups, and custom lists from the member database. While not a standalone texting tool, its texting features shine within the broader ecosystem of event management, check-ins, and giving.
Pros
- Seamless integration with full church database for precise targeting
- Supports two-way SMS conversations and threaded replies
- Reliable delivery with included texting credits in plans
Cons
- Higher cost makes it less ideal for texting-only needs
- Steeper learning curve due to feature-rich ChMS interface
- Fewer advanced automation options than dedicated texting platforms
Best For
Mid-sized churches using or planning a full ChMS who want texting deeply integrated with member data and groups.
Pricing
Custom plans start at ~$160/month for up to 75 active records (Essentials), scaling to $300+/month for larger churches; texting credits included with SMS add-on.
Pushpay
specializedChurch giving and communication tool with SMS for donations, events, and personalized member interactions.
Text-to-Give functionality that enables instant donations directly from SMS conversations
Pushpay is a comprehensive church management and engagement platform that includes SMS texting for announcements, event reminders, prayer requests, and group communications. It integrates texting seamlessly with online giving, check-ins, and the Church Center app to enhance congregant engagement. Designed for churches, it supports mass messaging, two-way texting, and keyword responses for streamlined interaction.
Pros
- Strong integration with giving and church management tools
- Reliable SMS delivery with high open rates and two-way conversations
- Advanced segmentation and automation for targeted church communications
Cons
- Higher cost compared to dedicated texting-only platforms
- Full feature set has a learning curve for smaller teams
- Custom pricing lacks transparency upfront
Best For
Mid-sized to large churches seeking an all-in-one engagement platform with robust texting tied to giving and events.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing, typically starting at $99/month for basic plans and scaling with church size, active users, and giving volume.
SimpleTexting
otherReliable SMS marketing platform ideal for churches to send broadcasts, automate responses, and segment contacts.
Keyword campaigns for instant opt-ins, enabling easy sign-ups for events or prayer chains via simple text responses.
SimpleTexting is a robust SMS marketing platform that allows churches to send bulk text messages for announcements, prayer requests, event reminders, and member engagement. It supports contact list segmentation, automation workflows, two-way conversations, and MMS for richer content like images or links. While versatile for general business use, it adapts well to church needs with reliable delivery and compliance tools, though it lacks specialized features for congregational management.
Pros
- Intuitive interface with quick setup for broadcasts and keywords
- Excellent message deliverability and TCPA compliance for safe church use
- 24/7 customer support via chat and phone
Cons
- No native integrations with popular church software like Planning Center or Church Community Builder
- Credit-based pricing can become expensive for frequent high-volume sends
- Lacks church-specific templates or member directory tools
Best For
Small to medium churches needing a straightforward, reliable SMS tool for announcements and event promotions without complex management features.
Pricing
Starts at $29/month (500 credits, ~500 SMS), up to $5,000+/month for enterprise; pay-per-credit with annual discounts.
EZ Texting
otherPowerful SMS solution for churches offering keywords, scheduling, drip campaigns, and compliance tools.
Text-to-Join keywords and QR code sign-ups for seamless congregation opt-ins at events
EZ Texting is a versatile SMS marketing platform designed for bulk texting, enabling churches to send announcements, event reminders, prayer requests, and emergency alerts to congregations efficiently. It features contact management, message scheduling, automation, segmentation, and analytics for tracking open rates and responses. While not exclusively for churches, it supports compliant texting with opt-in tools like text-to-join keywords and QR codes.
Pros
- Intuitive dashboard for quick campaign setup
- Reliable high deliverability and TCPA compliance
- 24/7 customer support with fast response times
Cons
- Pricing scales with message volume, costly for low-use churches
- Lacks deep integrations with popular church management software like Planning Center
- Limited church-specific templates or automation workflows
Best For
Mid-sized churches needing a reliable, general-purpose SMS tool for frequent announcements without complex integrations.
Pricing
Starts at $25/month for 500 messages (Starter plan), up to $465/month for 30,000 messages (Ultra); pay-as-you-go from $0.035 per message.
Textedly
otherAffordable bulk texting service with features for church announcements, polls, and contact list management.
Text-to-Landline, which converts SMS to voice calls for reaching members on landlines
Textedly is a general-purpose mass texting platform that allows churches to send bulk SMS and MMS messages for announcements, event reminders, prayer requests, and congregation updates. It features easy text-to-join keywords for opt-ins, message scheduling, automation, and support for images/videos. While reliable for basic broadcasting, it lacks specialized church tools like integrations with church management software or advanced member segmentation.
Pros
- Simple text-to-join keywords for easy congregation opt-ins
- Affordable pay-as-you-go pricing suitable for small churches
- Supports MMS for sharing event flyers and images
Cons
- No native integrations with popular church management systems like Planning Center
- Limited advanced segmentation for small groups or ministries
- Basic analytics without deep engagement tracking for spiritual metrics
Best For
Small to medium churches needing straightforward, low-cost mass texting without complex integrations.
Pricing
Pay-as-you-go at $0.015 per SMS credit or monthly plans starting at $24/mo for 500 credits (1 SMS = 1 credit; MMS higher).
SlickText
otherAdvanced SMS platform for non-profits and churches with automation, MMS, and detailed analytics.
Ultra-fast sending speeds and carrier-grade deliverability for time-critical church alerts
SlickText is a versatile SMS marketing platform that allows churches to send bulk text messages for event reminders, service announcements, prayer requests, and community updates. It supports contact segmentation, two-way messaging, scheduling, and automation to enhance member engagement. While reliable for general texting needs, it lacks specialized integrations with church management software like Planning Center or ChurchTrac.
Pros
- High message deliverability rates exceeding 99%
- Intuitive interface with easy list segmentation for ministries and groups
- Two-way messaging and automation for interactive church communications
Cons
- No native integrations with popular church management systems
- Pricing can escalate quickly for high-volume church sends
- Lacks church-specific templates or nonprofit compliance tools
Best For
Mid-sized churches needing a reliable, general-purpose SMS tool for basic announcements and engagement without complex integrations.
Pricing
Monthly plans start at $39 for 5,000 messages (Growth), up to $499+ for higher volumes; pay-as-you-go at ~$0.015/message also available.
Conclusion
The 10 church texting tools offer tailored solutions, from specialized announcements to all-in-one management. Leading the pack, Text In Church emerges as the top choice, excelling in focused member communication. Planning Center and Breeze ChMS follow as strong alternatives, each suiting distinct needs like comprehensive workflows or user-friendly design.
Take the next step in enhancing church engagement—try Text In Church to discover its streamlined, purpose-built communication capabilities for your community.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison