Church accounting software
Published prices and the features churches ask about most, side by side.
| Software | Starting price | Fund accounting | Giving statements | Payroll | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aplos | $79 a month (Lite, 2 users); Core $129 a month; 50% off 3 months with promo code | Yes | Yes | Through a partner | Churches wanting nonprofit fund accounting with donor tracking in one tool |
| PowerChurch Plus | PowerChurch Online $47 a month (2 concurrent users); PowerChurch Plus Windows download $445 one-time | Yes | Yes | Built in | Churches wanting an all-in-one desktop or hosted system with a payroll module |
| ChurchTrac | $29 a month (up to 75 names), all features included | Yes | Yes | No | Small churches wanting accounting, giving and people tools in one low-cost plan |
| Realm Accounting | No price published (plans page links to a demo request) | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Mid-size and multisite churches already using Realm |
| QuickBooks Online | $38 a month (Simple Start); 50% off for 3 months | Tracks funds with classes | Donor transaction statements | Add-on | Churches with a bookkeeper or accountant who already knows QuickBooks |
| Wave | $0 (Starter); Pro $19 a month | No | No; donations tracked with tags | Add-on | Very small churches that need free basic bookkeeping |
| Sage Intacct | Quote only | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Large or multi-campus churches needing enterprise-grade fund accounting |
Prices are each company's list price from its own pricing page; a promotion is shown where the company advertises one.
Church accounting software lets you log donations, settle bills and show where every dollar arrived from and ended up. What makes it different from regular bookkeeping is fund tracking. The published prices and features for 7 widely used options all come from each manufacturer's own site.
How does fund tracking work for churches?
Think of a fund as money kept aside for one particular purpose, like a building appeal or a mission trip. A restricted fund is a donation where the giver has said it can only go toward that purpose. Fund accounting software holds each balance apart from the rest, so you can show how much remains in every one.
Here's what the manufacturers say about their fund features:
- PowerChurch Plus comes with a double-entry fund accounting module built for churches, and it follows donor-restricted funds. It runs on a cash basis, so you log money at the moment it actually arrives or leaves. Double-entry means each amount gets entered in 2 places, which keeps the books balanced.
- ChurchTrac is made for tracking designated and restricted funds, and includes fund statements and fund sheets.
- Aplos Lite gives you a balance sheet and income statement broken down per fund. Its Core plan is described as best for teams that need fund accounting.
- Realm Accounting works as an extra on top of any Realm plan. It follows funds, departments and projects, and connects giving funds to the ledger.
- Sage Intacct provides fund accounting for donations and can split accounts along lines such as campus, mission or entity.
Using QuickBooks in a church setting
The QuickBooks Online pricing page doesn't claim any fund accounting capability. Its Plus plan offers class and location tracking, capped at 40 items. Payroll comes as an add-on. QuickBooks can work well for a church whose bookkeeper or accountant is already familiar with it.
Paying staff through your software
PowerChurch Plus is the only one with payroll included. ChurchTrac says payroll calls for separate software. QuickBooks and Wave offer payroll as an add-on. Sage sells payroll as a separate product you can add. Aplos connects to its partner Gusto, which runs the payroll and posts each amount to the right fund in Aplos.
Questions people often ask
Is there a church edition of QuickBooks?
Nothing of the kind appears on the QuickBooks pricing page. The plans listed there are the same no matter what kind of organisation you run.
Which free church accounting software is best?
Among these options, only Wave Starter costs nothing. Its church page mentions double-entry accounting and donation recording. It makes no fund accounting claim, so showing separate fund balances could be harder.
What suits a very small church watching every penny?
ChurchTrac's cheapest plan runs $29 monthly and covers up to 75 names, with every feature included. That gives you fund tracking and contribution statements, though payroll will still call for other software.
Can I pick something with no monthly fee?
Yes. Wave Starter is $0 a month for basic bookkeeping. PowerChurch Plus offers a Windows download at a one-time price of $445. The online version runs $47 a month instead.