Church technology

Planning Center vs Tithe.ly: the 2026 comparison

By FlockConnect · Directed and edited by Michael Tribett · July 3, 2026 · 9 min read

Tithe.ly and Planning Center answer the same buyer question from opposite directions: Tithe.ly starts with giving and wraps the rest of church software around it; Planning Center starts with people records and lets a church add products as it grows.

Key takeaways

Tithe.ly is a giving-first ecosystem that also owns Elvanto and the flat-rate ChMS Breeze, now Tithely Church Management, and sells bundled packages that combine giving, websites, apps, and church management.

Planning Center is modular, with People free at any size and each other product priced by its own measure, such as team members for Services; its pricing calculator gives the monthly total for a church's own numbers.

Breeze competes with Planning Center on one flat, predictable bill and simplicity; Planning Center wins with an active worship team, or wherever its modular depth is worth what a church's own numbers cost.

Tithe.ly's strength is one vendor for giving + digital presence; Planning Center's strength is worship scheduling depth and a larger third-party integration catalog.

FlockConnect adds a shared care layer beside either stack. It shows who the church hasn't seen lately and keeps the care team's log and follow-ups in one place, connecting to Tithe.ly-family systems by CSV import and to Planning Center natively.

Quick answer: Planning Center or Tithe.ly?

Choose Tithe.ly when the church wants giving, a website, and a simple ChMS under one vendor relationship, especially if Breeze's flat-rate model fits the size and complexity of the church. Choose Planning Center when worship-team scheduling depth, modular scaling, or the Planning Center integration ecosystem matters more than a single bundled bill. Many churches evaluating Tithe.ly are really choosing between Breeze and Planning Center for the ChMS piece; see Planning Center vs Breeze for that math.

What Tithe.ly actually is

Tithe.ly is a giving-first platform that has expanded into a broader church software ecosystem. The parent company owns Breeze, a flat-rate all-in-one ChMS that on November 11, 2025 officially became Tithely Church Management, and Elvanto (an all-in-one ChMS priced per active adult), and sells bundled packages that combine online giving, websites, mobile apps, and church management under one brand relationship.

Pricing model. Tithe.ly giving products carry platform and transaction fees; as of October 26, 2026, Breeze's pricing page lists its ChMS at $72 a month and a $119-a-month bundle that adds Worship Tools, Tithely Church Apps, and Tithely Sites, while Elvanto publishes its own per-active-adult pricing, from US$19 a month for up to 50 active adults as of the same date. Breeze's flat monthly rate is the predictable option inside the family for small to mid-size churches. Confirm current bundle pricing and giving fees with Tithe.ly directly.

Best for. Church plants and small to mid-size congregations that want one vendor for digital giving, a website, and member records without assembling separate tools. Tithe.ly's pitch is consolidation: fewer invoices, one support relationship, and a giving UX the company has refined for years.

What Planning Center actually is

Planning Center is a modular suite priced per product: People (free on its own), Services, Giving, Check-Ins, Groups, and Calendar. Churches activate only what they need and add modules as complexity grows.

Pricing model. Per product. As of October 26, 2026, Planning Center's pricing page lists People free at any size and gives most other products a small free tier, then prices each by its own measure: Services by team members, Giving by donations a month, Check-Ins by Sunday check-ins, and Groups by group members. Its calculator gives the monthly total for a church's own numbers.

Best for. Churches with an active worship team, growing attendance, or a need for best-in-class Services scheduling. Planning Center wins when modular depth and integration ecosystem matter more than a single bundled bill from one parent company.

Breeze versus Planning Center: the real fork inside Tithe.ly

Many churches that say they are "evaluating Tithe.ly" are actually deciding between Breeze and Planning Center for the ChMS layer. Tithe.ly giving and digital products can sit alongside either choice.

Breeze fits when the church wants one flat predictable monthly bill, unlimited people and admins, and a system a volunteer office manager can learn quickly. Planning Center fits at any size when Services scheduling depth matters, because Breeze's volunteer tools were not built for an active worship band rotation, and wherever its per-product total for the church's own numbers is worth the depth.

Tithe.ly's bundle pitch is strongest when the church wants giving, website, app, and Breeze ChMS together. Planning Center's pitch is strongest when worship operations and third-party integrations are the long-term bet. See Planning Center vs Breeze for how to find the tipping point between the two for your church.

Where Tithe.ly wins

Consolidation and giving UX. Tithe.ly built its reputation on online giving flows, and the bundled ecosystem (giving, websites, apps, plus Breeze or Elvanto for ChMS) reduces the number of vendor relationships a small church staff must manage. For a church plant or small congregation that wants one partner for digital giving and member records, the bundle is the pitch.

Tithe.ly also wins on digital presence for churches that do not want to hire a web developer. Website and app products inside the ecosystem give a church a credible online front door without a separate Squarespace or custom build.

Where Planning Center wins

Modular depth and worship operations. Planning Center Services remains the category leader for worship-team scheduling. The modular model lets a church pay only for Check-Ins, Groups, or Calendar when it needs them, and the integration partner catalog is larger than what most Tithe.ly-family bundles emphasize. Churches that need dedicated worship scheduling or a broad integration ecosystem usually land here.

Planning Center also wins when a church plans to connect multiple specialized tools over time. Documented APIs and FlockConnect's native sync are examples of integrations that exist because Planning Center invested in an open partner ecosystem, not only a closed bundle.

Elvanto inside the Tithe.ly family: a caution for evaluators

Churches still on Elvanto should confirm its roadmap and support terms with Elvanto before signing another multi-year term. Elvanto may remain adequate for stable congregations with modest worship complexity. Evaluators comparing Tithe.ly to Planning Center should ask whether they mean Breeze, Elvanto, or giving-only products. Each path has different long-term implications. See Planning Center vs Elvanto for the migration read.

Honest limitations

Tithe.ly limitations. The ecosystem bundles convenience, but "one vendor" does not always mean "one unified data model." Breeze, Elvanto, and Tithe.ly giving remain distinct products with distinct interfaces. Churches that outgrow Breeze on worship scheduling still face a migration decision, bundle or not. Transaction fees and bundle terms also change; confirm current rates rather than assuming last year's quote still applies.

Planning Center limitations. Modular pricing can exceed Breeze's flat rate for smaller churches that only need basic records and giving. Planning Center's website and app story is thinner than Tithe.ly's bundled digital presence pitch, so churches that want one partner for sermon media, apps, and giving may still add Subsplash or a similar engagement platform alongside Planning Center.

Who should choose which

Choose Tithe.ly (especially Breeze inside the bundle) when the church is small to mid-size, wants one predictable vendor relationship for giving plus ChMS, and does not need Services-level worship scheduling depth.

Choose Planning Center when worship-team scheduling, modular scaling, or a broad integration ecosystem matter more than a single bundled invoice.

Choose Tithe.ly giving plus Planning Center ChMS when leadership wants Tithe.ly's giving UX on the front end and Planning Center's operational backbone on the back end, and when staff can maintain sync between the two.

Where FlockConnect fits with either

FlockConnect does not replace Tithe.ly or Planning Center. It adds a shared care layer: a presence reading that shows who the church hasn't seen lately, pastoral interaction logs, and follow-ups the care team shares. Tithe.ly-family ChMS tools connect by CSV import; Planning Center connects through FlockConnect's Official and Authorized Planning Center Integration. See what FlockConnect adds to Planning Center People.

How this fits a full stack decision

Churches rarely choose only between these two vendors. They pick an operational backbone first, then layer giving, apps, and relational care on top. For the full landscape, start with the ultimate church management software comparison (2026). FlockConnect adds a shared care layer on top of whichever ChMS you already run, through native Planning Center sync or CSV import everywhere else.

About the editor

Michael Tribett is the founder of FlockConnect, a Church Relationship Manager (ChRM) built for pastoral care. He holds a Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he focused on missions and discipleship, and he serves as a small group leader at his church in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. FlockConnect participated in the Missional Labs Faith & AI Accelerator during Winter and Spring of 2026 and is an Official and Authorized Planning Center Integration.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tithe.ly cheaper than Planning Center?

It depends on what is compared. Tithe.ly's giving products carry platform and transaction fees, and Breeze's flat monthly rate is the predictable ChMS option inside the family. Planning Center's People database is free at any size, and each product a church adds is priced separately, so its total depends on which products the church turns on, such as Services or Check-Ins. Compare current prices for the same features and giving fees with each vendor before deciding.

Should a church use Tithe.ly or Planning Center?

Use Tithe.ly when the church wants giving, a website, and a simple ChMS under one vendor relationship, especially if Breeze's flat-rate model fits its size and complexity. Use Planning Center when worship-team scheduling depth, modular scaling, or the Planning Center integration ecosystem matters more than a single bundled bill. Many churches evaluating Tithe.ly are really choosing between Breeze and Planning Center for the ChMS piece.

Does Tithe.ly own Breeze?

Yes. Tithe.ly acquired Breeze in 2021, and on November 11, 2025 Tithe.ly announced that Breeze had officially become Tithely Church Management, one platform with Tithe.ly's giving tools. Tithe.ly says the church management Breeze churches know stays the same.

Is Tithe.ly the same as Breeze?

No. Tithe.ly is the parent company and giving platform; Breeze, now called Tithely Church Management, is the flat-rate all-in-one ChMS product inside that family. Churches can use Tithe.ly giving without Breeze, and Breeze can be evaluated separately from the full bundle.

Which is cheaper for a 200-person church?

It depends on what the church runs. Breeze's flat rate, $72 a month as of October 26, 2026, is the same for 200 people as for 2,000, while Planning Center's total starts at $0 for People and climbs as a church adds Services and Check-Ins and uses them past their free tiers. Enter the church's own numbers in Planning Center's pricing calculator and compare the total with Breeze's rate.

Can FlockConnect connect to Tithe.ly or Breeze?

Yes, through CSV import, the same path FlockConnect uses for every church management system other than Planning Center.

How this was written: drafted with AI from Michael Tribett's ideas and research, then fact-checked and edited by him. How FlockConnect uses AI