Churches are putting their trust in online giving for the many solutions it provides their congregations and leadership. Now more than ever, people seek convenience and opportunity— even as they express their faith by giving tithes and offerings. With the help of online giving tools for churches, the generosity of believers can be activated anywhere, anytime.
Here are some of the most up-to-date online donation platforms being used by churches today.
Online Tithing Through a Church Website
Receiving online donations through the church website is a straightforward method that many churches use. You can set up a payment page directly on the site so that people can donate from their computers or phones.
This method requires churches to hire a web developer to create a giving page that sends secure payments to your organization’s bank account. It also requires you to provide access to your church’s financial information so the online transaction can be delivered. Usually, churches utilize some form of online giving provider to handle the payment process and ensure steady tracking of funds.
Features
- Church-specific donation forms on your website
- Digital payments easily made via credit/debit card or bank transfer
- Full ownership and freedom of your payment page
- One-stop access for visitors and church members to give tithes and offerings
Price
The cost of setting up a page for donations on your website depends on what type of hosting, website plugins, and online giving system you may have. You’ll need support from your technical team or a web developer for optimal integration.
Many digital giving platforms provide the option to add church landing pages when you use their software. If you want to save your team the headache of creating a donation page from scratch, you may be able to opt in to this feature as an add-on to a tithing app or other service.
Transaction Fees
On average, online processing fees for credit/debit cards range from 1.3% to 3.5%. This small percentage comes out of the money you receive, and is used to cover the cost of managing financial transactions. When setting up any online giving tool, you want to factor in the cost of processing charges. Calculate a monthly total estimate to know what to expect.
Church Management Software Featuring Online Giving
If you want to get started with online giving and enhance your church administration process by going digital, look into signing up for church management software. Church management software (ChMS) is a package of software tools that streamline church operations. Features usually include task management, donation collection, membership login portals, sermon schedules, staff communication, and more.
Some church management software systems come with the option to set up online giving. If you go this route, funds can be managed from the same platform that handles everything else. It’s a simple way to run your church more effectively and efficiently.
Features
Many church management systems include these features:
- Event management
- Church accounting software and financial reports
- Membership database
- Volunteer management
- CRM (Community/Customer Relationship Management)
- Donation and donor management
- Calendar, scheduling, and project management
- Communication tools for the whole church organization
- And more
Price
Pricing ranges from $50-$300 per month up to several thousand dollars per year. Cost will likely depend on record count. Many ChMS companies charge based on tiers, in which higher-level subscriptions facilitate more users and unlock more features.
Mainstream Digital Giving Apps
If your church team doesn’t feel they need all the bells and whistles of a powerful management system, a simple, user-friendly option is to use a giving app. Some of these aren’t even for churches specifically. Apps such as PayPal, Stripe, and Venmo can be used to receive online donations from your church.
Be sure you do read the fine print, as all of these platforms have policies and may limit non-profit or religious giving. Venmo, for instance, clearly states that it is meant to be used for general business. PayPal can be a simple way to receive donations for calendar events or causes such as fundraisers. Because of the call for fund management for churches, online giving tools like Kindrid are beginning to offer fund management services. This is a great option for churches that want an integrated solution.
Mainstream money apps can be used as backup plans or a one-time answer to a church giving event. That said, there are numerous online giving solutions developed just for faith-based organizations that may offer more robust features specific to your church’s needs.
Features
- Immediate donations
- Familiar platforms
- Tracking and some reporting
Price
These payment apps can be free to use except for everyday, immediate bank transfers fees.
Text Message Donations
Churches can also receive donations via text message from their members. Mobile giving is a fast, modern way that people can effortlessly give to their churches from their cell phones. Although it’s not as ideal compared to other online methods, text-to-pay platforms provide charities and churches with a straightforward alternative to passing the offering basket. The downside is that text-only giving platforms are limited to only text, and don’t offer web page or mobile app options.
Features
- No app required
- Same-day setup
- No contracts
- Can be used for long-term fundraisers, ongoing donations, or one-day events
- Minimal fees
Price
For basic use of their service, a popular text giving platform, Txt2Give, costs $19 per month + a 1% fee per donation. For events that require large amounts of incoming donations, the cost starts at $399 and caps out at $1,500. Many online giving tools, including Kindrid, also offer text giving as part of a larger set of features.
Best Online Giving Platform Today
The best church online giving tools offer a combination of functions mentioned above. Finding a platform that can receive donations online through a web page, mobile app, text-to-pay, and leave room for digital church management, fundraisers, and recurring payments? That’s what most modern churches are looking to provide for their people.
Kindrid has all of these features and more. Serving as a smart total management system, as well as a platform for digital giving, your church can experience growth in generosity. Some of our clients have seen a 10% increase in donations from new givers within weeks of signing up.
Features
- Online giving (via website or app)
- Recurring giving and automatic donations
- Mobile app with dozens of features
- Bank-level security
- Customizable app interface and landing pages
- Text-to-give options
- Various add-ons to enhance your church depending on size, ministry, and needs
- Direct integration options for large church management software
- Option to operate at multiple locations
- Options to allow donors to cover processing fees
- Event registration
- Custom forms and links
- Excellent fund reporting and tracking
- 1:1 technical support from customer service
- And more
Price
Kindrid’s no-hidden pricing starts at $19-$49 per month, and you can get started with a free trial. For larger churches that receive a high monthly donation amount, custom plans are available from Kindrid.
Transaction Fees
Donation processing fees compare to average fees of everyday online transactions. For bank giving, fees are 0.75% + $0.30 per transaction. Fees for gifts made by credit or debit card deduct 2.6% + $0.35 from the donation.
Find the Top Online Giving Tool for Your Church
If you want your church to grow with all the benefits of allowing your congregation to give online, choose an online giving tool designed with churches and ministries in mind. Get started with the #1 online donation tool for churches in 2021. Join Kindrid for free today.
