Get Started with ChurchCMS —
Completely Free
Choose your path below. Whether you install it yourself, let us set it up, or prefer fully managed hosting — the software licence is always $0. No subscriptions. No vendor lock-in.
Choose your path
Three ways to get ChurchCMS
The software is always free. Pick the path that fits your church's technical comfort and budget.
Self-Host It Yourself
Download the full source code from GitHub, deploy it on your own server or shared hosting, and own every line of it. Best for churches with a developer on staff or in the congregation.
- Full source code on GitHub
- All 6 core modules included
- Companion Android app
- Community support & documentation
- Free upgrades, forever
- No usage limits, ever
Requires a server & technical setup
We Install It For You
We handle the full technical setup on your hosting account — then hand it over to you. No monthly fee after. Ideal for churches that want a clean, professional start without the technical headache.
- Installation on your hosting
- Full configuration & setup
- Data migration from your old system
- Admin training session
- 3 months of support included
- You own it completely after
No recurring fee · You own the server
Managed Hosting
We host, maintain, and update everything for you. You just log in and run your church. No server knowledge needed. Still far cheaper than any alternative — and you still own your data.
- AWS-powered hosting
- Daily automated backups
- Free software upgrades
- Custom domain & SSL included
- Email support
- Your data, your ownership
Still cheaper than Planning Center alone
Everything included
Every Feature. Zero Monthly Fee.
No add-ons. No paywalls. No upgrade tiers. Every module below is included — whether you self-host for free or choose one of our paid setup options.
Companion Mobile App
A branded Android app for your members — events, sermons, giving, prayer requests, and push notifications. No extra cost.
Included Free 👥Members & Families Directory
Searchable, exportable member profiles with family units, attendance history, contact details, and giving records.
Included Free 💳Online Giving & Donations
Accept tithes and offerings from anywhere in the world. Track donor history, generate giving statements, and run campaigns.
Included Free 🌐Church Website CMS
A dedicated church website built in. Publish sermons, events, bulletins, and announcements — no technical knowledge needed.
Included Free 🪪QR Code Attendance Tracking
Every member gets a printed photo ID card with a unique QR code. Scan at the door — attendance logged instantly.
Included Free 📅Events, Ministries & Groups
Manage Bible studies, choirs, committees, and ministry teams. Auto-sync events to the mobile app with reminders.
Included Free 📡Live Broadcast & Video Rooms
Stream your Sunday service online with live broadcasting and video room technology. Reach your congregation wherever they are.
Included Free 🔔Smart Notifications
Push and SMS notifications for events, reminders, birthdays, and anniversaries. Daily scripture delivered automatically.
Included Free 🙏Prayer Requests & Community
Members submit prayer requests through the app. The Knock for Help feature lets members reach leadership privately and instantly.
Find your fit
Which path is right for my church?
Answer one question: how much technical help does your church have? That's all it takes to find the right starting point.
Has a developer on staff, in the congregation, or on retainer
A developer who is comfortable with Laravel, VPS setup, or shared hosting can get ChurchCMS running in a few hours. The documentation covers every step from server configuration to going live. This is the lowest long-term cost path — total ongoing spend is just your hosting bill (~$5–$10/month).
Wants a professional setup but no ongoing monthly fee
We install and configure ChurchCMS on a hosting account of your choice — then hand you the keys. One payment. No recurring licence. After setup, you manage it yourself. Includes data migration from your old system, admin training, and 3 months of support to get you fully settled in.
Wants zero technical maintenance — ever
We handle everything: hosting, backups, software updates, and security. You just log in and run your church. At $29/month it's still a fraction of what Planning Center, Breeze, or ChurchTrac cost — and you still own your data completely. No vendor lock-in, ever.
| What's included | Self-Host | We Install | Managed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full software — all features | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Companion Android app | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free software upgrades | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| You own the data & software | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Installation & configuration done for you | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data migration from old system | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Admin training session | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Server managed for you | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Daily automated backups | ~ | ~ | ✓ |
| Ongoing email support | ✗ | 3 months | ✓ |
| Monthly cost | $0 | $0 after setup | $29 / mo |
Trusted worldwide
Churches in 14+ Countries Trust ChurchCMS
From small congregations of 50 to growing churches of 1,000+, ChurchCMS is running in communities across six continents — at zero licence cost.
Active in
"We were paying over $150 a month for church software. ChurchCMS gave us everything we needed — member management, a mobile app, online giving, and even printed ID cards for our members — completely free. The setup service was worth every penny. We were live in two days."
When you use ChurchCMS,
you own it. Permanently.
The software lives on your server. Your congregation's data never touches our systems unless you choose managed hosting. It cannot be shut down because a company ran out of funding. It cannot be sold to a competitor. It is yours — licensed under MIT — forever.
- No vendor lock-in — ever
- Your data on your server
- Free upgrades, forever
- MIT licence — use it freely
- Full source code on GitHub
- No subscription to cancel
Got questions?
Everything you need to know
The most common questions churches ask before getting started — answered plainly, without the sales pitch.
Yes — the software itself is completely free, forever. ChurchCMS is published under the MIT open source licence, which means you can download it, use it, and modify it at no cost.
What we charge for are optional services — if you want us to install it for you ($99 once), host and maintain it for you ($29/month), or build something custom. The software licence is always $0. There is no trial period, no feature gating, and no credit card required to get started.
You need a web hosting account and a domain name. Most churches start with shared hosting from providers like Namecheap, Hostinger, or SiteGround — typically $3–$10/month. Your hosting environment needs:
- PHP 8.1 or higher
- MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.3+
- A domain name pointing to your server
- An SSL certificate (free via Let's Encrypt on most hosts)
If any of that feels unfamiliar, our one-time installation service handles every step for $99 — including server setup, configuration, data migration, and training.
Yes. ChurchCMS includes a CSV import tool that accepts member data exports from most major church platforms. If you are moving from Planning Center, Breeze, or ChurchTrac, your member records, giving history, and family groupings can be imported.
If you use our installation service, data migration is included as part of the $99 setup. We handle the export, cleaning, and import so nothing gets lost in the move.
Yes — completely. Whether you self-host or use our managed hosting, your data lives in a database you control. We never access, share, sell, or analyse your congregation's data.
On self-hosted and installation plans, the database sits directly on your own server. On managed hosting, your data lives in a dedicated environment allocated exclusively to your church — fully exportable at any time, for any reason, with no exit fees.
It depends on the path you choose:
- Self-hosted (free): Community support via our documentation, GitHub issues, and community forum.
- Installation service ($99): 3 months of email support included after handover — enough to get your team fully settled in.
- Managed hosting ($29/mo): Ongoing email support included as part of the monthly plan. We handle all server-level issues automatically.
For custom development needs, our team is available — contact us to discuss.
You can switch at any time — there is no lock-in. Common transitions:
- Self-hosted → Managed hosting: We migrate your existing installation to our managed infrastructure. Your data moves with you.
- Managed hosting → Self-hosted: Export your data in full and move to your own server whenever you like. No exit fee, ever.
- Any path → Custom development: All paths run the same codebase, so custom plugins and features work regardless of how you host.
Because ChurchCMS is open source and you always own your data, there is no scenario where you are stuck.
Your church deserves
better software at zero cost
Join churches in 14+ countries who stopped paying $100–$200 a month for software they don't own. ChurchCMS gives you everything — free, forever. Choose your path and start today.