What free tools should a small church use?

For communication: Mailchimp (free email up to 500 contacts), Remind (free text messaging), Facebook and Instagram (free social media). For administration: Google Workspace (free email, documents, spreadsheets, calendar), Planning Center People (free up to 25 people), Canva (free design tool). For giving: Tithe.ly (free plus transaction fees). For worship: OpenLP (free presentation software), YouTube (free sermon hosting).

Does a small church need a church app?

No. A church app is not worth the cost for most small churches under 200 people. Your website and email list serve the same function at a fraction of the cost. Invest in a good website before considering an app.

What is the best online giving platform for small churches?

Tithe.ly is the most widely used online giving platform for small churches. There is no monthly fee — you pay only a small transaction fee on each gift. It allows recurring giving, which is the most reliable form of church income. For very small churches, PayPal or Venmo can serve as a simple starting point.

How do you audit your church's technology spending?

List every tool your church currently pays for. For each one, ask: who uses this, how often, and what would we lose if we cancelled it? Cancel tools that nobody uses. Pick one tool for each function and use it consistently. The best tool is the one your volunteers will actually use, not the most sophisticated one available.

Free and Low-Cost Tools Every Small Church Should Be Using

Q: What is the best free church management software for small churches?

Planning Center People is free for churches with up to 25 people and very affordable for larger churches. It handles membership records, giving tracking, and basic communication. Google Sheets can serve as a simple membership directory and giving tracker for very small churches at zero cost.

The church technology market is full of expensive solutions designed for large churches with full-time staff and significant budgets. Most small churches do not need those solutions. They need simple, reliable tools that help them communicate, organize, and serve their congregation without requiring a technology budget or a dedicated IT person.

This guide covers the free and low-cost tools that actually make a difference for small churches, organized by what they do.

Communication Tools

Email: Mailchimp (Free up to 500 contacts)

Mailchimp is the most widely used email marketing platform for small organizations. The free tier allows up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month , more than enough for most small churches. Use it for your weekly newsletter, event announcements, and pastoral letters.

Text Messaging: Remind (Free)

Remind is a free text messaging platform originally designed for schools that works well for churches. It allows you to send text messages to groups without sharing personal phone numbers. Use it for urgent announcements, prayer requests, and event reminders.

Social Media: Facebook and Instagram (Free)

A Facebook Page and an Instagram account are free and reach the platforms where most of your community is already spending time. Post three to five times per week with a mix of community photos, encouragement, and event announcements. See the small church social media guide for more detail.

$0
is the cost of the most effective communication tools for most small churches

Google Workspace
provides email, documents, spreadsheets, and calendar for free with a Google account

Canva
free design tool for creating graphics, bulletins, and social media posts

Administration Tools

Google Workspace (Free)

A free Google account gives you Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Calendar. For most small churches, this handles all document storage, communication, and scheduling needs at zero cost. Use Google Sheets for your membership directory, giving records, and volunteer schedules.

Planning Center People (Free up to 25 people)

Planning Center People is a church management system that is free for churches with up to 25 people and very affordable for larger churches. It handles membership records, giving tracking, and basic communication. It is the most widely used church management system for small churches.

Canva (Free)

Canva is a free design tool that allows you to create professional-looking graphics, bulletins, social media posts, and presentations without any design experience. The free tier is sufficient for most small church needs. Use it for your weekly bulletin, event flyers, and social media graphics.

Giving Tools

Tithe.ly (Free + transaction fees)

Tithe.ly is the most widely used online giving platform for small churches. There is no monthly fee , you pay only a small transaction fee on each gift. It integrates with most church management systems and allows recurring giving, which is the most reliable form of church income.

PayPal or Venmo (Free)

For very small churches, PayPal or Venmo can serve as a simple online giving option until you outgrow it. These are not ideal long-term solutions, but they are free and easy to set up.

Worship and Presentation Tools

OpenLP (Free)

OpenLP is a free, open-source worship presentation software that handles song lyrics, Scripture, and sermon notes. It is not as polished as ProPresenter, but it is free and functional for most small church needs.

YouTube (Free)

YouTube is the right place to post sermon recordings. It is the second largest search engine in the world and gives your sermons a permanent, searchable home. Even basic sermon recordings posted consistently will reach people who would never find your church otherwise.

What to Avoid

Expensive church management systems that you will not use fully. If you are paying for features you do not use, downgrade or switch.
Church apps for most small churches. A church app is not worth the cost for a congregation under 200 people. Your website and email list serve the same function at a fraction of the cost.
Multiple overlapping tools that do the same thing. Pick one tool for each function and use it consistently.

The best tool is the one your volunteers will actually use.
A sophisticated system that nobody uses is worse than a simple system that everyone uses. Choose tools based on your congregation’s actual capacity, not on what a larger church would use.

Audit what you are currently paying for.
List every tool your church currently pays for. For each one, ask: who uses this, how often, and what would we lose if we cancelled it? You may find you are paying for tools nobody uses. Cancel those first, then invest the savings in tools that actually serve your ministry.