FlockConnect vs. Traditional Church Management Software

If you're researching church management software, you've likely encountered the major players: Breeze ChMS, Planning Center, and Subsplash. These are excellent platforms trusted by thousands of churches worldwide.

But here's what many church leaders miss: FlockConnect isn't competing with traditional church management software. We're solving a completely different problem.

This church management software comparison will show you why the most effective churches use both operational platforms and pastoral care tracking systems—and how they work together.

What Is Church Management Software (ChMS)?

Church management software (ChMS) handles the operational and administrative tasks that keep your church running smoothly. Think of it as the digital backbone for church operations.

Traditional ChMS platforms excel at:

• Member database management
• Donation and giving tracking
• Event registration and check-in
• Volunteer scheduling
• Mass communication (email and SMS)
• Small group coordination
• Facility management

Let's examine the three most popular church management software options in 2025.

Breeze ChMS: Complete Church Management Software Review

Breeze ChMS has become one of the most popular church management solutions for small to mid-sized churches, and for good reason.

Breeze ChMS Pricing

$67 per month flat rate with unlimited users and unlimited people in your database. No contracts, no setup fees, and includes free data migration from your existing system.

Who Breeze ChMS Is Best For

• Churches with 50-500 members
• Teams wanting simplicity over complexity
• Churches needing an affordable all-in-one solution
• Staff who aren't tech-savvy

Breeze ChMS Key Features

• Intuitive member database with unlimited custom fields
• Built-in online giving (2.9% + $0.30 per credit card transaction, 1% + $0.30 for ACH)
• Event check-in with name tag printing
• Volunteer management and scheduling
• Email and text messaging tools
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android
• Contribution tracking and end-of-year statements
• Integration with QuickBooks and MailChimp

What Breeze Does Exceptionally Well

Breeze's strength is simplicity. Most churches can train their entire staff in under two hours. The interface is clean, intuitive, and doesn't overwhelm users with options they don't need.

Planning Center: Modular Church Management Platform Review

Planning Center takes a different approach with its modular church management system, allowing churches to pay only for the products they actually use.

Planning Center Pricing

Planning Center uses modular pricing starting at $14 per month per product. The core "People" database is always free. Churches typically spend between $50-$300 per month depending on which products they subscribe to.

Who Planning Center Is Best For

• Churches of any size wanting customization
• Worship teams needing advanced planning tools
• Churches that don't want to pay for unused features
• Multi-campus churches needing scalability

Planning Center Products and Features

• People: Free central database for all member information
• Services: Worship planning and team scheduling ($14-$199/month)
• Check-Ins: Secure child check-in system ($14-$149/month)
• Groups: Small group management ($14-$99/month)
• Giving: Online donations and contribution tracking ($29-$199/month)
• Registrations: Event signups and payments ($14-$99/month)
• Calendar: Church-wide calendar management (Free-$49/month)

What Planning Center Does Exceptionally Well

Planning Center's modular approach means you're never paying for features you don't use. Their worship planning tools are considered the best in the industry, with chord chart transposition, audio file integration, and live service management.

Subsplash: Digital Engagement Platform Review

Subsplash positions itself as a complete engagement platform rather than just church management software, focusing heavily on digital presence and mobile engagement.

Subsplash Pricing

Subsplash uses custom pricing based on church size and needs. Entry-level packages start around $99 per month with a one-time $499 setup fee. Most churches pay between $150-$400 per month.

Who Subsplash Is Best For

• Churches prioritizing digital engagement
• Churches wanting a custom mobile app
• Churches with strong media ministry
• Churches needing professional web presence

Subsplash Key Features

• Custom branded mobile apps (iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV)
• Professional website builder
• Media hosting and sermon distribution
• Live streaming capabilities
• Online giving with no monthly fees (transaction fees only)
• Church management database
• Group messaging and communication tools
• Event management and registration
• Child check-in system

What Subsplash Does Exceptionally Well

Subsplash excels at digital presence and engagement. If your church's strategy revolves around content distribution, mobile engagement, and online presence, Subsplash provides the most comprehensive solution.

What Traditional ChMS Platforms Don't Track

Here's what all three platforms have in common: they're designed for operational efficiency, not relational health.

Traditional church management software tells you:

• Who attended last Sunday
• Who gave donations this month
• Who's scheduled to volunteer
• Who registered for events
• Who's in which small group

But they can't tell you:

• Who's becoming isolated
• Whose attendance patterns indicate disconnection
• Who has few or no meaningful relationships
• Who's at risk of leaving before they actually leave
• Which members need pastoral attention

This is where pastoral care tracking software becomes essential.

What Is FlockConnect? Pastoral Care and Relationship Tracking Software

FlockConnect is relationship mapping and pastoral care software designed to help churches identify disconnected members before they leave.

FlockConnect Core Capabilities

• Relationship Network Mapping: Visualize who's connected to whom in your congregation
• Connection Health Tracking: Monitor relationship strength and interaction frequency
• Automatic Isolation Detection: Get alerts when members show disconnection patterns
• Pastoral Care Notes: Track meaningful conversations and pastoral interactions
• Predictive Analytics: Identify members at risk of leaving based on connection patterns
• Team Coordination: Ensure pastoral care is distributed and no one falls through cracks

The Fundamental Difference

Your church management software tracks transactions and attendance.

FlockConnect tracks relationships and connection health.

Your ChMS manages church operations.

FlockConnect supports shepherding and pastoral care.

FlockConnect vs. Church Management Software: Feature Comparison

Let's compare what each type of software actually does:

Operational Management Features

Attendance Tracking

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✓ Comprehensive event attendance
• FlockConnect: ✗ Not the focus

Online Giving and Donations

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✓ Full donation processing
• FlockConnect: ✗ Not included

Event Management and Registration

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✓ Complete event tools
• FlockConnect: ✗ Not included

Mass Email and SMS Communication

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✓ Bulk messaging capabilities
• FlockConnect: ✗ Not the purpose

Volunteer Scheduling

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✓ Robust scheduling tools
• FlockConnect: ✗ Not included

Pastoral Care and Relationship Features

Relationship Network Mapping

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✗ Not available
• FlockConnect: ✓ Core feature

Connection Strength Tracking

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✗ No tracking
• FlockConnect: ✓ Automatic monitoring

Isolation Identification

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✗ Cannot detect
• FlockConnect: ✓ Automatic alerts

Pastoral Care Documentation

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: △ Basic notes field only
• FlockConnect: ✓ Comprehensive pastoral tracking

Relationship Health Analytics

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✗ No metrics
• FlockConnect: ✓ Detailed insights

Departure Risk Prediction

• Breeze/Planning Center/Subsplash: ✗ Not available
• FlockConnect: ✓ Pattern-based predictions

Real-World Integration: Using Both Systems Together

Here's how effective churches integrate operational software with pastoral care tracking:

Morning Staff Routine

1. Check Planning Center for today's volunteer schedules and service plans
2. Review Breeze for new visitors and follow-up tasks
3. Open FlockConnect to identify members showing disconnection patterns

Weekly Staff Meeting Agenda

1. Subsplash Dashboard: Review online engagement and giving trends
2. Planning Center Reports: Analyze upcoming event registrations
3. FlockConnect Insights: Discuss members flagged for pastoral attention

Monthly Leadership Review

1. Breeze Analytics: Track attendance trends and membership growth
2. Planning Center Metrics: Evaluate volunteer engagement levels
3. FlockConnect Reports: Review overall congregational connection health

Which Church Software Do You Actually Need?

Choose Breeze ChMS If:

• You need affordable, easy-to-use all-in-one church management
• Your church has 50-500 members
• You want your entire staff trained in less than a day
• You need basic member management with strong giving tools
• Budget is a primary concern

Choose Planning Center If:

• You want modular flexibility and customization
• Worship planning is a critical need
• You prefer paying only for features you use
• You need industry-leading volunteer management
• You're a multi-campus church needing scalability

Choose Subsplash If:

• Digital engagement and mobile presence are strategic priorities
• You want a custom-branded church mobile app
• Media ministry and sermon distribution are central
• You need professional website capabilities
• Online giving without monthly fees appeals to you

Consider FlockConnect If:

• You're losing members and don't know why
• You want to identify isolated members proactively
• You need systematic pastoral care tracking
• Relational discipleship is central to your church's mission
• You believe in the "no one falls through the cracks" philosophy

Use Both a ChMS and FlockConnect If:

• You want to manage operations AND shepherd people effectively
• You need to track both events AND relationships
• You're serious about member retention
• You want pastoral care to be proactive, not reactive
• You're committed to both efficiency and shepherding

Frequently Asked Questions: Church Management Software Comparison

Can FlockConnect replace my church management software?

No. FlockConnect is designed to complement your existing church management software, not replace it. You need both operational management (ChMS) and relational tracking (FlockConnect) for complete church oversight.

Does FlockConnect integrate with Breeze, Planning Center, or Subsplash?

FlockConnect integrates with major church management platforms to import member data and avoid duplicate data entry. This allows you to track relationships without maintaining separate databases.

Which church management software is best for small churches?

Breeze ChMS is typically the best choice for small churches (under 200 members) due to its affordability ($67/month flat rate), simplicity, and comprehensive feature set. Planning Center's free tier is also an excellent option if you only need basic database management.

Do I really need separate pastoral care software?

If member retention and relational health are priorities, yes. Church management software tracks what people do (attendance, giving, volunteering). Pastoral care software tracks how people are connected. Most churches don't realize members are disconnecting until after they've already left.

What's the difference between church management software and pastoral care software?

Church management software (like Breeze, Planning Center, Subsplash) handles operational tasks: attendance, giving, events, communication. Pastoral care software (like FlockConnect) tracks relationships, identifies isolation, and helps prevent member attrition through connection monitoring.

The Bottom Line: Why Churches Need Both

Breeze, Planning Center, and Subsplash are excellent at what they're designed to do: manage church operations efficiently.

FlockConnect addresses what they're not designed for: tracking relational health and preventing member disconnection.

Think about it this way:

You wouldn't expect your church management software to write your sermons. Don't expect it to tell you who's lonely, isolated, or drifting away.

The most effective churches use operational software for efficiency and relational software for shepherding.

Because your members don't ultimately need better event management or more efficient volunteer scheduling. They need to be known, connected, and genuinely cared for.

And that requires different tools working together.

Ready to add pastoral care tracking to your church operations? See how FlockConnect works alongside your existing church management software, or start your free 14-day trial today.