Church App Platforms vs. Custom Church Apps – Which one is Better For You?

Churches are constantly looking for new ways to connect with and communicate with their congregations. If you’re here, you’re probably looking for a free church software solution for your congregation. The app industry is constantly evolving, and there are always two options: pay for a custom, branded church app or select an app platform that provides a pre-built, ready-to-go experience.

1. Personalized church apps

A church app with your logo is created specifically for your congregation. You will pay a developer to create the app according to your specifications, leaving you responsible for the entire development cost.

Pros

– Because custom church apps are created specifically for you, you have the opportunity to contribute to the design of the app. You can choose the exact layout you want and hire a developer to make it a reality.

– Custom church apps are ideal for branding because they display your church’s name and logo on the user’s home screen. This essentially amounts to creating an “ad” for your church on the user’s app screen.

Cons

– Creating an app is costly. A setup fee is required for custom church apps, and many options require maintenance contracts.

– You’ll have to pay for maintenance and to have the app redesigned as technology changes and user interfaces evolve.

Custom church apps are great if you want a unique experience, but they are expensive.

2. Platforms for apps

Church app platforms take a different approach: they’ve already invested in R&D so you don’t have to. Instead, you pay a low monthly subscription fee to become a member of the platform.

Pros

– App platforms are very inexpensive. Some are available for a low monthly fee with no setup fees.

– App platforms include powerful features that would be costly to develop in a custom church app.

Cons

– App platforms support “semi-branding,” which means your church’s name and logo will appear when the user launches the app, but not on the app icon.

– If you want missing features in a specific app platform, you must submit your idea to their development team and wait patiently for their decision to implement it.

App platforms are an excellent choice if you want an easy-to-use, low-cost app experience for your congregation, regardless of its size.