Apps Church accounting
Church accounting
Elders need books they can read. Choose a ledger that keeps restricted and unrestricted funds separate, handles clergy payroll correctly, and survives a CPA review. Ministry suites that do books on the side tend to fail at fund accounting; pair your giving platform with a real ledger.
Before you buy
What to demand in writing
- True fund accounting, restricted versus unrestricted made plain
- A month-end close your treasurer can finish without heroics
- Payroll that handles clergy housing and benefits correctly in your jurisdiction
- Benevolence tracking that protects dignity and auditability
- Export for CPA review and board packets
- Separation of duties: who enters, who approves, who reconciles
Reviews
Named options
Each review names the fit and the tradeoff. Confirm pricing and contract terms with the vendor before you sign. Rows carrying the By Church Posting plaque are our own software, reviewed in the same list.
Aplos
Churches and nonprofits that want fund accounting without an enterprise ERP
A ledger built for nonprofits, and a strong default for mid-size churches. Confirm the payroll add-ons and how your giving platform imports land.
Pricing Monthly SaaS, tiered by features and seats
QuickBooks Online (Nonprofit)
Churches whose bookkeeper already knows QuickBooks
Every accountant knows it. Fund accounting takes discipline and the right chart of accounts; it works when a competent bookkeeper owns the system and fails when nobody does.
Pricing Intuit subscription; accountant fees are separate
Shelby / ShelbyNext Financials
Churches already in the Shelby ecosystem
Decades of church accounting history. Before renewing, list which modules you still use and ask hard questions about hosting and support quality.
Pricing Toward the higher end; negotiate against real module use
Spreadsheet plus CPA (interim)
Very small churches with simple cash activity
Honest for a season. Document designations carefully and plan the move to fund software before building campaigns, multiple funds, or staff payroll arrive.
Pricing Low software cost; high risk without controls
The goal is truthfulness before the Lord and the congregation. Dashboards do not replace a reconciling treasurer and an elder who can read a balance sheet.
Related
What do you use?
Field notes from pastors and treasurers keep this directory honest. Send a note or return to the full apps index.