Wave is cloud-based, so you can securely access your accounting software and your financial information anywhere you are. Reconcile expenses, record donations, and manage receipts whenever it is most convenient. Many church financial software tools support multi-currency transactions, which is essential for international missions or overseas donations. Accounting tools like this typically offer currency conversion features and allow you to generate reports in various currencies while keeping your base currency intact. Ensure your chosen platform has built-in multi-currency capabilities or provides integrations with third-party how to calculate subtotals in sql queries currency conversion tools. The one-time fee option for Windows is great for churches who aren’t looking for a monthly software-as-a-service subscription, which can really add up cost-wise over time.
Rated as the most user-friendly and affordable
Also, look to see if the chosen software offers a discount for churches and nonprofits. Quicken offers plans ranging from $5.99 per month to $10.99 per month (up to 25 percent off during the current promotion), billed annually. Its $7.99-per-month Deluxe plan is a desktop app for Windows and Mac with a mobile companion for iOS or Android devices. The PowerChurch user interface isn’t anything fancy, but the software includes many features specific to the accounting and membership management needs of a church.
How to Choose Church Accounting Software
Aplos will send you a weekly cash management summary and monthly financial statements to guide your financial health. Easily create your church financials, such as Balance Sheet by Fund or Income Statement by Fund, to print or email them to church leaders. Slice and dice your financial reporting to see the exact data you need across your church. Simply and effectively build custom financial reports by project, campaign, or ministry. Utilize our payroll integration with Gusto to easily process pastoral payroll, housing allowances, and make tax payments.
Aplos is the only all-in-one software on this list that offers a free trial period, so consider taking advantage of that. Find help articles, video tutorials, and connect with other businesses in our online community. Creating a business budget is an excellent first step for any new church. Let’s take a closer look at how to create one, and explore templates you can use moving forward to make it easier. Integrations include PayPal, Microsoft Outlook, MailChimp, HubSpot CRM, and others. You can access hundreds of more connections using Zapier, though it requires a separate subscription (free and paid options).
- Use past data to manage your general ledger and budgets accurately.
- Slice and dice your financial reporting to see the exact data you need across your church.
- Live streaming your service is a cost-effective and efficient way to broaden your reach and engage more of your community.
- PowerChurch has been around since the 1980s, and its boxy pop-ups make it look like its interface hasn’t evolved much since then.
- (Is this fact proof that God takes care of His church? Yes. Yes, it is.) While I haven’t been the one responsible for church accounting or church bookkeeping, I have worked closely with those who are.
- FreshBooks supports a wide range of payment methods, including simple online payment options.
Tax time responsibilities
FreshBooks is best for churches that need extra support as a result of little experience in church accounting or accounting software. It is also a great option for churches pulling in and needing to manage extra funds earned via paid events such as weddings or funerals. PowerChurch offers full-featured accounting software with general ledger, bill pay, income management, payroll processing tax management, donor pledge and giving management, statement generation and printing capabilities. There are two main reasons a church should invest in accounting software. This will free you up from spreadsheets and receipts to focus on the work of ministry.
A majority of church income comes from member contributions, so tracking member contributions is a needed function to give you insight into how much each member has given on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Now only does this allow you to give annual giving statements to members for tax reporting purposes, but it also helps keep your financial reporting as clean as possible. One of the company’s standout features, however, is the support and assistance it offers to its customers.
The best church accounting software offers full accounting functionality at affordable nonprofit prices. In the end, Forbes Advisor selected the 10 best church accounting software of 2024. It used to be that the main drawback of QuickBooks was its robust set of key features. It can be a little intimidating for those just starting out with the program.
