# Church Office Online Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra

> Is Church Office Online the right Church Management solution for you? Explore 110 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/58389/Church-Office-Online/reviews

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Church Office Online

4.3 (110)

[View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/58389/Church-Office-Online/alternatives/)

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Last updated March 13th, 2026

# Reviews of Church Office Online

Ease of use

4.4

Customer Service

4.6

## Pros and Cons in Reviews

KB

KWABENA B

Registered NurseHospital & Health Care, Self-employedUsed the software for: I used a free trial.

“Made it easier organising and managing the church members as well as emails without having to jump platforms.“

May 30, 2021

EA

Ellen A

BookkeeperNon-Profit Organization Management, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“The only thing I don't use is the online giving feature that allows the system to input all the giving so I wouldn't have to. But when I've used this feature, it still lacks the personal observation of what that person is really trying to do and where to put the money.“

April 6, 2020

EA

Ellen A

BookkeeperNon-Profit Organization Management, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“It helps me double check my inputting each week with the deposit slip feature and the batch totals.“

April 6, 2020

Lp

Lisa p

Church ManagerNon-Profit Organization Management, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“There are glitches in giving batches and sending giving reports with templates is difficult and you cant preview what you are sending.“

June 11, 2020

BH

Brian H

Assistant PastorReligious Institutions, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“Now with the mobile app leaders can take attendance immediately after their group gets done and I have it in my office the next day. “

April 10, 2020

AB

Ari B

AssistantReligious Institutions, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months.

“It’s not as easy to edit text as your general text editors such as Word or RTF, and it doesn’t always accept input from outside programs smoothly.“

March 31, 2020

CT

Cameron T

PastorReligious Institutions, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“It is an amazing resource even for a medium sized church but allows the capacity for cutting edge engagement with membership“

April 9, 2020

AB

Ari B

AssistantReligious Institutions, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months.

“Also, the Mass Contact feature is very clunky, as images do not translate well into it.“

March 31, 2020

## Showing most helpful reviews

Showing 1-25 of 110 Reviews

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Rating

Company Size

Reviewer's Role

Length of Use

Frequency of Use

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Office Manager  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best church soltware out there!"

December 3, 2019

5.0

Overall a great program, tons of features, works for everyone who works in the church, user-friendly for members and reliable, with great customer service.

Pros

Our church has tried a lot of softwares/programs for church but after going through demos it settled with Church Office Online. We are able to operate every department from our computer and keep in touch with our members. The program allows for calendar sharing, mass communication, accurate child check and even links to their giving /donating platform.

Cons

It takes a few tries to fully learn the ins and outs of the program, but the customer service was very helpful.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
writer  
Marketing and Advertising  
Used the software for: I used a free trial

### "product digital"

January 31, 2023

5.0

MembersGroupsInteractionsAttendanceReportsUtilitiesSearchSettingsPermissionsImport MembersImport Giving

Pros

If you're someone who likes to learn new things, software development can be a rewarding field. You'll learn new programming languages, new ways to use old languages and new tools to make development easier. In addition, you'll be able to learn new things about the industry you are working in

Cons

Out-of-bounds write.Cross-site scripting.SQL injection.Improper input validation.Out-of-bounds read.OS command injection.Use after free.Path traversal.

Reason for choosing Church Office Online

Why did you choose Church Office Online over these alternative product

Switched from

[Yesware](https://www.capterra.com/p/136698/Yesware/)

I decided to switch careers because I accomplished what I set for myself to be a “fair shot” at an academic career. After I got my PhD, I told myself that I would do up to two post docs. If after that I haven’t secured a permanent academic position, I’ll quit. In a nutshell, that’s what happened.

Review Source

BE

Bert E.  
Admin  
  
Used the software for:

### "CRC Tweaks 1"

October 10, 2012

3.0

I would definitely recommend COO to a small to medium size church who wants to keep things simple for decent pricing such as my church.

Pros

The overall look of COO is pleasing and not intimidating. Thus far it is user friendly. The casual computer user would find it simple enough to use. This was VERY important in selecting COO. Many congregants/volunteers are occasional or casual computer users. It was important to find an application that they would find to be user-friendly and comprehensive.

Cons

Security: The browser back button is active. No one should be able to use the back button and access member/child information. Right now this can be done. Access: We are forced to log out of one status and have to login again as another. Having to change a person's password in order to change their access status. Example: from attendance taker to standard. Main Menu: Would be more comprehensive, if the modules were accessible AFTER login. Having those big boxes on the login page was just plain confusing. (child check-in, individual access). Allow users to login, but only access what they are assigned to. The main menu s/b accessible from every page. Delete or archive an accounting category and NOT delete the contribution records. We often have temporary fund accounts that no longer need to display in the list. Be allowed to select our own "method of payment" default. An Events Registration module would be helpful.

Review Source

Response from Ministry Brands

October 18, 2012

Hi Bert, Thank you for your review and your thoughts about Church Office Online. We appreciate hearing from you and will take your suggestions into consideration as we add new features to Church Office Online. We would like to specifically address your security concerns. Security: We take security very seriously; protecting church data is of utmost importance to us. We utilize industry leading security practices, infrastructure and encryption. You can learn about all of our security measures on the following page: http://www.churchofficeonline.com/Tour/Security Disabling the back button would not improve security of our application and would have a negative impact on ease of use. If a single computer is shared by multiple users, each user should use the "Log Out" button when they end their session and close the browser. This ensures that the next person using the computer to log into Church Office Online cannot access any data their user role does not permit. Thanks again, Aaron

AW

Aaron W.  
Pastor  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Just what we needed "

April 6, 2020

5.0

Pros

We are a small church, and the available options and features provided by Church Office Online are perfect for our congregation. It is especially easy to pull attendance reports and see trends in who we have not seen on Sunday mornings in a while. This has helped our task of shepherding the congregation each week.

Cons

I think the only “downside” is that it might lost functionality for a bigger church. It is not as user friendly in some ways (scheduling and viewing events as a user is a little confusing) and that would be a drawback for a bigger church that has more programming.

Switched from

[ChurchStaq](https://www.capterra.com/p/211982/ChuchStaq/)

Needed better functionality for our smaller context.

Review Source

TA

Thomas A.  
Assistant to the Pastor, IT/AV Director  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Rev. T. S. Alston's Review of Church Office Online"

March 31, 2020

5.0

Up to date membership data, easy mass communication options, and ease of use for Church members.

Pros

Ease of use, excellent communication tools.

Cons

Limited search tool, could include more options.

Reason for choosing Church Office Online

Easier to use, better mass communication options.

Switched from

[PowerChurch Plus](https://www.capterra.com/p/2679/PowerChurch-Plus/)

Easier to use, better mass communication options.

Review Source

GH

Glenn H.  
Pastor  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Praise Cathedral Church "

April 13, 2020

5.0

My overall experience with Church Office has been excellent.

Pros

It’s user-friendly and basically everything I would need an accountant to do, Church Office provides a lot of what I needed with the ability to run reports, etc.

Cons

The inability to text without using an additional resource.

Alternatives considered

[Givelify](https://www.capterra.com/p/137015/Givelify/)

Reason for choosing Church Office Online

User-Friendly and gave me more membership management options including check-one for adults and young people, entering donations, assigning passwords for members, etc.

Review Source

EA

Ellen A.  
Bookkeeper  
Non-Profit Organization Management  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "All-Inclusive, Effective Software"

April 6, 2020

5.0

I've been using the Church Office Online software for several years now and have watched them improve things - even things I've suggested. The customer service staff is awesome and always very polite and helpful.

Pros

This software compiles everything in one place - individual information, including family names, birthdates, addresses, phone, email address - and it uses that information when I input my financial giving each week. I can combine the giving of families, or exclude the children if they are giving separately. I can produce the annual giving statements from here using filters as needed. I can send them out manually our in email form. It helps me double check my inputting each week with the deposit slip feature and the batch totals.

Cons

The only thing I don't use is the online giving feature that allows the system to input all the giving so I wouldn't have to. But when I've used this feature, it still lacks the personal observation of what that person is really trying to do and where to put the money. I like doing this myself. It seems more accurate to me. I don't think this is the fault of the program, just the person giving's ability to make things accurate. When they say "Other" for instance, I either know what they're giving to or can call them to find out.

Review Source

Response from Ministry Brands

April 7, 2020

Thank you Ellen for taking the time to review us. We're thrilled you love our product!

JA

Jaime A.  
Office Manager  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "I continue to be impressed and happy with COO!"

April 3, 2020

5.0

I've always been happy with COO, especially b/c they keep adding tools and not adding to the cost, but the best part is that I continue to get happier as they add features and improve the use of each tool!

Pros

I love that I can access COO from my phone when I'm away from my desk. I have recently began using some of the many features COO offers and wish I'd started using them long ago. They continue to improve this tool and add features - it's really full service! And customer service is ALWAYS timely and helpful!

Cons

I have run into a few kinks that I honestly created myself because of lack of knowledge - not sure I can complain or blame COO but if there were more fail safes when making major changes to configurations I could have skipped a headache or two - really my fault though.

Alternatives considered

[FellowshipOne](https://www.capterra.com/p/230779/Fellowship-One/)

Reason for choosing Church Office Online

Price

Review Source

AB

Ari B.  
Assistant  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "A few imperfections, but great experience."

March 31, 2020

4.0

I would have loved to give CHMS a 5/5, as I have enjoyed this software and find it useful. But the above UI and other problems keep me from doing so, as they make doing certain things unexplainably harder than necessary. Hopefully, these can be fixed in the future, and I will update my review.

Pros

Church Office CHMS has some great features. They are laid out nicely and are easy to use. My favorite features and the ones I use most are Groups, Schedules, Mass Contact, Attendance, . There is a whole lot you can do with this software, and it’s ideal for administering a Parish, because it has all the tools we need in the same software. The browser UI looks great and is easy to use.

Cons

The mobile app is clunky and not as smooth to navigate as the desktop version. It also doesn’t have access to some of the key administrator features like reports or schedules yet. This makes it imperative to use the browser. It would be nice to be able to do everything on the app. Also, the Mass Contact feature is very clunky, as images do not translate well into it. It’s not as easy to edit text as your general text editors such as Word or RTF, and it doesn’t always accept input from outside programs smoothly. Formatting can get lost in transition. Also, the CHMS Mass Contactor does not seem to be able to process foreign characters, as Greek text, for example, is sent out as code gibberish which is impossible to understand.

Reason for choosing Church Office Online

We were looking at a variety of software. The reason we went with CHMS was the fact that it had all of the features we wanted in a single program. The UI was also pleasant.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Digital Marketing Manager  
  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "Being able to do our church work remotely is a big bonus"

April 26, 2018

4.0

Pros

Being able to access all the functions and information without phone calls, emails and visiting the church records has been a key requirement for our software and this one meets them all.

Cons

The UI is a bit dated looking but really at the end of the day it is how software works not what it looks like. As Jesus said - it is on the inside that what counts.

Review Source

SR

Steve R.  
Church Administrator  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Great mobile app"

March 31, 2020

5.0

Pros

I always get what I need from the mobile app; works very well. Main software on pc is easy to use.

Cons

You have to figure out how to use group features to organize congregation.

Review Source

JS

James S.  
Rev.  
  
Used the software for:

### "A Great Way To Begin"

November 28, 2012

5.0

While looking for an online Church Management system we were overwhelmed by the sheer number of companies. We knew we wanted to be able to access the program from anywhere. We wanted it to handle contributions easily and offer an online giving feature. We wanted our membership to be able to update their own records as well as simplify their ability to interact with each other. We knew that in time we wanted a child check-in program. When I found Church Office Online I was very impressed. It wasn't the most sophisticated program on the market but it offered us an economical way to enter the online CMS market and offered many of the features we were looking for. The best thing about Church Office Online is that it has continued to grow with us. Many new features have been added and they listen to their customers. (A very rare commodity in todays business world.) I remain convinced that Church Office Online was the best choice for the Sheffield Church.

Pros

User Friendly Great Customer Support Always Expanding Excellent CMS features Simple Contribution Program Reasonable Cost New Attendance Feature Is Great Child Check In Members Access Is Wonderful Love Birthdays & Anniversaries on Main Page Nice Integrated Church Calendar On-line Giving

Cons

Could use a few more reports. Android phone app

Review Source

WH

Walter H.  
Treasurer  
  
Used the software for:

### "Outstanding Software and Customer Service"

November 28, 2012

5.0

I would highly recommend Church Membership Online. Before we started using CMO (about three years ago), we had tried several other software apllications for doing these tasks but concluded that CMO offered the most features for the subscription price. We have been very happy with CMO both as a software package as well as with customer service.

Pros

Church Membership Online (CMO) is very intuitive and easy to use for a multitude of church-related tasks. Our church uses CMO for keeping track of church membership, individual contributions, generating year-end contribution reports, keeping a church calendar, generating a membership role, and mass mailing of a weekly newsletter. The ability for church members to correct thier contact information is very useful and allows us to have up-to-date records. Members also appreciate being able to see their individual online contribution records as well as being able to access church member contact information. I must also say that the CMO customer support is outstanding and very responsive to our questions and needs!

Cons

Does not allow for personalization of the contribution reports.

Review Source

RM

Regina M.  
Clerk  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Church office online"

April 13, 2020

4.0

I appreciate having a program to use to track members and contributions that will produce a final report at year’s end. It’s also great to have adaptable letter templates that saves time.

Pros

It's simple to use; however there are a lot of features that smaller churches do not need.

Cons

It has a lot of functions that a church our size doesn’t need or use.

Review Source

AP

Althea P.  
Church Secretary  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "User not Administrator "

June 8, 2020

3.0

Experience still a work in progress.

Pros

Reporting finance good. Helpful at tax time.

Cons

Very hard to figure out how to make changes to forms. Our system was set up by someone who is unavailable for help. Watched your video but didn't cover what I needed.

Review Source

JS

Jeanie S.  
Co-Pastor  
  
Used the software for:

### "Church Office OnLine has been a life-saver!"

October 8, 2012

5.0

My overall recommendation is GET THIS PRODUCT! I especially recommend it for small churches who need a reliable bookkeeping system that is cost effective, easy to use and has all the bells and whistles!

Pros

We are a small non-denominational church plant in a city of big denominational churches. This is our first church as pastors. We were much concerned about keeping great records, and didn't know exactly how to go about that. Church Office has helped us tremendously...first, with a great price for small churches 1-60; second, with easy access to all the tools needed to keep accurate records including the finances and year end reports. It is also very easy to pay my bill each month using Paypal. I cannot say what a blessing it has been to me to be able to have all of this at my fingertips, organized and ever so helpful. Thank you for a great product & great service!

Cons

At this point in our experience with Church Office OnLine, I have no Cons.

Review Source

LC

Lisbeth C.  
Administrator  
  
Used the software for:

### "A great value - would recommend for sure!"

October 3, 2012

5.0

As a former Database Manager (former career), I would definitely recommend Church Membership Online. It is robust in its scope yet still easy to use, and most amazingly, quite affordable!

Pros

Easy to use/Intuitive Great truly-web-based tool All relevant parties (pastor, church staff, etc) able to view/share info in real time Very affordable! Responsive customer service Affordable and manageable system for a church like ours that is not a mega-church Very open to feedback regarding features and how the system works Anyone in the church can access their own record with just their email address - doesn't require admin to create a ton of users

Cons

A few minor "clunky" navigational issues Can't capture both physical and mailing address at household level Can't capture more than two phone numbers at individual level (although a simple set of fields on the main record is a pro!)

Review Source

TR

Tabitha R.  
Children's Ministry Coordinator  
  
Used the software for:

### "Very Affordable"

October 2, 2012

4.0

Overall, I would recommend this product. Especially for small churches and low budget churches.

Pros

When researching membership database options this was the most affordable while still meeting our needs. With the addition of the Child Check-in System, which is included for free, you can't beat it! It is fairly simple to use and set up users. The customer service is excellent! I usually get a reply within 5 minutes of sending an email.

Cons

With any new system there are some bugs to work out. Sometimes you have to enter information into seperate areas for it to apply. For example, when entering a household, you can add new individuals to the household when you set it up, but there is a bug with the anniversary date & membership dates. Sometimes they are grayed out with no obvious reason.

Review Source

KS

KELLY S.  
Volunteer  
Non-Profit Organization Management  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "User friendly product"

October 10, 2020

5.0

We have had an excellent overall experience with Church Office Online.

Pros

We use this software to manage our church membership, communication with church membership, and managing our church giving and various projects.

Cons

We haven't notice any real cons with this software. It is very user-friendly and we've found even our least tech-savvy member can use it.

Review Source

CL

Corey L.  
Pastor  
  
Used the software for:

### "Great product with great customer service!"

November 28, 2012

5.0

I would recommend this to any church office looking to move their record keeping online!

Pros

The transition to Church Office Online has been quite easy and having all of our data in one convenient location has streamlined many of our church office functions. The Cloud based system has also been very handy because it has allowed staff to access necessary information outside of the office on laptops and even on smart phones.

Cons

There is a bit of a learning curve on getting the program to do exactly what we have needed but customer support has been phenomenal. Questions get answered almost immediately and the service has been extremely professional and helpful.

Review Source

KS

Kenny S.  
Senior Pastor  
  
Used the software for:

### "At Our Fingertips"

October 2, 2012

5.0

We would recommend others to use this technology to assimilate their information and communicate with their membership.

Pros

We have found this program easy to understand and use. The navigation is very organized and the assimilation of information is almost instant when selected. The variety of fields and filters available are excellent can even be customized. So far, everything has lived up to what is promised in the promotional material from Church Office Online.

Cons

We have not experienced any negative features of this technology. The only thing we might suggest they add in the future is mass e-mail and phone texting right from their platform.

Review Source

DL

Doug L.  
Executive Pastor  
  
Used the software for:

### "OUTSTANDING PRODUCT & SUPPORT"

October 5, 2012

5.0

Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Pros

Our church office transitioned from an installed cumbersome church data system to Church Office Online in a matter of a few hours. The fact that our team can login from anywhere in the world via the cloud is fantastic. We added the Vanco online giving piece offered, and again within a few hours we were "live", website to bank with rates that were extremely competitive. Church Office Online has made its product simple to use, easy to train. Support has been a breath of fresh air, responsive and efficient.

Cons

In 10 months of use, I can't come up with any "cons"!

Review Source

DJ

Debbie J.  
Administrative Assistant  
  
Used the software for:

### "Innovating "

October 2, 2012

4.0

Would recommend this software because it is a great tool for all in the ministry (staff and congregation).

Pros

Accessible from any computer. Really love the idea of using the iPad, mobile phones, etc. Really like that others may sign in and use the data for themselves in other areas of ministry. Video tutorials.

Cons

Not as easy to set up different needed areas. It would have been nice to have known more at the beginning about dates, anniversary's, church membership dates, so that additional data entry would not have been needed as much. re: the data import method.

Review Source

CF

Carl F.  
councilman  
  
Used the software for:

### "Contributions"

November 28, 2012

3.0

Overall a great service that would be benificial to most churches. I really like the new Mass Txt messaging serrvice.

Pros

Easy to use, fast and effective.

Cons

Hard to edit/ fix mistakes. No lock feature on pass enteries. would be nice to be able to lock out a contribution data once all data is entered for that data so that data cannot be changed. Also no quick add for individuals not already in database. User has to exit the contrubution area, add new member/visitor and then re-enter contribution area. A quick app would help save time

Review Source

LC

Lara C.  
Secretary  
  
Used the software for:

### "Good for small churches"

October 3, 2012

4.0

This is a great overall product. It is perfect for our small church and at an affordable price. Support team has been very responsive in responding to issues. They also seem to be releasing new features all the time.

Pros

The feature we liked the most is that this software runs in the cloud. We don't have to install on our server and all our volunteers can access. This product has really helped us in organizing our data.

Cons

Wish some functions were more customizable.

Review Source

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