Managing finances for a Mormon church involves tracking tithes and donations, managing church funds, handling expenses for events, and maintaining financial transparency with the congregation. The best bookkeeping software for a Mormon church should be easy to use, help manage multiple funds, provide detailed reports, and comply with accounting standards for non-profits and religious organizations.
Here’s a rundown of the best bookkeeping software for Mormon churches, starting with the versatile FreshBooks.
1. FreshBooks
FreshBooks is a great option for small to medium-sized churches that need a simple way to track donations, manage expenses, and generate reports. Its user-friendly interface makes it perfect for church leaders or volunteers without extensive accounting experience.
Key Features:
- Donation Tracking: Easily track tithes and donations, categorize them, and generate reports to share with church members.
- Expense Tracking: Monitor church expenses, such as utility bills, event costs, and maintenance, and categorize them for easy budgeting.
- Custom Invoicing: Create and send invoices for events like weddings, hall rentals, or other services.
- Fund Management: Track multiple funds separately (e.g., building funds, missionary funds) to ensure proper allocation.
- Reporting: Generate financial reports such as profit and loss statements, cash flow summaries, and donation reports.
- Mobile App: Access your church’s financials from anywhere, making it easy for church leaders to stay on top of finances.
Why It Works:
FreshBooks is ideal for smaller Mormon churches that want a simple, streamlined system for managing tithes and donations. Its ease of use and mobile access make it convenient for church leaders and volunteers to handle financial management without a steep learning curve.
2. Aplos
Aplos is designed specifically for non-profits and churches, making it an excellent choice for Mormon churches that need comprehensive fund accounting and donor management. Aplos understands the unique financial needs of religious organizations, including tracking tithes, donations, and grants.
Key Features:
- Fund Accounting: Manage multiple funds, such as tithing, building funds, and missionary contributions, with clear separation of restricted and unrestricted funds.
- Donation Tracking: Automatically track donations and tithes, link them to specific funds, and generate tax-compliant donation receipts.
- Online Giving: Offers an integrated online giving platform where church members can donate directly, with automatic tracking.
- Reporting: Generate detailed financial reports for church leadership, including donation summaries, expense reports, and fund balances.
- Event Management: Track expenses and revenue for church events, making it easy to manage costs for activities like youth camps or community service projects.
Why It Works:
Aplos is perfect for Mormon churches of all sizes that need to track multiple funds and maintain financial transparency. It simplifies donation tracking and fund accounting, while offering robust reporting tools that are tailored for religious organizations.
3. PowerChurch Plus
PowerChurch Plus is a well-established church management and accounting software, making it a great option for Mormon churches that need to handle both member records and financials. It’s particularly useful for churches with more complex needs, such as managing attendance, donations, and accounting in one platform.
Key Features:
- Member & Donation Tracking: Keep track of member contributions, attendance, and tithing records in one place.
- Fund Accounting: Easily manage different funds for specific church initiatives, such as missionary work, building projects, or charity donations.
- Budgeting: Set up and track budgets for various church activities, ensuring you stay within your financial goals.
- Pledge Management: Track member pledges for special campaigns or annual contributions.
- Reporting: Generate detailed reports for tithes, donations, and expenses, helping to maintain transparency with the congregation and church leadership.
Why It Works:
PowerChurch Plus is ideal for mid-sized to larger Mormon churches that need both membership management and financial tracking in one system. The ability to manage attendance, donations, and accounting makes it a powerful tool for churches that want a comprehensive solution.
4. Realm
Realm is a church management software that combines member engagement with robust accounting features. It’s an excellent choice for larger Mormon churches that want to improve communication with members while managing their finances efficiently.
Key Features:
- Fund Accounting: Manage multiple funds and keep tithes and donations organized.
- Donor Management: Track member contributions and generate year-end giving statements for tax purposes.
- Online Giving: Allows members to donate online, with seamless integration into the accounting system.
- Reporting: Create custom reports for church leadership and members, including donation summaries, expense reports, and fund balances.
- Member Engagement: Includes communication tools for sending announcements, emails, or text messages to church members, making it easy to stay connected.
- Mobile App: The Realm mobile app allows members to give, receive updates, and stay connected with church activities.
Why It Works:
Realm is perfect for larger Mormon churches that need a more comprehensive system to manage both finances and member engagement. The mobile app and online giving tools make it easier for members to stay connected and contribute to church funds, while the accounting features keep everything organized.
5. QuickBooks Online (Non-Profit Version)
QuickBooks Online is a versatile accounting software that works well for non-profits, including churches. It’s particularly useful for larger Mormon churches that need detailed financial tracking and reporting, along with payroll and expense management.
Key Features:
- Fund Accounting: Manage multiple funds, including tithing, building funds, and missionary contributions, with clear separation of funds.
- Expense Tracking: Track expenses for church operations, including utilities, events, and maintenance.
- Donor Management: Track donations from members and generate contribution statements for tax purposes.
- Payroll Management: If your church has paid staff, QuickBooks can handle payroll, including automatic tax calculations and direct deposit.
- Custom Reporting: Generate detailed financial reports to present to church leadership, including profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports.
Why It Works:
QuickBooks Online is a great solution for larger Mormon churches or those with more complex financial needs. It offers detailed reporting, payroll integration, and fund accounting, making it ideal for churches that need a robust accounting solution.
6. ChurchTrac
ChurchTrac is an affordable and easy-to-use church management and accounting software. It’s designed for smaller to mid-sized churches that need a simple solution for tracking tithes, donations, and church expenses without paying for unnecessary features.
Key Features:
- Tithing & Donation Tracking: Track donations and tithing with automatic categorization and reporting.
- Fund Accounting: Manage multiple funds for various church programs, such as building projects, mission work, or general operations.
- Event Management: Track expenses and income for church events, making it easy to stay within budget.
- Member Management: Keep track of church members, attendance, and contributions in one system.
- Reporting: Generate reports for church leadership, including tithing summaries, expense tracking, and fund balances.
Why It Works:
ChurchTrac is ideal for small to mid-sized Mormon churches that need an affordable, user-friendly solution for managing donations, expenses, and member information. It’s a great budget-friendly option that still offers robust features for tracking church finances.
7. Tithe.ly
Tithe.ly is a church giving and management platform that provides built-in accounting features specifically for tracking donations and managing church finances. It’s a good choice for Mormon churches that need to streamline online giving and financial tracking.
Key Features:
- Online Giving: Set up online giving for members, with automatic tracking of donations and tithes.
- Donation & Fund Management: Track donations, categorize them by fund, and generate year-end giving statements.
- Expense Tracking: Monitor church expenses and keep track of budgets for different church programs.
- Custom Reporting: Generate detailed financial reports, including donation summaries and fund balances, to present to church leaders or members.
- Mobile App: Offers a mobile app where members can give, manage their accounts, and receive updates.
Why It Works:
Tithe.ly is a great solution for Mormon churches that want to focus on online giving while also keeping track of finances. The platform is simple to use and offers comprehensive donation tracking and reporting, making it a strong choice for churches that prioritize digital contributions.
What to Consider When Choosing Bookkeeping Software for a Mormon Church
1. Donation & Tithe Tracking
Your software should make it easy to track tithes and donations, categorize them by fund, and generate year-end giving statements for members.
2. Fund Accounting
Churches often manage multiple funds, such as building funds, missionary contributions, and general operating funds. Look for software that provides clear fund accounting features to keep everything organized.
3. Member & Donor Management
Some bookkeeping software also offers tools for managing member information, attendance, and donor history. If this is important for your church, choose a solution that combines accounting with member management.
4. Reporting
Your church’s financial health should be easy to assess through customizable reports. Look for software that generates reports like profit and loss statements, donation summaries, and fund balances.
5. Online Giving Integration
More churches are moving to online giving platforms. Choose software that integrates with online giving tools to make it easy for members to donate and for the church to track those donations automatically.
Comparison Table for Quick Review
| Software | Best For | Key Features | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreshBooks | Small to medium-sized churches | Donation tracking, expense tracking, fund management | Starts at $15/month |
| Aplos | Churches with multiple funds | Fund accounting, online giving, donor management | Starts at $39.50/month |
| PowerChurch | Mid-sized to large churches | Member management, fund accounting, pledge tracking | One-time fee of $395+ |
| Realm | Larger churches needing member engagement | Fund accounting, online giving, communication tools | $29+/month |
| QuickBooks | Large churches with payroll needs | Fund accounting, payroll, donor management | $30+/month |
| ChurchTrac | Small to mid-sized churches | Donation tracking, event management, fund accounting | Starts at $5/month |
| Tithe.ly | Churches focusing on online giving | Online giving, donation tracking, mobile app | Free for basic plan |
My Top Recommendation
For small to medium-sized Mormon churches, FreshBooks offers simplicity and key features like donation tracking and fund management, making it an excellent option for keeping finances organized. If your church has multiple funds or needs a more comprehensive solution, Aplos or PowerChurch Plus are ideal for managing both donations and member records.
For larger churches with a focus on both finances and member engagement, Realm or QuickBooks Online provide advanced features like online giving, fund accounting, and payroll management.
Each software has its strengths, so choose one that best fits your church’s size and financial needs, and take advantage of free trials to find the perfect fit!