Step 1: Define your core workflows
Before looking at any platform, write down the five things your team does every week. Not what you wish you did --what you actually do. This distinction matters because software purchases often fail when they're based on aspirational workflows rather than real ones.
Start by shadowing your team for a week. What screens are they staring at on Monday morning? What tasks cause sighs? Where do they switch between tools or resort to spreadsheets? Those friction points are your evaluation priorities.
Common workflows we see:
- Volunteer scheduling and reminders
- Guest follow-up within 48 hours of a visit
- Weekly giving reports for finance teams
- Small group sign-ups and leader communication
- Event registrations with payment processing
- Pastoral care notes that multiple staff need to access
Now rank these workflows by two dimensions: frequency (how often?) and frustration (how painful?). A task that's both daily and frustrating should be your top evaluation criterion. A task that's monthly and manageable can wait.
Pro tip
Involve the actual users in this exercise, not just decision-makers. Your executive pastor might think giving reports matter most, but your admin assistant knows the real time sink is volunteer scheduling conflicts.
Step 2: Identify your deal-breakers
Every church has non-negotiables --features or capabilities that, if missing, disqualify a platform entirely. Identifying these before you see demos prevents wasted time and emotional attachment to platforms that won't work.
Common deal-breakers we encounter:
- Text messaging capabilities (some platforms charge per-text, others include it)
- Spanish language support or multi-language capabilities for diverse congregations
- Specific check-in workflows for children's ministry with security label printing
- Integration with your existing giving processor if you're locked into a contract
- Offline functionality for churches with unreliable internet
- Multi-campus support with proper permissions and data separation
Write your deal-breakers on a single index card. Bring it to every demo. When the sales rep shows a flashy AI feature, glance at your card and ask about your non-negotiables first.
Watch out
If you list fifteen deal-breakers, you don't have deal-breakers --you have a wishlist. Aim for three to five genuine non-negotiables.
Step 3: Evaluate adoption, not just features
Here's a hard truth: the best-featured software that your team won't use is worthless. Worse than worthless, actually --it creates guilt, clutter, and a slow drift back to spreadsheets.
During demos, resist the urge to nod along at impressive feature lists. Instead, watch for adoption signals: How many clicks does it take to complete your top workflow? Count them. If it takes eight clicks to log a pastoral care note, your pastors won't log pastoral care notes.
Does the vocabulary match how your church talks? If the platform calls them 'constituents' and you call them 'members' or 'family,' there's friction every time someone uses it. Small translation burdens add up.
Test it like your team will use it
Test the mobile experience specifically. Hand your phone to the least tech-savvy volunteer on your team and ask them to check someone in. If they struggle, your Sunday morning will struggle too.
Ask the vendor for references --but be specific. Don't just ask for 'happy customers.' Ask for a church similar to yours in size, denomination, and context. A megachurch reference doesn't help a church of 150 evaluate a platform.
If possible, get a trial account and run a real workflow. Import some test data. Schedule a fake volunteer. Log a practice care note. Demos are choreographed; trials reveal reality.
Step 4: Understand the true cost
Sticker price is never total cost. The software industry has gotten creative at hiding expenses, and church platforms are no exception. Here's how to calculate what you'll actually pay:
Visible costs
- Setup costs: How long until you're productive? Some platforms offer white-glove migration; others hand you documentation and wish you luck. A 'free' setup that takes your admin 40 hours has a real cost.
- Training hours: How many staff members need to learn this? Multiply that by their hourly rate. A platform that saves 30 minutes per week but requires 20 hours of training takes months to pay off.
- Migration complexity: Will you need to hire someone to move your data? Some churches discover mid-migration that giving records don't transfer cleanly.
Hidden fees to ask about explicitly
- Per-text messaging charges (these add up fast for churches that communicate via SMS)
- Per-user or per-admin limits
- Add-on modules for features that seem core (like reporting or integrations)
- Overage charges if you exceed database size tiers
- Price increases after the first year's 'promotional' rate
The real math
Calculate your total cost of ownership over three years, including all these factors. A platform that costs $50/month more but saves 10 hours/month is actually cheaper.
See transparent pricing
Relius includes everything in simple tiers --no per-app fees, no hidden charges.
Start a conversationStep 5: Test the support relationship
Software will break. Features will confuse your team. Needs will evolve. The question isn't whether you'll need support --it's whether support will actually help when you do.
During your trial, submit a real support ticket about something that genuinely confuses you. Note: How fast did they respond? Was the answer helpful and specific, or generic and scripted? Did they solve your problem, or just link to documentation?
Ask these questions directly:
- Who will be my point of contact if something goes wrong? Can I get a name?
- What's your average response time?
- What are your support hours --do you cover Sunday mornings when churches need help most?
Inquire about their product roadmap. A trustworthy vendor will tell you what's coming and admit what's not built yet. If they promise everything is 'on the roadmap' without specifics, that's a yellow flag.
Pay attention to how they handle feature requests. Do they have a public feedback board? Do they communicate when features ship? A vendor that listens to churches builds better software over time.
The software relationship is a long-term partnership, often lasting five to ten years. You want partners who care about your context and understand ministry rhythms --not just vendors who see your contract.
Red flags to watch for
After guiding hundreds of churches through software evaluations, we've seen patterns that predict trouble. Watch for these warning signs:
- Pressure to skip the trial: 'Our special pricing expires Friday' is a sales tactic. Good software sells itself with time, not urgency.
- Vague pricing pages: If you can't find clear pricing without talking to sales, expect surprises later.
- References that feel staged: If every reference tells the same story with the same enthusiasm, they've been coached.
- Dismissing competitors: A confident vendor acknowledges what others do well. If they only bash alternatives, they might be hiding weaknesses.
- Demo magic that doesn't replicate: Features that work flawlessly in demos sometimes struggle with real data.
- Support that requires escalation: If your trial support experience involves being transferred three times, that's what your Sunday morning crisis will feel like too.
The complete evaluation checklist
Use this checklist when comparing platforms. Print it. Score each vendor. Let the numbers guide your decision.
Core functionality
- Does it handle my top 3 weekly workflows with fewer steps than my current system?
- Does the platform support my specific ministry context (multi-site, multilingual, denomination-specific needs)?
- Are the features I need included, or are they paid add-ons?
Usability
- Can my team's least technical person complete core tasks without help?
- Does the mobile app work well for volunteers and staff?
- Does the vocabulary match how our church talks about people and ministry?
Cost
- Is pricing transparent and predictable without hidden fees?
- Have I calculated total cost of ownership including setup, training, and migration?
- Does the pricing model scale reasonably as we grow?
Support and partnership
- Can I reach a real human within 24 hours if something breaks?
- Do they offer Sunday morning support?
- Is there a clear roadmap with evidence they ship updates regularly?
Data and security
- Is my data portable if I ever need to leave?
- Do they have clear data privacy policies?
- Does the company share my values around privacy and ministry ethics?
Future-proofing
- Does the platform have AI features that will actually save my team time?
- Is the company investing in innovation, or just maintaining existing features?
- Do they have a track record of adapting to ministry changes?