4 Critical Questions for Choosing the Right Giving App

When choosing a new giving solution, there are plenty of options. All of these choices can create a sense of technological paralysis.

Some churches are so overwhelmed by options that they jump at the first one that comes along—or they’re worried that they’ll make a wrong choice, so they don’t make any changes at all. Over time, the problems associated with using lousy tech (or no tech) end up costing you more than making the switch to something amazing.

Picking the Right Giving Software

When choosing a giving solution, the first question a church needs to answer is “Why would digital or mobile giving be better than the status quo?”

If you want to pick the right church giving software, you need first to be convinced that any giving solution is preferable to collecting money the old-fashioned way.

This means carefully considering the benefits of online giving. And it includes examining cultural changes in money handling and looking at the ways companies like Amazon and Facebook have positioned themselves to prioritize mobile. It also requires you to look at the latest digital giving trends to see what benefits you might be missing out on. Is it time to look beyond run-of-the-mill digital giving?

After doing this research, you’ll find that mobile giving trumps any other digital solution—hands down.

But Which Mobile Giving App Solution?

When you’re ready to pull out the stops on a mobile app for giving, you still need to figure out which one? There are a lot of companies in the mobile giving game, so you have to spend some time looking at them carefully.

This means that you have to…

• Consider what you want from a mobile-giving solution
• Look at the companies in the game and weigh their features
• Consider the potential ROI of various investments

1. Comparing Digital Giving Providers

When you look at the digital giving space, you discover a few key players: Pushpay, Tithe.ly, EasyTithe, Planning Center, and Kindred. The first thing you want to do is start comparing their app’s features. What does each provider offer? Then ask yourself how these features can improve:

• Giving
  • Does the provider understand how to increase giving?
  • Do they offer recurring giving?
• Administration
  • Will it improve your annual giving statements?
  • Does it simplify the lives of bookkeepers and treasurers?
• Operations
  • Does it improve cash-handling security?

Is this app going to alert your congregation when their credit card is about to expire? Will it suggest that they sign up for recurring giving? Will it give them alerts when recurring giving stops for some reason?

2. Look at Church Experiences

Nothing helps you wrap your mind around a product’s benefits like reading about other user experiences. These will tell you if other churches are seeing increases in giving from using this app. Does it allow them to pull off inspiring charitable feats or respond quickly and efficiently to crisis situations?

Testimonials matter. People love reviews on Amazon and Yelp—understanding the experience of others enables us to make informed decisions.

3. Research Their Customer Service

A company with a bad customer service ethic can ruin a perfectly good tech solution. If it’s hard to get a hold of a real person, or they’re only interested in doing the very minimum for you (or upselling you), you’re going to struggle to launch and implement your new giving software.

That’s why it’s in your best interest to favor a company like Pushpay that goes beyond customer service. After all, you’re going to want a company who is as passionate about getting your church invested in mobile giving as you are.

4. Do They Offer a Church App?

A mobile-giving app is excellent, but imagine if that giving solution came bundled in a church app that could…

• Increase churchwide engagement
• Get people more invested and involved on Sunday mornings
• Make your church more green and cost-efficient
• Maximize the reach of your sermons
• Simplify organizing events

By integrating your mobile giving solution with a full-featured church app, you give people a reason to be more mindful of the app, creating higher engagement and more giving opportunities. So, if your church is ready for an app—and it probably is—find a giving solution that’s going to come bundled in an app that your church will actually use regularly.

The Cream Rises to the Top

If you want to be happy with your tech choices, don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and do your homework. The more you compare your options, the better informed and equipped you become.

And that’s how you end up going with a company like Pushpay—2017’s Hi-Tech Company of the Year.

If you’re interested in learning more about Pushpay, sign up for a free demo!