Thinking of Getting a Church Giving App? Here’s What You Should Know

Technology has made it easier for ministries to do just about everything in the modern age. Things like streaming services and Facebook groups come to mind, but people often overlook the power of church giving apps. These convenient smartphone offerings allow parishioners to tithe even when they’re not occupying a pew, but app functionality can extend far past this.

If you’re considering investing in an app to increase giving, you’ve got a variety of options before you. Prior to making any concrete decisions, though, there are a few things you should understand about church giving apps. While they can provide a powerful tool for growing your ministry, being informed is the only way to ensure you make a smart investment.

Does My Church Need a Giving App?

If you’ve stumbled upon this page, it’s likely because you’re on the fence about giving apps. Ministries have had a difficult few years, so a bit of hesitancy before investing in something new is completely normal. When looking at the current financial climate, though, your congregation cannot afford to not have a church giving app.

A full 98 percent of the average church’s revenue comes directly from tithes and donations. Unfortunately, these contributions have decreased in recent years. Some people who attend church rarely carry cash, and those who come infrequently often only give while sitting in a pew. Offering a giving app in your ministry can combat both these issues.

The DonorWerx Framework integrates SecureGive to build church giving apps. By combining these tools, you’ll have a solid donor engagement strategy and a simple way for parishioners to give. SecureGive is one of the best apps for pastors, and your members will love it due to its simplicity. Even if you don’t choose SecureGive, though, your church needs a giving app.

Benefits of Church Giving Apps

Providing parishioners with a way to give from anywhere – at any time – makes a giving app worth the investment. Many of the apps available for your church, however, offer much more than this. The following benefits do not apply to every vendor you’ll come across, so make time to do some research before investing.

If a church giving app doesn’t offer the following benefits, it’s probably best to continue your search:

• Automatic Recurring Donations: Two-thirds of Americans use automatic payment options for their bills or donations. They love the simplicity. Offering automatic debits has also shown to increase overall giving.
• Powerful Analytics: There are several key performance indicators (KPIs) that you should track in order to monitor and increase giving. SecureGive and similar giving apps offer dashboards that track data points such as total donors, total donations, average transactions and more.
• Integration with Other Tools: If you’re using a church giving app on your donor management software, you’ll have access to many other tools. These may include text-to-give, kiosk giving, website donor pages and more. This form of integration reduces your overall costs.

These potential advantages will rely on the app software you eventually choose. There are several other benefits, though, experienced regardless of your selected vendor. Increased overall giving and improved donor retention are just a few of the notable standouts. This means a tithing and donation app should be an integral part of your financial toolbag.

Isn’t All Mobile Giving the Same?

Some ministry leaders forego church giving apps once they start using text-to-give services. One of the most commonly cited reasons for this is “mobile giving is mobile giving.” While this is partially true since both tools get donations via smartphone, the two platforms offer very different benefits.

Both text-to-give and mobile app offerings allow parishioners to give after a simple onetime sign-up process. This is where the similarities start to end. Tithing by text allows congregants to shoot off a quick donation at the push of a button, but mobile apps allow automatic tithing that requires no further effort from your members.

The lesson here is that – while all mobile giving isn’t the same – each mobile platform is invaluable. Churches are experiencing declines in giving not seen since the Great Recession, so it’s important to use every tool at your disposal. By combining giving software with a solid donor engagement framework, your ministry can survive these contemporary storms.

Getting the Word Out

You could roll out the best church giving app the world has ever seen, but if your congregants aren’t using it, you will have wasted your investment. That’s why it’s important to get the word out. Once someone downloads the app, you’ve accomplished something great. Between automatic donations and push notification reminders, your donor retention will skyrocket.

To get to that point, though, you’ve got to let folks know about the app. Follow these steps for success:

• Send Disciples: Let your inner circle know how important this giving app is for your church. Tell them to spread the word in their own circles and – if possible – recruit a few disciples of their own.
• Start Early: Don’t wait until the day your app rolls out to make a ministry announcement. Send out emails and speak from the pulpit about “something big” that’s coming, and as the release gets closer, let your congregation know about the benefits of your app.
• Take Advantage of Facebook Ads: Facebook allows users to target ads directly to those who have “liked” their page. Use this tool to ensure every single parishioner gets the message.

These are some of the best ways to get the word out about your church giving app. While there are certainly other methods for accomplishing this, your ultimate strategy could vary based on the nuances of your ministry. We discuss this in the DonorWerx Framework along with several other approaches for getting parishioners to download your app.

Watch Your Ministry Benefit from a Church Giving App

They say there’s an app for everything, and when considering the tools created for ministries, this adage rings true. From sermon writing to time management, these smartphone tools can simplify many of the tasks inherent to leading a house of worship. And even if you’re comfortable with the level of giving in your ministry, you should never overlook the benefits of church giving apps.

If you’re ready to increase giving in your church by at least 10 percent in six months, schedule a Discovery Call with DonorWerx today. One of our giving experts will provide advice on how you can get your ministry on the path to increased revenue. By the end of the call, you’ll understand how church giving apps and the DonorWerx Framework can help you.