<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/FAQPage"> <div itemprop="mainEntity" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <h2 itemprop="name">Who Should Use Pushpay?</h2> <div itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer"> <p itemprop="text">Churches with money to burn should use Pushpay. It's a great tool...but it's very expensive. Plus, many customers have had issues with Pushpay's customer service, making it difficult to resolve serious problems. <a href="https://get.tithe.ly/">Visit Tithe.ly</a></p> </div> </div> <div itemprop="mainEntity" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <h2 itemprop="name">Who Should Use PayPal for Churches?</h2> <div itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer"> <p itemprop="text">PayPal isn't designed for churches. For that reason, we don't recommend that any church–regardless of size or budget–uses PayPal. <a href="https://get.tithe.ly/">Visit Tithe.ly</a></p> </div> </div> <div itemprop="mainEntity" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <h2 itemprop="name">Who Should Use Tithely?</h2> <div itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer"> <p itemprop="text">Tithely is a great choice for small- to medium-sized churches that are looking for a free, quality tool to help them increase generosity. Tithely can help any church member give a recurring or one-time gift securely and safely–with the payment method of their choice, on the device of their choice. Plus, Tithely has an incredible customer success team that's committed to helping every user succeed. <a href="https://get.tithe.ly/">Visit Tithe.ly</a></p> </div> </div>
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Run your church from one place with the tools you need.
Tithely All Access includes Giving, People, Messaging, Church Management, Church Apps, Events, Sites, and more bundled into a value packed plan at an unbeatable price!
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Nearly 1 Million gifts processed each year by OVER 50,000 churches in 55 countries
Over 50,000 churches trust Tithely to help run their church.
Pushpay vs PayPal for Churches vs Tithely
Pushpay vs PayPal for Churches vs Tithely: Which Online Giving Platform is the Best?
Compare Pushpay, PayPal for Churches, and Tithely to find the best online giving platform for your church. Discover pricing, features, and why Tithely leads as the affordable all-in-one church solution.
If your church is exploring online giving options, chances are you’ve come across three popular platforms: Pushpay, PayPal for Churches, and Tithely.
All three let donors give digitally, offer receipts, and handle multiple payment methods. But when you dig deeper, they differ significantly in pricing, flexibility, simplicity, and features.
In this guide, we break down the pros, cons, and ideal use cases for each, so you can choose the best giving platform for your church.
*(Editor’s note: We’re obviously biased toward Tithely, but we strive to be fair and factual. If you spot anything inaccurate, let us know!)
Why Does Your Church Need an Online Giving Platform?
With most of your members spending time online, offering convenient ways to give from phones, tablets, or computers is no longer optional — it’s essential.
Online platforms make it easy to:
Accept one-time and recurring gifts
Improve giving consistency
Reach younger, mobile-first donors
Simplify administration and reporting
Which Online Giving Platform Is Best?
The best solution will:
Offer flexible giving methods
Provide excellent customer service
Fit your church’s budget
Scale as your church grows
While we’re partial to Tithely, this guide gives you an honest look at all three platforms to help you make an informed decision.
Support for text giving, mobile giving, and recurring gifts
Tools that don’t penalize growth as your church expands
Platform Overviews
Tithely Giving Overview
Key giving options:
Mobile app
Website integration
Text-to-give
Kiosk giving
Cryptocurrency
Cost: Tithely Giving is free to use (standard 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction); paid plans available for All Access features.
With Tithely All Access, churches also get tools for event management, church websites, apps, volunteer scheduling, email/text messaging, and more.
Pushpay Overview
Pushpay is a robust online giving platform used by large churches and nonprofits.
Key giving options:
Website giving
Mobile app
ACH, debit, and credit cards
Pushpay offers tools for donor management, campaigns, events, apps, and volunteer coordination, though many come as add-ons through its ChurchStaq suite.
Cost: Starts at $149/month; scales based on church size.
PayPal for Churches Overview
PayPal is one of the oldest online payment providers, originally built for e-commerce.
Key giving options:
“Donate Now” button
Debit/credit card or PayPal account
Recurring giving
However, PayPal lacks custom branding, church-focused tools, and administrative features, making it more of a generic payment processor.
Cost: No monthly fee; transaction fees of ~1.99% + $0.49 per gift.
Flexibility Comparison
Tithely Giving: Highly flexible — multiple payment methods, integrates with your site, text-to-give, kiosk, and mobile app.
Pushpay: Flexible for large churches with custom integrations, but requires add-ons for full functionality.
PayPal: Limited flexibility, no church-specific features, and no customizable donation pages.
Simplicity Comparison
Tithely Giving: Seamless setup with guided onboarding and customer support.
Pushpay: Smooth donor experience, but admin setup can be complex and time-consuming.
PayPal: User-friendly for donors, but clunky admin setup (11 steps just to install a donate button) and limited support.
Pricing Comparison
Platform
Monthly Cost
Transaction Fees
Tithely
Free for giving tools; $119/mo for All Access
2.9% + $0.30; discounted with volume
Pushpay
$149+/month
~2.9% + fees; varies by contract
PayPal
$0/month
1.99% + $0.49 per transaction
Winner: Tithely offers the most affordable entry point for online giving with made-for-churches features. PayPal is functional, but lacks church-specific tools. Pushpay is premium-priced for large churches.
Feature Comparison
Feature
Tithely
Pushpay
PayPal
Online Giving
✓
✓
✓
Recurring Donations
✓
✓
✓
Text-to-Give
✓
✓
✗
Mobile App
✓
✓
✗
Kiosk Giving
✓
✗
✗
Donor Management
✓
✓
✗
Website Builder
✓
✗
✗
Admin Tools (ChMS)
✓
(requires add-ons)
✗
Custom Branding
✓
✓
✗
Who Should Use Each Platform?
Pushpay: Large churches with big budgets that want advanced features and are comfortable with long-term contracts.
PayPal: Small nonprofits or churches that just need a basic donation button — but beware of its limitations.
Tithely: Churches that want a full-featured, scalable, and affordable solution designed specifically for church needs.
What Real Churches Say About Tithely
“We were live in hours, and giving increased dramatically. Tithely was the best decision for our church.” — Josh
“Easy to integrate, user-friendly for our members, and excellent support. Highly recommend!” — Steven
“The best bang for your buck, period. We love the platform and the team behind it.” — Russ C.