Elvanto alternatives in Australia: 7 church management platforms compared (2026)

Elvanto served Australian churches well from 2009 onwards. It was AU-built, focused, and for a long while it was the obvious choice if you wanted something better than a spreadsheet without paying US enterprise prices. Then in 2018, Tithely acquired it. The product direction shifted. Many of the AU churches that helped build Elvanto's reputation are now quietly looking around.

If that's you, this guide is the honest comparison we wish someone had handed us five years ago. Seven platforms, six criteria, no affiliate links, no sponsored placement. We run Floways and we're one of the seven, listed alphabetically along with everyone else. You decide.

Pricing in this article is current as of 28 April 2026, sourced from each vendor's published pricing page. Where pricing is in USD, we've shown the AUD equivalent at the current exchange rate (US$1 = AU$1.39). Currencies move. The shape of the comparison holds.

Why churches are leaving Elvanto in 2026

We want to be careful here, because the last thing useful AU churches need is a hit piece. Elvanto still works for many congregations and the team behind it built something genuinely good. But three patterns come up often enough in the conversations we have with AU church admins that they're worth naming.

First, the product roadmap has clearly become US-centric. Features that matter for Australian churches (BECS Direct Debit refinements, ACNC reporting helpers, AU-specific compliance fields) have not seen significant investment since 2022. Features that matter to the US Tithely customer base have. That's rational from Tithely's perspective. It's frustrating from yours.

Second, AU support quality has slipped. The shift to US-timezone support hours in 2021 caused real friction for churches who needed help on a Sunday morning. Some churches we've spoken with are now waiting 24 to 48 hours for replies that used to come the same day.

Third, pricing has moved. Multiple AU churches have reported subscription increases in the range of 15 to 25 per cent over 24 months, often without a corresponding feature increase. It's a fair business decision for any SaaS to make, but it's a factor in the switching conversation.

What Elvanto still does well

If your church has built a sophisticated workflow inside Elvanto over the last five or seven years, that's real value. Their Workflows module is solid. Their Demographics reporting is well-regarded. The data model holds up. And there's a meaningful Australian customer community sharing tips and templates, which doesn't exist for newer platforms.

The reasons to consider switching are: support quality is failing you, the AU compliance gap is causing actual problems, or the roadmap has stopped serving your church. 'The platform got acquired' is not, by itself, a sufficient reason.

How we compared the seven alternatives

Six criteria. Each platform scored 1 to 5 on each. The methodology is published so you can apply your own weights.

• Pricing transparency. Is the price published on the website, or do you need a sales call?
• AU compliance support. WWCC tracking, Safe Ministry, ACNC reporting, BECS Direct Debit, DGR-aware giving receipts.
• Mobile experience. Both for staff and for the volunteer or member end-user.
• All-in-one breadth. How many of the modules an average AU church needs are covered?
• Support quality. Response times, AU-timezone availability, depth of help documentation.
• Switching cost. How easy is it to import existing Elvanto data and onboard your team?

The seven alternatives

Breeze ChMS

US-built, simple, and well-loved. Pricing is a flat US$66 per month (about AU$92) with no per-member fees. The interface is friendly and the learning curve is short. The catch for AU churches is that Breeze does not natively handle WWCC, ACNC reporting, or BECS Direct Debit. You'll be supplementing it with spreadsheets or a separate compliance tool. Best for small AU churches that want simple over comprehensive.

ChurchSuite

UK-built. The strongest WWCC tracking on the market that isn't AU-built, using their Flows and Smart Tags features. Modular pricing from around £9 to £275 per month depending on add-ons. Real AU presence and BECS support via GoCardless. UK terminology shows up in places (Gift Aid is built in but irrelevant for you, parishes vs campuses) but it's surface-level. Best for AU churches that want UK-quality compliance and don't mind paying in pounds.

Floways

Australian-built. Full disclosure: this is our product. Four modules are free forever with no trial clock and no credit card: People, Giving, Registrations, and Ticketing. People includes unlimited volunteer profiles, background check ordering and tracking, digital forms, automated workflows, email and SMS — all at A$0. For churches that need more, Floways Core (A$99/mo) adds Groups, Check-Ins, Services, Bookings, and Floways AI. Floways Complete (A$169/mo) adds the full Sites and App layer.

Planning Center

US giant. Excellent product, well-deserved reputation. People is always free with unlimited records, and Church Center (the member app) is always free. Each additional product (Services, Giving, Check-Ins, Groups, Calendar, Registrations, Publishing) is priced by usage tier from US$15 to US$239 per month. Small churches running one or two modules get extraordinary value. The cost compounds at five or more modules: a typical 240-attendee church running Services, Giving, Groups, Check-Ins and Calendar is paying around US$217/mo before any extras.

Pushpay (ChurchStaq)

Enterprise-focused. Pricing is not published — you book a sales call. Reportedly starts around US$145 per month for ChMS alone, with the full bundle costing significantly more. Genuinely strong for large multi-site churches, with proprietary technology for failed-payment recovery. AU compliance handling is limited and treated as customisation rather than core functionality. Best for AU churches with 1,500+ members and an enterprise budget.

Subsplash One

Mobile-first. Acquired Fluro in 2024, giving them a meaningful AU presence. Pricing is not published on their website — you book a sales call. Reports from churches we've spoken with put the entry point in the mid-hundreds USD per month. Best-in-class member-facing app experience and strong streaming integration. Best for AU churches that prioritise the member-facing app and have 500+ members.

Tithely

US-built, and the same company that owns Elvanto. Three published tiers as of late April 2026: Free Giving at US$0/mo, Giving + Church Management at US$72/mo, and All-Access at US$119/mo (currently discounted from US$228 — check whether the discount is permanent). At current exchange rates All-Access works out to around AU$165 per month. US processing rates apply (2.9% + $0.30 for cards, 1% + $0.30 for ACH), which are higher than Planning Center's AU domestic rates. AU compliance handling is treated as a long-tail feature, not a focus.

UCare

Australian-built. From AU$10 per month, founded in 2006. Long-established, basic feature set, very budget-friendly. Doesn't include some of the more advanced features modern churches expect (a polished mobile app, deep workflow automation), but for very small AU churches with simple needs it's a solid pick. Best for AU churches with under 100 members and a strict budget.

How we'd choose if it were our church

Small (50–150 attendees), tight budget

Start with Floways People, Giving, and Registrations — all free forever, no card required. If you grow and need Groups or Check-Ins, Floways Core at A$99/mo is the next step. If you only need one or two modules and don't need AU compliance baked in, Planning Center's per-module pricing is hard to beat at this scale. UCare at AU$10/mo is the budget pick if you can live with the basic feature set.

Mid-sized (150–500), AU compliance is a priority

Floways Core (AU$99/mo) or Floways Complete (AU$169/mo) are the strongest options. ChurchSuite is a credible alternative for the compliance depth. Tithely All-Access at US$119/mo (~AU$165/mo) covers a similar feature set if AU compliance is a lower priority. Run a 30-day trial and pick on fit, not on marketing.

Large or multi-site (500+) with existing PCO investment

Planning Center is hard to beat at this scale. The plugin ecosystem and the depth of the Services module are real advantages. You'll need a separate compliance solution. Subsplash is a credible alternative if member-facing experience is the priority and the pricing works for your budget.

We didn't say Floways for everyone. We're transparent about where we're the right answer and where we're not, because that's the only way to be useful.

Switching from Elvanto: a practical timeline

• Week 1: Export your data from Elvanto. They support CSV export of People, Giving history, Groups, and Workflows. Save everything.
• Week 2: Choose your replacement and start a 30-day trial. Don't commit yet. Test data import on a sample.
• Week 3: Map data fields. Run a pilot import of 50 to 100 records and check the result against the Elvanto source.
• Week 4: Migrate active workflows and integrations. Anything connected to your old ChMS (mailing platform, giving processor, accounting software) needs to be reconnected.
• Week 5: Train your team. Two sessions usually does it. The volunteers come last, after staff are confident.
• Week 6: Switch over. Run both systems in parallel for one Sunday, then sunset Elvanto.

Frequently asked questions

Can I export my data from Elvanto?

Yes. Elvanto supports CSV export of all major data types. Do this before you start any other migration step. Keep a copy of the export forever.

How long does it take to switch ChMS?

Six weeks is realistic for a clean migration with staff support. Three weeks is possible for a small church with minimal customisation. Twelve weeks is normal for a large church with heavy workflow customisation and multiple integrations.

What happens to my Elvanto integrations?

They stop working when you switch. Inventory them before the migration: mail platform, giving processor, accounting software, calendar sync. Each will need to be reconnected to your new ChMS, and not every integration exists for every platform. Check this before you commit.

Is there a free trial of Floways?

People, Giving, Registrations, and Ticketing are free forever — no trial, no card, no time limit. Paid modules (Core and Complete) come with a 30-day trial.

Where to from here

The next step is a 30-day trial of two or three platforms from this list, tested against the same sample dataset. Don't book demos with all seven. You'll lose your weekend.

If Floways is on your shortlist, see how it handles AU compliance and Elvanto data migration in a 20-minute walkthrough. Book at floways.co. Or compare us side by side on floways.co/vs/elvanto.