5 Top Church Texting Services

Churches are a cornerstone of their communities. They serve as a gathering place, a source of inspiration and comfort, and a hub for community fundraising and philanthropy. 

It stands to reason, then, that every church needs an effective, affordable way to get fast updates and important announcements out to its congregation. 

That’s where texting comes into play. With 98% open rates and up to 45% conversion rates, SMS is by far the fastest and easiest way to reach a large community.

To get started texting, you’ll need to get set up with a good SMS platform. 

Choosing the right software might seem like a chore–but we’ll give you a few pros and cons on the top five platforms in the industry to help you make an informed decision.

The 5 Best Church Texting Services

1. ChurchCast

A product of High Ground Solutions, a direct communication company, ChurchCast is (as the name suggests) built just for ministries looking to connect with their members and community. 

Pros: ChurchCast offers SMS services along with voice, email, and social media integrations. For churches looking to communicate across multiple channels without too many bells and whistles to navigate, that’s a plus.

This is also a great tool for organizations that want a church-specific platform. ChurchCast is specifically designed for Ministry outreach and faith-based communication.

Cons: The drawback of such a specialized SMS software system is that you may find your options limited if you want to branch out where your communications are concerned. There are also few to no reviews or case studies to draw on as of now.

2. SimpleTexting

Call us biased, but there’s a reason so many churches choose SimpleTexting for their SMS efforts. 

Pros: SimpleTexting offers an all-in-one tool to help churches coordinate mass texting, one-on-one conversations, automated messages, and integrations with email, website building platforms, and more.

Why does that matter for your church? It means you can run all of your outreach through one platform, from personal prayer requests to mass announcements, email updates, easy-to-use web pages and beyond. 

It also gives you plenty of options for integrating with your favorite church management tools.

Cons: While QR codes are a popular way to get contacts to sign up for your texts, you can’t create them with the SimpleTexting platform (although you can create them elsewhere and use them with your texts).

P.S. Want to see how real churches use our platform? Check out some of our success stories:

• Learn How Milestone Church Engages Its Youth Ministry Using SMS
• Eagle Brook Church Drives Hundreds of Decisions for Christ with Text Messaging
• How Texting Helps This Church Reaches Its Rural Congregation
• How Central Church Uses Keywords to Engage and Inform Its Congregation

3. EZTexting

EZTexting is another platform that offers SMS tools for churches looking to communicate with their entire community or just a few members–and plenty of resources to help you navigate all those features.

Pros: Along with a full suite of SMS resources, EZTexting offers flexible pricing plans and a support staff you can reach 24/7. 

Many churches come to text marketing without a lot of experience in the space. Having help you can reach anytime and packages that fit your comfort level can be a big plus.

Cons: The biggest drawback to EZTexting (according to user reviews) is that campaigns may not send as effectively on certain types of phone numbers. Others users say they have a hard time getting hold of support when they need it.

4. PastorsLine

This is another SMS platform built specifically for churches. You’ll find features to help you engage with your congregation, increase attendance, and coordinate things like Bible study groups and even fundraising efforts. 

Pros: The standout feature of PastorsLine is its user-friendliness. It offers integrations with other church-centered apps like Church Community Builder and Tithely. 

This makes for a smooth workflow that doesn’t require a lot of switching between tools, and, with PastorsLine’s automations, you can set your workflow up and let it run by itself. 

Cons: Users have reported that PastorsLine occasionally falls behind on app upgrades, and that the software can be a little glitchy prior to updates being rolled out.

5. SlickText

SlickText frequently ranks among the top SMS platforms, and it’s easy to see why. The platform comes with all the features you expect from a text marketing software, and it’s a pretty straightforward software to use. 

Pros: One look at the website will tell you that SlickText prides itself on a hands-on support staff and in-depth analytics. Since knowing how your messages perform is key to making sure they improve as you go, that’s a plus. 

They also have their finger on the pulse of the industry, so if you’re looking for up-to-date SMS functions for your church (especially if you have a large congregation), SlickText might be your platform.

Cons: Of the texting platforms out there, SlickText is one of the more expensive. If you aren’t sure yet about texting, or are only using it for a few people or a few functions, it may not be worth it. 

The Wrap on Church Texting Services

Every church is different, and the right texting service for your church will depend on your needs and your goals. 

At the end of the day, SMS is the most effective, easiest, and by far the fastest way to connect with the community that gives your church its life and purpose. The right software can take your texting to the next level and make communicating with your people a breeze.

Still not sure about your first step? Try out SimpleTexting for 14 days, totally free.