All-in-one church management

Amplify Accounting vs. Aplos: Compare Church Accounting Software

Choosing the right church accounting software shapes how your church manages compliance, reporting, and staff capacity for years to come. This comparison breaks down how Amplify Accounting and Aplos approach church-specific financial management.

True fund accounting
Native clergy payroll
Connected giving and people

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Trusted by Thousands of Churches Just Like Yours

Head to head

Quick Comparison Overview

Both Amplify Accounting and Aplos exist for the same reason: general-purpose accounting software doesn’t match how churches manage money. Churches need to track restricted and unrestricted funds, handle clergy payroll, and report clearly to boards, congregations, and auditors. Most business ledgers weren’t built for those realities.

Amplify Accounting

Amplify Accounting, from Ministry Brands, is a GAAP-compliant fund accounting platform built on more than 40 years of church accounting expertise through Shelby Systems. It’s a strong fit for churches that want accounting connected to giving and people data in one ecosystem, supported by automated vendor payments and guided onboarding.

Aplos

Aplos, founded in 2009, is a cloud-based fund accounting platform built for nonprofits and churches. It combines fund accounting with built-in donor management and often appeals to smaller to mid-size churches, including those supported by volunteer treasurers.

Ecosystem approach

Connected suite vs. built-in donor tools.

Payroll and payables

Native tools vs. third-party integrations.

Implementation and support

Depth of church-specific guidance and migration help.

Side by side

Amplify Accounting vs. Aplos: Feature Comparison

A side-by-side view of how each platform handles the areas finance teams evaluate most.

Capability	Amplify Accounting	Aplos	Key Difference
Fund accounting model	True fund accounting, GAAP compliant, built for church structures	True fund accounting, tracks restricted, temporarily restricted, and unrestricted funds	Both support native fund accounting rather than workaround-based tracking
Vendor payments	Automated vendor payments powered by AvidXchange	Bill pay available; confirm the level of paperless automation directly with Aplos	Amplify positions automated, paperless AP as a core differentiator
Payroll	Native payroll and accounts receivable tools built for clergy housing allowances and school billing	Payroll available through third-party integrations such as Gusto, Patriot, or SurePayroll	Amplify offers native payroll; Aplos relies on payroll partners
Donor/giving integration	Native integration with Amplify Giving and Amplify People	Built-in donor management, online fundraising pages, and grant tracking	Amplify emphasizes an integrated ecosystem; Aplos bundles donor tools into the platform
Reporting	Real-time, role-based reporting for leadership, boards, and auditors	Standard reports, including balance sheet by fund and budget-to-actual	Both support board-ready, fund-level reporting
Onboarding and support	Guided onboarding with dedicated migration, coaching, and training from church finance experts	Onboarding with migration support, a setup call, webinars, office hours, and training resources	Both offer structured onboarding; confirm what’s included and what costs extra
Pricing	Not publicly listed; available through consultation	Plans are published by Aplos; confirm current tiers and pricing directly with Aplos	Amplify uses consultative pricing; Aplos publishes pricing

Comparison reflects publicly available positioning as of publication. Confirm current capabilities and pricing directly with each vendor.

Trusted by churches nationwide

Why Amplify

Why Churches Choose Amplify Accounting

Many finance leaders reach a point where their current approach can’t keep up with tighter timelines, higher audit expectations, and more complex reporting. Amplify Accounting addresses those pressure points with practical, church-first advantages.

Built for churches, not adapted from business accounting The fund structure draws from decades of church accounting expertise through Shelby Systems.
Payroll designed for clergy from day one Housing allowances and other church-specific payroll needs work inside the platform, reducing workarounds.
Vendor payments without the manual check run Automated payments through AvidXchange strengthen controls and ease month-end workload.
One connected ecosystem Native connections to Amplify Giving and Amplify People reduce reconciliation and duplicate entry.
Implementation support that matches church reality Guided onboarding includes migration assistance and coaching from church finance specialists.

Compare the platforms

Feature by feature

How Amplify Accounting and Aplos Compare

The differences that matter most show up in the details of fund accounting, payroll, payables, and giving integration.

Fund Accounting and Reporting

Both platforms offer true fund accounting at the core. Amplify Accounting supports real-time reporting designed for boards and auditors, and generally handles more complex environments such as multi-campus reporting, layered permissions, and higher fund volume. Aplos often works well for churches that want straightforward reporting and a gentler learning curve.

Payroll and Clergy Compensation

Clergy payroll adds complexity many platforms don’t handle cleanly. Amplify Accounting includes native payroll designed for church-specific scenarios. Aplos supports payroll through third-party providers, which can work well but adds another vendor relationship and cost consideration.

Accounts Payable and Vendor Management

Accounts payable is often where finance teams lose the most time. Amplify Accounting includes automated vendor payments powered by AvidXchange. Aplos includes bill pay — if paperless vendor payment workflows matter, ask Aplos to walk through their end-to-end process during a demo.

Donor and Giving Integration

Aplos includes built-in donor management, including donor profiles, online fundraising pages, and contribution tracking. Amplify Accounting connects accounting to a broader ecosystem, integrating natively with Amplify Giving and Amplify People so contribution and congregant data flow in with less manual work.

Ease of use and implementation

What to Expect When Switching Accounting Platforms

Implementation success depends as much on support and training as it does on features. Amplify Accounting includes guided onboarding with dedicated data migration support and coaching from church finance specialists. Aplos offers onboarding with migration assistance, a setup overview call, and training resources.

1
Test the Platform With Your Finance Team

If your church relies on a volunteer or part-time treasurer, ask both vendors to demonstrate how quickly a new user can enter bills, code expenses to funds, and run board-ready reports. Put the tools in the hands of the people who will use them daily.
2
Review the First 30 Days of Implementation

Ask what the first thirty days of implementation look like. A structured transition with clear milestones keeps the cutover calm.
3
Confirm Ongoing Support

Confirm what support you can expect when questions come up mid-close. Responsive help matters most during your first month-end close.

Integrations and ecosystem

How Amplify Accounting and Aplos Connect Your Financial Tools

Amplify Accounting’s primary advantage is its native connection to Amplify Giving and Amplify People within the Ministry Brands Amplify+ suite. That reduces the most common friction point finance teams face: reconciling giving, people records, and accounting data across disconnected tools.

Amplify Giving

Contribution data syncs into the general ledger to reduce manual reconciliation.

Amplify People

Member and donor records stay aligned with your financial data.

Aplos Third-Party Integrations

Aplos integrates with payroll providers and payment processing tools for giving.

Which Approach Fits Your Church?

Prefer an all-in-one donor-plus-accounting tool? Aplos may feel simpler. Want a connected finance, giving, and people ecosystem? Amplify aligns better.

Pricing and value

What to Consider When Comparing Cost and Value

Amplify Accounting pricing is tailored to each church based on factors such as size, complexity, and the modules needed. Aplos offers tiered plans, with pricing varying by plan and selected capabilities. When comparing the two solutions, look beyond the initial price and consider the features, services, support, and efficiencies that contribute to the total value of each platform.

Payroll (native vs. third-party)
Vendor payments and approvals workflow
Implementation support and training
Ongoing support access
Time saved on reconciliation and month-end close

Compare each solution based on the features, services, and support your church actually needs.

Who each fits

Who Each Solution Fits Best

No platform fits every church. The best choice comes down to your staffing, reporting expectations, compliance requirements, and how much you want a connected ecosystem versus an all-in-one donor-plus-accounting tool.

Amplify Accounting tends to fit churches that:

Operate across multiple campuses or manage complex, multi-fund budgets
Want giving, people, and accounting data unified to reduce reconciliation
Need native clergy payroll and automated vendor payment processing
Value structured onboarding with church-finance-specific coaching
Expect growth and want a platform that scales with complexity

Aplos tends to fit churches that:

Operate with a volunteer or part-time treasurer and prioritize simplicity
Want built-in donor management inside the same platform as accounting
Have straightforward fund structures and reporting needs
Prefer to handle payroll through a third-party integration
Need published pricing and a predictable entry point

Switching

Switching From Aplos

If your church uses Aplos today and you’re considering a move, these questions will keep your transition grounded and predictable.

How will you transfer historical data?

Fund balances, transaction history, vendors, and donor records often require structured export and mapping. Ask for a clear migration plan, including what you export, what the provider imports, and what you’ll validate.

What’s the timeline based on your reality?

Your chart of accounts, number of funds, payroll complexity, and reporting history all affect timing. Request a timeline tied to your specific data set.

What support will you get during the transition?

Confirm whether you’ll have a dedicated migration contact, what training is included, and what happens after go-live when questions show up during your first close.

Customer proof

Don’t Take It from Us

Real churches on why they run their accounting on Amplify.

The customer support has been phenomenal! There are several different ways to learn about every aspect of the system. There are tutorial videos, expert lead video training sessions, articles for every aspect of the system, and a customer service phone line for more immediate issues. The ability to reach a person and speak to them individually about a question or issue is a rare gift today.

Lisa LimbaughAdministrative Assistant, Winfield Community Church

If you don’t have a great software, go ahead and determine to make the leap. Look for an organization that is going to serve you the way a church deserves to be served…and I think Ministry Brands does.

Josh PlantPastor at Church on the Drive

Ministry Brands’ solutions allowed us to have people give who have never given before. I don’t know that there’s a better place for small churches.

Ed GrantLead Pastor of Thrive Church

What I really like and appreciate is your customer service. We had some things we had to learn and understand, and the people who helped us with that were very patient and helpful in making that happen. We were able to get up and running quickly because of that.

Demetri ChamberElder, North Houston Church of Christ

Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Amplify Accounting better than Aplos for churches?

It depends on your church’s size and complexity. Amplify Accounting often works best for churches with multi-campus operations, more complex fund structures, or a need to connect accounting with giving and people data. Aplos often works best for churches that prioritize simplicity and built-in donor management. A side-by-side demo against your real workflows is the most reliable way to decide.

Does Amplify Accounting handle clergy payroll?

Yes. Amplify Accounting includes native payroll tools built for church-specific needs, including clergy housing allowances and school billing.

Can I migrate my data from Aplos to Amplify Accounting?

Amplify Accounting includes data migration support as part of its guided onboarding. Confirm the specific steps, timeline, and required export formats during a demo.

Does Amplify Accounting integrate with online giving platforms?

Yes. Amplify Accounting integrates natively with Amplify Giving, syncing contribution data into the general ledger to reduce manual reconciliation.

How is Amplify Accounting priced compared to Aplos?

Amplify Accounting pricing isn’t publicly listed and is provided through consultation. Aplos publishes pricing tiers; confirm current pricing and what’s included directly with Aplos before you compare total cost.

See how they compare

See How Amplify Accounting Compares for Your Church

Every church’s financial structure is different. A side-by-side demo focused on your workflows will give your team the clarity to move forward with confidence.