How long have you had your online giving software? Two years? Five years? Longer than that?
In the past couple of years, strides have been made in the effectiveness and functionality of online giving software due to the evolving needs of churches and technological advances. Now more than ever, it’s important to update your giving software.
An effective giving software does more than just offer online giving, it’s a tool you can use to serve the people of your church and encourage a culture of generosity. 2025 will be a key year to consider an upgrade. Here are 4 reasons why:
Reason 1: Enhanced Security Features
New software options provide improved security features that protect donors’ financial information and also meet stricter compliance standards in 2025.
In the 2024 Report – State of Church Giving, we found that 33% of surveyed church leaders report security concerns about online transactions to be a barrier to online giving.
By increasing and enhancing these security features, you’re helping to give your congregation peace of mind and remove potential barriers.
Updated online giving software will also be at the forefront of meeting the highest compliance standards set forth by card companies. This will protect donors and your church as a whole.
Reason 2: Better Integration With Church Management Tools
Next, finding new online giving software in 2025 will ensure there’s a seamless integration with your church management system.
Not only will this simplify administrative tasks, but it will give both you and your donors access to updated tracking and reporting.
This means no more stressing over sending year-end giving statements or pulling specific reports. These reports could be pulled based on details like:
- Specific timeframes
- Individual contributions
- Particular ministries or funds
- Avenues of giving (including stock and crypto)
Online giving and church management software should work together to simplify administrative tasks, eliminate time-consuming data entry, and make your data accessible anytime, anywhere.
Reason 3: Improved User Experience for Donors
New online giving software also focuses on creating a user-friendly experience. Now it’s easier than ever for donors to give what they want to give, when they want to give, in the way they want to give it.
This means donors can easily set up and keep track of recurring giving, give to specific funds, and pull their own giving information as needed.
A few highlights of new giving software include:
Mobile-optimized giving
Can your donors easily give from their phones? Updated software makes it easy to access donor portals and give online or via text. This means giving can be as simple as texting “Give $200” and it’s done.
Personalized donation options
With updated giving software, donors can personalize the software to work best for them. From changing the frequency of recurring giving to giving access to family members, donors have options.
This also means donors have options when it comes to their digital wallets. With updated software, they can give via Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Paypal alongside more traditional avenues of giving.
Easier recurring giving setups
Setting up recurring giving is easier than ever with updated software. Donors can choose to tithe, give to specific funds, or even pay recurring feeds by setting them up the way they want. It’s simple and hassle-free.
Reason 4: Lower Transaction Fees and Flexible Pricing Models
Lastly, new online giving software offers competitive transaction fees and flexible pricing models that can better align with a church’s budget. This means you can steward the resources God has given you well.
With more options, you can choose the pricing model that works best for your church. This may include tiers for processing fees and cost per transaction. Lower transaction fees mean you are keeping more money in your budget to use in the way God is leading your church.
Conclusion
If you’ve been on the fence about searching for new online giving software, now’s the time to take the plunge. Today’s online giving software isn’t the same as it was even just a few years ago.
Now, more than ever, online giving software is designed to meet your church’s needs and offers the most advanced technology yet. The four factors identified above can contribute to a more secure, efficient, and user-friendly giving process for your church.
If you’re ready to try out updated software for yourself, you can try a free demo of Ministry Brands Amplify here.
Not only is it online giving software created specifically for your church, but it’s ChMS, a mobile app, your website, and more all in one unified place.