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Kanbei vs Planning Center
Planning Center is a full-featured church management platform with per-person pricing and many modules. Kanbei is simpler and cheaper — $20/month flat for unlimited members — focused on the essentials most small churches need.
Kanbei is a simpler, cheaper alternative to Planning Center for small churches. Kanbei costs $20 a month flat for unlimited members, while Planning Center charges per person and per module. Kanbei includes a member directory, groups, event RSVPs, attendance tracking, and announcements in one flat price. Planning Center offers more features (check-in, giving, music planning) but at higher cost and complexity.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Kanbei | Planning Center |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $20/month flat | Free tier + per-person paid plans |
| Member limit | Unlimited | Varies by plan |
| Admin seats | Unlimited | Varies by plan |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes (People module) |
| Groups / ministries | Yes | Yes (Groups module) |
| Event RSVPs | Yes — no account needed | Yes (Calendar module) |
| Attendance tracking | Yes | Yes (Check-Ins module) |
| Announcements | Yes | Limited |
| Scheduling board | Yes | Yes (Services module) |
| Check-in kiosks | No | Yes |
| Online giving | Basic giving pages | Yes (Giving module) |
| Music / worship planning | No | Yes (Services module) |
| Setup complexity | Simple — 6 steps | Multiple modules to configure |
Choose Kanbei if…
Budget-friendly
One flat $20/month price regardless of church size. No per-person charges, no module add-ons.
Simple to set up
Six steps from zero to a working church directory with events and RSVPs. No module selection or configuration.
No member accounts needed
Church members reply to RSVP links without creating an account, downloading an app, or remembering a password.
Choose Planning Center if…
More features
Planning Center offers check-in kiosks, worship service planning, online giving, and a publishing tool that Kanbei does not have.
Larger ecosystem
Planning Center integrates with many church-specific tools and has a large user community.
Free tier available
Planning Center offers a free tier for very small churches, though it has limits.
Common questions
- Is Kanbei a replacement for Planning Center?
- For small churches that need the essentials — member directory, groups, events, attendance, and announcements — yes. For churches that need check-in kiosks, worship planning, or advanced giving tools, Planning Center may be the better fit.
- Can I switch from Planning Center to Kanbei?
- Yes. Export your member list from Planning Center as a CSV and import it into Kanbei.
- Does Kanbei have a free tier?
- No. Kanbei is $20/month flat. You can explore the full demo without signing up to see if it fits your church.
Ready to try Kanbei?
$20/month flat. Unlimited members. No per-seat charges.