Breeze

Breeze has built its reputation on one core principle: simplicity. In a market where church management software often overwhelms users with features, Breeze deliberately constrains itself to essential functions executed exceptionally well. The interface stands out immediately. Where competitors pile menus and options into every screen, Breeze uses clean layouts with ample white space. Staff and volunteers who dreaded learning the old system often become comfortable with Breeze within a single training session. This accessibility matters enormously for churches relying on volunteer administrators. People management forms the platform's foundation. The tagging system offers flexibility without complexity - tag members as volunteers, small group participants, or any custom category, then filter and communicate based on those tags. Family linking works intuitively, and the search functionality finds people quickly across any field. Contribution tracking handles the financial essentials. Record donations, track pledges, and generate giving statements. The integrated online giving accepts credit cards and ACH transfers with reasonable processing fees. Recurring giving setup takes donors seconds, improving giving consistency. The flat pricing model deserves attention. Unlike per-user or attendance-based pricing, Breeze charges the same amount whether you have 50 or 5,000 members. For growing churches, this predictability helps budgeting. The price point sits in the middle of the market - more than free options, considerably less than enterprise platforms. Check-in handles children's ministry needs adequately, printing name tags with security codes. It's not as feature-rich as dedicated check-in solutions, but serves most churches well. The deliberate simplicity does create limitations. Churches needing sophisticated reporting, complex workflows, or deep customization may find Breeze constraining. It's designed for churches wanting straightforward software that just works, not for those seeking maximum configurability.

Start with a 14-day free trial at breezechms.com - no credit card required. The signup process takes about five minutes, creating your church database with basic settings. Begin by configuring your people database. Add a few test members manually to understand the interface before importing. Set up custom tags that match how your church categorizes people: ministry involvement, membership status, small group participation, or any categories meaningful to your context. Import existing member data using CSV files. Breeze provides templates showing the expected format. Map your spreadsheet columns to Breeze fields during import. The system handles duplicates reasonably well, but reviewing imported data for accuracy saves headaches later. Configure contribution settings next. Set up your funds (general giving, building fund, missions, etc.) and connect a payment processor if offering online giving. Stripe integration is built-in; other processors work through Breeze's payment system. Set up your check-in stations if using children's ministry features. Breeze works with standard tablets and computers. Configure rooms, age groups, and security settings. Print test labels to verify printer configuration before Sunday. Explore the communication tools. Create email templates for common messages. Set up text messaging if your plan includes it. Build a few test lists based on tags to understand how filtering works. Invite additional staff members with appropriate permission levels. Breeze allows limiting access so volunteers see only what they need. Train your team using Breeze's video tutorials and help documentation. Connect the mobile app for access from anywhere. Both staff and members can use the app - staff for management tasks, members for directory access and giving.