| Starter0–99 people · Includes children, youth, and regular attendees. | GrowthMost churches100–499 people · For growing churches with more teams and admin needs. | Church+500+ people · For large churches that need higher capacity and governance. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Church size | 0–99 people | 100–499 people | 500+ people |
| Price | Free | R499/mo · or R4,999/yr | R1,499/mo · or R14,999/yr |
| Per successful gift | R2,50 + 1,5% | R2,50 + 1,25% | R2,50 + 1% |
| On a R500 tithe | member pays R510,00 · church receives R481,84 after Paystack's card fee | member pays R508,75 · church receives R481,87 after Paystack's card fee | member pays R507,50 · church receives R481,92 after Paystack's card fee |
| Giving | Funds, QR codes, pledges, 18A certificates | Everything in Starter | Everything in Growth |
| Running the church | — | Finance, people, attendance, volunteers, events, reporting, a month-end summary for the council | The lowest fee per gift, governance and higher capacity |
| WhatsApp messagesTop up: 100 for R69 · 500 for R299. Receipts are always free. | 50 a month | 300 a month | 1,000 a month |
| Payroll | — | 5 staff included · R25 a month each after | 15 staff included · R25 a month each after |
| Branches | 1 | 2 included · R149 a month each after | 4 included · R149 a month each after |
| Trial | No trial needed | 30-day Growth trial | 30-day Church+ trial |
| Start free | Start Growth trial | Book a demo |
The platform fee is added on top of the gift, and the member sees it before paying. Paystack's card fee comes off when the money is paid to your bank. Every card payment in South Africa carries a fee like this, a card machine included. Cash you record in Churpay carries no fee.
Most churches use all four. Churpay does not replace the plate: cash is counted in Churpay too, by a recorder and a witness, with no fee.
| Churpay | A card machine | Cash in the plate | EFT to the church account | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where members can give | In the app, by QR code or a link, from anywhere | Only at the machine, in the building | Only in the building, on the day | From their banking app |
| What it costs the church | Paystack’s 2,9% + R1 plus VAT, off the payout. Churpay’s fee is added on top and paid by the giver, who sees it first | About 3% a tap, plus buying or renting the machine | Bank fees to deposit it, and someone’s Sunday afternoon | Bank charges vary. The giver pays their own bank’s fee |
| When the church has the money | The day after the gift, in the church’s own account | A working day or two later | When someone takes it to the bank | Same day to a few days |
| Who gave, and to which fund | Every gift has a name and a fund, with a receipt sent | A slip with an amount: no name, no fund | Only if they used an envelope | Only if the reference was typed correctly |
| Section 18A certificates | Made for every giver, ready in February | By hand, from records you do not have | By hand, from envelopes | By hand, from bank statements |
| Safety | No cash to carry. Card details stay at Paystack. Every action is logged | Safe for cards, but a machine can go missing | Counted late, carried home in a car | Safe at the bank, slow to match |
| Monthly giving, away from church | Yes, once or every month, from anywhere | No | No | Only if the member sets it up and keeps it going |
Card machine and bank costs differ by provider; these are typical South African figures. Churpay’s fees are on Plans.
Sizes, trials, guests and certificates.
Everyone on the roll: adults, children, youth and regular attendees. Starter covers 0–99 people, Growth 100–499, Church+ 500 and more.
Starter is free with no trial needed. Growth and Church+ start with a 30-day trial; monthly or annual billing begins after it, and you can cancel before the trial ends.
Yes. The church QR code and giving links open a page where anyone can give with a card, with or without their details.
Yes. Every fund has a QR code for the foyer screen or the bulletin, and members can set up a monthly gift from the app.
Churpay issues Section 18A certificates for registered churches and prepares the IT3(d) file for SARS, from the same giving records.
Set up your church in an afternoon. Church details, admin email, bank proof. Verified in a day. Or send us a WhatsApp and we'll do it with you.