ParishSOFT Giving Review - Complete Guide for Catholic Parishes

Feb 22, 2026

ParishSOFT Giving is an online donation platform built specifically for Catholic parishes and dioceses. Part of the broader ParishSOFT family of church management tools, it handles online giving, recurring donations, pledge management, and second collections with features designed around Catholic parish needs.

Over 10,000 Catholic churches use ParishSOFT products, making it one of the largest providers serving the Catholic market. But being big doesn’t automatically mean being right for your parish. Here’s what you need to know.

What ParishSOFT Giving Does

ParishSOFT Giving focuses on five core functions:

Function	What It Handles	Catholic-Specific Features
Online Giving	One-time and recurring donations	Multiple second collections
Pledge Management	Track pledges and fulfillment	Diocesan appeals integration
Donor Management	Giving history, profiles	Family envelope numbers
Payment Processing	Cards, ACH, digital wallets	Parish-specific options
Reporting	Contribution statements, analytics	Bishop’s annual report ready

The platform handles the giving side of parish finances. It integrates with ParishSOFT Accounting for parishes that want a complete financial system, but can also stand alone.

Key Features

Online Giving Options

ParishSOFT supports the full range of modern giving methods:

Credit and debit cards – Major cards accepted
ACH/bank transfer – Lower fees for parishioners who connect bank accounts
Digital wallets – Apple Pay, Google Pay
Text-to-give – Simple SMS-based donations
QR codes – Scan and give from printed materials
Giving kiosks – Self-service stations in the church foyer
Venmo and PayPal – Options many parishioners already use
Stock and cryptocurrency – Alternative asset donations

The variety matters because different generations prefer different methods. A 70-year-old parishioner might prefer ACH; a 25-year-old might use Apple Pay exclusively.

Recurring Gifts

Recurring donations are where online giving delivers real value. ParishSOFT lets parishioners set up automatic weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly gifts.

Why this matters: Churches with recurring giving see more consistent income. Instead of depending on who shows up on a given Sunday, you have predictable revenue. For parishioners, it eliminates the “I forgot my envelope” problem.

Second Collections

Catholic parishes have multiple second collections throughout the year—diocesan appeals, mission societies, building funds, special causes. ParishSOFT handles these with:

Pre-configured collection calendars synced with diocesan schedules
Easy selection for parishioners during giving
Separate tracking and reporting for each collection
Designated fund accounting

This is where ParishSOFT’s Catholic focus shows. Generic church giving platforms treat second collections as an afterthought; ParishSOFT built around them.

Pledge Management

For capital campaigns and annual stewardship drives, pledge management tracks commitments and fulfillment:

Record pledge amounts and expected payment schedules
Track progress toward campaign goals
Send reminders for missed payments
Report on pledge fulfillment rates

Donor Management

Each donor has a profile showing:

Contact information and family relationships
Complete giving history
Active recurring gifts
Pledge status
Envelope number (for traditional tracking)

This integrates with ParishSOFT Family Suite if your parish uses the full membership management system.

Reporting and Statements

ParishSOFT generates:

Contribution statements – For tax purposes, available on-demand or year-end
Giving trends – Track changes in giving patterns
Campaign progress – Real-time pledge fulfillment
Fund-specific reports – See giving to each collection or fund
Diocesan reports – Formatted for annual reporting requirements

Donor Shield Technology

ParishSOFT advertises “Donor Shield” as a reliability feature. It ensures:

Continuous donation processing even during system maintenance
Automatic retry for failed transactions
Real-time fraud monitoring
PCI-compliant data security

Pricing

ParishSOFT Giving uses a tiered subscription model with transaction fees:

Plan	Starting Cost	Notes
Basic	$19/user/month	Entry-level features
Mid-tier	Contact for pricing	Standard parish needs
Enterprise	Contact for pricing	Diocesan installations

Transaction fees: Credit/debit cards typically incur 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. ACH transfers are lower (around 1%). These fees come out of each donation.

Free trial: Available without credit card.

For accurate pricing specific to your parish size and needs, you’ll need to contact ParishSOFT directly. They don’t publish full pricing online.

ParishSOFT Giving vs. Alternatives

How does ParishSOFT compare to other giving platforms?

Feature	ParishSOFT	Tithe.ly	Planning Center Giving	Pushpay
Catholic-specific	Yes	No	No	No
Second collections	Strong	Basic	Basic	Basic
Pledge management	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Text-to-give	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Giving kiosks	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Transaction fees	~2.9%	2.9%	2.9%	2.9%
Monthly fee	$19+	$0 or $119	0-2.9%	Contact
ChMS integration	ParishSOFT	Tithe.ly ChMS	Planning Center	Pushpay/CCB
Diocesan support	Strong	Limited	Limited	Limited

ParishSOFT advantages:

Built for Catholic parish workflows
Second collection management is best-in-class
Integrates with ParishSOFT Family Suite and Accounting
Diocesan-level support and reporting

ParishSOFT limitations:

Pricing not transparent (contact sales)
Interface feels dated compared to newer platforms
Less flexible for non-Catholic churches
Learning curve for administrators

When to Choose ParishSOFT Giving

ParishSOFT makes the most sense for:

Catholic parishes with multiple second collections
Parishes already using ParishSOFT Family Suite or Accounting
Dioceses standardizing across parishes
Parishes that need pledge tracking for capital campaigns

When to Consider Alternatives

Other platforms may work better if:

You’re not Catholic (generic platforms have more features)
You want transparent, published pricing
Your parish uses a different ChMS
You prioritize modern interface design

Integration with ParishSOFT Family Suite

ParishSOFT’s strength multiplies when combined with their membership management system:

Single database – Donor profiles connect to family records
Envelope tracking – Traditional envelope numbers link to online giving
Sacramental records – See giving history alongside baptism, confirmation, marriage records
Reporting – Combined engagement and giving data

For parishes already using ParishSOFT Family Suite, adding the Giving module is a natural extension. The integration works because it was designed together, not bolted on afterward.

Implementation Process

Setting up ParishSOFT Giving typically follows this timeline:

Week 1: Account Setup

Contract and pricing finalization
Bank account connection
Fund and collection configuration

Week 2-3: Data Import

Donor database import (if coming from another system)
Envelope number matching
Historical giving data migration

Week 4: Training and Testing

Staff training on administration
Test transactions
Website and app integration

Week 5+: Parish Rollout

Announcement and education
Sign-up events
Ongoing support

Most parishes are fully operational within 4-6 weeks of signing.

Real User Experiences

According to ParishSOFT customer testimonials:

“The customer service is tremendous” – Kalel Dennis, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

“Each of us is equally impressed with the ease of use” – Renee Barr, Cathedral of St Peter

“Integrating ParishSOFT Family Suite, Giving, and Accounting creates synergy, streamlining training and improving efficiency” – Andrew Brannon, Diocese of Winona Rochester

Independent reviews generally praise customer support and Catholic-specific features while noting that the interface feels older than newer competitors.

Security and Compliance

ParishSOFT emphasizes security:

PCI DSS compliance – Meets payment card industry standards
Data encryption – Protects donor information in transit and at rest
Fraud monitoring – Real-time transaction monitoring
Access controls – Role-based permissions for staff

For dioceses with specific data security requirements, ParishSOFT provides documentation for IT review.

Support and Resources

ParishSOFT offers:

Chat support – During business hours
Phone support – For technical issues
Live training – Webinars and on-site options
Documentation – User guides and video tutorials
Client success managers – For larger installations

Support quality is frequently mentioned as a strength in reviews.

FAQ

Is ParishSOFT Giving only for Catholic churches?

While ParishSOFT is designed for Catholic parishes, non-Catholic churches can technically use it. However, the Catholic-specific features (second collection management, diocesan reporting, envelope tracking) may not align with other traditions’ needs. Non-Catholic churches typically find better value in platforms like Tithe.ly, Planning Center, or Pushpay.

Can ParishSOFT Giving integrate with other church management systems?

ParishSOFT Giving integrates natively with ParishSOFT Family Suite and Accounting. Integration with other systems is limited. If you use a different ChMS, you may need manual data export/import or third-party connectors.

What payment methods does ParishSOFT support?

ParishSOFT supports credit cards, debit cards, ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal, text-to-give, QR codes, and giving kiosks. Stock and cryptocurrency donations are also supported for larger gifts.

How much does ParishSOFT Giving cost?

Published pricing starts at $19/user/month, with transaction fees of approximately 2.9% + 30¢ for cards. Full pricing requires contacting their sales team, as costs vary based on parish size, features needed, and diocesan agreements.

Does ParishSOFT handle second collections?

Yes. Second collection management is one of ParishSOFT’s strongest features. The platform supports pre-configured collection calendars synced with diocesan schedules, easy donor selection of collections, and separate tracking and reporting for each.

Can parishioners see their giving history?

Yes. Parishioners can log in to view their complete giving history, update recurring gifts, download contribution statements, and manage their payment methods. Self-service access reduces administrative requests.

What happens if a recurring gift fails?

ParishSOFT’s Donor Shield technology automatically retries failed transactions and notifies donors. The system monitors for expiring cards and prompts updates before failures occur.

Getting Started

If ParishSOFT Giving sounds right for your parish, start with:

Assess your needs – List must-have features (second collections, pledge tracking, diocesan reporting)
Request a demo – See the platform in action with your specific use cases
Get pricing – Contact ParishSOFT for a quote based on your parish size
Check diocesan support – Many dioceses have agreements or preferred pricing
Plan implementation – Budget 4-6 weeks for full setup and rollout

Scriptured: Content Creation for Catholic Parishes

ParishSOFT handles your giving. But what about your weekly newsletter, bulletin content, and social media? That’s where most parish staff spend hours each week.

Scriptured helps Catholic parishes create content faster:

The ChurchFlow tool transforms your homily notes into ready-to-use parish content:

Enter your Scripture passage or homily notes
Select “Catholic” as your tradition
Receive content in a Catholic voice – liturgical language, reverent tone, orthodox theology

You’ll get:

Newsletter article for your parish bulletin
Social media posts for Facebook and parish website
Announcement slide content
Discussion questions for adult formation or RCIA

Study Workflows for Homily Prep

Before you write, dig deeper. Scriptured’s study workflows guide you through:

Inductive Bible study
Word studies with original languages
Thematic exploration
Character studies

Sermon Planner for Homily Outlines

The Sermon Planner helps you build structured homilies with verse-by-verse outlines and illustration suggestions.

Try It Free

Generate up to 5 content sets per day for free at scriptured.app/tools/church-flow. For unlimited use, Pro subscriptions start at $9/month, with church plans available for parishes.

Sources:

SCRIPTURED is a trademark of Hywel LLC.