Planning Center has been a leader in church management for years. CHOS is a newer platform built from scratch as a unified church operating system. Both serve churches, but they take fundamentally different approaches. Here's an honest comparison.
The fundamental difference
Planning Center is modular — you buy each feature (People, Services, Check-Ins, Giving, Groups) as a separate module with its own price. CHOS is unified — everything is included in one workspace at one price.
This isn't just a pricing difference. It shapes the entire user experience. In Planning Center, you jump between separate apps. In CHOS, everything is connected in one view.
Pricing comparison
Planning Center offers free People module, then charges $15-149/month per additional module. A church using People, Services, Check-Ins, and Giving could pay $100-300+/month depending on attendance size.
CHOS charges a flat $39.99/month for the Core plan with all features included — service planning, people, volunteers, check-ins, giving, and AI assistant. No per-module costs, no per-member fees.
Where Planning Center is stronger
Planning Center has years of market presence and a large user community. Their Services module is considered best-in-class for worship planning. They have deeper third-party integrations and a mature API.
If your church already uses Planning Center and is happy with it, the switching cost may not be worth it — especially if you rely heavily on specific integrations.
Where CHOS is stronger
CHOS offers a unified workspace where services, people, and operations connect without jumping between apps. The built-in AI assistant lets you ask questions about your church data in plain language.
CHOS is also significantly more affordable for churches that need multiple features. And with a modern interface built on current technology, the user experience is faster and more intuitive.
Which should you choose?
Choose Planning Center if you only need one or two modules, already have a deep investment in their ecosystem, or need specific third-party integrations they support.
Choose CHOS if you want everything in one workspace, prefer flat pricing, want AI-powered insights, or are starting fresh and want a modern platform built for how churches work today.
The best approach? Try both. Planning Center offers free access to their People module. CHOS offers a full 14-day trial of everything. See which fits your team better.
Frequently asked questions
- Is CHOS better than Planning Center?
- It depends on your needs. CHOS offers a unified workspace with flat pricing and AI, while Planning Center offers modular best-in-class tools. CHOS is typically more affordable for churches needing multiple features.
- Can I switch from Planning Center to CHOS?
- Yes. Start a free CHOS trial, export your data from Planning Center, and import it into CHOS. You can run both side by side during the transition.