Appy Pie Church App Maker

Overview

Appy Pie Church App Maker is a no-code builder for churches and ministries that want a branded app for worship content, giving, events, and member communication. It suits congregations looking to bring those activities together in a mobile app; it is not a replacement for church management software.

The builder uses AI assistance and ministry templates, with a dashboard for branding, content, and store submissions. Its breadth of church-oriented tools is appealing, but the free plan stops at member-only rollout, and publishing in the app stores requires a paid plan and separate store fees.

Key features

Sermons and live streams

Sermon audio can be distributed through podcast feeds and listened to offline, a useful combination for members who want access without a reliable connection. Live streaming supports chat or embedded YouTube Live and Vimeo, and the product also connects to Church Online Platform streams. Churches already using those services can incorporate them, though the app does not provide live real-time translation.

Giving and integrations

Giving connects to Stripe, Tithe.ly, Pushpay, and Planning Center Giving, but a payment processor account is required. Churches can also link to Planning Center Kids and Rock RMS check-in. These connections make the app more useful alongside existing ministry tools, but it is not a full church management system.

Member participation

Events with RSVP, small-group directories, group messaging, prayer requests, Bible reading plans, and volunteer scheduling cover a broad range of congregation activity. Advanced push segmentation is included with the paid church app plan, giving churches a way to target updates rather than send every alert to every member.

Publishing and security

Paid plans support publishing to Google Play and the Apple App Store, with signed Android .aab and iOS .ipa builds. Store fees are separate. Appy Pie describes PCI DSS payment processing through Stripe, SOC 2 attestation, ISO 22301:2019 and ISO 27001:2013 certifications, and GDPR compliance. The church app page describes live chat and email support across US, EU, and APAC hours.

Pricing

The pricing model is freemium, with a free plan, a 7-day trial, and a paid church app plan starting at $16/month. The church app plan’s displayed monthly rate does not specify a billing interval beyond that rate. Store fees are additional.

• Free plan — 0.00 USD per free: Unlimited edits and preview support early development, and member-only rollout lets a church share the app without store publishing. Publishing requires a paid plan, so this is not a permanent route to public app-store distribution.
• Paid church app plan — starting at $16/month: Includes Google Play and Apple App Store publishing, in-app giving at commercial volume, live streaming for full congregations, and advanced push segmentation. It is the relevant tier for churches seeking a public, full-congregation app; payment processor and store fees remain considerations.

The general Appy Pie app-builder trial lasts 7 days and is for developing and testing an app for personal, non-commercial use. Churches should not treat it as a substitute for a paid commercial rollout.

Appy Pie also publishes these broader app-builder plans in AUD:

• Basic — 18.00 AUD per month: Android, Google Play publishing, email support, 500 push notifications, and 500 app downloads per month. The pricing page also displays AU $36. Its quotas make it a narrower option for a smaller Android audience.
• Gold — 36.00 AUD per month: Android, Google Play publishing, email and chat support, and 1,000 push notifications and downloads per month. The page also displays AU $72. It doubles Basic’s quotas but remains Android-only.
• Platinum — 60.00 AUD per month: Android and Apple platforms, app-store publishing, email, chat, and call support, and 2,000 push notifications and downloads per month. The page also displays AU $120. This is the broader platform option, though its monthly quotas still matter for larger congregations.
• Enterprise — custom pricing: Includes Platinum features, unlimited app creation and push notifications, a custom number of API calls, and a dedicated account manager. It suits organizations needing scale or account-level support beyond the fixed quotas.

Platforms

The service covers Android, iOS, and the web. The church app plan supports publishing to both major mobile app stores, while the general-builder Basic and Gold plans are Android-only; Platinum includes Android and Apple platforms.

Who it's for

Appy Pie names community churches, youth and college ministries, worship teams, missions, and church plants as audiences. Its combination of sermons, giving, member participation, and messaging is a fit for organizations that want a dedicated branded app without building from scratch. Churches needing full administration, real-time translation, in-app music licensing, or carrier-billed text donations should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Sermon audio, offline listening, streaming, and chat address both on-demand and live worship in one app.
• Pro: Giving integrations and links to existing check-in and streaming services can complement tools a church already uses.
• Pro: The free plan allows unlimited edits and preview, so a church can develop the app before committing to store publication.
• Con: Store publication requires a paid plan, and store fees are separate, so the free tier cannot deliver a public store app.
• Con: A processor account is required for giving, and the app does not replace a full church management system.
• Con: No real-time translation, in-app music licensing, or carrier-billed text donations limits its fit for churches that depend on those capabilities.

Alternatives

Church App Builders is a useful next stop for comparing options across the category.

• Choicely Church App has a free plan with public mobile apps, unlimited collaborators, push notifications, third-party API connections, and a capped daily credit allowance. Choose it if public app access and collaborator flexibility matter more than Appy Pie’s church-specific feature mix.
• ChurchPlan offers a free-forever Essentials plan with unlimited members, online giving and automated tax receipts, a personalized church app, and donation links and QR codes. It is worth considering when those free membership and giving provisions are the priority.
• Subsplash Church App includes a free Subsplash Giving plan with card and ACH processing fees applying, as well as an Enterprise option with custom pricing. Consider it if a free giving tier is central to the decision.
• OnlineGiving.org Church Mobile App offers a branded app with push notifications, in-app giving, and media, with custom pricing. It is an alternative for churches seeking those capabilities under a tailored price.
• MyChurch Cloud Custom Mobile Apps starts with a $39.00 USD monthly Foundation plan for up to 500 contacts, three staff users, and email support; Growth is $99.00 USD monthly for up to 5,000 contacts and 15 staff users. Pick it if explicit contact and staff-user limits matter to your planning.
• Church Compass is a paid option with a free trial and a $14.99 USD monthly soft white-label add-on. Consider it if a branded login and invite link are the specific need.
• Church Service Hub has a $79.00 USD monthly Starter plan billed annually at $948/year, with one-time and recurring giving, member management, and event registration. It may suit a church seeking those functions in a paid service.
• Churchory is another paid option with a free trial; consider it if you want to compare a church-focused alternative.

Verdict

Appy Pie Church App Maker is best for churches and ministries seeking a branded app that combines worship media, giving, and member participation. Its wide feature set and free development tier are compelling, but store publication costs extra, and the product does not cover church administration or several specialized needs. Choose it for a congregation-facing app; look elsewhere if you need a full management system or one of the missing capabilities.