Key Takeaway
Subsplash costs $300-500/month with no code ownership. The top 5 alternatives in 2026 are Rehost ($250/mo, code ownership), Tithe.ly (free tier), Pushpay (enterprise giving), Church Center (Planning Center users), and custom Flutter/React Native builds. Rehost is the only option that gives churches full source code ownership.
Why Churches Are Leaving Subsplash
Subsplash has been a go-to church app platform for years. But in 2026, churches are discovering what they've been missing: code ownership, competitive pricing, and denomination-specific features that Subsplash's one-size-fits-all approach can't deliver.
Subsplash's pricing starts at $300/month for basic features and climbs to $500+ for a custom-branded app. For that price, you get a template app with your logo - but you don't own the code, you can't export your data easily, and you're locked into annual contracts. When you leave, your app disappears.
As the team behind Rehost's faith solutions, we've migrated dozens of churches off Subsplash. Here's what actually works better.
The 5 Best Subsplash Alternatives
1. Rehost - Best for Code Ownership & Denomination-Specific Features
Price: $250/month | Custom branded app: Yes | Code ownership: Yes
Rehost builds fully custom church apps tailored to your denomination's specific needs. Unlike Subsplash's template approach, every Rehost app is built from scratch with features that matter to your congregation - whether that's liturgical calendar support for Lutherans, live worship streaming for Pentecostal churches, or member management for Baptist congregations.
The key differentiator: you own your code. If you ever leave Rehost, you keep your entire app - source code, data, everything. No other church app platform offers this.
Includes: Custom-branded iOS + Android app, push notifications, event calendar, giving integration, sermon library, prayer wall, member directory, and denomination-specific features. All for $250/month with no long-term contracts.
2. Tithe.ly - Best Free Starting Point
Price: Free (basic) to $149/month | Custom app: Yes (paid tier) | Code ownership: No
Tithe.ly offers a free church app with basic features: giving, sermon streaming, and event management. The free tier is genuinely useful for small churches testing the waters. Paid tiers add custom branding and advanced features. However, like Subsplash, you don't own the code and the app is template-based.
3. Pushpay - Best for Large Churches Focused on Giving
Price: Custom (typically $500-1,000+/month) | Custom app: Yes | Code ownership: No
Pushpay excels at one thing: maximizing digital giving. Their giving platform has the highest conversion rates in the industry. But it's expensive, enterprise-focused, and overkill for churches under 1,000 members. The app itself is secondary to the giving platform.
4. Church Center (Planning Center) - Best for Planning Center Users
Price: Free (with Planning Center subscription) | Custom app: Limited | Code ownership: No
If you already use Planning Center for operations, Church Center is a natural extension. It pulls data from your existing Planning Center modules (check-ins, groups, giving). The downside: very limited customization, no denomination-specific features, and the app promotes Planning Center's brand alongside yours.
5. Custom Development - Best for Mega Churches
Price: $50,000-200,000 upfront + $2,000-5,000/month maintenance | Code ownership: Yes
For mega churches with 5,000+ members and complex needs, custom development delivers maximum flexibility. But the cost, timeline (6-12 months), and ongoing maintenance make this impractical for 95% of churches. Rehost delivers the same result at $250/month.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Subsplash | Rehost | Tithe.ly | Pushpay | Church Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $300-500+ | $150 | Free-$149 | $500-1,000+ | Free* |
| Code ownership | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Custom branded app | Yes | Yes | Paid only | Yes | Limited |
| Denomination-specific | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Long-term contracts | Annual | None | None | Annual | None |
| Sermon library | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | No |
| Giving integration | Yes | Yes | Yes (native) | Yes (best) | Yes |
*Church Center requires a Planning Center subscription ($0-299/month depending on modules)
Which Alternative Is Right for Your Church?
- Small church (under 200 members): Start with Tithe.ly's free tier to test digital engagement
- Growing church (200-2,000 members): Rehost at $250/month - best value with code ownership
- Planning Center users: Church Center for tight integration, but add Rehost if you need more customization
- Mega church (5,000+ members): Evaluate Pushpay for giving optimization, or Rehost for full custom development
Explore denomination-specific solutions: Evangelical · Baptist · Methodist · Pentecostal · Presbyterian
Related: Tithe.ly vs Rehost: Side-by-Side Comparison | How to Build a Church App Without Coding | Why 85% of Churches Don't Have a Mobile App
FAQ
Is Subsplash worth the cost for small churches?
For churches under 500 members, Subsplash's $300-500/month pricing is hard to justify when alternatives like Rehost offer more features at $250/month with code ownership. Tithe.ly's free tier is an even better starting point for very small congregations.
Can I migrate my content from Subsplash to another platform?
Yes, but Subsplash doesn't make it easy. Sermon content, member data, and giving history need to be exported manually or via their limited API. Rehost handles the migration process as part of onboarding at no additional cost.
What does code ownership mean for a church app?
Code ownership means you own the actual source code of your app. If you leave the platform, you keep everything - the app, the code, the data. With Subsplash, Tithe.ly, and Pushpay, your app disappears when you cancel. With Rehost, it's yours forever.