Honest Comparison
Church Studio vs The Church Co. What does “free” cost?
A free church website sounds unbeatable — until you read what it comes with: a yearly contract, page limits, and $299–999 setup packages when you want it done properly. Here's the honest comparison with our $39/month, everything-included platform. Full disclosure: we make Church Studio — which is why every number here is one you can verify on their public pricing page.
The Math
Side by side
The Church Co's terms verified against their public pricing, July 2026 — check their site for current numbers.
| Feature | Church Studio | The Church Co |
|---|---|---|
| Advertised price | $39/month — no asterisk | “Free” website |
| What the headline price actually means | Everything included: hosting, domain connection, sermons, events, podcast, SEO, guest follow-up | Free plan comes with a yearly contract and page limits |
| Setup | None — self-serve, live in an afternoon, free 14-day trial | $299–999 setup packages when you want it done properly |
| Contract | Monthly. Cancel anytime. | Yearly commitment on the free plan |
| Guest follow-up & messaging | Included — automated, in your church's voice | Check their current plans |
| Sermons & podcast | YouTube auto-import + podcast feed for Apple & Spotify, included | Check their current plans |
| Done-for-you upgrade path | Yes — White Oak's custom service from $295/month when you outgrow self-serve | Setup packages |
The Difference
What $39 actually gets you
We're not the discount option — we're the honest one. Everything below is included.
The price is the price
“Free” that requires a yearly contract and paid setup isn't free — it's a pricing strategy. Church Studio's number is boring on purpose: $39/month, everything in it, cancel anytime.
No page limits
Your site comes with the pages a church actually needs — sermons, events, ministries, groups, staff, visit, give — and you edit all of them. Nothing is fenced off behind an upgrade.
Live in an afternoon, no setup package
The $299–999 setup package exists because getting a site 'done properly' on some platforms takes real work. Church Studio provisions your full site the moment you sign up — you personalize it, you don't build it.
Guest follow-up included
Every page of your site can capture a first-time guest, and the follow-up happens automatically in your church's voice. It's the feature that actually grows a church — and it's in the $39.
Sermons on autopilot
Connect your YouTube channel once and every new message imports itself. Upload the audio and it's a podcast episode on Apple and Spotify. Included.
Leave whenever you want
No yearly contract, and your content is yours. We think the way to keep a church is to be worth $39 every month — not to make leaving painful.
Honest Advice
When to choose The Church Co — and when to choose Church Studio
We'd rather you make the right choice than the default one.
The Church Co might be better if…
- Your budget is truly zero and you can live within the free plan's contract and page limits
- You've priced out their setup package and prefer their platform's specific workflow
- A yearly commitment doesn't bother you
Church Studio is better if…
- You'd rather pay a small, honest number than manage a “free” plan's limits
- You want to be live this week without buying a setup package
- Guest follow-up and a podcast feed matter to your church
- You want monthly billing and a no-drama exit if it's ever not working
- You want an upgrade path to a fully custom site without switching companies
FAQ
Common questions about this comparison
Is The Church Co a bad choice?
No — plenty of churches use them happily, and a genuinely free tier is a real service to churches with zero budget. This page exists because 'free' and 'free with a yearly contract, page limits, and a $299–999 setup package' are different offers, and you should compare the second one to $39/month.
Isn't free still cheaper than $39/month?
If you stay inside the free plan's limits and never buy setup — yes, $0 beats $39. The math changes the moment you want it done properly: one $999 setup package is more than two years of Church Studio.
Can I switch from The Church Co to Church Studio?
Yes. Start a free trial, and the import tool can pull content from your existing site. Mind your contract's renewal date — yearly commitments usually auto-renew, so set a reminder before yours does.
Where do these prices come from?
The Church Co's public pricing, verified July 2026 for our church website cost guide. Pricing changes — check their site for current numbers, and tell us if we're out of date.
What if we want someone to just handle the whole thing?
Then you're shopping for an agency, not a platform. That's White Oak's core service — custom design, updates handled year-round, from $295/month. Book a call and we'll tell you honestly whether you need it or whether $39 covers you.
See it with your own church's info.
14-day free trial, no setup package on the other side. Pick a look, add your details, and your site is real the same afternoon.
Simple pricing. No contracts. Cancel anytime.