Honest Comparison
Church Studio vs Tithely Sites. What the extra $20 buys.
Let’s start with the obvious: Tithely Sites is $19 a month and Church Studio is $39, so Tithely is cheaper. The difference is what happens after a guest finds you. Church Studio follows up automatically, imports your sermons on its own, and syncs with Planning Center. Full disclosure: we make Church Studio, which is why every claim here comes from public pricing you can check.
The Math
Side by side
Tithely pricing verified against their public pricing and Sites pages, October 2026. Check their site for current numbers.
| Feature | Church Studio | Tithely Sites |
|---|---|---|
| Website price | $39/month, one plan | $19/month, or included in All-Access at $119/month |
| First-time guest follow-up | Included — automated, in your church's voice | Plan Your Visit form that alerts you. Messaging is a separate Tithely product, included in All-Access |
| Sermons & podcast feed | Included — connect YouTube once and new messages import themselves, plus a podcast feed for Apple & Spotify | Included — sermon media player, podcast feed, live stream embeds |
| Online giving | A designed Give page that links to the provider you already use, including Tithe.ly | Built in, through Tithely Giving (cards 2.9% + $0.30) |
| Planning Center | Events and groups sync daily, included | Built around Tithely's own church management ($72/month) |
| Free trial & contracts | 14-day free trial, monthly, cancel anytime | 30-day free trial, no contract, cancel anytime |
| Done-for-you upgrade path | Yes — White Oak's custom service from $295/month when you outgrow self-serve | Self-serve platform |
The Difference
What $39 gets you
Everything below is included in the one plan, not sold separately.
Follow-up that happens on its own
A visit form that emails you is a start. Church Studio goes further: when a guest reaches out on your site, warm follow-up goes out automatically in your church's voice, and a plain-English dashboard shows who's connecting. That's the part most churches never get around to doing by hand.
Sermons that keep up by themselves
Connect your YouTube channel once and every new message builds its own page, thumbnail and all. Upload the audio and it's a podcast episode on Apple and Spotify.
Works with what you already use
Already on Planning Center? Events and groups sync every day. Already giving through Tithe.ly, Givelify or PayPal? Your Give page points there. We don't take a cut of donations.
Live in an afternoon
Pick a look, add your details, and your site is real the same day, with a 14-day free trial before you pay anything.
No contract, and your content is yours
Monthly billing, cancel anytime, and your content comes with you if you ever leave.
A church web agency behind it
Church Studio is built by White Oak Media. When your church wants a fully custom, done-for-you site, that path already exists with the same team, from $295/month.
Honest Advice
When to choose Tithely Sites — and when to choose Church Studio
We'd rather you make the right choice than the default one.
Tithely Sites might be better if…
- Price is the deciding factor and $19 a month is the budget
- You already give through Tithely and want your website from the same company
- You want an app, church management and a website on one bill (All-Access, $119/month)
- You'd like a longer trial: theirs is 30 days
Church Studio is better if…
- You want first-time guests followed up automatically, not just a form that emails you
- Your sermons live on YouTube and you want the website to keep up by itself
- You use Planning Center and want events and groups to sync
- You want to keep the giving provider you already have
- You want a path to a done-for-you site without switching companies
FAQ
Common questions about this comparison
Is Tithely Sites a bad choice?
No. Tithely is a solid, widely used company, and at $19 a month Tithely Sites is one of the most affordable church website builders there is. It includes hosting, mobile templates, a sermon player, a podcast feed, events and giving, with no contract. If your church already lives in the Tithely ecosystem, it's an easy fit.
Why is Church Studio $20 more?
The difference is mostly guest follow-up. Tithely Sites gives you a Plan Your Visit form that alerts you, and their messaging tools are a separate product. Church Studio includes automated first-time guest follow-up, YouTube sermon import and Planning Center sync in the $39. Whether that's worth $20 a month depends on whether your church follows up with guests consistently today.
Can I use Tithe.ly giving with Church Studio?
Yes. Church Studio's Give page sends people to the giving provider you already use, Tithe.ly included. Your giving stays exactly where it is, and we never touch donations.
Can I switch from Tithely Sites to Church Studio?
Yes. Start a free trial and the import tool can pull content from your existing site. Your domain moves over whenever you're ready, with a guided domain connector and a real person answering questions.
Where do these Tithely prices come from?
Tithely's public pricing and Sites pages, checked October 31, 2026. Pricing changes, so check their site for current numbers and tell us if we're out of date. We'd rather correct it than win on stale information.
See it with your own church's info.
14-day free trial. Pick a look, add your details, and your site is real the same afternoon.
Simple pricing. No contracts. Cancel anytime.