Realm
Realm is a comprehensive church management software that integrates administration, accounting, and community engagement into a single platform to help your ministry grow and stay connected with its members.
ShelbyNext Financials
ShelbyNext Financials is a cloud-based church accounting software designed to help ministry leaders manage multi-fund accounting, payroll, and financial reporting with specialized compliance tools for non-profit organizations.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Realm | ShelbyNext Financials |
|---|---|---|
| Website | realm.church | shelbysystems.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Custom |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 1978 | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Florence, South Carolina, USA | Florence, USA |
Overview
Realm
Realm is an all-in-one ministry tool designed to move your church beyond simple administration into deeper community engagement. It combines traditional database functions with modern social features, allowing you to manage member records, track giving, and coordinate small groups from a single dashboard. You can streamline your daily operations while providing your congregation with a private mobile app to stay connected throughout the week.
The platform serves churches of all sizes, from small plants to multi-site megachurches, by offering scalable versions of its software. Whether you need to automate your check-in process for children's ministry or manage complex fund accounting, you can customize the experience to fit your specific denominational needs and staff workflows.
ShelbyNext Financials
ShelbyNext Financials gives you a dedicated accounting suite built specifically for the unique needs of churches and ministries. You can move away from generic business tools and manage your mission with true fund-based accounting that tracks every dollar across multiple departments or campuses. The platform ensures your ministry stays compliant with non-profit regulations while providing clear visibility into your financial health through automated reporting and real-time data syncing.
You can streamline your entire back-office operation by integrating your accounting directly with your giving and membership data. This eliminates manual data entry and reduces errors in your ledger. Whether you are managing a single local parish or a large multi-site ministry, you can customize the chart of accounts to fit your specific structure and generate the exact reports your board or elders need to see.
Overview
Realm Features
- Integrated Accounting Manage your church's books with true fund accounting that links directly to your member giving and payroll records.
- Member Engagement App Give your congregation a private social network where they can chat, share prayer requests, and register for events.
- Digital Giving Accept tithes and offerings online, via text, or through the mobile app with automatic recording to member profiles.
- Check-In System Keep your children's ministry safe and organized with secure check-in stations and automated attendance tracking.
- Group Management Empower your small group leaders to manage their own rosters, take attendance, and communicate with members directly.
- Pathway Tracking Create custom workflows to track where people are in their faith journey, from first-time guests to active volunteers.
- Event Registration Create custom forms for retreats or conferences and collect payments or deposits directly through your church website.
- Reporting and Analytics Generate detailed reports on attendance trends and giving patterns to make informed decisions about your ministry's future.
ShelbyNext Financials Features
- True Fund Accounting. Manage multiple restricted and unrestricted funds with ease to ensure every donation is used exactly as intended.
- General Ledger. Maintain a flexible chart of accounts that mirrors your church structure for precise tracking of income and expenses.
- Payroll Management. Process staff salaries and housing allowances correctly while staying compliant with unique clergy tax laws and regulations.
- Accounts Payable. Automate your bill payments and track vendor history to keep your ministry operations running smoothly and on time.
- Bank Reconciliation. Connect your bank accounts to automatically import transactions and reconcile your books with just a few clicks.
- Financial Reporting. Generate professional statements of activities and financial position to share with your board or congregation instantly.
- Accounts Receivable. Track miscellaneous income and manage invoices for church-run schools, daycares, or facility rentals in one place.
- Fixed Assets. Track your ministry's physical property and equipment while automatically calculating depreciation for more accurate financial statements.
Pricing Comparison
Realm Pricing
ShelbyNext Financials Pricing
Pros & Cons
Realm
Pros
- All-in-one design eliminates the need for separate accounting software
- Mobile app significantly increases engagement within small groups
- Excellent security features for children's ministry check-in
- Strong reporting capabilities for tracking long-term giving trends
- User-friendly interface for non-technical church volunteers
Cons
- Initial data migration can be time-consuming for large churches
- Learning curve for the advanced fund accounting module
- Mobile app notifications can occasionally be inconsistent
- Higher price point compared to simple database-only tools
ShelbyNext Financials
Pros
- Excellent compliance with specific non-profit and clergy tax laws
- Robust multi-fund tracking that generic software often lacks
- Seamless integration with ShelbyNext Membership and Giving modules
- Highly detailed audit trails for superior financial accountability
- Reliable cloud access for remote staff and treasurers
Cons
- Steep learning curve for users without accounting backgrounds
- Interface feels dated compared to modern consumer apps
- Initial setup and implementation can be time-consuming