Sure, we’re biased, but we believe we’ve built an ideal online giving resource for churches and religious organizations — especially smaller congregations with smaller budgets. Our basic features are free, and premium upgrades are minimal. You can also upgrade on a monthly basis, meaning you can purchase additional features only during your busier months.
Why we don’t recommend Venmo or PayPal for churches
1. Your payments aren’t automatically categorized.
2. You may receive unidentified payments.
3. You may face transaction limits.
4. Venmo doesn’t have nonprofit-specific features.
5. Venmo doesn’t allow multiple users.
How Cheddar Up can benefit your church or religious organization
1. Online and automated church giving
In the reporting center, you can filter by giving emphasis (Christmas missions offering or weekly giving, for example) to see who gave and the totals for each.
Anyone can pay on Cheddar Up without creating an account, and we offer a friction-free paying experience (think of it as your own cash app for giving!). They can scan a QR code and pay right from their mobile phone during the offertory (no app necessary)!
2. Simplified and comprehensive accounting
Interested in seeing who your largest donors were year to date across all your events and campaigns? Our reporting center will have the answer. To see some of our reporting center in action, click here.
Use Cheddar Up for:
• Church giving
• Fundraising
• Youth retreats
• Mission trips
• Communion
• Vacation Bible School
• Potluck meal
• Service projects
• Event costs
• Merchandise
…the sky’s the limit!
3. Small group and program management
You can also create collections for special programming, like youth retreats, mission trips, communion, Vacation Bible School, potluck meals, and community service projects — for signups, to collect event costs, even to sell merchandise! We have a point-of-sale card reader that allows you to sell products in person, as well as accept any remaining payments “at the door.”
We also offer a free e-signature tool, which is critical for special event permission slips and waivers. Why choose ours? Because, true to the Cheddar Up M.O., it isn’t a separate app — it integrates seamlessly with the other information and payments you collect.
(Does your church offer camps? Click here for our camp features!)
4. Serving opportunities and volunteer management
If your church requires background checks, you can use our customizable receipt to include instructions and links for next steps. We love automation!
5. Parents’ Day Out or weekday preschool registration and tuition software
Mike Cappabianca, Vice President of Finance, University of Windsor, Student Law Society