Frequently asked questions
Last updated: July 2026 · Questions? info@churchdirectory.app
Plain-language answers for churches considering Church Directory. Legal detail lives in the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Do we need Planning Center?
For self-serve signup today, yes — Planning Center People is the only CRM connection we support right now. Church Directory syncs the roster from Planning Center, and a church admin must authorize our OAuth app (typically People Manager or Editor access to the lists you want in the directory). Start at onboard.churchdirectory.app/start.
If your church doesn’t use Planning Center, uses a different church CRM, or doesn’t have a CRM yet — don’t assume the door is closed. Email info@churchdirectory.app and tell us what you use. We’re glad to chat about whether there’s a path later (including the possibility of a lighter native roster someday). We can’t promise a timeline or that every system will be added, but interest from churches helps us decide what to build next.
What about people without an email?
Members sign in with a one-time code sent to the email address on their Planning Center profile. People without an email usually will not appear under the current product model and cannot receive a sign-in code. Add or update their email in Planning Center, then sync (or wait for the next automatic sync). There is no blame here — many households share contacts; we just need a deliverable address for OTP.
Does the web app work offline?
The iPhone and Android apps keep a local copy of the directory for offline use. The web app needs a network connection to load the roster and save edits.
How often does Planning Center sync?
Automatic sync runs about every four hours (staggered per church). Church admins can also run Sync now from admin Sync. We do not promise a specific freshness SLA beyond that schedule.
How private is member data?
The directory is for your church’s members only — no ads, no public directory. Privacy preferences (such as hiding an address, phone, or email) are controlled in the product. Technical details are in the Privacy Policy.
How do billing, trials, and cancellation work?
New churches typically get a 30-day trial at checkout (monthly $39 or annual $400). Cancel from church admin → Billing or the Stripe Customer Portal. If a payment fails, members keep access during a 10-day grace while admins are notified. After cancel or unpaid exit past grace, there is about a 30-day soft-delete cooling-off period before hard deletion. See the Terms for the binding wording.
How do we invite members?
After setup, share the web app link (app.churchdirectory.app) and ask people to sign in with the email we have for them in Planning Center. Church admins can copy a ready-made announcement from admin → Invite members.
Who do we contact for support?
Email info@churchdirectory.app. For payment methods and invoices, use church admin Billing or the Stripe portal linked from the marketing site.