Best Planning Center Groups alternative for study notes

Planning Center Groups owns rosters, attendance, and Groups Resources. These options cover chat — or a study trail — beside Planning Center, not instead of it.

Read the full Harvous vs Planning Center Groups comparison →
  1. Side note

    We built Harvous — so of course we care how this list reads. Keep Planning Center for people, rooms, and Groups Resources. Shared Spaces are for the study trail (host with Plus, join free). Org curriculum is on our roadmap.

    1

    Harvous

    Shared Spaces for the study trail beside chat. Host with Plus; join free.

    Best for
    Leaders whose group lives in a messenger and loses the study trail
    Tradeoff
    Not group chat, rosters, or a ChMS. Org curriculum is on the roadmap.
    Sign up free
  2. 2

    GroupMe

    GroupMe is great at free group chat, polls, and files; Harvous keeps Shared Spaces for the study trail.

    Best for
    Leaders who need everyone in a thread fast.
    Tradeoff
    Built for rosters, chat, care, or church-app groups — not a scripture-linked study trail
    Harvous vs GroupMe Visit GroupMe
  3. 3

    WhatsApp

    WhatsApp is great at everyday group messaging; Harvous keeps Shared Spaces for the study trail.

    Best for
    Groups who already live in WhatsApp.
    Tradeoff
    Built for rosters, chat, care, or church-app groups — not a scripture-linked study trail
    Harvous vs WhatsApp Visit WhatsApp
  4. 4

    Band

    Band is great at free group posts, chat, and files; Harvous keeps Shared Spaces for the study trail.

    Best for
    Leaders who need everyone notified without another platform.
    Tradeoff
    Built for rosters, chat, care, or church-app groups — not a scripture-linked study trail
    Harvous vs Band Visit Band
  5. 5

    Flock

    Flock is great at prayer walls and midweek care; Harvous keeps Shared Spaces for the study trail.

    Best for
    Churches that want a group-care app beside their ChMS.
    Tradeoff
    Built for rosters, chat, care, or church-app groups — not a scripture-linked study trail
    Harvous vs Flock Visit Flock
  6. 6

    Subsplash Groups

    Subsplash Groups is great at messaging in a church app; Harvous keeps Shared Spaces for the study trail.

    Best for
    Churches invested in Subsplash who want groups in-app.
    Tradeoff
    Built for rosters, chat, care, or church-app groups — not a scripture-linked study trail
    Harvous vs Subsplash Groups Visit Subsplash Groups

Choose Harvous if…

Your group already chats elsewhere, and you want Shared Spaces for the study trail. Host with Plus; joining is free.

Choose Planning Center Groups if…

You need church-wide group admin, attendance, and Groups Resources — Harvous is not that ChMS replacement.

Harvous works alongside Planning Center Groups.

Harvous Shared Spaces for the study trail — keep Planning Center for people and Resources.

Sign up free Harvous vs Planning Center Groups