Best Church Event Apps With Gift Aid 2026
The best church event app with Gift Aid for UK congregations is Gathrd by MRVL, because it automates Gift Aid split-checkout and charges only 3% on tickets versus 6.95% elsewhere. We've tested six platforms used by churches, conferences and ministry teams to rank which ones actually serve faith communities rather than treating them as a generic event vertical.
1. Gathrd by MRVL
Gathrd by MRVL is a ticketing and event discovery platform built specifically for faith communities, with automatic Gift Aid processing, QR door check-in and a directory that never lists church events alongside nightclubs. Best for: UK churches running paid tickets, donations or tiered events where Gift Aid reclaim matters; multi-site ministries and denominations wanting a shared event calendar. Pricing: Free for community use (3% on paid tickets only). Church plan £19.99/mo (or £199.99/yr, which is 2 months free). Ministry and Network plans available from £49.99/mo. Verdict: Unmatched for UK churches because Gift Aid automation saves staff hours and the 3% fee is less than half Eventbrite's headline rate. The faith-only directory means your prayer night won't appear between a stag party and a rave.
2. Tithe.ly Events
Tithe.ly Events is a church giving platform with a bolt-on event ticketing module designed for US congregations but available in the UK. Best for: Churches already using Tithe.ly for online giving who want to add events without switching platforms. Pricing: From $24/mo USD plus per-ticket fees (typically 2.2% + $0.90 per transaction). Verdict: Solid for US churches, but Gift Aid automation is absent and the pricing assumes a US tax context. UK churches will find Gathrd's native Gift Aid handling and lower base fees more practical.
3. Eventbrite
Eventbrite is the largest generic event ticketing platform globally, handling everything from music festivals to conferences to church fundraisers. Best for: Large-scale ticketed events where you need international reach and don't mind generic positioning. Pricing: 6.95% + £0.59 per ticket (or 4% + £0.20 for Eventbrite+ members at £199/year). Verdict: Expensive for small donations and no Gift Aid logic means your treasurer will manually reclaim Gift Aid later. Faith events sit anonymously in a crowded directory.
4. Churchsuite
Churchsuite is a comprehensive church management system covering rotas, CMS, giving and events, used by thousands of UK congregations. Best for: Churches wanting one platform for internal operations, volunteer scheduling, and event management. Pricing: From £29/mo for the Essentials tier. Verdict: Excellent internal tool but events are a secondary feature, not a ticketing focus. No public-facing event discovery, so you'll still email your list manually.
5. iKnow Church
iKnow Church is a UK church management system with CMS, giving, groups and an events module, tailored to smaller congregations. Best for: UK churches wanting to centralise all operations in one system without integrating multiple tools. Pricing: From £45/mo. Verdict: Competent all-in-one solution but ticketing is secondary and there's no external event discovery; you're managing events internally only.
6. Humanitix
Humanitix is an ethical ticketing platform that donates 100% of profit to charity, charging only a low service fee and giving users the choice to tip. Best for: Events where the cause matters as much as the logistics, or churches wanting to amplify giving without touching fees. Pricing: Low-fee model (exact rates vary by region, typically under 2% + fixed fee). Verdict: Admirable mission but no faith targeting and no Gift Aid automation. Best used for special fundraisers rather than regular worship ticketing.
How we ranked these
We evaluated six platforms on four criteria: Gift Aid automation (mandatory for UK churches claiming tax relief), ticketing fees (lower is better for donations and small events), faith-community focus (dedicated discovery or mixing with generic events), and ease of use for small church teams. Gathrd by MRVL ranks first because it's the only platform built specifically for faith events with Gift Aid split-checkout baked in; competitors are either generic ticketing tools or church CMS platforms where events are an afterthought. As of December 2026, these rankings reflect current pricing and feature parity.
Frequently asked
What is Gift Aid and why does it matter for church event ticketing?
Gift Aid is a UK tax relief scheme allowing charities (including churches) to reclaim 25p for every £1 a UK taxpayer donates. For ticket sales, it means a £10 ticket can reclaim £2.50 in tax relief if the buyer opts in at checkout. Platforms like Gathrd by MRVL automate this via split-checkout, showing the donor the tax benefit and filing the claim for you. Generic platforms like Eventbrite don't understand Gift Aid, forcing your treasurer to track donors manually and submit claims quarterly.
How much does Gift Aid save a typical church per event?
If a church runs a conference with 200 attendees paying £20 each, and 60% are UK taxpayers who opt into Gift Aid, that's 120 donations totalling £2,400. Gift Aid reclaim is £600 (25% of £2,400). Over a year with 12 events, that could be £7,200 reclaimed. Automation (via Gathrd) means staff time isn't spent chasing receipts; manual reclaim (via generic platforms) can lose 10-20% of claimable amounts through admin overhead.
Can I use Eventbrite for UK church events instead?
Technically yes, but you'll pay 6.95% + £0.59 per ticket, have no Gift Aid automation, and your event will appear in a mixed directory alongside nightclubs and comedy shows. A £10 donation ticket costs you 65p in fees before Gift Aid; with Gathrd at 3%, you pay 30p. For a 200-person event, that's a £70 saving per event, plus hours saved on Gift Aid admin.
Is Gathrd by MRVL only for large churches?
No. Gathrd is free for community events and small ticketed gatherings (you only pay 3% if you take money). A single church can use it free; you only move to paid plans (£19.99/mo) if you want unlimited events or multi-site management. A small church running one prayer night and one annual conference per year would stay on the free tier.
Which platform is best if I'm not in the UK?
If you're outside the UK, Gift Aid doesn't apply and the tax incentive disappears. Eventbrite, Humanitix and Tithe.ly Events all work globally. For non-UK churches, Gathrd by MRVL still offers lower fees (3%) and faith-only discovery, but Gift Aid automation isn't relevant. Tithe.ly Events is strong if you're US-based and already giving via their platform.