Shepherd Suite alternative: comparing two South African church platforms
Shepherd Suite and GraceHub are both church management platforms built in South Africa, with Rand giving through Paystack and Section 18A support. This page sets out how they differ, from where your data is stored to children's ministry and pastoral care, using what each publishes about itself.
Why churches choose GraceHub
- Main database in Johannesburg
- Kids check-in with authorised and barred collectors
- Counselling cases with structured session notes
- Paystack, Stripe or PayPal: your choice
- IT3(d) export alongside Section 18A certificates
What Shepherd Suite offers
Shepherd Suite is made by Shepherd Suite (Pty) Ltd, based in Durban. It describes itself as church management software built for South African churches, from a single congregation to a multi-branch denomination, with membership, services, follow-ups and Paystack giving in Rand.
Its website lists members and households, home cell groups, prayer requests, services and attendance, events with registration and ticketing, volunteer rosters, project management, bulk SMS, email and WhatsApp, online and recurring giving, and financial reports with Section 18A receipts. It says iOS and Android apps are included on every plan.
Shepherd Suite publishes Rand pricing: free for up to 50 active members, then from R349 a month, with per-member pricing above 100 members and a once-off onboarding fee that it waives on annual billing. SMS credits are bought separately.
GraceHub and Shepherd Suite compared
What each product offers, from Shepherd Suite's own website and GraceHub's. Checked 2 October 2026.
| Area | Shepherd Suite | GraceHub |
|---|---|---|
| Where data is stored | Its privacy policy (September 2026) lists Supabase in the European Union for database hosting and stored files, and other service providers in the EU and the United States. | GraceHub's main database runs in Google Cloud's Johannesburg region (africa-south1). |
| Online giving | Paystack only. Its website says churches that need Stripe, PayPal or another gateway should look elsewhere. | Members give in Rand through your church's own Paystack account, or Stripe or PayPal, so money settles straight into your account. |
| South African tax | Section 18A receipts at year end. | SARS Section 18A certificates that donors download themselves, and an IT3(d) export for your SARS return. |
| Children's check-in | Not listed on its features or home page when we checked. | Rotating QR codes at the door, printed name tags with allergy and consent marks, authorised and barred collectors, and lockdown and missing-child alerts. |
| Pastoral care | Follow-ups, prayer requests and appointments. | Care requests routed to an on-duty responder, and private counselling cases with SOAP, DAP or BIRP session notes, treatment plans and referrals. |
| Member app | iOS and Android apps included on every plan. | A member app for iOS and Android is in development. Today members use GraceHub in the browser on any phone. |
| Pricing | Published in Rand: free to 50 active members, then from R349 a month. | Billed monthly in Rand, with no contract: cancel any time. Plans are sized to your church; talk to us for a quote. |
| Moving your data | Free data migration from CSV or your current system, and CSV export at any time. | A self-service import for CSV and Excel files, with column mapping, validation and duplicate checks, and help from our team. |
Where Shepherd Suite is strong
Shepherd Suite may be the better fit for some churches. These are the strengths it highlights.
- Built and supported in South Africa, with its team in Durban
- Published Rand pricing, with a free plan for up to 50 active members
- Paystack giving in Rand, including recurring donations
- iOS and Android member apps included on every plan
- Bulk SMS, email and WhatsApp messaging
Moving from Shepherd Suite to GraceHub
- Export: Shepherd Suite says you can export everything as CSV at any time. Export your members, households and giving history.
- Import: Upload the files to GraceHub, map the columns, and review the preview and duplicate checks before anything is created.
- Set up roles: Give pastors, finance, children's ministry and team leaders the access their work needs, and rename terms to match your church.
- Go live: Start with one ministry, such as children's check-in or events, then bring in the rest.
Shepherd Suite or GraceHub: common questions
Are both platforms South African?
Yes. Shepherd Suite (Pty) Ltd is based in Durban. GraceHub is made by AI Soft (Pty) Ltd in Johannesburg.
Where is GraceHub's data stored?
GraceHub's main database runs in Google Cloud's Johannesburg region (africa-south1). Our privacy policy lists the other service providers we use and where they operate.
Does GraceHub have a member app?
A GraceHub member app for iOS and Android is in development. Today members and leaders use GraceHub in the browser on any phone. If a native app on day one matters most to your church, Shepherd Suite includes one.
Can we move from Shepherd Suite to GraceHub?
Yes. Export your data as CSV, import it with column mapping and duplicate checks, and our team can help you plan the move.
Keep comparing
- Kids check-in: Safe check-in and collection for every children's room.
- Pastoral care: Care requests and private counselling cases in one place.
- POPIA for churches: What POPIA asks of a church, with a checklist.
- GraceHub vs ChMeetings: A low-cost global platform with a South Africa page, compared.
Try GraceHub before you decide.
Start a workspace, import a sample of your Shepherd Suite data, and see how your team finds it. We'll help you plan the move.
Start your church's workspace or talk to our team.
Information about other products is from their own websites, checked 2 October 2026: shepherdsuite.co.za, Pricing, Features, Comparison, Privacy policy.
Shepherd Suite is a trademark of its owner. GraceHub is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Shepherd Suite. This comparison is based on publicly available information and may not reflect changes made after the date above.