Alignmint vs Realm: Modern Church Accounting for 2026
Realm by ACS Technologies is one of the most established names in church management software. It's been serving churches for decades and offers a comprehensive suite of tools. But comprehensive doesn't always mean modern — and established doesn't always mean affordable.
Here's how Alignmint and Realm compare in 2026.
Overview
Realm (ACS Technologies) is a full-featured church management platform with accounting, giving, groups, communication, and member management. It's designed for mid-size to large churches and comes with enterprise pricing to match.
Alignmint is a modern, all-in-one nonprofit platform with true fund accounting, every gift type supported, volunteer CRM, event ticketing, AI assistant, and marketing tools — with a free tier for churches up to $100K in annual giving.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Realm | Alignmint |
|---|---|---|
| Fund accounting | Yes | Yes (true double-entry) |
| Donation tracking | Yes | Yes (every gift type) |
| Tax receipts | Yes | Yes (automatic) |
| Year-end statements | Yes | Yes (one-click) |
| Recurring giving | Yes | Yes |
| Donor portal | Yes | Yes (full self-service) |
| Donation page builder | No | Yes (drag-and-drop) |
| Volunteer management | Limited | Full CRM + self-service portal |
| Background checks | Integration | Status tracking + expiration alerts |
| Digital waivers | No | Yes |
| Event management | Basic | 7 event types + Stripe ticketing |
| Groups & Teams | Yes | Yes |
| AI assistant | No | Minty AI |
| Email marketing | Basic | Full drag-and-drop builder |
| SMS marketing | No | Yes |
| Direct mail | No | Yes (postcards, letters, handwritten cards) |
| Marketing automation | No | Donor Journeys |
| Video fundraising | No | Video Blast |
| Form 990 builder | Limited | Yes (pre-mapped accounts) |
| Multi-campus support | Yes | Yes (each campus gets its own private space) |
| Mobile app | Yes | Web-based (works on all devices) |
Pricing
This is where the comparison gets stark.
Realm uses custom pricing based on church size, but typical costs range from $100-300+ per month for mid-size churches. Implementation fees, training costs, and add-on modules can push the total cost significantly higher. There is no free tier.
Alignmint offers a free Starter plan for churches up to $100K in annual giving. Pro is $499/mo (5-year), $599/mo (biannual), or $899/mo (monthly). Enterprise pricing is custom for multi-campus churches.
For small churches, the difference is dramatic: Realm costs $100-200/mo for basic features, while Alignmint is completely free with more features included.
For larger churches, Alignmint Pro at $499/mo includes marketing tools (email, SMS, direct mail, automation) that Realm doesn't offer — tools that would cost an additional $100-500/mo from separate vendors.
Where Realm Wins
- Legacy integrations — Realm has decades of integrations with church-specific tools and denominational systems
- Mobile app — Realm has a dedicated mobile app for members (Alignmint is web-based but mobile-responsive)
- Established track record — ACS Technologies has served churches since the 1970s
- Denominational support — Some denominations have preferred pricing or integrations with Realm
Where Alignmint Wins
- Free tier — Completely free for churches up to $100K (Realm has no free option)
- AI assistant — Minty AI queries your actual church data in natural language
- Marketing tools — Email, SMS, direct mail, video fundraising, and automation included
- Event ticketing — 7 event types with Stripe payments and public registration pages
- Volunteer portal — Full self-service portal for volunteers to log hours and manage profiles
- Modern interface — Built in 2024-2025 with modern web technology
- Donation page builder — Drag-and-drop builder for online giving campaigns
- Transparent pricing — No custom quotes, no implementation fees, no surprises
Who Should Choose Realm?
- Large churches (500+ members) deeply invested in the ACS Technologies ecosystem
- Churches that need specific denominational integrations
- Churches that prioritize a native mobile app over web-based access
- Churches with existing Realm contracts and trained staff
Who Should Choose Alignmint?
- Small to mid-size churches looking for a free or affordable all-in-one solution
- Churches that want accounting, CRM, events, volunteers, and marketing in one platform
- Churches that want AI-powered insights into their data
- Churches frustrated with Realm's pricing or complexity
- New churches starting fresh without legacy system commitments
- Multi-campus churches that need each campus managed separately from one account
The Bottom Line
Realm is a capable enterprise platform with decades of history. But it comes with enterprise pricing, enterprise complexity, and an aging feature set that lacks AI, marketing automation, and modern event management.
Alignmint offers a more modern, more complete platform at a fraction of the cost — or completely free for small churches. If you're evaluating church software in 2026, it's worth trying Alignmint before committing to Realm's pricing.
Schedule Your Free Setup | Explore Alignmint for Churches.
Related:
- For Churches — Complete Alignmint overview for churches
- Alignmint vs ChurchTrac — Comparison with ChurchTrac
- Alignmint vs Planning Center — Comparison with Planning Center
Ready to see how Alignmint works for your nonprofit?
Schedule a free walkthrough — we'll set everything up for you.