Software profile
AltarDesk
A UK system for church members, giving and Gift Aid, rotas and messages. It also covers governance, pastoral appointments and safeguarding administration.
30-second answer
What to know before you open the full record
- What it is
- A UK system for church members, giving and Gift Aid, rotas and messages. It also covers governance, pastoral appointments and safeguarding administration.
- Contexts worth testing
- UK churches seeking one platform for people records, giving, rotas and governance, Churches that need documented UK Gift Aid and data-processing information, Multi-site churches needing named permission and administration controls
- Published starting price
- £17 / month
- Relevant UK checks
- UK-specific evidence · UK registered · Gift Aid: Yes
- Shortlist when
- UK churches wanting people, giving, rotas and communications in one product
- Check first
- Run a role-led trial of exports, Gift Aid, permissions, safeguarding boundaries, finance approval and Google Drive ownership
- Evidence date
- Sources checked 25 July 2026
This is an evidence-led starting point, not a ranking or hands-on verdict. Supplier sources establish what they publish; your church should test material workflows and resolve the questions below.
Five-minute assessment
Assess the likely fit and trade-offs
Directory assessment
AltarDesk is a newer UK all-in-one contender with unusually detailed published pricing and data-processing documentation. Its breadth can simplify a church's stack, but the broadest workflows—Gift Aid, safeguarding, finance controls, pastoral records and Google Drive media—should be tested by their actual owners before a migration decision.
Decision framing
Shortlist when, then check first
- Shortlist when
- UK churches seeking a documented all-in-one administration platform
- Test in a real workflow
- Broad church workflows are paired with unusually specific published pricing and data-processing information
- Settle before buying
- Run a role-led trial of exports, Gift Aid, permissions, safeguarding boundaries, finance approval and Google Drive ownership
Decision evidence
Published details for a shortlist
These details are traced to the source shown. Supplier material establishes what the supplier publishes; it is not hands-on testing.
- UK purchasing availability
- Supplier sourceRayscent Ltd is registered in England and Wales; sterling, VAT-inclusive plans are published.Source: Recorded evidence · checked 25 July 2026
- GBP pricing
- Supplier sourcePublished plans range from £17 to £99 per month including VAT, plus a custom annual plan.Source: Recorded evidence · checked 25 July 2026
- Gift Aid
- Supplier sourceSupplier documents Gift Aid and GASDS management on every plan, with direct HMRC claim submission from Standard upwards.Source: Recorded evidence · checked 25 July 2026
- Role-based permissions
- Supplier sourceSupplier describes per-user permissions, row-level organisation isolation and restricted safeguarding records.Source: Recorded evidence · checked 25 July 2026
- Audit logs
- Supplier sourceSupplier DPA describes administrative-access logs; product material describes an append-only sensitive-action log.Source: Recorded evidence · checked 25 July 2026
- Data-processing agreement
- Supplier sourceA current DPA names controller and processor roles, sub-processors and international-transfer safeguards.Source: Recorded evidence · checked 25 July 2026
- Hosting and location
- Supplier sourceSupplier DPA identifies primary application hosting in the UK and database, authentication and file storage in the EEA.Source: Recorded evidence · checked 25 July 2026
- Export formats
- Supplier sourceSupplier documents CSV, print and full data export; sermon and media files use the church's own Google Drive.Source: Recorded evidence · checked 25 July 2026
Best suited to
- UK churches wanting people, giving, rotas and communications in one product
- Teams that need public documentation about UK pricing, processing roles and exports
- Growing or multi-site churches that need structured admin groups and permissions
Evidence-backed strengths
- Published GBP, VAT-inclusive plans and a 30-day trial
- Detailed public DPA includes sub-processors, processing roles and transfer safeguards
- Gift Aid, rotas, safeguarding, governance and media storage are documented in one platform
Limitations and questions
- The supplier is newly incorporated, so long-term operational track record still needs independent assessment
- Supplier documentation remains a supplier claim, not a certification of a church's compliance or financial controls
- The church must separately govern sensitive pastoral and safeguarding information and its Google Drive access
What the supplier publishes
- Member records and member app
- Gift Aid, GASDS and donation tracking
- Service rotas, events and attendance
- Email communications
- Safeguarding and DBS administration
- Governance records and trustee reporting
- Pastoral appointments
- Sermon and media hub using the church's Google Drive
What does the supplier currently publish?
Pricing and trial
AltarDesk publishes VAT-inclusive monthly plans from £17 for up to 75 members through £99 for up to 1,000 members, plus a custom annual plan for larger organisations. Monthly and annual plans are stated to have no lock-in; annual billing saves two months.
| Tier or starting point | Published price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | £17/month including VAT | Up to 75 members, member app, email, Gift Aid management, rotas and reports |
| Standard | £35/month including VAT | Up to 200 members; adds safeguarding, HMRC claim submission and more administration |
| Pro | £69/month including VAT | Up to 500 members; adds multi-site tools and custom admin groups |
| Growth | £99/month including VAT | Up to 1,000 members |
| Custom | £1,990/year including VAT plus £1,250 setup | 1,000+ members; annual billing only |
Free trial: Yes — Every new account starts on a 30-day Pro trial without a payment card, according to the supplier.
Full due diligence
Evidence, operations and source record
Use this full record to test practical details, retain source links and take specific gaps to the supplier.
Published operations and support details
- Data hosting
- The supplier's data-processing agreement states that primary application hosting is in the United Kingdom and database, authentication and file storage are in the European Economic Area. The agreement lists transfer safeguards for relevant US sub-processors.
- Data protection information
- AltarDesk publishes a data-processing agreement identifying the church as controller and Rayscent as processor, with a named sub-processor list, security measures and transfer information. This is supplier information, not a compliance determination for a church.
- Integrations
- Stripe Payments UK for online donations, Google Drive for sermon and media files, The SMS Works for SMS delivery
- Import and export
- CSV and print export, Full data export is listed across plans, Google Drive keeps sermon and media files in the church's own storage
- Support
- Email support on Starter, Priority email on Standard, Phone and priority support from Pro, Dedicated onboarding on Pro and above
Sources reviewed
Sources support only the fields named beneath each link. Supplier material is not independent testing; external review material is included as a limited signal rather than a verdict.
- AltarDesk pricing
Reviewed 25 July 2026 · Supports: GBP pricing, VAT treatment, Free trial, Product features, Member bands, Support, Gift Aid - AltarDesk data-processing agreement
Reviewed 25 July 2026 · Supports: Supplier legal name, UK registration, Controller and processor roles, Hosting, Sub-processors, Transfers, Security measures - AltarDesk security
Reviewed 25 July 2026 · Supports: Permission controls, Audit logging, Backup statements, Data-export statement - AltarDesk features
Reviewed 25 July 2026 · Supports: Safeguarding features, CSV and print export - Companies House: Rayscent Ltd
Reviewed 25 July 2026 · Supports: UK-registered organisation
