MinistryWorks is a payroll and tax solution for churches and ministries. It has in-house experts with clergy tax law experience who can handle church-specific needs like paying housing allowances. A dedicated payroll specialist is assigned to each church to assist them. It is a good option for religious organizations searching for an affordable and reliable payroll solution with experience working with churches.
MinistryWorks got a 3.69 rating out of 5 in our evaluation, with a perfect score in church-specific features. This is why it’s one of our top picks in our guide to the best church payroll services, for its strong payroll features and its unique church-specific functionality.
Pros
- Automated payroll processing and tax filing
- Onboarding and one-on-one training included
- Dedicated payroll specialist
Cons
- Pricing is not transparent
- In-house printing of paper checks is not free
- Few third-party integrations
What We Recommend MinistryWorks For
MinistryWorks, one of our top-recommended church payroll software, has a full suite of payroll processing and tax compliance tools that support numerous churches and related ministries. MinistryWorks payroll professionals will personally assist you with your first pay run and any tax questions you have. They will represent you to the IRS and shoulder any fines if they make any errors.
In short, MinistryWorks is best for:
- Churches with limited in-house payroll expertise: With MinistryWorks, small churches with limited resources can enjoy automated payroll and tax filing services for an affordable price. They also get access to a dedicated personal payroll specialist who’ll answer all their payroll questions.
- Midsize ministries with both clergy and non-clergy employees: MinistryWorks offers a payroll service that can handle more than 50 non-clergy and clergy employees. If your church employees perform more than one job and have different rates for each task, MinistryWorks supports multiple earnings as well as deduction types.
When MinistryWorks Would Not Be a Good Fit
- Churches that want to set up multiple third-party software integrations: MinistryWorks integrates mostly with its other solutions, such as its in-house time tracking tool that works well with its payroll software. If integration options are important for your church, we recommend Gusto as it integrates with several third-party systems (such as accounting, expense management, and learning management). Read our Gusto review to find out more about it.
- Growing ministries that need both payroll and HR solutions: MinistryWorks doesn’t have advanced HR features that can help growing churches with recruitment, benefits, and employee management. If you need those functions, check out our list of the best HR payroll solutions for more suitable options.
MinistryWorks Top Alternatives Compared
Best For | Paid Plan Starts at | Employee Self-Service Portal | Online Onboarding | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Churches with limited payroll expertise | $22.59/employee/month* | ✓ | ✕ |
 | Best for: Small churches needing basic payroll, tax, and HR tools | $49 per month + $6 per person per month | ✓ | ✓ |
 | Best for: Churches that use QuickBooks accounting | $50 base monthly fee $6/employee/month | ✓ | ✓ |
 | Base monthly fee: Starts at $61 for up to two employees | $61 for 2 employees/month | ✓ | ✕ |
MinistryWorks doesn’t publish pricing information on its website. What it offers is an online calculator that shows estimated fees on a per pay run and annual basis. MinistryWorks’ fees decrease as the number of employees increase.
Payroll Frequency | Per Pay Run Pricing* | Annual Pricing* |
|---|---|---|
Estimated Fees Per Employee | ||
Weekly | $10.49 | $545.32 |
Biweekly | $13.56 | $352.66 |
Twice Monthly | $14.08 | $337.84 |
Monthly | $22.59 | $271.12 |
Estimated Fees for a Ministry with 10 Employees | ||
Weekly | $46.72 | $2,429.32 |
Biweekly | $51.53 | $1,339.66 |
Twice Monthly | $52.33 | $1,255.84 |
Monthly | $73.20 | $878.44 |
Keep in mind that the figures above are cost estimates and may not include charges for other solutions or services, like paper check stocks. To get accurate pricing, contact MinistryWorks and request a quote.
MinistryWorks got a perfect score in this criterion because of its ability to handle unique church payroll needs like minister pay and tax exemptions, including documentation of ministry and clergy housing allowances.
Aside from processing your non-minister employees’ Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes, the provider can help your ministers with their dual tax status and FICA and Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA) reporting.
It even offers a “Pay-Go” workers’ compensation solution that includes automatic annual audit reports that you can review at the end of every policy year. To help you avoid over and underpayments, this tool analyzes your payroll and calculates changes to workers’ comp premiums.
Any premium payment adjustments will then be withdrawn automatically for the particular pay run. What’s great about this feature is that ministries can use it for free—provided you are a MinistryWorks client and Brotherhood Mutual Workers’ Comp policyholder.
MinistryWorks scored low in its HR features because the employee onboarding assistance and new hire reporting it offers is linked to Healthcare Reporting instead of being part of its core HR features.
Despite this, its HR features allow businesses to streamline their employee management. With these features, you get access to benefits management, including open enrollment, talent management tracking, and performance review tracking and reporting.
MinistryWorks also has a time and attendance solution that tracks and manages timecards, paid time off (PTO) requests, and leave accruals. This feature is accessible via the self-service portal or mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets). However, it does cost extra; discuss it with your sales rep when you get a quote.
MinistryWorks offers automated payroll runs and supports multiple pay schedules, earnings, and deductions. It automatically computes, withholds, and deposits payroll taxes to state, local, and federal agencies as well as health insurance premiums, membership dues, and other benefits contributions.
Salary payouts to both clergy and non-clergy employees are made via direct deposits and paychecks. If you opt for paychecks, MinistryWorks charges extra to have the paper checks delivered to you via courier; your payroll administrator can distribute them to employees on paydays.
If you need to access payroll reports, MinistryWorks offers electronic reports (in PDF formats) that you can download from its website within minutes of having completed your pay run. You’ll even get an email alert once the reports are available for download. For employee pay stubs, you can choose to print each pay stub and then have it delivered to your workers. Another option is for your staff to get their pay stubs via email or access them through MinistryWorks’ employee self-service portal.
Lastly, MinistryWorks files quarterly and annual payroll tax reports on your behalf. It will even negotiate for you if issues stem from a processing error. Its tax experts will communicate with the IRS or any state taxing authority and pay the penalties if the penalty was due to an error they made. The only reason why it didn’t get a perfect score in its payroll features is because it does not have pay on-demand or a pay card option.
MinistryWorks provides users with a set of fundamental reports to help streamline their administrative tasks and gain insights into their ministry’s operations. These basic reports serve as a valuable starting point, offering essential information on various aspects of your organization. However, when it comes to tailoring these reports to meet specific and unique requirements, MinistryWorks falls short in terms of customizability. This is the reason why the software received a 2 out of 5 rating.
Aside from the basic reports, MinistryWorks offers access to an Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting solution that includes employee eligibility status tracking. Aside from digital 1094-C and 1095-C forms, you get new hire onboarding assistance, online training, and support. This, too, is an add-on, so if you are interested, be sure to ask about it when you get a quote.
- Software is easy to use
- Intuitive dashboard
- Self-service portal
- In-house specialized clergy and tax laws knowledge
- Dedicated payroll specialists
- Hands-on with the implementation process
MinistryWorks is very easy to set up and use. As soon as an agreement is reached, the company assigns an implementation specialist to assist you in getting its system up and running as well as walk you through your first pay run using its software. MinistryWorks will even help create a payroll processing calendar based on your pay schedule. A dedicated payroll expert will work with you anytime you’re having issues with the system and have questions about pay processing.
Popularity: What Users Think About MinistryWorks
| Users Like | Users Don’t Like |
|---|---|
| User-friendly and affordable | Customer support is less than ideal |
| Robust payroll and tax filing features | |
There are very limited MinistryWorks reviews online as of this writing. Most of the user feedback is posted on its website, and many like its affordability, ease of use, and efficient payroll and tax filing tools. We didn’t find any negative feedback online. Since our last update, MinistryWorks has removed its reviews from its Facebook page, but we found no negative comments in posts in 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does MinistryWorks have an app?
MinistryWorks software does not have a mobile app. However, the MinistryWorks website is mobile-friendly and can be accessed on any mobile device with an internet connection.
Does MinistryWorks have a free version?
Based on the information provided on their website, MinistryWorks doesn’t have a free version.
Bottom Line
MinistryWorks is a payroll service exclusively for churches and related ministries. On top of processing payroll and tax filing, it provides its users with tax advice and guidance that is specific to churches. Its reps establish a personable, helpful relationship with companies vs leaving them to fend for themselves. Schedule a free demo today.
