Ekklesia 360

Benefits:

Loved using this software, although it was only a trial version. Easy to use and versatile software for ministry in any size congregation.

Drawbacks:

We could not keep this in the budget and that is why we could only use the trial version. We didn't have any problems.

Benefits:

Solid SaaS tool for church management of web sites, group e-mail, and event registration. System functionality is well segmented which allows them to offer a robust multi-level security / user permissions management. Multimedia management support is fairly solid for many media types. Very flexible web presentation layer and can be designed to have very custom look and feel. Event management (calendaring and invitation / registration) has worked well. Implementing payment processing function and working well so far. We haven't found any major defects with the platform.

Drawbacks:

The HTML editor is OK for basic page creation and it does allow for direct editing of HMTL code - however - application does require end users to have some basic knowledge of page design and asthetics. User security administration can be maddening, difficult to track down the 'why does this work for him but not her' scenarios. Administration interface is a bit clunky not always consistent in behavior from module to module, but is not defective. Customer support has always been helpful, but they are stretched thin Platform does require solid technical resources to help a church implement it, mainly for internal project management, training, and new operational process.

In sum:

This is a good solid platform which met our requirements and has scaled well for our 2000+ member church with 30+ content contributors. We were able to consolidate 5 web sites and are consolidating over 10 different e-mail management processes on to one platform. You need to be willing to dive in and 'learn it' with hands on experience as the documentation is a bit thin. Product is well supported and vendor is continuing to actively develop and improve the product . We've been pleased with the product and recommend it for other churches.

Benefits:

We have loved our experience with ekklesia, we have gone with 3 total website designs with them. They are a very cost effective solution to easy and great looking websites. The customer support has always went of the way to fix or help in any way they can.

Drawbacks:

Can be pricey to setup sites and custom work is generally pretty pricey to have done. Knowing its for the "non-profit" market it surprises me that there isn't more flexibility on pricing.

Benefits:

Offers an array of templates for church websites, making it easy to create or redesign your site. Support was great through the process. They made migration of content really smooth.

Drawbacks:

Some limits on font styles for headers but not a huge issue. I think they would accommodate a need.

In sum:

Helped us easily update our digital brand and gave us the tools to be more effective in telling our story.

Benefits:

We really enjoy our new website. It is easy to update and looks new and relevant. The team at Ekklesia 360 is outstanding. Great product and support team.

Drawbacks:

It had a bit of a learning curve to get used to it. Once we dove in it came easier.

In sum:

We have had great response from the general public about the ease of surfing our site. We enjoyed working with the team and our site was up on time.

Benefits:

It is very easy to use and provides great templates for getting started. Their customer support team is incredible, they seem to care about your website and the purpose of the organization. The software is very affordable and had packages that are easily adjustable for any budget.

Drawbacks:

The software sometimes is slow to load, which can be frustrating. Though it is easy to learn, there are some skills and options that required more reading and trial and error to learn. The training videos are lacking... although you can schedule a training and ask questions, but I'd like the video library to be larger.

In sum:

An awesome website!

Benefits:

Ekklesia 360 is a great website development product. The flexibility in design options allows me to be creative when I update the site, but the staff of Ekklesia 360 is also readily available to help me make changes, explain how to do things better and also to make the changes for us at no charge or for a reasonable fee. The staff at Ekklesia has been a pleasure to deal with in all sorts of situations. I have worked extensively with various staff members as we have significantly updated our website twice.

Drawbacks:

I would love to be able to make some of the changes myself, but there are some things that can only be done by an Ekklesia employee. I understand that these precautions are in place for a reason, but I have run across a few things that it would have been quicker and easier if I could have just been allowed to make the changes on my own.

In sum:

A very effective , up-to-date and nice looking website.

In sum:

We just switched to Ekklesia 360 from another web host. We love the simple to use web templates. The support department is top notch. They take the time to not only share the "how to" steps, but even include little video helps that guide you through the settings and fixes that you were looking for. I highly recommend this company!

Benefits:

Not much. I don't really have much positive to say besides the fact that it does put a website on the web. That's about it.

Drawbacks:

Constant bugs that don't get addressed, horrible UI, bad response time from customer service, confusing button mapping, and expensive (when compared to easier to use companies like Wix). This is definitely something I would steer clear of. If someone designed a UI that looks like it dates back to 2003 and randomly selected how features and button layout would look, this would be the software. Also, our organization originally asked them to design our site (and spent tens of thousands of dollar on design) and it looks horrible (this decision was made before I joined this organization). It's a shame we wasted so much money on a poorly designed website.

In sum:

In the 2+ years I've been with this organization, I've had nothing but problems with Ekklesia and can't figure out why someone chose this route in the first place. Stay clear.

Benefits:

I like that it's focused on churches so it's made with the idea that you'll want a place to upload audios or videos of your Sunday Message.

Drawbacks:

It's more expensive than other website builders and not as user friendly--which makes sense since companies like squarespace are targetting a larger market and probably have a larger budget.