Plenty of churches started texting on Gloo because the free plan was generous. This year it got much smaller, and so did Gloo+ for monthly members. Nothing here is a reason to panic. It’s a reason to count what you send and pick the cheapest option that still works.
What changed
Gloo published both changes in its own help center. Here they are side by side.
| Plan | Before | Now | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 10,000 texts a month | 500 texts and 500 emails a month | February 1, 2026 |
| Gloo+, paid monthly | 15,000 texts a month | 5,000 texts and 5,000 emails a month, at $49 a month | Mid-2026 |
Gloo+ is $49 a month, or $499.80 a year, and includes 3 subaccounts. If you need more, Gloo sells Powerpacks: $75 a month for 5,000 more credits. Unused credits don’t roll over. One credit is one text of up to 160 characters to one person.
So a church sending 10,000 texts a month now pays $49 for Gloo+ and $75 for a Powerpack: $124 a month. A church sending under 500 can still text for free.
Option 1: Stay on Gloo+ and budget for Powerpacks
This is the simplest move. Nothing changes for your team or your congregation. It fits a church that sends a steady, predictable number of texts, uses Gloo’s keyword workflows, and likes the database Gloo syncs from.
The thing to watch is the month you send more than usual. Easter, a camp registration push or a snow closing can each use a month’s credits in a day. Price the year with the Powerpacks you would really buy, not the ones you hope to skip.
Option 2: Switch to a texting-only tool
Dedicated church texting tools sell plans by message credits too. Text In Church, for example, publishes plans at $35–$60/mo, each with 1,250 message credits (checked September 2026). Compare credits per dollar at the volume you actually send, and check how replies, opt-outs and your contact list are handled. Our list of Gloo alternatives sets the main options side by side.
A switch like this keeps texting as its own tool. That’s fine if it works for you. It does mean one more place your contact list lives, and one more list to keep in step with your database.
Option 3: Move texting into the platform that holds your people
Gloo connects to your church database rather than replacing it. It syncs contacts from Planning Center, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, MinistryPlatform, HubSpot, Mailchimp or a CSV file. The third option is to send texts from the place your people records already live.
The case for it is less about price than about the person. When texts go out from the same record as attendance, groups and giving, you can text the people who missed three Sundays, not just a list. Replies land beside everything else you know about that person. And who has agreed to texts is kept in one place, not two.
The case against is that it’s a bigger change. If your database is staying, this option may not exist for you yet.
How to decide
- Count the texts you sent last month. One credit is one text of up to 160 characters to one person, so a reminder to 300 people uses 300 credits.
- List what you use Gloo for besides texting: email, keyword workflows, Ministry Chat, Content Studio or Insights.
- Write down where your people records live, and whether that database is staying.
- Decide who answers replies, and whether they need to see the person behind the number.
- Price each option for a full year, with the Powerpacks you would really need.
If you send under 500 texts a month, stay on the free plan. If you send a steady few thousand and love your setup, Gloo+ is probably still the best value. If you’re already rethinking your database, it’s worth asking whether texting should move with it.
How to export your Gloo contacts
Whatever you choose, keep a copy of your contacts.
- Export your people from the church database Gloo syncs with. It’s where the records are kept, so it’s the best source, and keep the file somewhere safe.
- Check who has agreed to receive texts. Texting people who haven’t agreed is the fastest way to lose their trust.
- Run a test import into whatever you move to, and check for duplicates before you send anything.
- Gloo and one platform, side by side
- See all Gloo alternatives, with prices
- Add up what your tools cost today
- You’re paying for nine platforms
Gloo facts as of October 2026, from Gloo’s own pages; prices and credits change, so check theirs. Sources: Free plan credits · Gloo+ · Gloo+ credit change · Powerpacks · Gloo People and sync · Gloo Workspace.