SignUpGenius
Volunteer scheduling and sign-up coordination
Free plan available, paid plans for additional features
SignUpGenius has become the go-to solution for church volunteer coordination because it solves a specific problem exceptionally well: getting people to sign up for specific slots. Whether you need nursery volunteers, potluck contributors, or mission trip participants, SignUpGenius makes the signup process friction-free. The platform excels at the core task of volunteer scheduling. Create a signup with available slots - dates, times, positions, or items needed. Share the link via email, bulletin, or social media. People claim spots by clicking links and entering their information. No app installation required, no accounts needed for participants. Automated reminders eliminate the biggest headache in volunteer coordination. The system emails participants before their scheduled time, dramatically reducing no-shows. You configure reminder timing - one day before, one hour before, whatever works for your context. This automation alone saves hours of phone calls and text messages. The free tier handles most church signup needs. Create unlimited signups with basic features. Display your church logo. View who signed up for what. The main free tier limitation is ads displayed to participants - annoying but not deal-breaking. Paid plans ($8.99-12.99/month) remove advertising and unlock additional features: custom themes, attachment uploads, payment collection, and advanced reporting. Premium features like swapping slots and hiding participant contact information improve the experience for larger-scale use. Multi-date events handle recurring needs efficiently. Create one signup for an entire VBS week with different volunteer needs each day. Build a quarterly serving schedule with multiple weekends. This reduces the administrative burden of creating separate signups for each date. Payment collection through SignUpGenius simplifies events that combine signups with fees - mission trips, retreat registrations, or paid classes. Participants sign up and pay in one transaction. The platform handles payment processing with transparent fee structures. Reporting shows participation patterns over time. Identify your most reliable volunteers. Track which requests get filled quickly versus struggle to find takers. Export data for recognition programs or analysis.
Create a free account at signupgenius.com using your email or Google account. The signup wizard walks through creating your first signup in minutes. Start your first signup by choosing a template or starting from scratch. Select 'Volunteer Scheduling' for volunteer coordination. Enter your event details: title, location, and description. Add your organization logo to brand the signup. Create time slots, positions, or items that people can claim. For volunteer scheduling, add specific dates and times with the number of volunteers needed for each slot. Name each slot clearly - 'Nursery (Infants) - 9:00am Service' is better than 'Slot 1'. Add additional information participants need: what to wear, where to report, what to bring. Include contact information for questions. The more context provided upfront, the fewer questions you'll field later. Customize confirmation and reminder emails. The system sends these automatically, but personalize the messages to match your church's voice. Configure reminder timing appropriate to your event. Share your signup broadly. SignUpGenius provides a direct link, embed code for websites, and social sharing buttons. Email your target audience. Announce in services. Post on social media. The more visibility, the faster slots fill. Monitor responses as they come in. The dashboard shows which slots are filled versus open. Send additional invitations for unfilled positions. Close signups when complete to prevent over-commitment. Create a SignUpGenius profile for your church to group related signups and make them discoverable to your congregation.
- A children's ministry coordinator manages 60 volunteer positions across four services every weekend using SignUpGenius. Volunteers sign up for their preferred services a month in advance. Automated reminders reduced no-shows from a weekly problem to a rare occurrence.
- A church potluck signup ensures variety - the signup lists categories (main dishes, sides, desserts, drinks) with quantity limits. Participants see what's already claimed and fill gaps. The potluck coordinator knows what's coming without dozens of phone calls.
- A mission trip team collected registrations and deposits through SignUpGenius. Participants signed up for available spots and paid their deposits simultaneously. The team leader tracked who had completed requirements in one dashboard.
- Funeral meal coordination became manageable when the care ministry started using SignUpGenius. When a family experiences loss, volunteers sign up to provide specific dishes for the meal. The coordination happens without burdening the bereaved family or overwhelming the coordinator.
- Incredibly easy for participants - no accounts required, just click and sign up
- Automated reminders dramatically reduce volunteer no-shows
- Free tier adequate for most church signup needs
- Versatile for volunteer scheduling, potlucks, and any signup situation
- Payment collection handles registrations requiring fees
- Mobile-responsive design works on any device
- •Free tier displays ads to participants
- •Email delivery can occasionally hit spam filters
- •Limited integration with church management systems
- •Interface feels dated compared to newer alternatives
SaaS (hosted)
Yes
Do volunteers need accounts to sign up?
No, participants can sign up by simply entering their name and email. They don't need to create SignUpGenius accounts. This reduces friction and increases participation rates significantly.
How do we remove ads from our signups?
Upgrade to any paid plan ($8.99-12.99/month). All paid tiers remove advertising from participant-facing pages, creating a cleaner experience. The free tier always includes ads.
Can we collect money through SignUpGenius?
Yes, enable payment collection when creating or editing a signup. SignUpGenius integrates with Stripe for payment processing. Fees are 3.5% + $0.30 per transaction. This works well for mission trips, retreats, or paid events.
How do reminders work?
When people sign up, they receive confirmation emails immediately. Automatic reminders send before their scheduled slot - you configure the timing (1 day before, 1 hour before, etc.). You can also send manual messages to all participants or specific slots.
Can multiple coordinators manage the same signup?
Yes, add additional administrators to any signup. They'll have access to edit the signup, view responses, and communicate with participants. This helps when multiple staff or volunteers coordinate together.
How does SignUpGenius compare to Planning Center Services?
SignUpGenius handles general signups and volunteer coordination. Planning Center Services specifically manages worship team scheduling with features like song planning and team positions. Many churches use both - SignUpGenius for general volunteers and Planning Center for worship teams.