MissionTripPlanning

How to Choose Mission Trip Software

Several good tools exist for running church mission trips, and the right one depends on your church. These six questions will help you decide, whichever tool you end up using. Under each one we say plainly where GO stands, including what it does not do.

Start with how your trips actually run

Before you look at any software, write down how your last trip worked: who collected the deposits, where the waivers lived, how the team heard about meetings, and what the finance office needed at the end. The best tool is the one that removes the steps that cost you the most time, not the one with the longest feature list.

If you are still planning the trip itself, start with our step-by-step guide to planning a mission trip. Then bring these questions to any tool you are considering.

Six questions to ask

Question 1

How will we collect deposits and gifts, and is there a fee on donations?

Most of a trip's money comes from supporters giving toward a traveler. Ask:

  • Can supporters give online by card or bank transfer, and can you still record cash and checks?
  • What is the processing fee, and does the platform add its own percentage on top of it?
  • Where does the money go: straight to the church, or through the vendor first?
  • Can each traveler see their own progress, and can leaders see the whole team?

Where GO stands: GO adds no platform fee on donations, on any plan. The only cost on an online gift is standard processing: 2.9% + $0.30 for cards, or 0.8% capped at $5 for bank transfers, and donors can choose to cover it. Gifts go straight to your church's own payment account, not through us. Cash and check gifts can be recorded or imported from a spreadsheet on every plan; taking gifts online needs the Starter plan. If your church would rather send donors to its own giving page, GO can do that instead.

Question 2

Can we handle forms, e-signatures and minors safely?

Waivers, medical releases and passport details are where trips get stressful. Ask:

  • Can travelers sign waivers online, and does each signer get a copy?
  • How does a parent or guardian sign for a minor?
  • Who can see a traveler's medical and passport details?
  • Will travelers be asked for the same information more than once?

Where GO stands: E-signatures are on every plan. A parent or guardian co-signs for a minor, and every signer gets the signed copy by email. Each traveler fills in one info sheet, and tasks that ask for the same details tick off from it, so nobody types their passport number twice. Your church still decides which forms you need and what they say.

Question 3

How do we keep the team connected before, during and after the trip?

A team that has prayed and prepared together travels well. Ask:

  • Can leaders reach the whole team without copying email addresses by hand?
  • Can you schedule team meetings and remind people about deadlines?
  • Is there anything for the team's spiritual preparation, not just logistics?
  • Can everyone see the day-by-day plan while they are traveling?

Where GO stands: Team announcements (emailed to everyone), meetings and automated reminders are on every plan, and so is a day-by-day itinerary. Every plan includes the Sent Ones team reading plan; Ministry adds every team reading plan. GO helps with the preparation, but the meetings, the prayer and the debrief after you come home are still led by people.

Question 4

What does it cost for a church our size?

Pricing models vary a lot, so compare what you would actually pay. Ask:

  • Is the price per trip, per traveler, per month, or a percentage of what you raise?
  • What happens to the price if you run more trips next year?
  • Is there a contract, a setup fee, or a trial that ends?

Where GO stands: Pricing depends on how many trips you run and whether you take gifts online, not on church size or team size. The Free plan covers up to 5 active trips with gifts recorded offline. Starter is $9 a month and adds online giving. Ministry is $39 a month and adds unlimited trips and trip templates. There are no contracts. See pricing for the full list.

Question 5

Can travelers use it on their phones?

Most travelers will never open a laptop for this. Ask:

  • Can someone apply, sign a waiver and finish their tasks on a phone?
  • Do they need to download an app, or does it work in the browser?
  • Is the itinerary easy to find on the trip itself?

Where GO stands: GO works in the phone's web browser, and travelers can add it to their home screen so it opens like an app. There is no app store download. Applying, signing, filling in the info sheet and checking the itinerary all work on a phone.

Question 6

How do we get our data out?

Your finance office will need reports, and one day you may change tools. Ask:

  • Can you download gifts, fees and net amounts for reconciliation?
  • Can you export the team roster and readiness, not just the money?
  • If you leave, what can you take with you, and in what format?

Where GO stands: Trip leaders can download the trip's financial report (including fees and net amounts) and the team's readiness report as spreadsheet (CSV) files. If you need something exported that you cannot find, email [email protected] and we will help.

What GO does not do

It is easier to choose well when you know the limits up front.

  • GO does not book flights or lodging. You can ask travel providers for quotes from inside a trip, but your team still chooses and books.
  • GO does not build your budget for you. It gives you a place to plan it and track against it, but every trip's costs are its own.
  • GO does not replace the people. Meetings, prayer, the airport and the debrief stay with your leaders.
  • GO has no app store app. It runs in the browser on any phone or computer.
  • Online card and bank gifts need the Starter plan or above. The Free plan records gifts that come in offline.

Common questions

Does our church need mission trip software at all?

Not always. One small trip a year with a leader who is comfortable in a spreadsheet can run well without it. Software starts to earn its place when you have several travelers raising support, forms that need signatures, minors on the team, or more than one trip at a time.

What fees should we expect on donations?

Every online gift carries a card or bank processing fee. Some platforms also add their own percentage on top. Ask for both numbers. GO adds no platform fee on any plan, so the only cost on a gift is standard processing: 2.9% + $0.30 for cards, or 0.8% capped at $5 for bank transfers.

Can minors sign waivers in GO?

A parent or guardian co-signs for a minor. Every signer gets a copy of the signed document by email, and this is on every GO plan.

What does GO cost?

The Free plan covers up to 5 active trips with gifts recorded offline (cash, check or a spreadsheet import). Taking gifts online by card or bank transfer needs Starter at $9 a month. Ministry at $39 a month adds unlimited trips and trip templates. E-signatures, announcements, meetings and reminders are on every plan.

Is there a GO app to download?

No. GO runs in the phone's web browser, and travelers can add it to their home screen so it opens like an app. There is nothing to install from an app store.

Try GO with your next trip →

More Resources

Keep planning. These guides cover the practical side of getting your trip organized.

Mission Trip Planning Checklist

A month-by-month checklist from 6 months before the trip through the debrief afterward.

Mission Trip Budget Guide

How to build a realistic trip budget, account for hidden costs, and keep your finances clean.

Fundraising Ideas

Practical ways for travelers to raise support without wearing out their friends.