Gloo Communications

Overview

Communications brings email and text outreach together with tools for visitor follow-up and prayer requests. It is part of Gloo Workspace, which combines communications with other ministry tools for church leaders. Gloo was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.

Key features

Visitor follow-up and prayer requests

Teams can send personalized follow-ups to first-time visitors, while the Prayer Inbox gathers requests centrally and allows staff to assign responsibility. That combination suits ministries that need a shared process for keeping in touch and coordinating responses, rather than relying on separate inboxes.

Automated and group messaging

Keyword-triggered workflows can send a series of messages, reducing the need to dispatch each follow-up manually. Broadcasts reach everyone or selected groups in real time. Two-way, scheduled, and recurring messages, along with audience segmentation, support both conversations and planned outreach. The free plan’s single workflow is enough for one basic path, but teams managing distinct programs will likely need Gloo+.

Analytics, integrations, and security

Messaging Analytics gives teams insight into message performance. Gloo says Communications connects with HubSpot, Planning Center, and Mailchimp, which may help churches already using those platforms. Video Messaging and Polls are reserved for Gloo+.

Data is encrypted in transit and at rest using TLS 1.2+ and AES-256. Gloo’s security program is designed with reference to the AICPA Trust Services Criteria, NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, NIST AI Risk Management Framework 1.0, ISO/IEC 27001, and ISO 42001.

Pricing

Gloo uses a freemium model, with a free trial also offered. Gloo Free costs 0.00 USD per free and includes 500 SMS credits and 500 email credits per month, three groups, and one workflow. Those caps make it suitable for a small ministry testing a limited outreach program; the credit ceilings and group limit will constrain teams communicating at greater volume or segmenting many audiences.

Gloo+ costs 49.00 USD per month, billed monthly, and can be canceled anytime. It raises the monthly allowances to 5,000 SMS credits and 5,000 email credits, removes group and workflow limits, and includes three subaccounts. It is the more workable fit for teams running several outreach paths or serving multiple groups, though its monthly price is a meaningful step up from free. Video Messaging and Polls are also included at this level.

Platforms

Communications is available on Android, iOS, and the web. The mobile app supports messaging, prayer requests, personal messages, broadcasts, and push notifications, but users cannot view group members there. Teams that need to inspect membership will need to use another supported platform.

Who it's for

Gloo Communications is a strong fit for church and ministry teams that want visitor outreach, prayer-request coordination, automated messages, and broadcasts in a ministry-oriented workspace. Its free allowance can suit a small operation with modest monthly volume. Organizations needing higher quotas, multiple workflows, or more groups have a clear upgrade path, while teams that primarily need a tool outside church communications may find its focus too specialized.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The Prayer Inbox centralizes requests and assigns team members, supporting shared follow-up rather than an unmanaged queue.
• Pros: Keyword workflows, audience segmentation, and real-time broadcasts cover both automated sequences and targeted outreach.
• Pros: Free plan provides monthly SMS and email credits, making it possible to start without a subscription.
• Cons: Free is capped at 500 credits per channel monthly, three groups, and one workflow, limiting scale and campaign variety.
• Cons: Mobile users cannot view group members, which leaves that membership task outside the app.
• Cons: Video Messaging and Polls require Gloo+, and that plan costs 49.00 USD per month.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Church Text Messaging Software.

• Flocknote is worth considering for churches that want a free-for-life email plan for 0–40 members, with pricing varying by church size above that.
• Shepherding Connections may suit a small team prioritizing a free forever plan for up to five user accounts, if SMS messaging is not needed on that tier.
• Textiful is an option for organizations that prefer buying message credits as needed, with credits that never expire on its free On Demand plan.
• Clearstream is an alternative for teams willing to start with a 30-day trial that includes 100 credits, 1,000 emails, and one local phone number; it has no free plan.
• Vesperbell offers a free tier with a hard cap and no surprise overage, alongside monthly text and email allowances.
• DialMyCalls is an alternative for churches seeking an automatic call trial for up to 25 members, limited to a 30-second message once per week.
• Text In Church may be worth comparing for teams considering its PLUS plan, which includes 1.25K credits and four local phone numbers.
• Connect With My Church offers a paid platform plan at 99.00 USD per month with up to 750 texts per month and unlimited emails and push notifications.

Verdict

Choose Gloo Communications if your ministry wants shared prayer follow-up and targeted email and text outreach within a church-focused workspace. Its strongest case is the combination of a central Prayer Inbox, automated workflows, and broadcasts; its main trade-off is that free quotas are tight and useful premium features require a 49.00 USD monthly plan. Teams that need more than one workflow or modest credit limits should budget for Gloo+ or compare alternatives.