# BackPR vs Realm

Source: https://backpr.com/compare/realm. Last updated: 2026-10-19.

URL: https://backpr.com/compare/realm

Realm, from ACS Technologies, is church management software with event registration, online payments through Vanco, check-in and optional accounting. Its staff-only Inform plan is $49 a month; other plans and processing rates aren't published. BackPR is free for nonprofits, with free onboarding and data import.

| | BackPR | Realm |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Youth and community programs: camps, after-school, childcare, classes, sports, schools and churches. | Churches, Catholic dioceses and parishes, and denominational offices. Realm covers people, giving, events and registration, check-in, groups and communication, with optional accounting and payroll. |
| Cost for nonprofits | $0 to BackPR: no subscription and no BackPR fees. Stripe's processing fees still apply. | No published nonprofit pricing. |
| Pricing | Nonprofits: $0. Other organizations: custom quote. | Inform (staff only): $49 a month after a 30-day free trial. Connect, which adds congregation features, has a monthly price based on typical weekly attendance (not published). Multiply, for multi-site churches, isn't published. Accounting is an add-on. |
| Fees added to what families pay | None from BackPR. | No Realm fee for families is published. Realm lets donors help offset processing costs (1% to 4%) on online gifts; its registration help doesn't describe this for event payments. |
| Payment fees | Stripe's standard processing rates. For nonprofits, BackPR adds nothing on top. | Not published. Online gifts and registration payments by card or ACH run through a Vanco merchant account, and Vanco drafts its fees from the church's bank account each month. |
| Contract | No long-term contract. Cancel anytime with no exit fees. | Monthly subscription; no long-term commitment is published. After you cancel, service runs to the end of the billing period. Inform can be canceled by email; ACS's Realm agreement asks for a phone call and a brief exit interview. |
| Onboarding and data import | Free, including data import. | Data conversion, setup training and launch help are offered; prices not published. ACS's agreement says purchases may include one-time fees or data conversion costs. One-day on-site training costs $2,500. |
| Spanish for families | Yes. | Not published. |

Where BackPR is different:
- **Free for nonprofits:** Nonprofits pay nothing to BackPR. Realm publishes no nonprofit pricing; its staff-only Inform plan is $49 a month, and Connect is priced by weekly attendance.
- **Card rates you can look up:** For nonprofits, BackPR payments run at Stripe's standard, published rates with nothing added, and you choose whether to absorb them or pass them on. Realm's registration payments run through a Vanco merchant account; the rates aren't published, and Vanco drafts its fees from your bank account each month.
- **Free onboarding and data import:** Setup and data import are free at BackPR. ACS's Realm agreement says purchases may include one-time fees or data conversion costs, and ACS charges $2,500 for one-day on-site training.
- **Registration in English and Spanish:** Families can register in English or Spanish. Realm's website and help center don't describe a Spanish option for registration.

What Realm does well: Realm's registration events support registration types with different prices, deposits and partial payments, discounts, extra items like supplies or meals, custom questions and guests. It also has check-in kiosks with name badges and room balancing, background checks through Verified First, optional integrated accounting with payroll, and the free Realm Connect app. Support includes a 24/7 help center and email or toll-free phone support.

Sources (checked October 19, 2026): Realm events and registration (https://www.acstechnologies.com/realm/tools/events/); Realm plans (https://www.acstechnologies.com/realm/plans/); Realm Inform in the ACS store (https://buy.acst.com/realm-inform/); Realm Software Services Agreement (https://help.acst.com/en/realm/privacy--security/realm-software-services-agreement); Realm help: merchant accounts (https://help.acst.com/en/giving/realm-giving/guides/merchant-accounts); Realm help: paid registration event settings (https://help.acst.com/en/realm/how-to/registration-events/paid-registration-events/paid-registration-events-payment-settings); Realm help: processing costs (https://help.acst.com/en/giving/realm-giving/guides/online-giving/processing-costs); Realm personalized training (https://www.acstechnologies.com/realm/services/personalized-training/)

**Can BackPR import our data from Realm?**
Yes, for free. Send us an export from Realm or any spreadsheet, and we'll set up your families, participants and programs in BackPR.

**Does BackPR have waitlists for full events?**
Yes. Set a capacity for each session. When a spot opens, the next family on the waitlist is offered it automatically.