--- schema_type: "SoftwareApplication" entity_type: "Mobile Application" app_name: "ELCA Giving Tool by Tithe.ly" developer_entity: "Evangelical Lutheran Church in America" bundle_id: "com.tithely.38820" app_store_id: "1403475384" google_play_id: "com.tithely.app.c38820" category: "Lifestyle" primary_platform: "ios" primary_monetization: "Free" offline_capable: false market_region: "US" platforms: "iOS & Android" app_last_updated: "2022-05-12" report_date: "2026-05-13" last_verified: "2026-05-13T16:39:17.917Z" report_version: "4.12.10" total_reviews: 2 overall_rating: 5 confidence: "low" confidence_score: 0.05 data_age_days: 64 momentum_velocity: "zombie" intelligence_version: 3 competitor_count: 5 tags: ["lifestyle", "free", "mobile app", "app review", "app analysis", "members", "visitors", "evangelical"] canonical_url: "https://marlvel.ai/apps/elca-giving-tool-by-tithe-ly" license: "CC-BY-NC 4.0" content_version: "v2" --- # ELCA Giving Tool by Tithe.ly App Audit ## TL;DR {#tldr} - **Category**: Lifestyle · Free - **Signal**: Rating 5 > **TL;DR:** ELCA Giving Tool by Tithe.ly is a lifestyle app by Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, rated 5/5 by 2 users, available on iOS & Android. > > **Marlvel.ai App Intelligence** — Independent analysis. US Market. No publisher influence. > **Key Insight:** ELCA Giving Tool by Tithe.ly is a lifestyle app by Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. ## Quick Facts | Fact | Value | | :--- | :--- | | **Rating** | 5/5 (2 reviews) | | **Category** | Lifestyle | | **Developer** | Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | | **Pricing** | Free | | **Platforms** | iOS & Android | | **Confidence** | Low (0.05/1.0) | | **Data Age** | 64d | ## Metadata & Market Performance - **Publisher:** Evangelical Lutheran Church in America - **Category:** Lifestyle - **Target Audience:** Members and visitors of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America congregations seeking a digital method to manage their tithes and stay informed on church news. - **Platforms:** iOS & Android - **Version Audited:** 4.12.10 - **Audit Date:** 2026-05-13 - **Signal Count:** 0 reviews analyzed - **Confidence:** Low (0.05/1.0) - **App Store ID (iOS):** 1403475384 - **Bundle ID:** com.tithely.38820 - **Google Play ID:** com.tithely.app.c38820 - **Performance Trend:** Stable - **Data Window:** Analysis based on signals collected up to 2026-05-13 ## Executive Snapshot **What it is:** The ELCA Giving Tool is a donation management app for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America members, available on iOS and Android. **Why users hire it:** Users hire this app to fulfill recurring tithes and designate gifts to specific ministries, serving the need for digital financial stewardship within a trusted denominational framework. ## App DNA (Features & Intent) - **[Differentiator] Multi-Fund Designation:** Allocate a single transaction across multiple specific ministry funds - **[Standard] Automated Giving:** Schedule recurring donations on weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly intervals - **[Differentiator] ELCA Content Integration:** Access to Living Lutheran magazine, news releases, and social media feeds * *User Intent:* Users seek social connection and competitive engagement with peers. ## Market Position {#market-position} The app serves as a niche distribution channel for Tithe.ly within the ELCA segment. The lack of recent updates on Android compared to the iOS version signals a platform-specific maintenance gap. ## Monetization Strategy - **Model:** Free - **Tiers:** Free to download and use for members of registered congregations - **Analysis:** The app functions as a B2B distribution tool for Tithe.ly, where monetization occurs via the church's subscription to the platform rather than end-user fees. ## SWOT Analysis {#swot} **Core Strengths:** - Multi-fund designation mechanism simplifies complex donation workflows - Denominational branding builds trust within the ELCA user segment **Critical Frictions:** - Android version has not been updated since 2019 - Lack of recent feature additions suggests a maintenance-only lifecycle **Growth Levers:** - Integration of broader church management features could increase daily utility - Wearable or widget-based giving could simplify the donation flow **Market Threats:** - Competitors like EasyTithe offer holistic management systems that drain user attention - Stagnant update cadence risks platform-level compatibility issues on newer mobile OS versions ## Recent Changes (v2 → v3) {#recent-changes} The app remains in a zombie development state with no functional updates, but the competitive intelligence focus has shifted from mobile-first payment rivals to holistic church management systems. **Overall trend**: Stable **Compared at**: 2026-05-13 ### High-impact changes - **[Shifted] Competitive Landscape Overhaul** (positioning) — The competitive set was replaced, removing Givelify and Givebutter to focus on broader church management platforms like EasyTithe and ShelbyNEXT. - **[Shifted] Feature Gap Focus** (features) — Gaps shifted from missing payment methods (Venmo/Apple Pay) to missing administrative features (child check-in, management system integration). ### Medium-impact changes - **[Shifted] Threat Landscape Update** (swot) — Threats updated to cite EasyTithe as a holistic management system competitor instead of Givelify's high-frequency update cycle. ## What's New - **Latest (v4.7.0, 7 years ago):** Introduced a new layout option and optimized app-wide navigation. ## App Momentum (Zombie) {#momentum} - No major feature releases since 2022 - Android build stagnant since 2019 > **Cadence:** 2 total versions · 1 majors in last 6 months · 1461 days since last update · 1220 days avg between updates ## The "So What?" (Strategic Takeaway) {#so-what} ELCA Giving Tool by Tithe.ly is an established lifestyle app that is completely free. With a 5/5 rating from 2 reviews, it shows polarized user reception. > **Bottom Line:** The ELCA Giving Tool secures donor retention through denominational alignment, but the lack of feature evolution against holistic competitors like EasyTithe creates a churn risk, so the PM should prioritize a parity audit of the parent Tithe.ly platform features to prevent user migration. **Best for:** Members and visitors of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America congregations seeking a digital method to manage their tithes and stay informed on church news. ### PM Action Plan (Next Best Moves) - [ ] [INVEST] [HIGH IMPACT] Audit Android compatibility because the last update was in 2019 → prevent OS-level crash rates — *The Android version has not been updated since 2019, creating a significant risk for modern OS compatibility.* _(trade-off: deprioritize Pause the ELCA content feed refresh — platform stability is a higher priority than news feed updates.)_ ### Feature Gaps vs Competitors - Self-service child check-in (available in EasyTithe) - Deep church management system integration (available in ShelbyNEXT | Giving) ### Outlook: Stable The religious non-profit sector is consolidating around all-in-one management platforms that provide daily utility beyond simple giving. The ELCA Giving Tool remains exposed to churn as these competitors integrate more deeply into church operations, so the PM must decide whether to expand the feature set or accept a long-term decline in user engagement. - 🔴 The lack of Android updates since 2019 creates a technical debt barrier that will eventually force a complete rebuild to maintain store presence. - ⚪ The app remains a stable utility for existing congregants, but it fails to capture new users who expect the holistic features of modern church management apps. ## Key Metrics Summary | Metric | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Overall Rating | 5/5 | | Total Reviews | 2 | | Confidence | Low | | Pricing Model | Free | | Platforms | iOS & Android | | Key Features | 3 analyzed | | Trend | Stable | | Outlook | Stable | ## Competitor Comparison | App | Rating | Sentiment | Developer | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **ELCA Giving Tool by Tithe.ly** (this app) | 5/5 | N/A | Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | | [Tithe.ly](https://marlvel.ai/apps/tithe-ly) | 4.5/5 | Excited | Your Giving, Inc. | | [EasyTithe](https://marlvel.ai/apps/easytithe) | 3.6/5 | N/A | Ministry Brands | | [Splitly](https://marlvel.ai/apps/splitly) | N/A/5 | N/A | Abdullah Sulaiman | | [هكبه | Hakbah](https://marlvel.ai/apps/hakbah) | 4.6/5 | Mixed | Hakbah | | [ShelbyNEXT | Giving](https://marlvel.ai/apps/shelbynext-giving) | 3.6/5 | Mixed | Ministry Brands | ## Company Profile - **Developer:** Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ## Data Sources & Links - **App Store:** [View on Apple Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/elca-giving-tool-by-tithe-ly/id1403475384?uo=4) - **Google Play:** [View on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tithely.app.c38820&hl=en&gl=us) - **Sources:** App store metadata. ## Related Intel Reports - [*Tithe.ly*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/tithe-ly) (Your Giving, Inc.) — 4.5/5 Rating | Positive Sentiment - [*EasyTithe*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/easytithe) (Ministry Brands) — 3.6/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*Splitly*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/splitly) (Abdullah Sulaiman) — N/A Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*هكبه | Hakbah*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/hakbah) (Hakbah) — 4.6/5 Rating | Mixed Sentiment - [*ShelbyNEXT | Giving*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/shelbynext-giving) (Ministry Brands) — 3.6/5 Rating | Mixed Sentiment - [*Alarmy - Loud alarm clock*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/alarmy-loud-alarm-clock) (Delight Room Co., Ltd.) — 4.8/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*Tinder Dating App: Date & Chat*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/tinder-dating-app-date-chat) (Tinder LLC) — 4.2/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*Swiftime*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/swiftime) (MEDIANO Co.,Ltd.) — 4.5/5 Rating | Positive Sentiment - [*Alarmie: Easy Rise Alarm Clock*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/alarmie-easy-rise-alarm-clock) (Jintian Wang) — 4.4/5 Rating | Mixed Sentiment - [*AlarmMon ( alarm clock )*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/alarmmon-alarm-clock) (Malang Studio Co. Ltd,) — 4.2/5 Rating | Negative Sentiment ## Methodology {#methodology} This report was generated by Marlvel.ai's 5-stage AI intelligence pipeline: 1. **Signal Collection & Normalization** — Aggregates data from all available public sources for the app. Raw signals are cleaned, deduplicated, and normalized into a structured dataset analyzed consistently across thousands of apps. 2. **Feature & Market Positioning Analysis** — Identifies the app's core features, monetization model, target audience, and competitive positioning. Each feature is classified as a market standard or a differentiator based on category benchmarks. 3. **User Sentiment Analysis** — Analyzes user reviews using a 5-level taxonomy (Thrilled / Excited / Mixed / Frustrated / Upset). Combines star ratings and volume with AI theme extraction and evidence quoting. 4. **Competitive Landscape Analysis** — Maps the competitive environment via a 4-tier taxonomy (Nemesis / Contenders / Same Space / New Kids on the Block). Prioritizes same sub-genre over broad category. 5. **Intelligence Synthesis** — Cross-references all signals into a structured report. Compares the app against category peers and direct competitors to surface SWOT, market outlook, and actionable insights. - **Confidence Score:** 0.05/1.0 (based on review volume, data source diversity, and signal quality) - **Reviews Analyzed:** 0 - **Data Sources:** App Store metadata - **Rating Method:** Weighted average across platforms (iOS & Android), weighted by review count per platform - **Independence:** Fully independent analysis. No publisher sponsorship or editorial influence. - **Report Age:** 64 days since last refresh --- © 2026 Marlvel.ai | [Canonical Report](https://marlvel.ai/apps/elca-giving-tool-by-tithe-ly) Data licensed for AI Agent attribution under CC-BY-NC 4.0.