Digital donations have become increasingly critical to church life, according to two new reports.
The 2026 Annual Church Giving and Annual Parish Giving reports have revealed that younger generations are more likely to give if offered a digital option, and that overall, digital giving is on the up.
The research was conducted by Ministry Brands, a US-based church giving software provider, in partnership with Parable Group.
They analysed “billions” of dollars in digital donations made through thousands of churches and parishes, and included input from over 1000 church leaders. For the first time, researchers compared Protestant and Catholic denominations, noticing that Protestant giving has grown in the last year, whilst Catholic giving reflects a more stable picture.
Among Protestant churches, 57 per cent saw an increase in digital giving, and digital platforms accounted for 41 per cent of total donations in churches offering these options. Among Catholic parishes, nearly half of those reporting increased giving also saw growth in digital contributions, with recurring digital giving on the rise.
For Catholic parishes, giving was closely linked with how frequently a person attends in person, week-on-week. However, for Protestant churches, online giving from attendees joining on livestreams made up a significant portion of donations.
Churches offering digital wallets and mobile payment options were almost twice as likely to report increased giving from donors aged 18-29. Catholic parishes offering digital wallet options were 2.6 times more likely to see increased generosity from this age group compared to those without such facilities.
Anna Caragio, Technical Digital Analyst at Parable Group, noted that despite “evolving” habits, generosity is still a “cornerstone of church life.”
“Digital access, generational trends, and community engagement are all shaping the future of giving,” she said.
Chris Bacon, CEO of Ministry Brands, said: “Churches and parishes are seeing that when giving is accessible and clearly connected to mission, participation follows. This year’s reports offer leaders practical insight into how people are engaging with generosity today and highlight opportunities to strengthen participation in the future.”