Monk Development
Monk Development, Inc. is a private U.S. software company that builds church-specialized content management systems (MonkCMS, Ekklesia 360) plus adjacent modules for online giving, sermon distribution, and private community networks, sold primarily to U.S. churches and faith-based non-profits under a subscription plus professional-services model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Monk Development does
Monk Development, Inc. is a private U.S. software and services company founded in 2006 that builds web-presence and content-management technology specialized for churches, ministries, and faith-based non-profits. The company operates from a corporate HQ at 14488 Old Stage Road, Lenoir City, Tennessee (originally founded in San Diego, California), and has been a member of the Ministry Brands family of church-software brands. The company's flagship is a proprietary web-based Content Management System sold under the MonkCMS and Ekklesia 360 brands, featuring role-based access, WYSIWYG editing, unlimited templates, drag-and-drop navigation, SEO-friendly architecture, integrated sermon and podcast publishing (with iTunes XML feed generation), event management with Google Maps and ICS export, gallery/media management, and a unified search layer using MySQL fulltext with SOUNDEX-based typo tolerance. The platform architecture separates content publishing, client data, and graphic design layers, and is packaged for non-technical church staff while remaining customizable.
The product surface extends beyond the CMS into adjacent ministry workflows: Monk Donate (a PCI-compliant mobile-friendly donation management system), Cobblestone (a private community/network platform), Sermon Cloud (sermon hosting and distribution), and additional sub-brands (Cause 360, Fuel 360, The Cloud Network, Private Label CMS). Distribution combines direct enterprise sales to church leadership with a hand-picked design-partner network (e.g., Pixelight Creative, AM Design) that delivers custom design while Monk Development supplies the CMS and project management. Marketing leverages content (case studies, eBooks, blog), SEO, social channels, email, and the Conclave annual church-leader conference series.
Commercially, Monk Development runs a hybrid subscription-plus-professional-services model. The CMS is sold as a monthly recurring subscription billed in advance with a 30-day freemium/demo trial, custom development is billed at $150/hour ($100 for the first hour), and support for accounts not hosted on a Monk Development-approved provider is $195/hour. Primary customers are U.S.-based churches ranging from house churches to mega-church multi-site networks (documented customers include Eagle Brook Church, The Village Church, First Baptist Dallas, Fellowship Bible Church, Elmbrook Church, and many others), with secondary segments in faith-based ministries, non-profits, and a small corporate/organizational tail. The company employs 11-50 people (over 20 documented), distributed across the U.S. including Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Colorado, and North Carolina.
Monk Development firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Monk Development
- Legal name
- Monk Development, Inc.
- Website
- https://monkdevelopment.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Monk Development, Inc. is a private U.S. software company that builds church-specialized content management systems (MonkCMS, Ekklesia 360) plus adjacent modules for online giving, sermon distribution, and private community networks, sold primarily to U.S. churches and faith-based non-profits under a subscription plus professional-services model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Monk Development industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Church Management Software / Religious Sector Content Management
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (813110), Religious Organizations (8131)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE), Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD)
Keywords
Where Monk Development is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Monk Development business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- CMS Subscription: Monthly recurring subscription for MonkCMS/Ekklesia 360 access. The service is billed in advance on a monthly basis with no refunds for partial months. Clients must provide a valid credit card.
- Web Development Services: Custom design, templates, and new functionality development billed at $150/hour with $100 for the first hour. New project scoping for non-minor updates.
- Support Services: Technical support for accounts not hosted on Monk Development-approved hosting is charged at $195/hour. Paid account holders receive email-based support included with subscription.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free/Demo Trial (30 days) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Development Projects |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Non-Hosted Account Support |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Monk Development product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Monk Development builds and sells proprietary church web solutions, centered on its MonkCMS/Ekklesia 360 Content Management System, bundled with online donation management (Monk Donate), private community networks (Cobblestone), and sermon/media hosting. In addition to its SaaS CMS platform, it provides custom web design and development services, the Mission Alignment Process (MAP) strategic consulting, and usability studies to churches, ministries, and faith-based non-profits in the United States and globally.
Product overview
Monk Development offers a unified platform-plus-products architecture centered on its core Content Management Systems. The primary offerings include Ekklesia 360 (a next-generation CMS for churches and non-profits), MonkCMS (the underlying customizable CMS for clients), Monk Donate (PCI-compliant online giving), and Cobblestone (private community network). Additional sub-brands include Sermon Cloud, Cause 360, Fuel 360, The Cloud Network, and Private Label CMS. Services include the Mission Alignment Process (MAP) for strategic consulting, full web development services, usability studies, and content strategy. These products work together as an integrated ecosystem where Ekklesia 360 serves as the church-focused platform, MonkCMS provides the underlying CMS technology, and modules like Monk Donate and Cobblestone add specialized functionality for donations and community engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ekklesia 360: The next generation non-profit Content Management System for churches and ministries.
- MonkCMS
- Monk Donate
- Cobblestone
Products and services
- Ekklesia 360 Ekklesia 360 is the next-generation non-profit Content Management System purpose-built for churches and ministries, delivering more than a website by helping ministries do ministry online. It is positioned to serve churches from house churches to mega-churches and integrates with MonkCMS, Monk Donate, and Cobblestone as part of the broader Monk Development platform.
- MonkCMS MonkCMS is a customizable, web-based Content Management System built on best-of-class technologies that allows clients to manage websites, people directories, and online content from a single platform without conforming to a one-size-fits-all solution. It is the underlying CMS engine powering the company's church and non-profit offerings.
- Monk Donate Monk Donate is a mobile-friendly, PCI-compliant donation management system that enables churches to create donation forms for fundraisers, capital campaigns, events, and to post donation links across websites and social media.
- Cobblestone Cobblestone is a customizable private community network for organizations, churches, and ministries. It goes beyond a standard social networking site to engage users in behaviors important to the organization, such as small groups, member directories, and private community engagement.
- Mission Alignment Process (MAP) The Mission Alignment Process (MAP) is a strategic consulting service offered by Monk Development to help churches discover or clarify their mission and build an online strategy. It includes onsite sessions, content strategy, and web planning, and is typically delivered as part of an enterprise web engagement.
- Web Development Services Monk Development's Web Development Services cover full-service web development from mobile to desktop, including design, usability studies, web standards compliance, and third-party integrations. Custom development is billed at $150/hour (first hour $100).
- Usability Services Usability Services include audience identification, needs assessment, best practices analysis, competitive analysis, and application evaluation as part of Monk Development's web strategy and design engagements.
Quantifiable outcome
- Eagle Brook Church achieved over 1 million interactions through redesigned website
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Monk Development
Customer profileNamed customers24 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Monk Development technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature12 records
Monk Development partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Ministry BrandscoreMonk Development is a member of the Ministry Brands family. Ministry Brands is a parent company that owns multiple church technology brands. Monk Development's Privacy Policy references Ministry Brands' Privacy Policy and operates as part of this family of companies. The relationship involves shared legal, privacy, and brand governance.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Monk Development competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ChurchTrac: Affordable church management software for small and mid-sized churches. Comparable vertical SaaS model with focus on serving the same house-church-to-mid-size-church segment Monk Development targets.
- Pushpay: Church engagement and giving platform that serves the same customer base of US churches and ministries. Pushpay has expanded into media, mobile, and website-adjacent offerings, making it a direct competitor to Monk Development's Monk Donate and Ekklesia 360 product lines.
- Subsplash: Church engagement platform providing mobile apps, giving, media, and website tools to churches of all sizes. Highly comparable to Monk Development because both target the same buyer (church communications director) with bundled web/giving/media functionality.
- Church Community Builder: Church management and engagement platform acquired by Pushpay; competes directly in member directories, groups, and online connection features that overlap with Monk Development's bundled database functionality.
- Breeze ChMS: Church management system serving small-to-mid-sized churches with people, giving, events, and communication tools. Comparable vertical SaaS model targeting the same buyer persona and overlapping in functionality with MonkCMS.
- Shelby Systems (Icon Systems): Church management software vendor serving small and mid-sized churches with a long-standing vertical SaaS presence. Comparable buyer, comparable long-tenure vertical model, and overlapping feature footprint.
- Tithe.ly: Online giving and church engagement platform focused on mobile-first donations. Most directly competes with Monk Donate and overlaps with Ekklesia 360 in the broader church software stack.
- Planning Center: Church management software suite (People, Services, Groups, Check-Ins, etc.) widely used by mid-to-large US churches. Comparable buyer, comparable vertical SaaS model, and an expanding media/website footprint that intersects Monk Development's offering.
Broad incumbents
- Wild Apricot: Membership management and website platform for nonprofits, associations, and membership-based organizations. Not church-specific but operates in an adjacent vertical with a comparable bundled CMS-plus-database offering for non-religious organizations.
Emerging players
- Finalsite: Website and communications platform focused primarily on K-12 independent schools, with growing penetration into faith-based and other mission-driven organizations. Comparable CMS-plus-communications model targeting similarly budget-conscious institutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Monk Development social profiles
Digital presenceMonk Development financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Monk Development leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Monk Development funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Monk Development M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Monk Development
What does Monk Development do?
Monk Development builds and sells proprietary church web solutions, centered on its MonkCMS/Ekklesia 360 Content Management System, bundled with online donation management (Monk Donate), private community networks (Cobblestone), and sermon/media hosting. In addition to its SaaS CMS platform, it provides custom web design and development services, the Mission Alignment Process (MAP) strategic consulting, and usability studies to churches, ministries, and faith-based non-profits in the United States and globally.
Is Monk Development a public or private company?
Monk Development is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Monk Development founded?
Monk Development was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Monk Development based?
Monk Development is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Monk Development make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. CMS Subscription is the primary driver. The others are web Development Services and support Services.
Who are Monk Development's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ChurchTrac, Pushpay, Subsplash, Church Community Builder, Breeze ChMS, Shelby Systems (Icon Systems), Tithe.ly and Planning Center. Wild Apricot is listed as a broad incumbent. Finalsite is listed as an emerging player.
Does Monk Development have an API?
Yes. Customers may access their CMS account data via an API (Application Program Interface). Any use of the API, including use through a third-party product that accesses CMS, is bound by the terms of agreement. Abuse or excessively frequent requests to CMS via the API may result in temporary or permanent suspension of account access. The API terms state that Monk Development shall not be liable for any damages resulting from API use or third-party products accessing data via the API.
What industry is Monk Development in?
Monk Development's product category is Church Management Software / Religious Sector Content Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAA, Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAE, Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International). Its NAICS code is 813110 and its SIC code is 7372.