The Security Communication App Churches Actually Need
Encrypted PTT voice, panic alerts, real-time location, and Planning Center integration. One app designed from the ground up for how church security teams actually operate.
Available on iOS & Android
Why GatherSafe
Not just another PTT app
Every security app claims to be the best. Here is what makes us different and why it matters for your congregation.
Built for Churches, Not Adapted for Them
Generic PTT apps like Zello were built for warehouses and construction sites. GatherSafe was designed around the realities of protecting a congregation: pre-service setup, multi-team coordination during a live service, and the chain-of-command structure faith communities actually use.
Zero-Knowledge Encryption
We use the Signal Protocol, the same standard that protects journalists and activists worldwide. Your messages are encrypted on your device before they ever leave it. Our server routes encrypted blobs and cannot read a single word. No other church security app can say that.
Planning Center Integration
For $8/mo added to any plan, connect your Planning Center account and your service roster syncs automatically. Volunteer schedules, team assignments, and upcoming service plans flow directly into GatherSafe. No spreadsheets, no double-entry, no day-of scramble to figure out who's covering which door.
Real PTT, Not a Workaround
Most apps require you to unlock your phone and tap through menus to talk. GatherSafe runs a persistent background service so PTT works from your lock screen, with Bluetooth PTT accessories, and with physical volume buttons, exactly like a real radio. Apple and Android both supported.
Group Hierarchy That Mirrors Your Structure
Your parking team doesn't need to hear interior chatter, and vice versa. GatherSafe's lead-group model gives your security director a unified view of every sub-team while keeping each team's channel private. One app, full situational awareness for leadership, zero noise for everyone else.
Offline-First Reliability
Church buildings are notorious for dead spots and overloaded Wi-Fi during services. GatherSafe queues messages locally and syncs the moment connectivity returns. PTT keeps working over cellular when Wi-Fi drops. Your team stays connected even when the signal doesn't.
How GatherSafe compares
| Capability | GatherSafe | Generic PTT Apps | Two-Way Radios | Consumer Chat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | ~ | |||
| Push-to-talk voice | ||||
| Works on locked screen | ||||
| Bluetooth PTT accessories | ||||
| Group hierarchy / sub-teams | ||||
| Panic alerts with GPS | ||||
| Real-time team map | ||||
| Planning Center sync | ||||
| Incident logging | ||||
| Offline message queuing | ~ |
Radios handle the talking.
GatherSafe handles everything else.
Two-way radios are reliable voice tools — keep using them. But voice alone leaves critical gaps in situational awareness, documentation, and response coordination. GatherSafe runs alongside your existing radio setup and fills every one of them.
Panic Button & GPS Broadcast
One tap sends exact coordinates to every lead instantly. No verbal location calls under stress, no relay chain, no ambiguity about where the threat is.
Live Team Map
See every active team member's real-time position. Spot coverage gaps before they become problems without tying up the radio channel.
Silent Encrypted Messaging
Private text threads for situations where speaking aloud isn't safe — near an agitated individual, during worship, in a crowded lobby.
Structured Incident Reports
Encrypted reports with photos, GPS coordinates, and timestamps captured at the moment they happen. The paper trail radios never create.
One-Tap Response Plans
Pre-loaded procedures broadcast to the full team in a single tap. No relay chains, no misheard instructions, no one acting on a half-heard call.
Alert Acknowledgment
Know exactly who has seen and confirmed each alert. Radios broadcast into the void — GatherSafe tells you who responded and who hasn't.
Pre-Service Check-In
Every team member confirms their position before doors open. No roll call over the air, no guessing whether the children's wing is covered.
Full Incident History
A searchable, encrypted log of every alert and incident. Essential for after-action reviews, pattern analysis, and insurance documentation.
No rip-and-replace required
GatherSafe doesn't ask you to abandon infrastructure that works. Your radios stay on your team's hips. GatherSafe runs on the phones your volunteers already carry, adding a layer of coordination, documentation, and alerting that voice alone can never provide — without replacing a single piece of equipment you already own.
Your congregation deserves better protection
Join security teams across the country who chose purpose-built tools over generic apps. Purpose-built for how church security teams actually operate.
Starting at $8/month · iOS & Android