Roots vs Fresh Fire
Both are built for youth ministry, but they're for different people. Fresh Fire is an app students, parents and leaders all use, for messaging, Bible reading plans and challenges. Roots is for your leaders only: it helps the adults on your team know every student and follow up between Wednesdays.
What it costs
Seed: free forever for 1 workspace and up to 15 students.
Grove: $19/mo flat for unlimited students and up to 20 team members.
Forest: $49/mo for up to 5 workspaces and unlimited team members.
Priced by active students each month: $19.99/mo for 1–19, $39.99 for 20–49, $79.99 for 50–99, $99.99 for 100–199, and $179.99 for 200–499.
30-day free trial.
Fresh Fire pricing as published on their site, checked October 2026. Prices change, so check there for current rates.
Side by side
| Roots | Fresh Fire | |
|---|---|---|
| Who uses it | Your leaders and volunteers. Students never get accounts. | Students, parents, and leaders |
| How it's priced | Flat per plan; students are unlimited on Grove | By active students each month |
| How you start | Free plan, no card needed | 30-day free trial |
| Messaging | Leader team chat and announcements | Student, parent, and leader messaging |
| Bible reading plans & challenges | Not included | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, Android, and web | iPhone, iPad, and Android |
What Roots gives a youth team
- Every conversation, saved. Each leader logs what they talked about, and it stays on the student's profile.
- The Garden. A Connection score moves each student from Seed to Deeply Rooted as your team invests, and a warmth signal shows who's drifting.
- Check-ins and spiritual decisions on every student, with spreadsheet import from your attendance tool.
- Team chat, events, and a prayer board for your leaders on Grove.
Which one fits your ministry
- You want your leaders to track relationships without putting students in another app.
- You don't want to add another app to your students' phones.
- Your group is growing and you want a price that doesn't climb with every student.
- You want an app your students open every week.
- Bible reading plans and challenges are central to your discipleship.
- You want parents in the same app.
Try Roots with your team
Start free on Seed, no card needed. Move to Grove when your volunteers join.
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