Cantara vs Cloud of Worship
Cantara
Lightweight open-source song presentation tool for churches and small groups.
- Open Source
- Free
Summary
- Cantara is free, while Cloud of Worship is paid (Freemium).
- Cantara is open source (GPL-3.0); Cloud of Worship is proprietary.
- Both run on Windows.
- Both support: Songs & lyrics: Song library · Songs & lyrics: Paste or import plain-text lyrics · Multilingual: Bilingual lyrics on screen · Connectivity & collaboration: Works fully offline.
Only in Cantara
- Runs on macOS
- Runs on Linux
- Screens & outputs (paid add-on in Cloud of Worship)
Only in Cloud of Worship
- Runs on Web browser
- Media: Images (partial in Cantara)
Based on confirmed data only. Unknown values are not counted.
Side by side
- Supported Supported
- Partial Partial
- Paid add-on or tier Paid add-on / tier
- Not supported Not supported
- Unknown Unknown
- * Hover or tap for note
| Product |
Cantara
|
Cloud of Worship
|
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Price | Free | Freemium |
| Open source | Yes (GPL-3.0) | No |
| Deployment | Desktop app | Cloud / hosted, Desktop app |
| Status | active | active |
| Platforms | ||
| Windows | Supported | Supported |
| macOS | Supported | Not supported |
| Linux | Supported | Not supported |
| Web browser | Not supported | Supported |
| iOS / iPadOS | Not supported | Not supported |
| Android | Not supported | Not supported |
| ChromeOS | Not supported | Not supported |
| Content | ||
| Songs & lyrics | Supported | Supported |
| Song library | Supported: Songs are kept as files in a song repository folder, in Cantara's own .song format or CCLI SongSelect text format. | Supported: Over 3,000 hymns are stored offline and churches can save their own songs on the free Starter plan. |
| Import from other presentation software | Unknown | Unknown |
| Paste or import plain-text lyrics | Supported: Plain .txt lyric files are recognised as songs. | Supported: Lyrics can be pasted in; bracketed English lines are turned into a translation. |
| Automatic lyrics import (e.g. SongSelect, online sources) | Partial: Can read song files in the CCLI SongSelect lyrics file format; there is no direct SongSelect account integration. | Paid add-on or tier: Searching the shared library of 15,000+ church-contributed songs is a Teams (paid) feature, with a metered free allowance. |
| Chord charts for musicians | Unknown | Unknown |
| Motion backgrounds behind lyrics | Unknown | Supported: Slides can use colour, gradient, image or video backgrounds. |
| CCLI usage reporting | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bible | Unknown | Supported |
| Free translations included | Unknown | Supported: KJV, ASV, YLT and WEB are offered and stored offline on the device. |
| Licensed translations (NIV, ESV, etc.) | Unknown | Supported: NKJV and NIV are listed among the available versions. |
| Slides & presentations | Unknown | Supported |
| PowerPoint | Unknown | Supported: PowerPoint files are converted to PDF on the server and imported as page images. |
| Keynote | Unknown | Unknown |
| Google Slides | Unknown | Unknown |
| Canva | Unknown | Unknown |
| Unknown | Supported | |
| Plays slide animations & transitions | Unknown | Not supported: Imported PowerPoint and PDF files become static page images. |
| Media | Partial | Supported |
| Video playback | Unknown | Supported |
| Audio playback | Unknown | Supported |
| Images | Partial: Images are used only as presentation backgrounds (with per-song overrides since 2.7); there is no separate media playback. | Supported |
| YouTube / online video | Unknown | Paid add-on or tier: YouTube and Vimeo video slides are a Teams (paid) feature. |
| Inputs & other sources | Unknown | Partial |
| Live camera / capture card | Unknown | Partial: Camera slides with effects exist but are hidden behind a feature flag as of v1.4.1. |
| Screen sharing | Unknown | Unknown |
| Web pages | Unknown | Unknown |
| Countdown timers & clocks | Unknown | Paid add-on or tier: Countdown timers, time slides and stage clocks are Teams (paid) features. |
| On-screen messages & alerts | Unknown | Paid add-on or tier: Banners and alerts are a Teams (paid) feature. |
| Audience interaction (polls, Q&A, Slido, follow along) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Languages | ||
| Multilingual | Supported | Supported |
| Interface in multiple languages | Supported: The interface has been translated into a few languages by the community. | Unknown |
| Songs in other languages | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bibles in other languages | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bilingual lyrics on screen | Supported: Songs can be presented and exported in two languages at the same time. | Supported: Songs can carry a translation alongside the main lyrics. |
| Bible translations side by side | Unknown | Unknown |
| Non-Latin & right-to-left scripts | Unknown | Unknown |
| Integrations | ||
| Software integrations | Unknown | Unknown |
| Planning Center | Unknown | Unknown |
| ChurchSuite | Unknown | Unknown |
| WorshipTools Planning | Unknown | Unknown |
| Hardware control | Unknown | Unknown |
| MIDI | Unknown | Unknown |
| DMX lighting | Unknown | Unknown |
| Stream Deck / Companion | Unknown | Unknown |
| Automation & extensibility | Unknown | Paid add-on or tier |
| Network API (HTTP / WebSocket) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Plugins / extensions | Unknown | Unknown |
| Built-in scripting / macros | Unknown | Unknown |
| Webhooks / triggers to other systems | Unknown | Unknown |
| MCP server for AI assistants | Unknown | Unknown |
| AI features (e.g. verse detection, lyric formatting) | Unknown | Paid add-on or tier: Live sermon transcription with Bible-reference detection, voice commands and sermon summaries is a Teams (paid) feature and needs an internet connection. |
| Presenting & control | ||
| Screens & outputs | Supported | Paid add-on or tier |
| Multiple audience screens | Supported: Multi-screen presentation is supported out of the box. | Unknown |
| Stage display / confidence monitor | Unknown | Paid add-on or tier: Stage display (current and next slide plus clock) is a Teams (paid) feature. |
| Lower thirds / alpha key for streaming | Unknown | Unknown |
| Output as a web page (TVs, OBS / vMix browser source) | Unknown | Paid add-on or tier: A livestream link that shows the live output in a browser is a Teams feature; free churches get a limited number of sessions. |
| Broadcast video | Unknown | Supported |
| NDI | Unknown | Supported: NDI output is available only in the Windows desktop app, not the browser version. |
| SDI | Unknown | Unknown |
| Built-in streaming & recording | Unknown | Unknown |
| Stream to any RTMP destination | Unknown | Unknown |
| YouTube Live | Unknown | Unknown |
| Facebook Live | Unknown | Unknown |
| Record the output to a file | Unknown | Unknown |
| TV output | Unknown | Unknown |
| Apple TV app | Unknown | Unknown |
| Android / Google TV app | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fire TV app | Unknown | Unknown |
| Roku app | Unknown | Unknown |
| Chromecast / AirPlay | Unknown | Unknown |
| Connectivity & collaboration | Supported | Supported |
| Cloud sync of library | Unknown | Supported |
| Works fully offline | Supported | Supported |
| Remote control from phone or tablet | Unknown | Paid add-on or tier: Running the service from a phone is a Teams (paid) feature. |
| Multiple operators at once | Unknown | Paid add-on or tier: Real-time multiplayer and inviting teammates to the workspace are Teams (paid) features. |
| Web native (runs in a browser) | Unknown | Supported |
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- Cloud of Worship vs ChurchPresenter
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- Cloud of Worship vs Holyrics
- Cantara vs KerkBeamer
- Cloud of Worship vs KerkBeamer
- Cantara vs LyricDisplay
- Cloud of Worship vs LyricDisplay
- Cantara vs MediaShout
- Cloud of Worship vs MediaShout
- Cantara vs OpenLP
- Cloud of Worship vs OpenLP
- Cantara vs OpenSong
- Cloud of Worship vs OpenSong