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Cantara vs LyricDisplay

Cantara logo
Cantara

Lightweight open-source song presentation tool for churches and small groups.

  • Open Source
  • Free
LyricDisplay logo
LyricDisplay

Open-source lyric control app with outputs for projectors, stage displays, OBS and vMix.

  • Open Source
  • Free

Summary

  • Cantara is free, while LyricDisplay is free.
  • Both are open source.
  • Both run on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Both support: Songs & lyrics: Song library · Songs & lyrics: Paste or import plain-text lyrics · Multilingual: Bilingual lyrics on screen · Screens & outputs: Multiple audience screens · Connectivity & collaboration: Works fully offline.

Only in Cantara

No confirmed features where LyricDisplay falls short.

Only in LyricDisplay

  • Songs & lyrics: Automatic lyrics import (e.g. SongSelect, online sources) (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 logo Cantara LyricDisplay logo LyricDisplay
Overview
Price FreeFree / Donation-supported
Open source Yes (GPL-3.0)Yes (GPL-3.0-or-later)
Deployment Desktop appDesktop app
Status activeactive
Platforms
Windows Supported Supported
macOS Supported Supported
Linux Supported Supported
Web browser Not supported Not 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
Import from other presentation software Unknown Supported: EasyWorship song databases can be imported, keeping title, writers, copyright and CCLI number.
Paste or import plain-text lyrics Supported: Plain .txt lyric files are recognised as songs. Supported: Imports text, LRC, Markdown, RTF and DOCX files, and lyrics can be pasted from websites.
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. Supported: Built-in online lyric search via LRCLIB, Lyrics.ovh and OpenHymnal.
Chord charts for musicians Unknown Unknown
Motion backgrounds behind lyrics Unknown Supported: Each output can have its own image or video background.
CCLI usage reporting Unknown Unknown
Bible Unknown Unknown
Free translations included Unknown Unknown
Licensed translations (NIV, ESV, etc.) Unknown Unknown
Slides & presentations Unknown Partial
PowerPoint Unknown Partial: PowerPoint files are imported as lyric slides (one text slide per PowerPoint slide); it is not a general slide player.
Keynote Unknown Unknown
Google Slides Unknown Unknown
Canva Unknown Unknown
PDF Unknown Unknown
Plays slide animations & transitions Unknown Unknown
Media Partial Unknown
Video playback Unknown Unknown
Audio playback Unknown Unknown
Images Partial: Images are used only as presentation backgrounds (with per-song overrides since 2.7); there is no separate media playback. Unknown
YouTube / online video Unknown Unknown
Inputs & other sources Unknown Supported
Live camera / capture card Unknown Unknown
Screen sharing Unknown Unknown
Web pages Unknown Unknown
Countdown timers & clocks Unknown Supported: A separate timer display driven by a schedule/agenda.
On-screen messages & alerts Unknown Unknown
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: Translation lines can be grouped with each lyric line and shown together.
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 Supported
MIDI Unknown Supported: MIDI and OSC control.
DMX lighting Unknown Unknown
Stream Deck / Companion Unknown Unknown
Automation & extensibility Unknown Supported
Network API (HTTP / WebSocket) Unknown Supported: Documented HTTP (OpenAPI) and Socket.IO realtime APIs.
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 Unknown
Presenting & control
Screens & outputs Supported Supported
Multiple audience screens Supported: Multi-screen presentation is supported out of the box. Supported: Two default lyric outputs plus up to four custom outputs, a stage display and a timer display.
Stage display / confidence monitor Unknown Supported
Lower thirds / alpha key for streaming Unknown Supported: Outputs can be added as transparent browser sources in OBS, vMix and Wirecast.
Output as a web page (TVs, OBS / vMix browser source) Unknown Supported: Every output is a browser URL that can be opened on other devices on the LAN or in streaming software.
Broadcast video Unknown Paid add-on or tier
NDI Unknown Paid add-on or tier: NDI output requires the separately downloaded (free) LyricDisplay NDI companion.
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 Unknown
Works fully offline Supported Supported
Remote control from phone or tablet Unknown Supported: Join-code-protected mobile/web controllers.
Multiple operators at once Unknown Unknown
Web native (runs in a browser) Unknown Unknown

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