Cantara vs OpenSong
Cantara
Lightweight open-source song presentation tool for churches and small groups.
- Open Source
- Free
OpenSong
Free, open-source tool for managing lyrics, chords and lead sheets and projecting them.
- Open Source
- Free
- Unmaintained
Summary
- Cantara is free, while OpenSong is free.
- Both are open source.
- Both run on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Note: OpenSong is no longer actively maintained.
- Both support: Songs & lyrics: Song library · Songs & lyrics: Paste or import plain-text lyrics · Multilingual: Interface in multiple languages · Multilingual: Bilingual lyrics on screen · Connectivity & collaboration: Works fully offline.
Only in Cantara
No confirmed features where OpenSong falls short.
Only in OpenSong
- 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
|
OpenSong
|
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Price | Free | Free |
| Open source | Yes (GPL-3.0) | Yes (GPL-2.0-only) |
| Deployment | Desktop app | Desktop app |
| Status | active | maintenance |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Paste or import plain-text lyrics | Supported: Plain .txt lyric files are recognised as songs. | Supported: Lyrics found online can be pasted into a song using OpenSong's chord/lyric text format. |
| 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. | Not supported: The built-in CCLI SongSelect import has been disabled because it broke; CCLI exports can be converted with the separate OpenSong Import Utility. |
| Chord charts for musicians | Unknown | Supported: Chords transpose automatically, and lead sheets can print regular and capo chords together. |
| Motion backgrounds behind lyrics | Unknown | Partial: Backgrounds are colours or images; a video background is only possible through a VideoLAN overlay preset (Windows). |
| CCLI usage reporting | Unknown | Partial: Presented songs are logged with their CCLI numbers in an activity log; there is no direct CCLI submission. |
| Bible | Unknown | Supported |
| Free translations included | Unknown | Supported: The KJV is included; other Bibles must be converted to OpenSong's own format (several are offered on the downloads page). |
| Licensed translations (NIV, ESV, etc.) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Slides & presentations | Unknown | Supported |
| PowerPoint | Unknown | Supported: Drives an installed PowerPoint or LibreOffice Impress with live preview, or imports slides as image snapshots. |
| Keynote | Unknown | Unknown |
| Google Slides | Unknown | Unknown |
| Canva | Unknown | Unknown |
| Unknown | Unknown | |
| Plays slide animations & transitions | Unknown | Partial: Animations only play when OpenSong drives PowerPoint or Impress directly; imported snapshots are static. |
| Media | Partial | Supported |
| Video playback | Unknown | Partial: Video is played via an external VideoLAN (VLC) player launched from a slide. |
| Audio playback | Unknown | Partial: Audio clips are played through the external VideoLAN (VLC) player. |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Inputs & other sources | Unknown | Supported |
| Live camera / capture card | Unknown | Unknown |
| Screen sharing | Unknown | Unknown |
| Web pages | Unknown | Unknown |
| Countdown timers & clocks | Unknown | Unknown |
| On-screen messages & alerts | Unknown | Supported: Alerts can be shown over the presentation, including via the API. |
| 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. | Supported: The interface is available in about 20 languages. |
| Songs in other languages | Unknown | Supported |
| 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: Bilingual songs can render the second language in a different style. |
| 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 | Supported |
| Network API (HTTP / WebSocket) | Unknown | Supported: REST and WebSocket API for remote control and integrations. |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Multiple audience screens | Supported: Multi-screen presentation is supported out of the box. | Unknown |
| Stage display / confidence monitor | Unknown | Unknown |
| Lower thirds / alpha key for streaming | Unknown | Unknown |
| Output as a web page (TVs, OBS / vMix browser source) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Broadcast video | Unknown | Supported |
| NDI | Unknown | Supported: NDI output is supported (disabled by default in recent builds). |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Multiple operators at once | Unknown | Unknown |
| Web native (runs in a browser) | Unknown | Unknown |
Other comparisons
- Cantara vs BibleShow
- OpenSong vs BibleShow
- Cantara vs Big Screen
- OpenSong vs Big Screen
- Cantara vs ChurchPresenter
- OpenSong vs ChurchPresenter
- Cantara vs Cloud of Worship
- OpenSong vs Cloud of Worship
- Cantara vs EasiSlides
- OpenSong vs EasiSlides
- Cantara vs EasyWorship
- OpenSong vs EasyWorship
- Cantara vs FreeShow
- OpenSong vs FreeShow
- Cantara vs Holyrics
- OpenSong vs Holyrics
- Cantara vs KerkBeamer
- OpenSong vs KerkBeamer
- Cantara vs LyricDisplay
- OpenSong vs LyricDisplay
- Cantara vs MediaShout
- OpenSong vs MediaShout
- Cantara vs OpenLP
- OpenSong vs OpenLP