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KerkBeamer vs OpenSong

KerkBeamer logo
KerkBeamer

Dutch online service for building church beamer presentations from a song and Bible database.

  • Subscription
  • Free Trial
OpenSong logo
OpenSong

Free, open-source tool for managing lyrics, chords and lead sheets and projecting them.

  • Open Source
  • Free
  • Unmaintained

Summary

  • KerkBeamer is paid (From €17.50/month (excl. VAT)), while OpenSong is free.
  • OpenSong is open source (GPL-2.0-only); KerkBeamer is proprietary.
  • Both run on Windows and macOS.
  • Note: OpenSong is no longer actively maintained.
  • Both support: Songs & lyrics: Song library · Bible: Free translations included · Slides & presentations: PowerPoint · Media: Images.

Only in KerkBeamer

  • Runs on Web browser
  • Media: Video playback (partial in OpenSong)
  • Media: Audio playback (partial in OpenSong)

Only in OpenSong

  • Runs on Linux
  • Inputs & other sources (paid add-on in KerkBeamer)
  • Multilingual: Interface in multiple languages
  • Automation & extensibility (partial in KerkBeamer)
  • Connectivity & collaboration: Works fully offline (partial in KerkBeamer)

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 KerkBeamer logo KerkBeamer OpenSong logo OpenSong
Overview
Price From €17.50/month (excl. VAT)Free trialFree
Open source NoYes (GPL-2.0-only)
Deployment Cloud / hosted, Desktop appDesktop app
Status activemaintenance
Platforms
Windows Supported Supported
macOS Supported Supported
Linux Not supported Supported
Web browser 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: Song database of 10,000+ songs from Dutch songbooks, shown as text or sheet music; billed €1 per songbook used each month. Supported
Import from other presentation software Unknown Unknown
Paste or import plain-text lyrics Unknown 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) Unknown 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 Not supported: CCLI Auto Reporting is not available, so songs must be reported to CCLI manually. Partial: Presented songs are logged with their CCLI numbers in an activity log; there is no direct CCLI submission.
Bible Supported Supported
Free translations included Supported: 11 Dutch and regional-language translations, including the public-domain Statenvertaling; each translation used costs €1 per month. 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.) Supported: Copyrighted translations such as NBV21, Herziene Statenvertaling and Bijbel in Gewone Taal are included, with no separate licence needed. Unknown
Slides & presentations Supported Supported
PowerPoint Supported: .ppt/.pptx files are uploaded and converted; they cannot be edited in KerkBeamer and can loop with a set time per slide. 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
PDF Unknown Unknown
Plays slide animations & transitions Unknown Partial: Animations only play when OpenSong drives PowerPoint or Impress directly; imported snapshots are static.
Media Supported Supported
Video playback Supported: Uploaded videos are converted to MP4 and can be trimmed. Partial: Video is played via an external VideoLAN (VLC) player launched from a slide.
Audio playback Supported Partial: Audio clips are played through the external VideoLAN (VLC) player.
Images Supported Supported
YouTube / online video Not supported: The documentation states YouTube videos or URLs cannot be added. Unknown
Inputs & other sources Paid add-on or tier Supported
Live camera / capture card Paid add-on or tier: The paid TV broadcasts add-on (or the separate CameraRegie product) controls PTZ cameras and a Blackmagic ATEM switcher, so camera images can be put on the projector. 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) Paid add-on or tier: The paid LiveBeamer add-on lets people follow the presentation on their own phone, tablet or laptop via a URL. Unknown
Languages
Multilingual Supported Supported
Interface in multiple languages Not supported: The interface and documentation are Dutch only. Supported: The interface is available in about 20 languages.
Songs in other languages Unknown Supported
Bibles in other languages Supported: Translations include Frisian, Twents and Gronings as well as standard Dutch. Unknown
Bilingual lyrics on screen Unknown 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 Partial 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) Partial: Live sermon captions from speech recognition can be shown through an integration with Preekondertiteling.nl, which needs its own subscription. Unknown
Presenting & control
Screens & outputs Supported Unknown
Multiple audience screens Supported: Extra outputs for a church TV broadcast can be driven alongside the projector output. Unknown
Stage display / confidence monitor Unknown Unknown
Lower thirds / alpha key for streaming Paid add-on or tier: The paid TV broadcasts add-on provides subtitles and text-over-video using a separate alpha (key) output or chroma key. Unknown
Output as a web page (TVs, OBS / vMix browser source) Paid add-on or tier: The paid LiveBeamer add-on shows the live presentation as a web page on any device. 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 Supported Unknown
Works fully offline Partial: Presentations are stored online and must be loaded over the internet; once loaded they play without a connection. Supported
Remote control from phone or tablet Unknown Unknown
Multiple operators at once Supported: Team members can work on presentations and templates at the same time. Unknown
Web native (runs in a browser) Partial: Presentations are prepared in the browser, but playback in church uses the KerkBeamer software for Windows or macOS. Unknown

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