KerkBeamer vs Quelea

KerkBeamer

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

Subscription
Free Trial

Quelea

Free, open-source Java-based projection software for churches.

Open Source
Free
Unmaintained

Summary

KerkBeamer is paid (From €17.50/month (excl. VAT)), while Quelea is free.
Quelea is open source (GPL-3.0-or-later); KerkBeamer is proprietary.
Both run on Windows and macOS.
Note: Quelea is no longer actively maintained.
Both support: Songs & lyrics: Song library · Bible: Free translations included · Slides & presentations: PowerPoint · Media: Video playback · Media: Audio playback · Media: Images.

Only in KerkBeamer

Runs on Web browser

Only in Quelea

Runs on Linux
Media: YouTube / online video
Inputs & other sources (paid add-on in KerkBeamer)
Multilingual: Interface in multiple languages
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	Quelea
Overview
Price	From €17.50/month (excl. VAT)Free trial	Free
Open source	No	Yes (GPL-3.0-or-later)
Deployment	Cloud / hosted, Desktop app	Desktop app
Status	active	maintenance
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	Supported: Imports from EasyWorship, ProPresenter, MediaShout, OpenLP, OpenSong, SongBeamer, VideoPsalm, ZionWorx, SongPro, Sunday Plus, EasySlides and more, plus Elvanto plans.
Paste or import plain-text lyrics	Unknown	Supported: Plain-text song files (with optional ChordPro chords) can be imported, and lyrics can be typed or pasted into the song editor.
Automatic lyrics import (e.g. SongSelect, online sources)	Unknown	Partial: Imports downloaded SongSelect USR files; no direct online SongSelect connection.
Chord charts for musicians	Unknown	Supported: Songs can hold chord lines, which can be transposed, printed and shown on the stage view.
Motion backgrounds behind lyrics	Unknown	Supported: Themes can use a video as the background.
CCLI usage reporting	Not supported: CCLI Auto Reporting is not available, so songs must be reported to CCLI manually.	Unknown
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: KJV, ASV, RSV and NET Bibles ship with Quelea; further Bibles use the Zefania XML format.
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: Displays PowerPoint and PDF files, optionally driving an installed PowerPoint on Windows.
Keynote	Unknown	Unknown
Google Slides	Unknown	Unknown
Canva	Unknown	Unknown
PDF	Unknown	Supported
Plays slide animations & transitions	Unknown	Partial: Animations only play when Quelea is set to use an installed PowerPoint (Windows).
Media	Supported	Supported
Video playback	Supported: Uploaded videos are converted to MP4 and can be trimmed.	Supported
Audio playback	Supported	Supported
Images	Supported	Supported
YouTube / online video	Not supported: The documentation states YouTube videos or URLs cannot be added.	Supported
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	Supported: Websites can be displayed, with documented limitations.
Countdown timers & clocks	Unknown	Supported
On-screen messages & alerts	Unknown	Supported: Notices scroll across the projected display a set number of times.
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 translated into over 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: A song translation can be shown together with the default lyrics.
Bible translations side by side	Unknown	Unknown
Non-Latin & right-to-left scripts	Unknown	Unknown
Integrations
Software integrations	Unknown	Supported
Planning Center	Unknown	Supported: Imports schedules from Planning Center Online.
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	Partial
Network API (HTTP / WebSocket)	Unknown	Partial: The Mobile Remote HTTP server exposes endpoints (next, previous, lyrics, schedule, search) but is not documented as a public API.
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	Supported
Multiple audience screens	Supported: Extra outputs for a church TV broadcast can be driven alongside the projector output.	Unknown
Stage display / confidence monitor	Unknown	Supported
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.	Partial: Mobile Lyrics shows the current lyrics as a web page on the local network.
Broadcast video	Unknown	Unknown
NDI	Unknown	Unknown
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	Supported: Web-based Mobile Remote and a Quelea Mobile Remote app.
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

KerkBeamer vs Quelea

Summary

Only in KerkBeamer

Only in Quelea

Side by side

Other comparisons