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KerkBeamer vs TheOpenPresenter

KerkBeamer logo
KerkBeamer

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

  • Subscription
  • Free Trial
TheOpenPresenter logo
TheOpenPresenter

Open-source, browser-based presenter you can run and control from any device.

  • Open Source
  • Free

Summary

  • KerkBeamer is paid (From €17.50/month (excl. VAT)), while TheOpenPresenter is free.
  • TheOpenPresenter is open source (AGPL-3.0-only); KerkBeamer is proprietary.
  • Both run on Web browser, Windows, and macOS.
  • Both support: Songs & lyrics: Song library · Bible: Free translations included · Slides & presentations: PowerPoint · Media: Video playback · Media: Audio playback · Media: Images · Multilingual: Bibles in other languages · Screens & outputs: Multiple audience screens · Connectivity & collaboration: Cloud sync of library · Connectivity & collaboration: Multiple operators at once.

Only in KerkBeamer

  • Bible: Licensed translations (NIV, ESV, etc.) (partial in TheOpenPresenter)

Only in TheOpenPresenter

  • Runs on Linux
  • Media: YouTube / online video
  • Inputs & other sources: Audience interaction (polls, Q&A, Slido, follow along) (paid add-on in KerkBeamer)
  • Automation & extensibility: AI features (e.g. verse detection, lyric formatting) (partial in KerkBeamer)
  • Screens & outputs: Lower thirds / alpha key for streaming (paid add-on in KerkBeamer)
  • Screens & outputs: Output as a web page (TVs, OBS / vMix browser source) (paid add-on in KerkBeamer)
  • Connectivity & collaboration: Works fully offline (partial in KerkBeamer)
  • Connectivity & collaboration: Web native (runs in a browser) (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 TheOpenPresenter logo TheOpenPresenter
Overview
Price From €17.50/month (excl. VAT)Free trialFree
Open source NoYes (AGPL-3.0-only)
Deployment Cloud / hosted, Desktop appCloud / hosted, Desktop app, Self-hosted
Status activeactive
Platforms
Windows Supported Supported
macOS Supported Supported
Linux Not supported Supported
Web browser 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: 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
Automatic lyrics import (e.g. SongSelect, online sources) Unknown Supported: Songs can be pulled from MyWorshipList.
Chord charts for musicians Unknown Supported
Motion backgrounds behind lyrics Unknown Supported
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: Over a thousand freely licensed translations are available through the Beblia and Free Use Bible API catalogues.
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. Partial: Licensed translations can be used, but the church has to upload them.
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
Keynote Unknown Unknown
Google Slides Unknown Supported
Canva Unknown Supported
PDF Unknown Supported
Plays slide animations & transitions Unknown Supported: PowerPoint imports keep their slideshow data so animations play click by click.
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 Supported
Web pages Unknown Supported: Web pages can be shown, but interacting with them isn't supported yet; use screen share instead.
Countdown timers & clocks Unknown Supported
On-screen messages & alerts Unknown Unknown
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. Supported: Slido polls and Q&A can be shown through the Slido plugin.
Languages
Multilingual Supported Supported
Interface in multiple languages Not supported: The interface and documentation are Dutch only. Unknown
Songs in other languages Unknown Partial: Songs in any language work, but the automatic import sources have few non-English songs so far.
Bibles in other languages Supported: Translations include Frisian, Twents and Gronings as well as standard Dutch. Supported
Bilingual lyrics on screen Unknown Unknown
Bible translations side by side Unknown Unknown
Non-Latin & right-to-left scripts Unknown Unknown
Integrations
Software integrations Unknown Supported
Planning Center Unknown Supported: Setlists can be imported from Planning Center.
ChurchSuite Unknown Supported: Setlists can be imported from ChurchSuite.
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 Unknown
Plugins / extensions Unknown Supported: Features are built as plugins on a modular architecture.
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. Supported: AI formats pasted lyrics into sections and slides.
Presenting & control
Screens & outputs Supported Supported
Multiple audience screens Supported: Extra outputs for a church TV broadcast can be driven alongside the projector output. Supported
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. Supported
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. Supported
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 Supported
Apple TV app Unknown Not supported
Android / Google TV app Unknown Supported: TheOpenPresenter TV app for Android TV; a Fire TV (Vega OS) version is also built.
Fire TV app Unknown Supported
Roku app Unknown Unknown
Chromecast / AirPlay Unknown Unknown
Connectivity & collaboration Supported Supported
Cloud sync of library Supported Supported
Works fully offline Partial: Presentations are stored online and must be loaded over the internet; once loaded they play without a connection. Supported: Offline use is provided by the TheOpenPresenter Studio desktop app (stable on Windows, alpha on macOS).
Remote control from phone or tablet Unknown Supported
Multiple operators at once Supported: Team members can work on presentations and templates at the same time. Supported
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. Supported

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