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OpenLP vs SongShow Plus

OpenLP logo
OpenLP

Free, open-source worship presentation software for songs, Bibles, media and slides.

  • Open Source
  • Free
SongShow Plus logo
SongShow Plus

Windows worship presentation software with edition-based licences and optional subscriptions.

  • Subscription
  • One-time
  • Free Trial

Summary

  • OpenLP is free, while SongShow Plus is paid ($249 one-time (Ultra edition, special price)).
  • OpenLP is open source (GPL-3.0-or-later); SongShow Plus is proprietary.
  • Both run on Windows.
  • Both support: Songs & lyrics: Song library · Songs & lyrics: Motion backgrounds behind lyrics · Slides & presentations: PowerPoint · Media: Video playback · Media: Audio playback · Media: Images · Inputs & other sources: Live camera / capture card · Inputs & other sources: On-screen messages & alerts · Screens & outputs: Stage display / confidence monitor · Connectivity & collaboration: Works fully offline.

Only in OpenLP

  • Runs on macOS
  • Runs on Linux
  • Songs & lyrics: Automatic lyrics import (e.g. SongSelect, online sources) (paid add-on in SongShow Plus)
  • Software integrations: Planning Center (paid add-on in SongShow Plus)
  • Automation & extensibility (paid add-on in SongShow Plus)
  • Connectivity & collaboration: Remote control from phone or tablet (paid add-on in SongShow Plus)

Only in SongShow Plus

  • Songs & lyrics: CCLI usage reporting (partial in OpenLP)
  • Bible: Free translations included (partial in OpenLP)
  • Screens & outputs: Multiple audience screens

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 OpenLP logo OpenLP SongShow Plus logo SongShow Plus
Overview
Price Free / Donation-supported$249 one-time (Ultra edition, special price)Free trial
Open source Yes (GPL-3.0-or-later)No
Deployment Desktop appDesktop app
Status activeactive
Platforms
Windows Supported Supported
macOS Supported Not supported
Linux Supported Not 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 Supported
Import from other presentation software Supported: Imports songs from over 25 formats including EasyWorship, ProPresenter, MediaShout, SongShow Plus, SongBeamer, OpenSong, ZionWorx and VideoPsalm. Unknown
Paste or import plain-text lyrics Supported Unknown
Automatic lyrics import (e.g. SongSelect, online sources) Supported: Songs can be imported from CCLI SongSelect from within OpenLP; this importer has occasionally broken when CCLI changed its website. Paid add-on or tier: Requires the Bronze (or higher) subscription plus a separate SongSelect subscription.
Chord charts for musicians Supported: Songs can store chords (ChordPro-style), shown in the browser Chord View with transposition and printable via export. Unknown
Motion backgrounds behind lyrics Supported: Themes can use a looping video or a live stream as the background. Supported: Motion backgrounds with real-time effects and rendered visualizations; Shift Worship media can be imported with a separate subscription.
CCLI usage reporting Partial: The Song Usage Tracking plugin records song usage and produces reports; submission to CCLI is manual. Supported: CCLI auto-reporting added in version 9.3.
Bible Partial Supported
Free translations included Partial: No Bibles are bundled; free translations are imported from OSIS, Zefania, OpenSong, CSV, SWORD or WordProject files. Supported: ASV, KJV and WEB are included.
Licensed translations (NIV, ESV, etc.) Partial: Copyrighted versions can be downloaded on demand from BibleGateway, Bibleserver or Crosswalk; there is no licensed in-app catalogue. Paid add-on or tier: Translations such as NIV, ESV, NKJV and NLT are $25 plug-ins per machine.
Slides & presentations Supported Supported
PowerPoint Supported: Drives an installed PowerPoint or LibreOffice Impress to show the presentation. Supported: PowerPoint presentations can be imported step by step, as images or as video files.
Keynote Supported: Keynote presentations are controlled through AppleScript on macOS with Keynote installed. Unknown
Google Slides Unknown Unknown
Canva Unknown Unknown
PDF Supported Unknown
Plays slide animations & transitions Partial: Animations play because OpenLP drives PowerPoint, Impress or Keynote itself; PDFs are shown as static images. Partial: Importing PowerPoint as video can keep animations; SongShow's own slides have transitions and animations.
Media Supported Supported
Video playback Supported: In the 3.x series audio and video playback uses VLC; OpenLP 4.0 alphas switch to Qt Multimedia. Supported
Audio playback Supported Supported
Images Supported Supported
YouTube / online video Unknown Supported: Web pages, including YouTube videos, can be presented.
Inputs & other sources Supported Supported
Live camera / capture card Supported: Capture devices can be shown as a Device Stream media item, and network streams are also supported. Supported: Live video (IMAG) with text and graphic overlays.
Screen sharing Unknown Unknown
Web pages Unknown Supported
Countdown timers & clocks Unknown Supported: Customizable countdown timers (Pro edition and above).
On-screen messages & alerts Supported: The Alerts plugin overlays a scrolling message on the live display. Supported: Instant Message shows nursery alerts and other messages (Pro edition and above).
Audience interaction (polls, Q&A, Slido, follow along) Unknown Unknown
Languages
Multilingual Supported Unknown
Interface in multiple languages Supported: The interface is translated into about 30 languages. Unknown
Songs in other languages Unknown Unknown
Bibles in other languages Unknown Unknown
Bilingual lyrics on screen Unknown Unknown
Bible translations side by side Supported: A second Bible version can be selected to show the same passage alongside the first. Unknown
Non-Latin & right-to-left scripts Unknown Unknown
Integrations
Software integrations Supported Paid add-on or tier
Planning Center Supported: The PlanningCenter plugin imports service plans from the Planning Center Online v2 API. Paid add-on or tier: Requires the Bronze (or higher) subscription plus a Planning Center subscription.
ChurchSuite Unknown Unknown
WorshipTools Planning Unknown Unknown
Hardware control Supported Unknown
MIDI Unknown Unknown
DMX lighting Unknown Unknown
Stream Deck / Companion Supported: Bitfocus Companion has an OpenLP module that uses the OpenLP HTTP API. Unknown
Automation & extensibility Supported Paid add-on or tier
Network API (HTTP / WebSocket) Supported: HTTP REST (v2) and WebSocket API, used by the web remote and mobile apps. Unknown
Plugins / extensions Partial: Features are organised as built-in plugins that can be switched on or off; there is no third-party plugin store. 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 Paid add-on or tier: Optional image indexing with Microsoft/Azure Computer Vision requires the Silver subscription.
Presenting & control
Screens & outputs Supported Supported
Multiple audience screens Not supported: OpenLP projects to a single display screen; the source notes multi-monitor output is not yet supported (a custom geometry can span screens). Supported: Multi-display support (up to six display windows since 9.1) is part of the Ultra edition.
Stage display / confidence monitor Supported Supported: One or more customizable stage outputs are part of the Ultra edition.
Lower thirds / alpha key for streaming Unknown Supported: Output windows can be configured as synchronized lower-third layouts.
Output as a web page (TVs, OBS / vMix browser source) Partial: The browser Main View mirrors the projector using screenshots, without audio or video. Unknown
Broadcast video Unknown Supported
NDI Unknown Supported: NDI streaming (added in 9.1) is part of the Ultra edition.
SDI Unknown Supported: Blackmagic DeckLink output can be assigned to any display window.
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 Paid add-on or tier: SongShow Sync requires the Silver subscription.
Works fully offline Supported Supported
Remote control from phone or tablet Supported: Built-in web remote plus Android and iOS remote apps. Paid add-on or tier: Mobile Control (a progressive web app) requires the Silver subscription.
Multiple operators at once Unknown Paid add-on or tier: SongShow Drive media sharing and the web-based SongShow Builder require the Silver subscription.
Web native (runs in a browser) Unknown Not supported

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