Open source church presentation software has come a long way, offering churches powerful tools to manage worship slides, lyrics, videos, and scripture.
Open source tools empower churches to customize their presentation setup, involve more volunteers, and save on recurring costs.
For smaller congregations or those focused on stewardship, they can level the playing field and enable a high-quality worship experience without breaking the budget.
Open Source Options Worth Exploring
Several open source presentation tools have been developed specifically with churches in mind.
OpenLP is one of the most established names in open source church software. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD, and can display songs, Bible verses, images, videos, and custom slides. One of its key strengths is remote control through a web app and mobile apps, allowing operation from tablets or phones. It also supports stage view and monitor view, enabling multiple displays for both the audience and the worship team. OpenLP integrates with VLC for media playback and can import presentations from PowerPoint and LibreOffice, which makes transitioning from commercial tools easier.
Praisenter is another solid option. It supports multiple screens for audience and stage displays, and allows the display of Bible verses, lyrics, and custom slides. Praisenter also lets you organize your material into “workspaces” for different events or services, making it simple to prepare for multiple gatherings. It includes features like bulk lyric editing and template customization for consistent visual design across songs and scripture slides.
Floodlight focuses on simplicity and reliability. Built with FFmpeg and GStreamer for solid media playback, Floodlight is designed to minimize technical errors during live worship. Its user interface is streamlined for volunteers who might not have advanced tech skills. It supports multi-monitor output, including stage and audience views, while aiming to reduce distractions and avoid unexpected behavior during live services.
Cantara is a lightweight option, ideal for smaller churches or those primarily displaying lyrics and hymns. Cantara’s simplicity and low system requirements make it appealing for older hardware or limited budgets. It supports multiple screens, can import CCLI song files, and exports to PowerPoint or image formats. Cantara also allows customization of fonts, backgrounds, and transparency to maintain a professional appearance.
FreeShow is one of the newest and most promising open source presentation apps built specifically for churches. Developed by a nonprofit organization, FreeShow is designed to remain free and community-driven. It supports multiple outputs and NDI streaming integration, making it useful for live-streamed services. Its cloud sync feature allows teams to collaborate from different computers, and the software supports remote operation through tablets and phones. FreeShow’s modular design includes “RemoteShow,” “StageShow,” and “OutputShow” modes, providing control and previews for each display. It can also import from PowerPoint and OpenSong, giving flexibility to churches transitioning from other software.
How These Tools Compare with Other Options
All of the major open source tools include built-in Bible and lyric management. OpenLP, Praisenter, and FreeShow have strong search and display capabilities for scripture and songs. Most also support custom slides and media integration, though performance can vary depending on the system and the formats used.
Remote control is another area where open source tools shine. Both OpenLP and FreeShow include mobile and web remote options, allowing flexibility for worship leaders or tech operators to control slides from different locations in the building.
The main trade-offs are in stability and support. Since these tools are community-driven, updates and bug fixes depend on volunteer developers. Some versions may be more stable than others, and there’s no formal customer support. However, active online communities and forums often provide solutions quickly, especially for well-established projects like OpenLP.
FreeShow stands out with its cloud sync feature, which allows multiple team members to collaborate on presentations from separate computers—a feature not found in most other open source options.
Considerations Before Making the Switch
Before moving to an open source platform, it’s important to evaluate your church’s specific needs. Start by checking your hardware capabilities. Open source tools can be slightly less optimized, so make sure your computers and video outputs can handle multiple displays and media playback smoothly.
Training is another factor. Even free software requires users to learn the workflow. Choose a program with good documentation and an active support community, especially if your tech team consists of volunteers.
Stability and updates can vary, so look into how frequently each project releases updates and how active its user community is. It’s a good idea to test new software in a low-pressure environment before using it during live services.
Finally, test media compatibility. Ensure that your existing video, audio, and image files work properly. If your church uses remote displays or streaming, check that your chosen software handles networked devices smoothly.
Whether you choose OpenLP’s reliability, Praisenter’s simplicity, Floodlight’s stability, Cantara’s lightweight design, or FreeShow’s collaborative cloud features, open source presentation software offers the freedom and control to shape your worship experience around your church’s unique needs.
Terry Byrd is the director of outreach for ChurchApps.org a non-profit ministry that provides free open source software for the Church. ChurchApps programs include:Chums.org: Church management system; B1.church: Website design, hosting and mobile app; Lessons.church: Curriculum for all ages and FreeShow.app presentation software.
