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Religion · head to head

Gloo vs OpenLP

Gloo logo

Gloo

Religion

Data and AI platform connecting churches, ministries and the people looking for them

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenLP logo

OpenLP

Religion

Free, open-source presentation software for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Gloo churches are not the paying customer, so the product roadmap answers to ministries, funders and campaign buyers whose interests do not always match a local congregation.; OpenLP there is no standalone mobile app; the Android and iOS apps are remote controls for a desktop running OpenLP
  • They diverge on capability: Gloo covers Gloo Workspace, OpenLP covers Presentation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gloo and OpenLP actually diverge.

Attributes where Gloo and OpenLP differ
AttributeGlooOpenLP
Pricing modelFree tier for churches, paid tiers and campaign services quotedopen-source
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWindows, Mac, Linux
FoundedUnknown2004

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Religion).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Gloo

  • Gloo Workspace
  • Church messaging
  • Prayer inbox
  • Explorer campaigns
  • Ministry insights
  • Aggregated content and research
  • Free tier

Only in OpenLP

  • Presentation
  • Lyric Display
  • Media Playback
  • Bible Display
  • Theme Support
  • Plugin System
  • Custom Layouts
  • Scripture Integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Gloo

  • A church with no communications budget wanting AI drafting and mass texting without a subscriptionnot OpenLP
  • A congregation that wants to be the local referral destination for people searching online for help with addiction or anxietynot OpenLP
  • A denomination seeking engagement data across its member churches rather than per-church anecdotesnot OpenLP
  • A ministry running a national awareness campaign that needs to route responders to nearby churchesnot OpenLP

OpenLP

  • Member managementnot Gloo
  • Donation trackingnot Gloo
  • Event planningnot Gloo
  • Volunteer schedulingnot Gloo
  • Communicationnot Gloo

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Gloo

  • Churches are not the paying customer, so the product roadmap answers to ministries, funders and campaign buyers whose interests do not always match a local congregation.
  • Participation routes congregant and enquirer interactions through a commercial data network, and a church board should have the data terms reviewed before enrolling a congregation rather than after.
  • It is not a church management system: there is no membership database, giving ledger, child check-in or rostering, so it sits alongside an existing ChMS rather than replacing one.
  • Free message credits are capped monthly, and a church that builds its weekly communications on texting will exceed them and move to paid volume where the effective cost is comparable to dedicated messaging vendors.
  • The company has grown by acquiring more than twenty brands, and integrating that many products takes time, so overlap and inconsistency between the acquired tools is visible to users.

OpenLP

  • There is no standalone mobile app; the Android and iOS apps are remote controls for a desktop running OpenLP
  • Only the most recent Fedora release and Debian unstable are supported on those distributions
  • The Flatpak build is experimental and the OpenLP team states it does not support its use
  • Requires macOS 10.15 or higher and Windows 10 or higher

Pricing, plan by plan

Gloo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core Workspace AI tools
    • Monthly message credit allowance
    • Prayer inbox
  • Gloo+ and campaign services$undefined/year
    • Higher message volumes and additional media features
    • Explorer campaign participation
    • Ministry and denomination data services

OpenLP

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Full features
    • No restrictions
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Gloo if

  • You need gloo workspace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want church messaging.
Gloo review

Choose OpenLP if

  • You need presentation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • You also want lyric display.
OpenLP review

Questions people ask

Is Gloo or OpenLP better?
Neither clearly leads. Gloo starts at Free and OpenLP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gloo or OpenLP?
Gloo starts at Free and OpenLP at Free.
Does Gloo or OpenLP run on more platforms?
Gloo runs on Web, iOS, Android. OpenLP runs on Windows, Mac, Linux.
Can I use Gloo for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Gloo best used for?
Gloo is most often used for a church with no communications budget wanting ai drafting and mass texting without a subscription, a congregation that wants to be the local referral destination for people searching online for help with addiction or anxiety, a denomination seeking engagement data across its member churches rather than per-church anecdotes, a ministry running a national awareness campaign that needs to route responders to nearby churches. Of those, a church with no communications budget wanting ai drafting and mass texting without a subscription and a congregation that wants to be the local referral destination for people searching online for help with addiction or anxiety are not what OpenLP is typically brought in for.
What can Gloo do that OpenLP cannot?
Gloo covers Gloo Workspace, Church messaging, Prayer inbox, Explorer campaigns. OpenLP covers Presentation, Lyric Display, Media Playback, Bible Display.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Gloo: Is this the same as Gloo Gateway the API product?

No. This is gloo.com, the faith sector data and AI platform. Gloo Gateway is an unrelated API gateway product from a different company.

OpenLP: How much does OpenLP cost?

OpenLP is completely free to download, install, and use. Being open source means OpenLP is free forever with no licensing or subscription fees.

Source
Gloo: Why is it free for churches?

Because churches are not the revenue source. Ministries, publishers, philanthropists and campaign funders pay to reach and measure engagement with the audience the network reaches.

OpenLP: Can I install OpenLP on multiple computers for free?

Yes, OpenLP can be downloaded, installed on multiple computers, and distributed to others at no cost.

Source
Gloo: Does it replace our church management software?

No. There is no membership ledger, giving records, check-in or volunteer rostering. Keep your ChMS.

OpenLP: What platforms does OpenLP support?

OpenLP is free for Windows, Mac, Linux, and FreeBSD platforms with no platform-specific licensing costs.

Source
Gloo: What happens to data about people who contact us through Explorer?

That is the question to put in writing to Gloo before joining. Enquirer data flows through a commercial network, and the governing terms should be reviewed by whoever advises your board.

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