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Religion · head to head

MediaShout vs OpenLP

MediaShout logo

MediaShout

Religion

Worship presentation and media management software

From
$198/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenLP logo

OpenLP

Religion

Free, open-source presentation software for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenLP has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: MediaShout the perpetual MediaShout 7 Site licence is a $599 one-time purchase, and phone support is limited to 2 sessions in the first 30 days before dropping to email and live chat; OpenLP there is no standalone mobile app; the Android and iOS apps are remote controls for a desktop running OpenLP
  • They diverge on capability: MediaShout covers Video Integration, OpenLP covers Presentation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MediaShout and OpenLP actually diverge.

Attributes where MediaShout and OpenLP differ
AttributeMediaShoutOpenLP
Starting price$198/yearFree
Pricing modelone-timeopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWindows, Mac, Linux
Founded20002004

Identical on both: 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 MediaShout

  • Video Integration
  • Theme Creation
  • Remote Control
  • Song Databases
  • Planning Center
  • CCLI Integration
  • Web Remote

Only in OpenLP

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

Both cover

  • Lyric Display
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

MediaShout

  • Church worship presentation and lyrics displaynot OpenLP
  • Multi-screen sermon notes and Bible verse displaynot OpenLP
  • CCLI SongSelect integration for compliancenot OpenLP
  • 70+ Bible translation displaynot OpenLP

OpenLP

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

Where each one falls short

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

MediaShout

  • The perpetual MediaShout 7 Site licence is a $599 one-time purchase, and phone support is limited to 2 sessions in the first 30 days before dropping to email and live chat
  • Ongoing phone and video support with remote desktop control requires the Plus Membership at $199 per year on top of the software
  • The cheapest option, MediaShout LE at $198 per year, licenses one computer only and omits the stage and confidence display
  • Shift Worship media access requires MediaShout 7 Complete at $798 one-time plus $299 per year
  • Upgrading from a previous MediaShout version still costs $399 for the Site licence or $498 for Essentials
  • The published plans are for MediaShout 7 for Windows, listed separately from the Mac product

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

MediaShout

$198/year
  • MediaShout 7 LE (Subscription)$198/year
    • Single computer
    • Limited features
    • Annual subscription
  • MediaShout 7 Essentials (Windows)$698/one-time
    • Perpetual license
    • 1 year Plus Membership ($199 annual renewal)
    • Unlimited computers with Site License upgrade
  • MediaShout 7 Complete (Windows)$798/one-time
    • Perpetual license
    • Plus Membership
    • Shift Worship media library access
  • MediaShout 7 Site License (Windows)$599/one-time
    • Unlimited computers
    • Perpetual license

OpenLP

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

Which should you pick?

Choose MediaShout if

  • You need video integration.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want theme creation.
MediaShout review

Choose OpenLP if

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

Questions people ask

Is MediaShout or OpenLP better?
Neither clearly leads. MediaShout starts at $198/year and OpenLP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MediaShout or OpenLP?
OpenLP has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $198/year for MediaShout and Free for OpenLP.
Does MediaShout or OpenLP run on more platforms?
MediaShout runs on Windows. OpenLP runs on Windows, Mac, Linux.
Can I use OpenLP for free?
Yes. OpenLP has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MediaShout starts at $198/year.
What is MediaShout best used for?
MediaShout is most often used for church worship presentation and lyrics display, multi-screen sermon notes and bible verse display, ccli songselect integration for compliance, 70+ bible translation display. Of those, church worship presentation and lyrics display and multi-screen sermon notes and bible verse display are not what OpenLP is typically brought in for.
What can MediaShout do that OpenLP cannot?
MediaShout covers Video Integration, Theme Creation, Remote Control, Song Databases. OpenLP covers Presentation, Media Playback, Bible Display, Theme Support. Both handle Lyric Display, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MediaShout: What is the cheapest way to use MediaShout for a church?

MediaShout 7 LE subscription at $198/year provides single-computer access. Alternatively, Site License at $599 one-time covers unlimited computers permanently without annual fees.

Source
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
MediaShout: Does the perpetual license include ongoing support after purchase?

No, perpetual licenses (Essentials $698, Complete $798, Site $599) require optional Plus Membership renewal annually ($199-299/year) for priority support and training access.

Source
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
MediaShout: What is the cost difference between Windows and Mac versions?

Mac Essentials costs $598 (vs $698 Windows). Mac Complete costs $698 (vs $798 Windows). Mac Site License costs $499 (vs $599 Windows). All include same perpetual license model with annual membership options.

Source
OpenLP: What platforms does OpenLP support?

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

Source
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