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Religion · head to head

OpenLP vs Overflow

OpenLP logo

OpenLP

Religion

Free, open-source presentation software for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Overflow logo

Overflow

Religion

Stock, crypto and donor-advised fund giving for churches and nonprofits, priced per gift type

From
$50/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenLP has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: OpenLP there is no standalone mobile app; the Android and iOS apps are remote controls for a desktop running OpenLP; Overflow crypto carries a 3 percent fee on top of the base rate, which makes it the most expensive channel on the platform at exactly the point where donors expect it to be cheap.
  • They diverge on capability: OpenLP covers Presentation, Overflow covers Stock donation flow.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenLP and Overflow actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenLP and Overflow differ
AttributeOpenLPOverflow
Starting priceFree$50/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcePer month plus a published fee per asset type
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Mac, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2004Unknown

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 OpenLP

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

Only in Overflow

  • Stock donation flow
  • Cryptocurrency giving
  • Donor-advised fund grants
  • Card and ACH giving
  • RoundUps
  • Tax receipting

What people use each for

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

OpenLP

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

Overflow

  • A church wanting to accept appreciated stock without the finance team processing each transfer by handnot OpenLP
  • A capital campaign where major donors are more likely to give assets than cashnot OpenLP
  • A nonprofit that keeps being offered donor-advised fund grants and has no clean way to receive and attribute themnot OpenLP
  • Adding crypto giving for a younger donor base without holding the asset or managing a walletnot OpenLP

Where each one falls short

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

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

Overflow

  • Crypto carries a 3 percent fee on top of the base rate, which makes it the most expensive channel on the platform at exactly the point where donors expect it to be cheap.
  • Card processing at 2.75 percent plus 30 cents on the entry plan is above what a church can get from a dedicated church giving processor, so using Overflow for routine weekly giving costs more than it should.
  • It is a giving channel, not a church management system, so contributions must be reconciled into your existing ChMS and finance software, adding a second monthly close step.
  • Stock and DAF fees are quoted as a 1 to 3 percent range with the actual rate depending on transfer route, so an organisation cannot forecast net proceeds precisely before the gift settles.
  • Non-cash gifts settle over days rather than instantly, and the amount received depends on the price at liquidation, so the receipted value and the cash landed will not match.

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenLP

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

Overflow

$50/month
  • Foundation$50/month
    • All giving methods including stock, crypto and DAF
    • Cards from 2.75 percent plus 0.30 USD
    • ACH at 0.50 percent plus 0.20 USD
  • Growth$undefined/month
    • Reduced processing rates by volume
    • Dedicated onboarding and account management
    • Token vaulting for recurring donors
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom rate structure for multi-site organisations
    • Strategic support
    • Custom pricing

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Overflow if

  • You need stock donation flow.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want cryptocurrency giving.
Overflow review

Questions people ask

Is OpenLP or Overflow better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenLP starts at Free and Overflow at $50/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenLP or Overflow?
OpenLP has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenLP and $50/month for Overflow.
Does OpenLP or Overflow run on more platforms?
OpenLP runs on Windows, Mac, Linux. Overflow runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use OpenLP for free?
Yes. OpenLP has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Overflow starts at $50/month.
What is OpenLP best used for?
OpenLP is most often used for member management, donation tracking, event planning, volunteer scheduling. Of those, member management and donation tracking are not what Overflow is typically brought in for.
What can OpenLP do that Overflow cannot?
OpenLP covers Presentation, Lyric Display, Media Playback, Bible Display. Overflow covers Stock donation flow, Cryptocurrency giving, Donor-advised fund grants, Card and ACH giving.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Overflow: What does Overflow cost?

Foundation is 50 USD a month. Cards start at 2.75 percent plus 0.30, ACH at 0.50 percent plus 0.20, stock and DAF at 1 to 3 percent, and crypto adds 3 percent.

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
Overflow: Why give stock instead of cash?

Transferring appreciated shares avoids the capital gains tax the donor would pay on selling first, so the same after-tax cost produces a larger gift.

OpenLP: What platforms does OpenLP support?

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

Source
Overflow: Does Overflow replace our church management system?

No. It handles giving only and integrates with your existing ChMS.

Overflow: Do we hold the cryptocurrency?

No. Crypto gifts are liquidated and remitted as cash, so the organisation does not carry price risk after settlement.

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