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Church & Religious · head to head

OpenLP vs ParishSOFT

OpenLP logo

OpenLP

Church & Religious

Free, open-source presentation software for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ParishSOFT logo

ParishSOFT

Church & Religious

Catholic parish management and sacramental records system

From
On request
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; ParishSOFT parishSOFT publishes no pricing for its named product suite (Family Suite, Giving, Accounting, Diocesan Accounting, Diocesan CRM) on its own site; the only purchase path offered is Contact Us, with no figures anywhere on the page.
  • They diverge on capability: OpenLP covers Presentation, ParishSOFT covers Sacramental Records.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenLP and ParishSOFT actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenLP and ParishSOFT differ
AttributeOpenLPParishSOFT
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Mac, LinuxWeb, Mobile-responsive
Founded20041988

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Church & Religious).

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 ParishSOFT

  • Sacramental Records
  • RCIA Management
  • Parish Accounting
  • Member Directory
  • Diocese Systems
  • Accounting Software
  • Email Integration
  • Report Generation

What people use each for

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

OpenLP

  • Member management
  • Donation tracking
  • Event planning
  • Volunteer scheduling
  • Communication

ParishSOFT

  • Member management
  • Donation tracking
  • Event planning
  • Volunteer scheduling
  • Communication

Both are used for member management, donation tracking, event planning, volunteer scheduling, communication, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

ParishSOFT

  • ParishSOFT publishes no pricing for its named product suite (Family Suite, Giving, Accounting, Diocesan Accounting, Diocesan CRM) on its own site; the only purchase path offered is Contact Us, with no figures anywhere on the page.

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenLP

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

ParishSOFT

On request
  • Standard$179/month
    • Core modules
    • Basic records
  • Complete$399/month
    • All features
    • Full sacramental records
    • Advanced reporting

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 ParishSOFT if

  • You need sacramental records.
  • You work on Web, Mobile-responsive.
  • You also want rcia management.
ParishSOFT review

Questions people ask

Is OpenLP or ParishSOFT better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenLP starts at Free and ParishSOFT at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenLP or ParishSOFT?
OpenLP has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenLP and On request for ParishSOFT.
Does OpenLP or ParishSOFT run on more platforms?
OpenLP runs on Windows, Mac, Linux. ParishSOFT runs on Web, Mobile-responsive.
Can I use OpenLP for free?
Yes. OpenLP has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ParishSOFT starts at On request.
What is OpenLP best used for?
OpenLP is most often used for member management, donation tracking, event planning, volunteer scheduling.
What can OpenLP do that ParishSOFT cannot?
OpenLP covers Presentation, Lyric Display, Media Playback, Bible Display. ParishSOFT covers Sacramental Records, RCIA Management, Parish Accounting, Member Directory.
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