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Religion · head to head

OpenLP vs ProPresenter

OpenLP logo

OpenLP

Religion

Free, open-source presentation software for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
ProPresenter logo

ProPresenter

Religion

Professional presentation system for worship and events

From
$29/month
Rated
-

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; ProPresenter campus plan limited to worship customers and churches
  • They diverge on capability: OpenLP covers Presentation, ProPresenter covers Advanced Presentation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenLP and ProPresenter actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenLP and ProPresenter differ
AttributeOpenLPProPresenter
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Mac, LinuxMac, Windows
Founded20041997

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 ProPresenter

  • Advanced Presentation
  • Video Playback
  • Multi-screen
  • Live Control
  • Media Libraries
  • Lyrics Database
  • Streaming
  • Networking

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Mac support

What people use each for

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

OpenLP

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

ProPresenter

  • Church presentation and worship softwarenot OpenLP
  • Multi-site campus management for worship servicesnot OpenLP
  • Presentation display and remote controlnot 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

ProPresenter

  • Campus plan limited to worship customers and churches
  • No pricing for higher seat counts or custom team sizes

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenLP

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

ProPresenter

$29/month
  • Standard (Per Seat)$29/month
    • Monthly billing (yearly option: $289/year for annual savings of $59)
  • Campus (20 Seats)$59/month
    • Monthly billing (yearly option: $649/year for annual savings of $59)
    • Worship customers only
    • Best for churches with multiple ministries

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.

Choose ProPresenter if

  • You need advanced presentation.
  • You work on Mac, Windows.
  • You also want video playback.

Questions people ask

Is OpenLP or ProPresenter better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenLP starts at Free and ProPresenter at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenLP or ProPresenter?
OpenLP has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenLP and $29/month for ProPresenter.
Does OpenLP or ProPresenter run on more platforms?
OpenLP runs on Windows, Mac, Linux. ProPresenter runs on Mac, Windows.
Can I use OpenLP for free?
Yes. OpenLP has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ProPresenter starts at $29/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 ProPresenter is typically brought in for.
What can OpenLP do that ProPresenter cannot?
OpenLP covers Presentation, Lyric Display, Media Playback, Bible Display. ProPresenter covers Advanced Presentation, Video Playback, Multi-screen, Live Control. Both handle Windows support, Mac support.

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
ProPresenter: How much does ProPresenter cost?

ProPresenter Standard plan costs $29/month ($289/year with $59 savings). Campus plan for churches costs $59/month ($649/year). All prices in USD.

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
ProPresenter: Is there a free trial for ProPresenter?

Yes. ProPresenter offers a 14-day free trial with full feature access so you can evaluate the software before purchasing.

Source
OpenLP: What platforms does OpenLP support?

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

Source
ProPresenter: Does ProPresenter include the Remote app?

Yes. All ProPresenter subscriptions include the ProPresenter Remote app for controlling presentations, plus 7-day support access and regular feature releases.

Source
ProPresenter: Can I add or remove seats with ProPresenter?

Yes. ProPresenter subscriptions allow flexible seat management so you can add or remove seats and activate or deactivate devices with ease.

Source
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