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Religion · head to head

OpenLP vs Quelea

OpenLP logo

OpenLP

Religion

Free, open-source presentation software for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Q

Quelea

Religion

Simple free presentation software for churches and worship

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Quelea quelea is 100% free open source software with no paid tier or vendor support contract
  • They diverge on capability: OpenLP covers Presentation, Quelea covers Bible Verses.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenLP and Quelea actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenLP and Quelea differ
AttributeOpenLPQuelea
Founded20042011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), free tier (Yes), platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux), 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
  • Media Playback
  • Bible Display
  • Plugin System
  • Custom Layouts
  • Scripture Integration

Only in Quelea

  • Bible Verses
  • Song Library
  • OpenLyrics Format
  • Web Remote
  • Theme Editor
  • Plugin Support

Both cover

  • Lyric Display
  • Theme Support
  • Windows support
  • Mac support
  • Linux support

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

Quelea

  • 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

Quelea

  • Quelea is 100% free open source software with no paid tier or vendor support contract

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenLP

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

Quelea

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • All features
    • No cost
    • Community development

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 media playback.
OpenLP review

Choose Quelea if

  • You need bible verses.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • You also want song library.
Quelea review

Questions people ask

Is OpenLP or Quelea better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenLP starts at Free and Quelea at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenLP or Quelea?
OpenLP starts at Free and Quelea at Free.
Does OpenLP or Quelea run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, Mac, Linux, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use OpenLP for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Quelea cannot?
OpenLP covers Presentation, Media Playback, Bible Display, Plugin System. Quelea covers Bible Verses, Song Library, OpenLyrics Format, Web Remote. Both handle Lyric Display, Theme Support, 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
Quelea: Is Quelea free?

Yes, Quelea is completely free church projection software with no paid tiers or premium features. It is 100% free and open source.

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
Quelea: Are there any costs associated with using Quelea?

There are no costs, subscription fees, or feature limitations based on payment. All features including stage view, video backgrounds, mobile lyrics view, multilingual support, and Bible integration are free.

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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