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Church · head to head

OpenLP vs Text In Church

OpenLP logo

OpenLP

Church

Free, open-source presentation software for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Text In Church logo

Text In Church

Church

SMS-based giving and engagement for churches

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; Text In Church text volume is the binding limit: 500 texts per month on Basic, 1,500 on Pro and 2,500 on Premium
  • They diverge on capability: OpenLP covers Presentation, Text In Church covers Text Giving.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenLP and Text In Church actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenLP and Text In Church differ
AttributeOpenLPText In Church
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Mac, LinuxSMS, Web
Founded20042009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Church).

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 Text In Church

  • Text Giving
  • SMS Messaging
  • Keyword-based Giving
  • Real-time Alerts
  • Payment Processing
  • Church Management
  • Analytics
  • Reporting

What people use each for

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

OpenLP

  • Member managementnot Text In Church
  • Donation trackingnot Text In Church
  • Event planningnot Text In Church
  • Volunteer schedulingnot Text In Church
  • Communicationnot Text In Church

Text In Church

  • Two-way texting with a congregation and automated guest follow-upnot OpenLP
  • Digital connect cards and keyword text-in for visitorsnot OpenLP
  • Automated reminder and welcome message workflows for church eventsnot 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

Text In Church

  • Text volume is the binding limit: 500 texts per month on Basic, 1,500 on Pro and 2,500 on Premium
  • Local phone numbers are capped at 1, 2 and 3 across the three plans
  • Monthly billing costs $37, $67 and $97 against $31, $56 and $81 when paid annually, so monthly is roughly 19% more
  • The calling features are a separate Calling Plus add-on at $10 per month per seat
  • Concierge onboarding starts at $249 as a one-off charge purchased at checkout
  • Churches needing more than 2,500 texts a month have no published plan and must contact support

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenLP

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

Text In Church

Free
  • Basic$31/month
    • 500 texts per month
    • 1 local phone number
    • Unlimited keywords
  • Pro$56/month
    • 1500 texts per month
    • 2 local phone numbers
    • All Basic features
  • Premium$81/month
    • 2500 texts per month
    • 3 local phone numbers
    • All Basic and Pro features

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 Text In Church if

  • You need text giving.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on SMS, Web.
  • You also want sms messaging.
Text In Church review

Questions people ask

Is OpenLP or Text In Church better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenLP starts at Free and Text In Church at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenLP or Text In Church?
OpenLP starts at Free and Text In Church at Free.
Does OpenLP or Text In Church run on more platforms?
OpenLP runs on Windows, Mac, Linux. Text In Church runs on SMS, Web.
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. Of those, member management and donation tracking are not what Text In Church is typically brought in for.
What can OpenLP do that Text In Church cannot?
OpenLP covers Presentation, Lyric Display, Media Playback, Bible Display. Text In Church covers Text Giving, SMS Messaging, Keyword-based Giving, Real-time Alerts.

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
Text In Church: How much do you save with annual billing?

Annual billing saves $75 on Basic ($31/month vs $37/month), $136 on Pro ($56/month vs $67/month), and $197 on Premium ($81/month vs $97/month).

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
Text In Church: Is there a free trial?

Yes, Text In Church offers a free 30-day trial for all plans with no credit card required. They also provide a 30-day money-back guarantee if unsatisfied.

Source
OpenLP: What platforms does OpenLP support?

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

Source
Text In Church: What is the Calling Plus add-on?

Calling Plus ($10/month per seat) adds automated text replies, digital receptionist features, automated greetings, direct extensions, call forwarding, and smart voicemail capabilities.

Source
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