Softwr

Religion · head to head

OpenLP vs Tithe.ly

OpenLP logo

OpenLP

Religion

Free, open-source presentation software for churches

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tithe.ly logo

Tithe.ly

Religion

Complete giving and church management solution

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; Tithe.ly card giving carries a 2.9% plus $0.30 fee, so every donation is reduced before it reaches the church
  • They diverge on capability: OpenLP covers Presentation, Tithe.ly covers Online Giving.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenLP and Tithe.ly actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenLP and Tithe.ly differ
AttributeOpenLPTithe.ly
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Mac, LinuxWeb, IOS, Android
Founded20042013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Tithe.ly

  • Online Giving
  • Membership Management
  • Attendance Tracking
  • Accounting Software
  • Planning Center
  • PayPal
  • Stripe
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

OpenLP

  • Member managementnot Tithe.ly
  • Donation trackingnot Tithe.ly
  • Event planningnot Tithe.ly
  • Volunteer schedulingnot Tithe.ly
  • Communicationnot Tithe.ly

Tithe.ly

  • Church online giving and donation managementnot OpenLP
  • Religious organization membership trackingnot OpenLP
  • Volunteer management for congregationsnot OpenLP
  • Service planning and worship coordinationnot OpenLP
  • Church website hosting and custom appsnot 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

Tithe.ly

  • Card giving carries a 2.9% plus $0.30 fee, so every donation is reduced before it reaches the church
  • American Express is charged at 3.5% plus $0.30
  • ACH at 1% plus $0.30 makes small bank transfers proportionally expensive
  • Church management is $72 a month and the mobile app $89, sold separately from the free giving product
  • Bundling everything is $119 a month, so a church wanting app, website and management pays regardless of donation volume

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenLP

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

Tithe.ly

Free
  • Giving ToolsFree
    • Online giving
    • Mobile giving
    • Text-to-give
  • Church Management$72/month
    • Digital giving solution
    • Membership management
    • Event management
  • All Access$119/month
    • Giving platform
    • Church management
    • Custom apps

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 Tithe.ly if

  • You need online giving.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want membership management.
Tithe.ly review

Questions people ask

Is OpenLP or Tithe.ly better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenLP starts at Free and Tithe.ly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenLP or Tithe.ly?
OpenLP starts at Free and Tithe.ly at Free.
Does OpenLP or Tithe.ly run on more platforms?
OpenLP runs on Windows, Mac, Linux. Tithe.ly runs on Web, IOS, Android.
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 Tithe.ly is typically brought in for.
What can OpenLP do that Tithe.ly cannot?
OpenLP covers Presentation, Lyric Display, Media Playback, Bible Display. Tithe.ly covers Online Giving, Membership Management, Attendance Tracking, Accounting Software.

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
Tithe.ly: Does Tithely offer a free giving option?

Yes, Tithely's Giving Tools tier is completely free with no monthly or setup fees. Donations via credit/debit card are charged 2.9% + $0.30, ACH transfers are 1% + $0.30, and American Express is 3.5% + $0.30.

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
Tithe.ly: What is included in Tithely's All Access plan?

The All Access plan at $119/month includes all products: giving, church management, custom apps, websites, service planning, volunteer management, background checks, kids check-in, and email/text messaging. The price is a flat rate regardless of church growth.

Source
OpenLP: What platforms does OpenLP support?

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

Source
Tithe.ly: Do Tithely's paid plans include a trial period?

Yes, all paid plans include a 30-day free trial. No credit card is required to start with the free giving tier.

Source
Tithe.ly: What are Tithely's individual product prices?

Individual products available separately: Website at $19/month, Mobile Church App at $89/month, and Service Planning/Worship Tools at $29/month. The All Access plan at $119/month bundles all products for significant savings.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on OpenLP

More on Tithe.ly

Keep looking

Other head to heads