- Church presentation software at a glance
- Eleven church presentation tools to consider
- Free presenter, volunteer-friendly program or production suite?
- Licences still matter on screen
- Questions to ask before Sunday
- Features volunteers will thank you for
- Signs your current setup needs a change
- My plain advice on choosing church presentation software
- Frequently asked questions
The best church presentation software depends on your church and your volunteers: a free open source presenter suits small congregations, a volunteer-friendly program suits most Sunday teams, and a production suite suits larger churches with live streams. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Sunday morning has a way of exposing your tech. The lyrics lag a line behind, the scripture reference is wrong, and the volunteer on the laptop is doing their best. Good presentation software makes that volunteer look calm, even when they aren't.
The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from free open source presenters to suites built for live production. Every description comes from the vendor's own site, read this week. If you're also thinking about AI in ministry, my guide to practical AI for churches is a good companion.
Church presentation software at a glance
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version, a free app or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| EasyWorship | Church presentation and worship software | Volunteer-run Sunday services | Not stated |
| FreeShow | Free, open source presenter | Churches wanting free open source | Yes |
| Holyrics | Presentation program for churches | Songs and Bible verses | Yes |
| MediaShout | Church presentation software | Built-in Bible translations | Trial only |
| OpenLP | Open source worship presentation | No subscription renewals | Yes |
| Proclaim | Cloud-based church presentation | Slides plus sermon recording | Trial only |
| ProPresenter | Presentation and production software | Larger churches and live production | Trial only |
| Quelea | Free church projection software | Free lyrics projection | Yes |
| SongShow Plus | Worship presentation software | Visual worship slides out of the box | Trial only |
| VideoPsalm | Free lyrics and Bible projection (French site) | French-speaking and multilingual churches | Yes |
| WorshipTools Presenter | Free presentation app for Mac and Windows | Simple lyrics and media slides | Yes |
Eleven church presentation tools to consider
EasyWorship
Best for: Churches that want lyrics, scripture and slides volunteers can run confidently, with CCLI SongSelect built in.
FreeShow
Best for: Ministries that want a dynamic, user-friendly presenter that's free and open source, built by people from within the church.
Holyrics
Best for: Worship teams that want a free program for song lyrics, Bible verses, announcements and alerts, with custom themes for the screens.
MediaShout
Best for: Volunteer teams that want built-in Bible translations and a separate control screen while the congregation sees only the main display.
OpenLP
Best for: Smaller churches that want feature-rich, open source presentation software without subscription renewals or device lock-in.
Proclaim
Best for: Pastors and media teams that want cloud-based slides and presentations, plus sermon recording or streaming, with unlimited seats.
ProPresenter
Best for: Larger churches and production teams that want an industry-standard presentation tool with a big library of visuals through ProContent.
Quelea
Best for: Small congregations that want free church projection software for lyrics, built and kept going by a community of contributors.
SongShow Plus
Best for: Worship leaders who want visually striking presentations right out of the box, with a free evaluation copy to try first.
VideoPsalm
Best for: French-speaking and multilingual churches that want free projection of songbooks and Bible verses, with hundreds of Bible translations.
WorshipTools Presenter
Best for: Churches and ministries that want a sleek, lightweight lyrics and media presentation app for Mac and Windows at no charge.
Free presenter, volunteer-friendly program or production suite?
Free and open source presenters handle lyrics, Bible verses and simple media well, and suit smaller churches. Volunteer-friendly programs add song libraries, Bible translations and simpler control screens. Production suites handle multiple screens, stage displays, streaming and big media libraries for larger teams.
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Think about who'll run it, not just what it can do. A tool your volunteers can learn in one rehearsal beats a powerful one nobody wants to touch.
Licences still matter on screen
Under 17 U.S. Code 110, performing a religious musical work, or displaying a work, in the course of services at a place of worship is not an infringement of copyright.
That exemption is about the service itself. If you stream, record or copy lyrics into a shared song library, check which licences you need, and keep the copyright line on each slide.
Questions to ask before Sunday
- Can a volunteer learn it in one rehearsal?
- Which Bible translations and song libraries does it connect to?
- Does it handle a stage display for the band and speaker?
- Can it run lower-third lyrics for a live stream?
- Does it work on our Mac or Windows computer?
- Can several people prepare services from home?
Features volunteers will thank you for
- Song libraries. Lyrics ready in seconds, not typed by hand.
- Bible lookups. Any verse on screen while the speaker talks.
- Stage display. The band sees what's coming next.
- Remote prep. Services built from home during the week.
Signs your current setup needs a change
Lyrics typed fresh every week, slides that freeze during worship and one person who's the only one able to run it are the usual signs. Any of those is reason enough to try something better.
Do you make worship software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing church presentation software
Start with your volunteers. Ask the people who run the screens what's hardest about Sunday now, and test each tool with them in a real rehearsal. If they look relaxed by the end, you've found your shortlist.
Then think about growth. If streaming or a second campus is coming, choose a tool that won't need replacing in a year. My list of useful digital tools for churches covers the rest of your setup.
Frequently asked questions
What is church presentation software?
It's software that shows song lyrics, Bible verses, announcements and media on screens during services, controlled from a separate operator screen.
Is there free church presentation software?
Yes. Several tools here are free or open source, including OpenLP and Quelea. Check the table for each tool's status.
Can I use PowerPoint for church slides?
You can, but dedicated software is built for live lyrics, quick verse lookups and last-minute changes, which PowerPoint isn't.
Do I need a licence to show song lyrics?
U.S. law exempts displaying a work during services at a place of worship, but streaming, recording or copying lyrics may need licences, so check yours.
Can volunteers run church presentation software?
Yes. Many tools here are built around volunteers, with simple control screens and song libraries that cut preparation time.
Does church presentation software work on a Mac?
Many tools here run on Mac as well as Windows, so check the vendor's site for your exact computer.
