What is the best free church presentation software?

As of October 2026, the strongest free options are OpenMico's core app, FreeShow and OpenLP, all of which handle lyrics, Bible verses and slides on Windows, macOS and Linux. Holyrics also has a free core app.

Are ProPresenter and EasyWorship free?

No. ProPresenter offers a 14-day free trial and EasyWorship a 30-day trial, after which both need a paid subscription.

Can free worship software work without the internet?

OpenMico's core app works offline with no account. FreeShow and OpenLP are desktop apps, but check each project's documentation for anything that needs a connection.

Free Church Presentation Software: What Free Really Includes

Q: Do I still need a CCLI licence if my software is free?

Usually, yes. Free software does not change copyright: projecting worship song lyrics generally needs a licence such as the CCLI Church Copyright Licence. This is general information, not legal advice, so check with CCLI.

Free church presentation software in 2026 is good enough to run a full Sunday service: lyrics, Bible verses, slides, video and a stage display, without a subscription. The catch is that "free" means different things, from free forever, to a free trial that ends, to a free core with paid extras, and there are still costs for licences, hardware and volunteer time. This guide explains what each kind of free includes and which options are worth your time.

What does "free" really mean for worship software?

When a church searches for free worship software, it usually finds three different models.

Free forever

The software is free to use with no time limit and no paid tier. FreeShow says it "is and always will be free", funded by donations, and OpenLP is likewise free. Both are open source under the GPL, which means the code is public and the community maintains it.

Free trial

The software is fully featured for a limited time, then requires payment. As of October 2026, ProPresenter offers a 14-day trial with sign-up, EasyWorship a 30-day trial with no credit card, MediaShout a 14-day trial with no credit card, and Proclaim a 14-day trial with no watermarks. A trial is useful for testing, but it is not a free plan.

Freemium, or free core

The main app is free to keep using, with optional paid plans for extra features. OpenMico works this way: the core app is free, needs no account and works offline, while the Pro and Max plans add AI scripture recognition from descriptions, the AI slide generator and unlimited cloud transcription. Holyrics also offers a free core with an optional low-cost plan.

Model	Examples (as of October 2026)	What you get for free	What to watch
Free forever	FreeShow, OpenLP	Everything the app offers	Community support rather than a helpdesk
Free trial	ProPresenter, EasyWorship, MediaShout, Proclaim	Full features for 14 or 30 days	Subscription or purchase afterwards
Free core	OpenMico, Holyrics	The everyday service features	Which features sit in paid plans

What can you do with OpenMico's free core app?

Because the free tier is where most churches start, it helps to be specific. OpenMico's free core app includes:

installed Bible search by reference or by words, with KJV and the World English Bible included and more historical editions to download
a song library that turns sectioned lyrics into clean lyric slides
a slide editor with PowerPoint import (text, positions and pictures are kept; review fonts and effects)
images and video in the running order
a continuously saved Schedule, plus Preview and Live
a theme designer for typography, backgrounds and layouts
outputs for projectors, stage displays, an OBS Browser Source and NDI (video only), each with its own translation, theme and layout
on-device live transcription, free and unlimited, with spoken Bible-reference detection that queues verses in Preview

Every account also gets a one-time 90 free minutes of cloud transcription with a verified email. See the Bible presentation software page for how scripture works, and the pricing page for what Pro and Max add.

What are the hidden costs of free projection software?

Free software removes the subscription, but a church still has costs to plan for.

Licences

Free software does not change copyright. Projecting worship song lyrics generally needs a licence such as the CCLI Church Copyright Licence, and streaming services need a Streaming Licence on top. Modern Bible translations such as NIV, ESV, NLT and NKJV have their own permission terms, and software that does not supply them (OpenMico does not supply licensed text) expects you to import them only where your church holds the rights. Note also that KJV is under Crown copyright in the UK, while the World English Bible is public domain. In the UK, check whether you also need further licences for streaming on your own website. This is general information, not legal advice, so check with CCLI and each publisher. Our guide to licensing has more.

Hardware

You still need a computer that can drive your projector or screens, plus cables or adapters. A stage display usually means a second output from the same computer, or a separate screen for the band. Before you install anything, check that your computer can drive every screen you plan to use at once, and keep a spare cable in the booth. If you stream, NDI works best over wired Ethernet rather than Wi-Fi, and receiving NDI adds load on the streaming computer.

Volunteer time

Time is the cost churches underestimate most. Entering songs, building themes and training volunteers takes hours, whichever app you choose. Software that is easy to learn, and that helps during the live moments, saves more than its price suggests.

Support

Free-forever projects are usually supported by their communities and documentation. Commercial products and paid plans tend to offer direct support; OpenMico's Max plan includes priority support.

Free church presentation software checklist

Use this list when you test any free option.

Question	Why it matters
Does it run on every computer we use?	Check Windows, Mac, Linux and ARM support
Is it free forever, a trial, or a free core?	Avoid surprises after 14 or 30 days
Does it need an account or internet to run?	Church Wi-Fi can fail mid-service
Can it show lyrics cleanly from our song list?	Songs are most of the service
Which Bible translations are included or importable?	Licensing differs by translation
Does it have a stage display?	Musicians and preachers need their own view
Can it feed our livestream (NDI or OBS)?	Avoids extra capture hardware
Can a new volunteer run it after one rehearsal?	Rotas depend on it
Who do we ask when something goes wrong?	Community forum or vendor support

What are the best free church presentation software options?

As of October 2026, these are the options worth testing:

OpenMico (Windows, macOS, Linux): free core, offline, no account, with spoken verse detection built in. Paid plans add AI features.
FreeShow (Windows, macOS, Linux): free forever and open source, with NDI, stage view, cloud sync, mobile remote and MIDI.
OpenLP (Windows, macOS, Linux): free forever and open source, with flexible Bible and song import and free mobile remote apps.
Holyrics (Windows, Linux, Mac with Java 8): free core, popular in Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking churches, optional plans from US$2/month (check the vendor's site for current pricing).
Quelea: free and open source, but low-activity, with its latest release in February 2024.

For an in-depth look at the three main free options, read OpenLP vs FreeShow vs OpenMico.

How do you set up free church projection software for your first service?

Whichever free option you pick, the first service goes more smoothly if you prepare in this order.

Install on the Sunday computer. Test on the machine that will be connected to the projector, and check that it extends the desktop to the second screen rather than mirroring it.
Add your Bibles. Use the translations included with the app, and import any others only where your church holds the rights.
Enter your next service's songs. Label each section (verse, chorus, bridge) so the slides break in sensible places, and include the credits and licence details your CCLI licence requires.
Design one lyric theme and one scripture theme. High contrast and a large, plain font are easier to read at the back of the room than decorative styles.
Build the running order. Add songs, readings, notices and any video in the order of the service.
Set up the outputs. Assign the projector, a stage display if you have one, and the livestream feed.
Rehearse with the volunteer who will run it. Go through the whole service once, including a last-minute change.

OpenMico's guide to your first service walks through these steps in the app.

Start with a free download

The simplest way to find the right free tool is to install two or three and run last Sunday's service in each. OpenMico's core app is a free download for Windows, macOS and Linux, with no account needed.