worship and song display software reviews for church presentation software

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Worship Software Selection Guide

Choosing worship projection software? This guide walks you step by step through the process of comparing and rating the right worship software program for your needs. Available as html, pdf and xls. Start now...

The worship software listed below is designed to be used with video projectors to display song lyrics, announcements, scriptures and other media during worship services. Unlike general presentation programs such as PowerPoint, these software programs are all specifically designed for worship displays. Most do song lyrics without music notes. Most are stand alone products but a few work as PowerPoint add-ons or may require you to own PowerPoint to function. See each webpage for specifics. The following worship software is linked on this page:

If you know of other software, please let us know so that we can add it to the list!

Paperless Hymnal

This company has a limited trial version to download. The full version has over 770 hundred songs (more to be added in early 2007). NOTE: This software projects the MUSICAL NOTES not just the text! It requires Microsoft PowerPoint to operate. The author has been adding another hundred songs every few months.
The publisher reports these features:
   - Projects both Lyrics and Music
   - Uses PowerPoint
   - Has Large Lyrics
   - Selection of older and newer hymns
   - CCLI not needed - copyrights are already paid
   - Easy to install and use
   - New artwork - not scanned
   - Shape Note music notation
   - Future volumes to be released
   - Users input used in selecting new material

Click here to visit www.PaperLessHymnal.com.

One of the most innovative and established worship software packages available. This company previously published "SongScreen". The publishers of Presentation Manager report the following features:

   - Control and display song lyrics, notices and bible passages.
   - Use images, movies and live video as backgrounds to text.
   - Tutorial videos make operation quick and easy to learn
   - Create slides with multiple simultaneous transitions
   - Control two projectors with the same or different presentations on each
   - Drag 'n' drop allows easy creation of service plans, Click 'n' show allows fast and easy on the fly service changes.
   - Play PowerPointR presentations from within the software seamlessly, operator sees a thumbnail image of slide.
   - Quickly find songs and bible passages with powerful searching abilities - great for on the fly service changes.
   - Supplied with songs, 1000 images and 5 or more versions of the bible.
   - PC-Projector Serial Control
Click here to visit them at www.presentationmgr.com.

Media Shout

Media shout is a popular high-end worship software product. Like SundayPlus, the software is much more than just for showing the lyrics to songs. Also like Prologue, Media Shout has a non-linear control system that allows the user to make changes to the program on the fly. The program comes with lots of media samples and the company has a website with more material that users can download and use in their services. This is one of the top programs!

The publishers will give you an demo version. You can click on the link below to visit the site to get the demo version of this software:
Click here to visit MediaShout.

SundayPlus (Prologue) Worship Software

SundayPlus (Previously known as "Prologue") is one of the top software products for displaying song lyrics on the big screen during worship. SundayPlus is much more than just for displaying songs. It has special features for controlling announcements, audio-visuals, graphics and more. This software was written by an award winning video visual effects programmer and it shows. The slide and video transition effects are the best that I have ever seen. If you have any problem with this software it will be trying to get people’s eyes off of the screen and back to the worship leaders. I give it five stars. The publishers will give you a free evaluation copy. You can click on the link below to visit the site to get a trial version of this software:

The publisher reports these features:
   - Supports both Windows and MAC Classic (Old MAC classic version is free: http://www.sundayplus.com/mac_download.html )
   - Dual Monitor Support
   - Variety of Transitions
   - Bible verse display
   - Special audio visual support

Click here to visit SundayPlus.com.

Worship LIVE!

This software has a lot of features not found in other packages. You can get it in several different editions from a worship planning version to a combined planning and projection software package. It has a lot of special support for printing music, click-to-play chords and instant transposition, etc. This software continues to go through EXTENSIVE improvements. Visit them at: http://www.worship-live.com/index_ebt.shtml.

- Powerful worship leader tools include song library sort, search and filter and instant transposition
- Musical tools including click-to-play chords, metronome, and automatic guitar fingering printouts
- Easy import of CCLI song files and other text files, and integration with CCLI search tools
- Project songs, scriptures, announcements, images, video clips, even PowerPoint (if installed), with thumbnails in the playlist
- Parallel-project two Bible versions simultaneously - perfect for bilingual churches
- On-the-fly formatting for instant projection of new content, or customize each verse of a song
- Version 6, released in early 2008, adds video backgrounds for songs, scriptures and announcements
- New countdown timer displays over any content. No need to buy countdown videos ever again!
- One of the lowest-priced presentation packages available, with non-projection version even more affordable at just $50
- Gold edition includes nine popular Bible versions, including two Spanish-language versions

FreePath

"PowerTools" is special slide manager and PowerPoint enhancement software for folks that use PowerPoint. The software allows you to easily drag and drop PowerPoint slides, images and videos into a graphical interface to play the graphics. Simplifies setting up announcement and song slides by selecting from slides that you have already made. You can see all the slides in every song or sermon instantly. A click on any slide sends it to the projector.
A free downloadable trial version is available.

The publisher reports these features:
   - Drag and Drop Playlist
   - Random Access Or Linear Playback
   - Operator controls are separate from audience screen
   - Open Multiple PowerPoint Files at once
   - Preview and Choose Slides Between Multiple Presentations

Worship Session

This is probably one of the most unique worship software products listed. It is HTML based software that can be used "on stage", either in single or dual monitor setup. Very suitable for spontaneous and free flowing-worship etc and can be controlled by the leader or performer if used in that setting. A unique feature is the ability to add a foot pedal to allow a performer to control the presentation "hands free". Another unique feature is the ability to show chords as well as user notes to the leader "on stage" without showing them to the audience. The software includes over 1000 songs as well as several built in Bibles. This software also provides a "scrolling page" style. You can try an online version demo or download a copy to try out. They list the following as their top features:

   - Minimal User Interface - PC screen serves as "Visual foldback".
   - Scrolling page style - songs are shown on a single scrolling page.
   - PC screen shows musical chords along with song words. Projector shows only words.
   - HTML format allows unlimited formatting and multimedia elements.
   - Can be used from the sound booth, or dual control.

Sing and Read ("Software For Worship")

This software comes with 1200 public domain songs when you register the free version and you only pay if you want the two monitor version. This software is based in the UK. If you have used this "free" software then please contact me with comments about your experience.
Click here to visit www.SingAndRead.com.

Worship Him!

The publisher reports these features:
- Dual monitor support: Control the presentation completely independent of the projector display.
- Site license - install on as many computers as you need.
- Rich media support: Display Song lyrics, Bible verses, announcements, sermon points, PowerPoint, pictures, video clips, audio clips, DVDs and DVD clips, CD tracks play-lists and random play, and Shockwave/Flash movies, all in one easy to use interface.
- CD player, DVD player, and video clip player all have full control including volume.
- Easily import songs from CCLI Song Select online, CCLI Song Select software, and Integrity Worship Software 3.0-3.5. Also features advanced whole-song-paste for importing songs from Word documents, text files, etc.
- Manual song entry features as-you-type spell checking and projector line-length indicators.
- Announcement/sermon point builder. PowerPoint not required.
- Automatic looping of announcement and picture slideshows. You can even edit songs and queue lists while announcements or slideshows are running.
- 90 picture backgrounds and 9 loopable video backgrounds included (+ add your own).
- Automatic data backup.
Click here to visit them at www.Worship-Him.com.

Easy Worship

This company has a free demo version. This is one of and maybe the most popular worship software packages available. This software supports dual displays. It allows you to choose from over 100 great, smooth transitions. It really is fairly easy to use. The product is well designed. It comes with the King James and American Standard versions for automatically displaying scriptures on the fly. It also comes with a variety of nice graphic backgrounds. The program automatically sizes the song lyrics and Bible text to best fit the screen and allows you to add font shadows and other features. It integrates with PowerPoint. The program includes a nursery alert feature. An overall great and popular product.

A new version was released in 2006.

  * Supports text over live capture feeds as well as videos
  * Interface to SongSelect Lyric Service 60+ thousand songs
  * Display Bible verses from 19 included translations
  * Superimpose nursery call numbers or short messages over any screen
  * Play music and sound effects from MP3, WAV, AIFF, WMA and MIDI Files

Worship Assistant

Ministry Assistant is church management software that allows you easily keep track of all that is going on in your church or organization. Worship Assistant is a software tool for planning your worship services and present song lyrics using a video projector.
Worship Assistant reports the following features:

   - Track information about your worship songs, including lyrics and chords.
   - Present song lyrics using a video projector (with dual monitor support).
   - Keep track of your worship team members.
   - Transpose songs to different keys.
   - Print lead sheets (lyrics and chords) with guitar chord diagrams.

Click here to visit www.ChurchAssist.com/.

Integrity Worship Software

SongPro 3

SongPro is a windows based song lyric and Bible display presentation system, designed to give ease of use and convenience in the planning and running of services. This software can be used in single screen or dual screen modes and has a non-linear control system - even follow the speaker's Bible references on the fly.
SongPro features:
   - More than 2000 popular songs supplied plus easy import facilities.
   - Bible: NIV, KJV and NASB.
   - Bible quick find with word/phrase search and count.
   - PowerPoint support and slide preview.
   - Pop-up Message/Nursery alert.
A free downloadable trial version is available. Visit them at: http://creationsoftware.com/songpro.htm.

SongShowPlus Worship Song Display Software

Not just for song lyrics, this product also has features for projecting announcements, scriptures, video clips and sermon material. There are different versions of this software including controlling of PowerPoint presentations, nursery calls, etc. The basic version already includes the text of hundreds of songs and you only have to add in the songs that you want. The software supports the thousands of CCLI songs that can purchased separately. I found the program easy to use. You can quickly switch from verse to verse and even change what songs you are projecting in the middle of the service. The software comes with a wide selection of photo backgrounds that you can use for the songs and other projected material. It also includes a few sample videos. The software supports dual monitors so that an operator can see a control screen while the congregation sees the worship projection image. The program has quite a few features. I was surprised to see that the program even had some simple video control tools. One special feature of this program is that a presenter such as a song leader can run the program using the numeric keypad with a single monitor output without the need for a separate operator. The publishers will give you a free evaluation copy.

Worship Builder Software

This product is specifically designed for churches who use PowerPoint. It is an add-on program that helps automate creating worship slides and songs using PowerPoint. The publishers will give you an evaluation copy. You can click on the link below to visit the site to get a trial version of this software:
Click here to visit www.WorshipBuilder.com.

A collection of software mostly for managing worship planning rather than presenting lyrics or notes.

ChurchView Pro

Display song lyrics, scriptures, videos, announcements, and nursery alerts using multiple screens while simultaneously teleprompting and running foyer annoucements.
   - 1600+ preloaded songs.
   - 7 Versions of the Bible Including Spanish.
   - Nursery Alerts.
   - Separate Channel Teleprompting.

Song Base & Video Presenter

This company has a free demo version. Includes 600 worship songs including not only lyrics but chord chart and video text as well as a 20 second mp3 audio sample.
   - Display one verse at a time or display 2 verses at a time (for translated foreign language).
   - Over 200 custom graphic backgrounds.
   - Present "time looped" slide shows for announcements.
   - Laptop friendly - all keyboard driven (mouse driven also).
Click here to visit them at www.SongBase.com.

Songview

- Free!
- Preview panes showing slide as it will be shown on screen
- Song location via text and title search
- Slide editing including background selection during live displays
- Congregation Alerts
- Automatic production of song use history for CCL license
Click here to visit them at www.logos-solutions.org.uk/songivew.html.

PowerWorship is an add-in for enhancingMicrosoft PowerPoint for worship. This software is now free!

Includes "genlock" feature to allow switching overlay. Multiple Output Sources: enables users who have more than one output source (such as a video projector combined with monitors) to get the optimal picture on every screen, not just the "main" screen. Lots of song search features. This company has a trial version to download. Version 4.4 is now out.

Presenter

M3 Launch

This software requires Microsoft PowerPoint to operate. It automates several features of song slide preparation. They have a free trial version. Visit them at: M3Launch

Lyrics Software

Free song display software from Great Britain. They have a free trial version. Visit them at: Lyrics Software.

ShowNak

Worship software with the special feature of being able to smoothly scroll text. Visit them at: www.ShowNak.com.

VideoPress

ZionWorx

FlexImage

A PowerPoint based song projection system. Visit them at: http://www.fleximage.co.uk.uk.
   - Uses MS PowerPoint - no other software needed;
   - Can search for any lyric of any song 'live' during presentation;
   - About 1,000 songs included, with periodic updates from FlexImage website;
   - Dual monitor systems, with dedicated control screen available that can build and save 'Meeting Plans' for direct access to songs with a double-click of a mouse and Preview all verses of selected song (up to 12), with direct access to verses with a single mouse click.

Paraclete

A windows based song projection system. Visit them at: http://www.hollandsoftware.com/productsparaclete.htm .
   - searchable database can store tens of thousands of Services and Service items including songs, images, prayers, quotations, jokes, statistics, sermons etc.
   - Single or Dual Monitor
   - Microsoft Outlook type interface
   - Export and Import features to share and download from Paraclete website.
   - Links to Microsoft® Word templates so you can prepare customized service sheets

EasiSlides

The one big difference between EasiSlides and other presentation software is that EasiSlides can display dual-language lyrics for use in bi-lingual churches, as in the case of many bi-lingual Chinese churches wordwide. It is also free. Visit them at: http://www.EasiSlides.com.

ProPresenter

This is a product for Apple OS X systems.
    - Easy to use
   - Pre-sequence slides with music tracks (including individual word highlighting) for one-button worship
   - Switch to, or even create slides for, any song at any time without changing what your audience sees on the screen
   - Play your video packages through ProPresenter. Go right from Final Cut Pro or any other editor right to a QuickTime movie and full-motion backgrounds under your worship lyrics..
   - What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get: slide previews, change backgrounds on the fly, text in thumbnails is shown in the chosen font, with the correct wrapping.
Visit them at: www.propresenter.com.

OpenLP

OpenLP is a Free, opensource program for use in Worship Services. The features include a Lyric Database, Bible Database, the ability to handle Powerpoint Presentations, MP3's, AVI's etc. You can download the software at http://www.openlp.org.

DreamBeam Open Source Worship Software

We have been made aware of yet another new open source worship software product called "DreamBeam". Check them out at: http://www.dreambeam.de/

OpenSong

OpenSong is a Free program for use in Worship Services. The author has this to say: "OpenSong is free software for managing chords and lyrics sheets, presenting lyrics using a projector, and much more! This software is great for musicians who are looking for a program that will help with chords, transposing, capo/non-capo notation, etc. Also, worship leaders will find some great extra features such as scripture integration and timed loops for running announcements before services." For more information, visit the features page.
    - Present any song, specifying the order of slides,specify background color or image
   - Present any passage of the Bible verse by verse
   - Present a timed loop of slides such as announcements, verses, Q&As
   - Print overheads in addition to lead sheets
   - Chord/Lyric Sheets, Automatically transpose chords to any key
You can download the software at http://www.opensong.org/.

LiveWorship

Church presentation software for both Windows® and Macintosh® OS X platforms. LiveWorship's has a graphical interface. Drag and drop controls. It's non-linear control uses slide thumbnail images that display with one click. A flexible database keeps all of your song lyrics, backgrounds, Bible translations, video, and music at immediately available. You can edit presentations "on-the-fly" so you never have to interrupt your presentation to add slides, change slides, fonts, backgrounds, and more. LiveWorship is available with Bible translations such as the NIV, NRSV, KJV, the Message and several others. You can download a free trial of the software at http://liveworship.com.

WorshipCenterPro

Type or paste the text in the editor and WorshipCenter Pro creates all of the slides for you and displays them with professional transitions and effects. WorshipCenter Pro also features a built-in scripture database and support for Powerpoint, video files, images, Flash presentations and web pages. Point-and-click interface.
   - Text over video
   - 4,000 hymns included
   - Bible database
   - PowerPoint support
   - Dual-monitor support
You can download a free trial of the software at http://www.worshipcenterpro.com/.

PRAISE!

Three versions available - including a fully-functional laptop version for single monitor output. Does not handle video backgrounds. Simple interface. Will allow you to obtain in inexpensive monthly payments.
   - Simple interface
   - Laptop with single monitor output version available
   - Monthly payment plan
You can download a free trial of the software at http://praise.dipdot.com/.

APPLE KEYNOTE

This is a powerful presentation software for Apple Computers. Not specifically a worship software product. http://www.apple.com/iwork/keynote/.

Inspirational Worship

This company appears to no longer be in business. NOTE: This software had the special feature of keying on the idea of projecting the musical notes not just the text.

Adoration(TM) Worshipware(TM) was presentation software for church worship services which apparently is no longer in business. A key feature of this software was the ability to use full motion video as a background to lyric text.

SPECIALTY SOFTWARE:

WORSHIP PLANNING SOFTWARE

SHOUT MUSIC MANAGER

This software is a powerful organizing program for your church worship planning. As today’s churches get more and more sophisticated in their planning many are turning to this type software to manage their increasingly large groups of music, musicians, volunteers and staff. This software allows you to sift through thousands of resource items, including not only sheet music but lyrics, charts arrangements and organize them by scripture reference, type, theme and more. A particularly cool feature of this software is the ability to automatically send email to staff, volunteers and others. Features reported by this software company include:

-      Shout Music Manager tells you what resources are available from multiple sources such as publishers, record companies, hymnals and even directly from the song writers.
-       Search and Sift through thousands of song titles and resources to find exactly what you need for every theme, topic or scriptural reference.
-      Create your song list one time for rehearsal, bulletins, presentation and CCLI reporting.
-      Create lists for MediaShout Scripts.
-      Transpose chord charts and arrangements.
-      Create bulletin copy.
-      Send song material to pre-selected members, worship team or others
-      Send email notices or postcards to everyone with calendars, info and schedules.
-      Reduce administrative time and get back to leading worship.
-      Shout Music Manager is a program for people who want to make sure that the details are taken care of.

http://www.shoutmusicmanager.com

PLANNING CENTER ONLINE

Worship software specifically designed for planning and organizing your worship service. This is not song display software. “Planning Center Online” allows you to schedule workers and volunteers as well as do CCLI reporting. A particular nice feature is the ability to store files online for everyone on your team to access. This is an online subscription service with the key being that your whole team can stay better connected and organized. All they need is a web browser and an internet connection. For those that don’t have this you can print out what you need for them. Online collaboration is the future of worship planning.

The company reports these features:

Service Flows – Make sure your whole team is on the same page by adding every aspect of your service into Planning Center Online and then anyone that you want to will be able to access or edit the plan.
Planning Matrix – See all of your upcoming services side by side so that you will be able to see the songs, people and notes for each service and edit them with ease.
Song Database – Create your own music library online with customizable properties and multiple arrangements. Attach as many files as you want to each song or song's arrangement.
Online File Sharing – With up to 15 GB of storage you may easily distribute your music, sermon notes, PowerPoint and any other files that your team needs without worry about e-mail size limits.
Volunteer Scheduling – Easily and quickly schedule volunteers for each service and send out e-mail notifications. From e-mail notification volunteers can accept or decline the invitation. From there they can see plan details and notify of their availability.
Chord Chart Transposing – Just copy and paste your chord charts into your song and identify what keys you want it in and they will automatically transpose it and generate a PDF for you.
Customizable – There are several places within Planning Center Online that you can customize to fit the needs of your church
Easy To Use – Elegant, easy, and web-based. You don't need to download, install, or configure anything (no IT department required!). All you need is a web browser and an internet connection.

http://www.PlanningCenterOnline.com

SERVICE BUILDER

   - Plan music, dramas, and video clips which fit topically.
   - Store elements (lyrics, text charts, drama scripts, videos, etc) in one digital location.
   - Pick worship song you wish to use, click 'Add to Service' to have it included in your playlist.
   - Your worship package is auto-timed, and songs can be filtered according to speed, key, last time it was used, popularity, etc.

MUSICAL NOTE GRAPHICS SOFTWARE

CHURCH SONGSHEETS.COM - Not so much a worship software product as a product that gives you "tif" digital graphic files of 160 popular religous songs including the musical notes. Requires your church to have a CCLI license. This site no longer seems to be active.

A worship software product that shows musical notes in PowerPoint is www.PaperLessHymnal.com.

DIGITAL SONGS AND HYMNS

SOFTWARE FOR A BAND

SCORESOFT

EMCEE

Click to see 10 short worship software reviews by Tim Eason in Technologies For Worship Magazine. Mini reviews include: HymnShow, Media Shout, Omega Worship Song Programmer, Presentation Manager, Projections for Praise, Prologue Worship Leader, Songbase/Video PresenteR, SongShow Plus, WorshipBuilder 2000 and Worship Software.
Click here to visit them at Technology For Worship Magazine.com (Note: This is a 2000 review.).

Another review page with a comparison chart has been done by "Designs and Ideas, Inc." which is a design and training company that primarily focuses on churches: www.dni-inc.com

Reviews: Worship Software

SundayPlus (Prologue) Worship Software

Worship LIVE!

Sing and Read ("Software For Worship")

SPECIALTY SOFTWARE:

WORSHIP PLANNING SOFTWARE

SHOUT MUSIC MANAGER

MUSICAL NOTE GRAPHICS SOFTWARE

SOFTWARE FOR A BAND

POWERPOINT SLIDE DATABASE SOFTWARE

ACCENT POWERSEARCH