FreeShow

FreeShow is open-source presentation software for worship lyrics, scripture, slides, and media. It is a strong fit for churches that need live-service controls and multiple display outputs without a software fee. Its broad import support is useful; teams should weigh the local-file-linked media repository when planning cloud-synced work.

Overview

FreeShow brings worship content and general presentation tools into one application. Presenters can look up scripture and create slides from song-title searches, while adding text and media to presentations. The maker says its mission is to provide church software free of charge, and its FreeShow plan is free.

The project began in late 2021 and released its first version in February 2022. Its website connects it to Live Church Solutions, a 501(c)(3) organization. For a church deciding whether to adopt it, the more immediate consideration is whether its workflow for sharing presentations and media suits the team.

Key features

Editing and automation

The editor can change text font, size, and color, add outlines and shadows, and edit text while a presentation is running. Autoplay timers, countdowns, and MIDI commands can advance slides or trigger external actions. These controls suit services with timed sequences or MIDI-linked equipment; simpler lyric presentations may not need that degree of automation.

Outputs and media

FreeShow supports simultaneous output views, including web output for mobile devices, NDI output, and mobile remote control. Images and videos can serve as slide backgrounds, and built-in YouTube and Vimeo players extend media options. The combination is useful for teams presenting to more than one screen or coordinating playback, though the range of outputs matters less to a church with a single display and a simple service format.

Scripture, lyrics, and portability

The software offers scripture lookup and song-title searches for creating slides; its features page describes access to more than 200 Bibles through API.Bible. It imports presentations from PowerPoint, ProPresenter, EasyWorship, and OpenSong, and can export content in multiple formats. That import range may reduce the work of moving an existing library, while Bible access and lyric search put common worship material close to the presentation workflow.

Cloud sync supports multiple people working on presentations from different computers, with songs and settings included. Media uses a repository linked to the local file system, so teams need to plan for the location and availability of those files rather than assume they travel with synced presentation data.

Pricing

FreeShow — free. The free plan includes the presentation software, and the maker says it will always be free. There is no free trial because the software itself is free. This makes it a straightforward choice for churches avoiding software fees; the trade-off is that teams must judge the workflow and local media handling on their own needs rather than choosing among paid feature tiers.

Platforms

FreeShow supports Windows, macOS, and Linux. The listed platform set also includes web, and web output lets mobile devices display an output view. Mobile remote control is supported, but the desktop application is the listed platform offering.

Who it's for

FreeShow suits churches and worship teams that want lyric and scripture presentation, multiple outputs, media playback, and service automation without a subscription. It is particularly relevant to teams migrating from other presentation tools, given its named import formats. A team whose priority is cloud-managed media sharing should first decide whether a repository linked to local files fits its setup.

Pros and cons

• Free to use: the maker says the software will always be free, removing a software charge for churches adopting it.
• Broad presentation controls: text styling, live edits, timers, countdowns, and MIDI commands can support more structured services.
• Multiple output paths: simultaneous views, NDI, web output, and mobile remote control give teams options beyond a single projection screen.
• Useful migration support: imports from PowerPoint, ProPresenter, EasyWorship, and OpenSong can help preserve existing presentation content.
• Media sync needs planning: media is stored in a repository linked to the local file system, unlike synced songs and settings.

Alternatives

Church Presentation Software is the broader category to browse for other worship presentation options.

• Church Presenter is another free option; its Free Forever plan is GNU GPL v3, has no subscription, and sets no seat limits.
• Holyrics may suit teams that want paid tiers with stated computer and app limits: Basic is $5 a month for up to 3 computers and 30 apps, while Advanced is $10 a month for up to 10 computers and 100 apps.
• OpenLP is another open-source, free option, with installs allowed on as many copies as needed.
• VerseVIEW is a free alternative whose plan specifies no ads and free access for everyone.
• WorshipTools Presenter may fit teams seeking cloud storage and user caps in a free tier: it includes 500 MB, 10 users, and 15 items per service, with unlimited services and songs.
• MakeChurchEasy is another freemium option, with a free plan capped at 10 songs, lyrics, and media and five Bible versions.
• Prezans offers a free plan with all features for churches, no subscription, and desktop installs limited by an issued serial.
• SongShow Plus is a paid alternative with a free trial.

Verdict

Choose FreeShow if your church wants a no-cost presenter that combines lyrics, scripture, media, automation, and flexible outputs, especially when importing from a supported presentation tool. Look elsewhere if your team needs media itself to sync without managing local-file-linked storage, or if a different plan structure better matches your deployment.