CCLI License Cost in 2026: Prices by Church Size
The short answer: a US church pays between $83 and $1,216 a year for the base CCLI Church Copyright License, depending on its size band. A congregation of 100–199 people is listed at $297, and one of 200–499 at $404. Streaming, Rehearsal and SongSelect are optional add-ons priced on top. The figures below come straight from CCLI’s own US price table, which we read on November 6, 2026.
Most “how much is CCLI?” answers online quote a single number from an old forum thread. The real price is a grid: one row per size band, one column per licence. Once you know your row and which columns you actually need, the budget takes about two minutes to work out.
CCLI Church Copyright License: price by church size
CCLI’s US pricing page lists the base licence, plus the “starting from” prices for the Streaming and Rehearsal add-ons, for each size band. These are annual list prices in US dollars:
| Church size | Base licence | Streaming (from) | Rehearsal (from) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–24 | $83 | $84 | $116 |
| 25–99 | $176 | $90 | $148 |
| 100–199 | $297 | $108 | $187 |
| 200–499 | $404 | $129 | $222 |
| 500–999 | $565 | $166 | $291 |
| 1,000–1,499 | $689 | $241 | $361 |
| 1,500–2,999 | $853 | $321 | $431 |
| 3,000–4,999 | $965 | $400 | $570 |
| 5,000–9,999 | $1,216 | $475 | $708 |
CCLI’s streaming page confirms the pattern from the other direction: Streaming “start[s] from just $84 per year for churches already licensed with CCLI, or $108 for an average church (100–199 people).” That matches the first and third rows above. Note the words already licensed: the streaming add-on sits on top of the base licence, it does not replace it.
What each licence actually covers
The price only makes sense next to what you get. In CCLI’s own wording, the base licence covers the typical activities that support congregational singing:
- Project lyrics from a computer or digital device.
- Print songs in bulletins, programmes and song sheets.
- Free lyrics through SongSelect (lyrics only; chords and sheet music are a paid SongSelect plan).
- Record services (audio and video) for your archive or limited distribution to people who cannot attend.
- Custom arrangements and translations, where no published version is available.
The add-ons cover things the base licence does not:
- Streaming License: live-streaming or uploading your services online, with live-performed songs. Streaming Plus extends this to master recordings, backing tracks and multitracks. We explain the difference, and what else churches need for streaming, in our guide to the CCLI Streaming License.
- Rehearsal License: sharing songs among your musicians for rehearsal, including commercial audio recordings sent by email, external drives or worship planning software.
- SongSelect: transposable chords, lead sheets and sheet music. CCLI lists the Advanced plan at $210 a year and Premium at $263, and these are not tied to church size.
- PERFORMmusic Facilities License (from Christian Copyright Solutions, sold alongside CCLI): music played or performed in church activities outside worship services, where the religious service exemption does not apply. Its listed starting prices run from $307 for up to 199 people to $3,347 for 15,000+.
Three worked examples
These add the listed annual prices for the base licence and the add-ons each church needs. They are illustrations, not quotes.
- A church of about 60 that projects lyrics and streams on Facebook: $176 base + $90 Streaming = $266 a year.
- A church of about 150 that streams and shares rehearsal tracks with the band: $297 + $108 + $187 = $592 a year. Without the Rehearsal add-on it is $405.
- A church of about 350 that only sings in the building: the $404 base licence alone, $404 a year. If it starts streaming later, adding Streaming brings it to $533.
The first-year discount, and the catch
When we checked, CCLI was running an introductory offer: 10% off the Church Copyright License and its add-ons. The fine print says it applies to new annual licences, for the first year, is applied automatically at checkout, and is not available on renewals. For the church of 60 above, that means about $239.40 in year one ($158.40 + $81.00), then the full $266 at renewal. Promotions come and go, so treat the list price as the number to budget for.
How to make sure you pay for the right size
CCLI prices by size band, and the band should reflect your actual congregation. CCLI’s streaming page describes an “average church” as 100–199 people. Check which headcount CCLI wants for your account (for example average weekly attendance versus membership) on your renewal notice or by asking CCLI customer support, because different providers measure it differently. Christian Copyright Solutions, for example, bases its WORSHIPcast fee on average weekly attendance across all services.
Under-reporting your size to save money is the wrong kind of saving: the licence is an agreement, and the size is part of it. If your church has grown, move up a band at renewal. If it has shrunk, ask whether you can move down.
Five honest ways to spend less
- Buy only the add-ons you use. A church that never emails tracks does not need Rehearsal. A church that only sings in the room does not need Streaming.
- Skip paid SongSelect if lyrics are enough. The base licence already gives free lyrics; the paid plans are for chords and sheet music.
- Sing public-domain hymns when it suits you. A licence is needed to reproduce copyrighted songs, not songs whose copyright has expired. Check the specific arrangement and translation before you assume a hymn is free.
- Time a new licence for the introductory offer if you are not licensed yet, and put the renewal date in the church calendar so it does not lapse.
- Keep the licence number handy. It saves a support call at every renewal. If nobody can find yours, see how to find your CCLI licence number.
What the price does not include
The base licence is about songs. It does not turn a film clip, a sermon illustration or a worship video from a third party into something you may show freely. If your church plays videos in the service or in a youth group, work through our guide to worship videos for church, and if you are planning a livestreamed service for the season, the Christmas Eve livestream checklist shows where the licence numbers go. CCLI also recommends putting your licence number in the stream description.
One more thing the fee buys: reporting. CCLI’s five-questions page says manual reporting runs for six months every two and a half years, and you are told by email and post when it is your turn. Auto-reporting is available through many presentation applications.
Sources checked on November 6, 2026
- CCLI, Introducing the Church Copyright License (US size-band price table, add-on prices, introductory offer terms).
- CCLI, Streaming and Streaming Plus Licenses (starting prices, “average church” of 100–199 people, licence number in the stream description).
- CCLI, Church Copyright License (what the base licence covers).
- CCLI, The five questions we hear the most (reporting schedule).
Prices are US dollars for US churches and change over time; UK, Canadian and Australian churches should use their own CCLI country site. This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your exact price and size band with CCLI before you order.
