CCLI and OneLicense are both organizations which provide licenses to churches and Christian ministries to reproduce copyrighted songs in their services and activities.

However, rather than being in competition, each organization largely represents the rights of a different list of publishers. While there may be a small overlap, generally OneLicense represents the catalogs of sacred music publishers, while CCLI represents a broader, more ecumenical list.

Which license do I need?

The license(s) you need depends on the songs you are reproducing in your church. If your congregation sings a broad range of traditional hymns and modern songs, it’s likely you’ll need licensing from CCLI. If you only use sacred music, you may only need licensing from OneLicense. However, if your church uses both contemporary worship songs & hymns as well as sacred music, you may well require licenses from both organisations.
Both CCLI and OneLicense offer annual and one-off event licenses based on your average attendance. So if you generally only use the repertoire of one organization, but might occasionally use songs from the other, an event license may give you the additional short-term permissions you need.

What about Streaming?

Both CCLI and OneLicense offer licenses that permit songs from their respective repertoires to be played during services which are streamed, or uploaded to the internet. The license(s) you need will depend on the songs that will be included in your online services as well as whether those songs are performed live or played from master recordings. Always check which publishers and catalogs are authorised under these licenses to ensure ensure they will meet your needs.

How do I find out more?

You can find further information and check the publishers and catalogs authorized by each organization on their respective websites: ccli.com and onelicense.net.