Updated 14 November 2026
Church live translation through one service
For events, Espero provides AI live interpretation: the speaker talks in their own language, and each guest reads live captions or listens to an AI voice in their own language on their own phone, joining by QR code or link with no app or account.
Follow a service from the preparation meeting to the conversation after worship.
The week before: prepare the event once
Create a recurring church event and keep its QR code for later services. Add people’s names and church vocabulary to the event glossary, then save the words of the songs you plan to use.
For an illustration, imagine a congregation preparing a 90-minute service with two caption languages, on whichever day of the week it meets. The organizer tests the audio before people arrive and has the event QR code ready by the entrance.
During the service: join from the pew
The pastor speaks as usual while members scan the event QR code, select a language and follow the sermon on their phones. Those who want audio can use headphones for AI-voice listening where it is available. If the pastor preaches as the only speaker from their own account with My voice set up, members can hear the sermon in an AI voice made from the pastor’s voice.
If an interpreter repeats the speech, add that language through An interpreter repeats the speech. Open Projector view on the church screen for large captions in the selected language.
Include the members watching from home
Add Stream caption overlay to the livestream picture and share the separate link for stream viewers. That viewing link aligns captions and AI voice with the stream, so people at home can follow in their chosen language.
The live interpretation overview explains the broader event setup; conference translation planning covers another kind of gathering.
After worship: keep the sermon and the conversation
The organizer can correct the sermon transcript and export a PDF in each caption language. Listener downloads can also be enabled from the viewing link; event text remains available for 30 days after the broadcast starts.
Members can move into the event group to discuss the sermon in their own languages. Joining that conversation requires a free Espero account, and the organizer controls admission. See translated group conversations for everyday group use.
Budget for the microphone time
Example: a 1.5-hour service in Finnish. Add English captions: €3.75 + VAT annually. With English listening: €7.50 + VAT. That uses 1.5 language-hours for captions alone.
Captions in the spoken language are included with translations. Each translation and each listening language has one rate. Annual: €2.50/h + VAT. Monthly: €3.00/h + VAT. One-off: €3.30/h + VAT. Spoken-language captions alone cost one language. Time is used while the microphone is on. After two minutes without speech, the meter pauses. Speech starts the meter again. A paused microphone uses no time. Hymns get captions and use time. Breaks stop using time after two minutes without speech. You can also pause the microphone yourself. If you have bought hours before, broadcasting can continue. This applies when your broadcast exhausts the balance. The limit is one extra hour. We deduct that time from your next purchase.
A church can start with 7 free hours, with no code or card needed. Visit the full church page for the church FAQ, or review the organizer packages.
Questions and answers
Can we keep the same QR code for the next service?
A recurring event reuses its QR code, so the code can stay on your church’s notices.
Is this a sermon translation app members must install?
Members follow church captions and audio in the browser without installing an app or creating an account.
How do we prepare unfamiliar church words?
Save names and church terms in the event glossary before the service, along with song words.
Can a human interpreter still take part?
Yes; add the interpreter’s language using the option An interpreter repeats the speech.
Can the sermon be read as a PDF later?
The organizer can download a PDF for every caption language and enable downloads for listeners.
What would a service cost at the annual rate?
Example: a 1.5-hour service in Finnish. Add English captions: €3.75 + VAT annually. With English listening: €7.50 + VAT. That uses 1.5 language-hours for captions alone. Captions in the spoken language are included with translations. Each translation and each listening language has one rate. Annual: €2.50/h + VAT. Monthly: €3.00/h + VAT. One-off: €3.30/h + VAT. Spoken-language captions alone cost one language. Time is used while the microphone is on. After two minutes without speech, the meter pauses. Speech starts the meter again. A paused microphone uses no time.
How does our church try it first?
Start the free 7-hour trial yourself in the organizer workspace. Read the church FAQ for more answers.
About Espero
For events, Espero provides AI live interpretation: the speaker talks in their own language, and each guest reads live captions or listens to an AI voice in their own language on their own phone, joining by QR code or link with no app or account.