The best presentation software in 2024

These powerpoint alternatives go beyond the basics..

Hero image with logos of the best presentation software

The latest presentation apps have made it easier than ever to format slides and create professional-looking slideshows without giving off a "this is a template" vibe. Even standard PowerPoint alternatives have updated key features to make it easier than ever to collaborate and create presentations quickly, so you can spend more time prepping for your actual presentation.

If, like me, you've used Google Slides unquestioningly for years, it's a whole new world out there. The newest crop of online presentation tools go way beyond the classic slideshow experience, with new features to keep your audience's attention, streamline the creation process with AI, and turn slide decks into videos and interactive conversations.

I've been testing these apps for the past few years, and this time, I spent several days tinkering with 25 of the top presentation software solutions out there to bring you the best of the best.

The best presentation software

What makes the best presentation app, how we evaluate and test apps.

When looking for the best presentation apps, I wanted utility players. After all, slideshows are used for just about everything, from pitch decks and product launches to class lectures and church sermons. With that in mind, here's what I was looking for:

Pre-built templates. The best presentation tools should have attractive, professional-looking templates to build presentations in a hurry.

Sharing and collaboration options. Whether you plan to share your webinar slides later, or you just want to collaborate with a coworker on a presentation, it should be easy to share files and collaborate in real-time.

Flexibility and customization options. Templates are great, but top presentation apps should enable you to customize just about everything—giving you the flexibility to build exactly what you need.

Affordability. Creating compelling presentations is important, but you shouldn't have to bust your budget to make it happen. With capable free tools on the market, affordability is a top consideration.

Standalone functionality. There's no reason to use multiple tools when one can do it all, so I didn't test any apps that require and work on top of another presentation app like PowerPoint or Google Slides.

Familiar, deck-based interface. For our purposes here, I only tested software that uses slides, with the familiar deck-based editor you expect from a "presentation" tool (versus, for example, a video creation app).

Beyond that, I also looked for presentation apps that brought something unique to the table—features above and beyond what you can get for free from a legacy solution like PowerPoint or Google Slides.

Here's what my testing workflow looked like:

I went through any onboarding or guided tutorials.

I created a new deck, scanning through all available templates, noting how well-designed they were (and which were free versus paid).

I added new slides, deleted slides, edited text and images, and played around with other content types.

I changed presentation design settings, like color schemes and background images.

I reviewed and tested the sharing and collaboration options.

I tested out presenter view (when available).

After my first round of testing, I went back into the top performers to test any unique or niche features, like AI, brand settings, and interactive content. With that, these are the best presentation apps I found—each one really brings something different or radically easy to the table.

The best presentation software at a glance

A free option

Free plan available; paid plans from $10

AI-powered design

From $12/month

Non-linear presentations

Free plan available; paid plans from $7/month

Video presentations

Limited free plan available; paid plans from $15/month

Collaboration

Free plan available; from $22/month for 2 users

Conversational AI features

Free plan available; paid plans from $8/user/month

Audience engagement

Free plan available; paid plans from $11.99/user/month

Generative AI features

Limited free plan available; paid plans from $16/user/month

The best free presentation software

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Canva, our pick for the best free presentation app

Canva pros:

Excellent free plan

Tons of amazing templates for all use cases

Feature-rich

Canva cons:

The AI tools aren't groundbreakingly useful

Canva offers one of the most robust free plans of all the presentation apps I tested. The app delays account creation until after you've created your first design, so you can get started building your presentation in seconds. Choose from an almost overwhelming number of beautiful templates (nearly all available for free), including those designed specifically for education or business use cases.

Anyone who's accidentally scrolled too far and been bumped to the next slide will appreciate Canva's editor interface, which eliminates that problem altogether with a smooth scroll that doesn't jump around. Choose from a handful of preset animations to add life to your presentations, or browse the library of audio and video files available to add. And Canva also has a number of options for sharing your presentation, including adding collaborators to your team, sharing directly to social media, and even via QR code.

Present directly from Canva, and let audience members submit their questions via Canva Live. Once you share a link to invite audience members to your presentation, they can send questions for you to answer. As the presenter, you'll see them pop up in your presenter view window, so you can keep the audience engaged and your presentation clear. Alternatively, record a presentation with a talking head bubble—you can even use an AI presenter here—to share remotely.

Canva pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $120/year for 1 user and include additional features like Brand Kit, premium templates and stock assets, and additional AI-powered design tools.

The best presentation app for AI-powered design

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Beautiful.ai pros:

True AI design

No fussing around with alignment

Still allows for customization

Beautiful.ai cons:

No free plan

If you're like me, editing granular spacing issues is the absolute worst part of building a presentation. Beautiful.ai uses artificial intelligence to take a lot of the hassle and granular design requirements out of the presentation process, so you can focus on the content of a presentation without sacrificing professional design. If I needed to make presentations on a regular basis, this is the app I'd use.

Many apps have recently added AI design features, but Beautiful.ai has been doing it for years—and they've perfected the experience of AI design, ensuring the tool's reign as the most streamlined and user-friendly option for AI design.

The editor is a little different from most presentation apps, but it's still intuitive—and you'll start off with a quick two-minute tutorial. When creating a new slide, scroll through "inspiration slides" to find a layout you like; once you choose, the app will pull the layout and automatically adapt it to match the design of the rest of your presentation.

With 10 themes, several templated slides, over 40 fully-designed templates, and more than 20 different color palettes to choose from, Beautiful.ai strikes a perfect balance between automation and customization.

While Beautiful.ai doesn't offer a free plan, paid plans are reasonably priced and offer sharing and collaboration options that rival collab-focused apps like Google Slides. And speaking of Google, you can connect Beautiful.ai with Google Drive to save all your presentations there.

Note: I re-tested the generative AI feature (called DesignerBot) this year. It's great for adding individual slides to an existing presentation—automatically choosing the best layout and matching the design to the rest of the deck—but as with most other apps, it struggled to pull in relevant images.

Beautiful.ai pricing: Plans start at $12/month for unlimited slides, AI content generation, viewer analytics, and more. Upgrade to a Team plan for $40/user/month to get extra collaboration and workspace features and custom brand controls.

The best presentation app for conversational presentations

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Prezi pros:

Doesn't restrict you to standard presentation structure

Lots of customization options

Prezi Video lets you display a presentation right over your webcam video

Prezi cons:

Steep learning curve

Struggling to squeeze information into a basic, linear presentation? Give Prezi a try. Unlike nearly all other presentation apps on the market, Prezi Present doesn't restrict the structure of your presentation to a straight line. The editor focuses on topics and subtopics and allows you to arrange them any way you want, so you can create a more conversational flow of information.

With the structural flexibility, you still get all the same customization features you expect from top presentation software, including fully-editable templates. There's a learning curve if you're unfamiliar with non-linear presentations, but templates offer a great jumping-off point, and Prezi's editor does a good job of making the process more approachable.

Plus, Prezi comes with two other apps: Prezi Design and Prezi Video. Prezi Video helps you take remote presentations to a new level. You can record a video where the presentation elements are displayed right over your webcam feed. Record and save the video to share later, or connect with your video conferencing tool of choice (including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet) to present live.

Prezi's generative AI feature works ok, but it's more useful as a wireframe. When I asked it to create a presentation about the Stanley Cup Playoffs, for example, the resulting content read a lot like a student writing a term paper in the broadest strokes possible to avoid doing any actual research.

The best presentation app for video presentations

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Powtoon pros:

Timing automatically changes based on the content on the slide

Can toggle between slideshow and video

Can orient presentation as horizontal, vertical, or square

Powtoon cons:

Limited free plan

Powtoon makes it easy to create engaging videos by orienting the editor around a slide deck. Editing a Powtoon feels just like editing a presentation, but by the time you finish, you have a professional video. 

You can edit your slides at any time, and when you hit play, a video plays through your deck—the feel is almost like an animated explainer video. Each slide includes the animations you choose and takes up as much time as is needed based on the content on the slide. Powtoon figures the timing automatically, and you can see in the bottom-right of the editor how much time is used on your current slide versus the total presentation. If you ever want to present as a slide deck, just toggle between Slideshow and Movie.

You'll likely need to subscribe to a paid plan to get the most out of Powtoon—like creating videos longer than three minutes, downloading them as MP4 files, and white-labeling your presentations—but doing so won't break the bank. Plus, you'll unlock tons of templates complete with animations and soundtracks.

One of my favorite Powtoon features is the ability to orient your video: you can choose horizontal orientation (like a normal presentation) or opt for vertical (for mobile) or square (for social media). When your presentation is ready, you can publish straight to YouTube, Wistia, Facebook Ads, and any number of other locations.

The best presentation app for collaborating with your team

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Pitch, our pick for the best presentation software for collaborating with your team

Pitch pros:

Google levels of collaboration

Assign slides to specific team members

Excellent generative AI feature

Pitch cons:

User interface is a little different than you're used to

Need to collaborate on presentations with your team? Pitch is a Google Slides alternative that gets the job done. As far as decks go, Pitch includes all the beautifully-designed templates, customizability, and ease of use you expect from a top-notch presentation tool. But the app really shines when you add your team.

The right-hand sidebar is all about project management and collaboration: you can set and update the status of your deck, assign entire presentations or individual slides to team members, plus comment or add notes. Save custom templates to make future presentations even easier and faster.

You can also invite collaborators from outside your company to work with you on individual decks. And if you opt for a paid plan, Pitch introduces workspace roles, shared private folders, and version history.

Pitch also offers one of the most impressive generative AI features on this list. It still struggles to pull in relevant images, but I found the AI-generated written content and design to be top-notch.

The best presentation app for conversational AI

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Gamma pros:

Creates fully fleshed-out presentations from a prompt

Conversational chatbot-like experience

Can still manually edit the presentation

Gamma cons:

Not as much granular customization

I tested a lot of apps claiming to use AI to up your presentation game, and Gamma's conversational AI features were head and shoulders above the crowd.

Simply give the app a topic—or upload an outline, notes, or any other document or article—approve the outline, and pick a theme. The app will take it from there and create a fully fleshed-out presentation. It's far from perfect, but Gamma produces a very useful jumping-off point. (Last year, it was by far the best, but this year, other apps are catching up.)

Here's the key: Gamma is much more geared toward the iterative, chatbot experience familiar to ChatGPT users. Click on the Edit with AI button at the top of the right-hand menu to open the chat, and you'll see suggested prompts—or you can type in your own requests for how Gamma should alter the presentation.

Once you've done all you can with prompts, simply close the chat box to manually add the finishing touches. While you do sacrifice some granular customizability in exchange for the AI features, you can still choose your visual theme, change slide layouts, format text, and add any images, videos, or even app and web content.

The best presentation app for audience engagement

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Mentimeter, our pick for the best presentation software for audience engagement

Mentimeter pros:

Tons of audience engagement features

Simple for participants to interact

Mentimeter cons:

Less granular customizability

Bit of a learning curve

If you need to engage with an audience during your presentation, Mentimeter makes that easy. The app is designed around interactive elements like quizzes, surveys, Q&As, sliders, and more (even a Miro whiteboard!).

Each of these is included in a number of different, professional-looking templates, so you can build a fully interactive presentation super quickly.

When it's time to present, your audience members can scan the QR code with their phone cameras or type in the URL and access code to participate. There's one code per presentation (so they won't have to do this on every slide), which gives access to each slide as you move through the presentation.

There are two main drawbacks to this one, though. First, there's a bit of a learning curve and less familiar editing interface (but I found it pretty easy to learn with some practice). The other drawback is that you can't get as granular with the visual customization as you can with many other presentation tools.

The best presentation app for generative AI

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Tome, our pick for the best presentation software for generative AI

Top-tier generative AI features

Simple, customizable templates

Intuitive doc-style editor

There's definitely a learning curve

Tome is one of the new additions to this list that I'm most excited about. If you're looking for generative AI that just genuinely works , it's definitely worth a look. The editor is a bit more stripped down than most presentation apps but intuitive nonetheless—it's almost a cross between your standard deck editor and a Notion-style doc.

To generate an AI deck, click Generate with AI in the top right, and either write your own prompt or choose from the example prompts that cover a handful of common use cases, like sales enablement and company pitches. Edit or approve the suggested outline, then generate the full presentation.

From there, you can edit each slide as a doc via the right-hand menu—without limits on how much information you can include. During the presentation, you simply size down any slides that take up more than the standard amount of space. It's super simple but somehow feels revolutionary in a presentation app.

What about the old standbys?

You might notice a few major presentation players aren't on this list, including OGs Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides. These apps are perfectly adequate for creating basic presentations, and they're free if you have a Windows or Mac device or a Google account.

I didn't include them on the list because the presentation space has really developed in the last several years, and after testing them out, I found these behemoths haven't kept pace. If they weren't made by Microsoft/Apple/Google, I might not even be mentioning them. They're pretty basic tools, they're behind the curve when it comes to templates (both quantity and design), and they don't offer any uniquely valuable features like robust team collaboration, branding controls, video, and so on.

In any case, if you're reading this, you're probably looking for an alternative that allows you to move away from one of the big 3, and as the presentation platforms featured above show, there's a ton to gain—in terms of features, usability, and more—when you do.

What about PowerPoint and Google Slides add-ons?

While I focused my testing on tools with full feature-sets—those that can serve as your sole presentation tool—there are a ton of add-on tools you can use atop big name tools like PowerPoint and Google Slides.

Related reading:

This post was originally published in October 2014 and has since been updated with contributions from Danny Schreiber, Matthew Guay, Andrew Kunesh, and Krystina Martinez. The most recent update was in April 2024.

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Kiera Abbamonte

Kiera’s a content writer who helps SaaS and eCommerce companies connect with customers and reach new audiences. Located in Boston, MA, she loves cinnamon coffee and a good baseball game. Catch up with her on Twitter @Kieraabbamonte.

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Blog Graphic Design 12 Best Presentation Software for 2024

12 Best Presentation Software for 2024

Written by: Krystle Wong Jan 12, 2024

12 Best Presentation Software

Whether you’re a student, professional or entrepreneur, having access to the right presentation tools can make all the difference.

When you craft a well-executed presentation , your message becomes more memorable. You’re not just sharing information; you’re weaving a story, painting a picture and leaving a lasting impact on your audience’s minds. 

We’re living in the age of information overload, where attention spans are shorter than ever. A good presentation slide takes this into account, breaking down complex information into bite-sized chunks. It guides your audience through a logical flow, allowing them to digest information effortlessly and retain key points without feeling overwhelmed.

To help you stay ahead of the game, I’ve compiled a list of the 12 best software for presentations. These PowerPoint alternatives offer a combination of user-friendly interfaces, stunning visuals, collaboration features and innovative functionalities that will take your presentations to the next level. 

Let’s dive in and explore these top presentation software picks!

1. Venngage 

Venngage

Allow me to be a little bit biased here but my top pick is none other than, you guessed it — Venngage! Venngage goes beyond just presentations to focus on data visualization and transforming complex information into visually appealing and engaging visuals. 

One of the standout features of Venngage as a presentation software is the extensive library of infographic elements. Gain access to a wide range of pre-designed elements such as icons, charts, maps as well as illustrations to simplify the process of creating data-driven and visually appealing presentations.

You don’t have to be a pro when designing with Venngage. Venngage’s drag-and-drop interface allows you to customize your presentations by simply dragging and dropping elements onto the canvas. You can tweak sizes, colors and layouts with ease, making your presentations visually cohesive and personalized, even if you’re not a design wizard. 

Just so you know, some of our features and templates are free to use and some require a small monthly fee. Sign-up is completely free, as is access to Venngage’s online drag-and-drop editor. Here’s how Venngage’s presentation maker can become your secret weapon in the quest for presentation success.

Vast selection of templates

Venngage boasts an extensive library of professionally designed templates, catering to a wide range of industries and presentation purposes. Whether you’re creating a marketing report, educational presentation or business pitch, Venngage’s presentation tool offers templates that provide a solid foundation for your designs. 

Save 20+ hours of designing with Venngage’s fully customizable, pre-designed infographic templates. Thes e presentation templates provide a good foundation with well-structured layouts and visually appealing aesthetics. 

Presentation templates

Data visualization made easy

Venngage simplifies the process of data visualization, making it accessible to users of all backgrounds. With a few clicks, you can transform dull statistics into visually engaging charts and graphs that tell a compelling story.

Data visualization

Seamless real-time in-editor collaboration tools

Venngage brings teamwork to the next level with our seamless collaboration tools designed to foster collaboration across teams, departments and the entire organization. Whether you’re in the same room or across the globe, Venngage enables real-time collaboration that makes working together becomes a breeze. 

Consistently brand your designs with smart Autobrand features

Effortlessly infuse your presentation slides with your brand’s colors, fonts and logos with Venngage’s My Brand Kit . Upload your brand assets and create engaging presentations by applying your branding to any template you create on Venngage.

Who is it for

Marketers, designers, educators and businesses that require data-driven and visually appealing presentations.

Key features 

Infographic elements, data visualization tools, collaboration options, customizable templates.

Create your first 5 designs with Venngage for free and upgrade to a premium or business plan for $10 USD/month per user and $24 USD/month per user to enjoy premium features. For larger teams who need extra support, controls and security, the enterprise plan starts from $499 USD/month for 10+ seats.

Additionally, there are also plans available for classrooms priced at $99 USD/year for up to 35 students per instructor. Non profit organizations can also apply for a nonprofit discount to any Venngage plan.

2. Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint

Source: Screenshot from Microsoft PowerPoint

Even with dozens of presentation software and tools out there, PowerPoint presentations have stood the test of time as one of the best presentation software. In fact, 89% of people still use PowerPoint presentations over competitor services . 

Whether you’re a student, teacher, business professional or just a creative soul, PowerPoint’s user-friendly interface allows both beginners and experienced users to create presentations with ease.

PowerPoint delivers captivating and engaging presentations through its advanced animation and transition effects. You can create interactive PowerPoint presentations by captivating your audience and guiding them through your content with seamless transitions and eye-catching animations. 

Seamless integration with other Microsoft Office tools is another significant advantage of PowerPoint as a presentation software. As part of the Microsoft Office suite, PowerPoint effortlessly integrates with other familiar applications such as Word and Excel. This integration allows you to incorporate charts, graphs and written content from these tools directly into your presentation. 

However, collaboration features in PowerPoint can be somewhat limited compared to dedicated collaboration platforms. While you can share and co-edit presentations with others, the collaboration options may not be as robust as those offered by specialized presentation tools.

Suitable for individuals, students, educators and businesses of all sizes.

Customizable templates, multimedia support, extensive slide editing options, robust animations and transitions.

You can subscribe to PowerPoint as part of your Microsoft 365 subscription with various plans tailored for businesses, ranging from $6 to $22 USD/month. Additionally, there is also the option to purchase an unbundled PowerPoint account separately, priced at $159.99 USD.

3. Google Slides

Google Slides

Source: Screenshot from Google Slides

Unlike PowerPoint which requires file sharing and manual syncing for teamwork, Google Slides enables real-time collaboration and easy access from any device with an internet connection. 

Google Slides shines in its seamless collaboration capabilities. Multiple users can work on the same presentation simultaneously, enabling real-time editing and fostering efficient teamwork. The integrated commenting feature on Google Slides allows for shared feedback and discussions, enhancing collaboration even further.

Google Slides’ cloud-based storage and auto-saving feature ensures that your work is constantly saved, minimizing the risk of losing progress or important changes. No more panicking over unsaved slides and changes. 

But that also means that Google Slides heavily relies on an internet connection for full functionality and access is more limited compared to desktop-based software. Although an offline mode is available, Google Slides has certain limitations and may not provide the same level of functionality as when connected to the internet.

Templates and customization features-wise, Google Slides also have fewer design options compared to other presentation tools. This may limit the level of visual creativity and flexibility for those seeking intricate designs or specialized effects.

Ideal for remote teams, educators, students and anyone looking for easy collaboration and access from any device.

Real-time collaboration, shared commenting, offline mode and built-in sharing options.

Google Slides is accessible to all individuals with a Google account at no cost, providing all users with access to its full range of features. However, for businesses and teams looking for additional organizational capabilities, there are subscription plans available ranging from $6 to $18 USD/month.

4. Keynote (for Mac users)

Keynote

Source: Screenshot from Keynote

For Apple users, Keynote is a presentation tool designed exclusively for your Apple devices and is available on macOS, iOS and iPadOS. Keynote is known for its sleek and intuitive interface, reflecting Apple’s design aesthetics. 

It offers visually appealing templates, animations, and transitions, allowing users to create polished and modern-looking presentations. Keynote users can seamlessly incorporate images, videos, audio files and interactive elements into their presentations. The presentation software also includes a wide range of animations and transitions, enabling smooth and cinematic effects that bring slides to life.

Keynote presentations is known for its seamless integration within the Apple ecosystem. It works effortlessly with other Apple applications, allowing users to combine different elements and data from various sources. Presentations created in Keynote can be easily shared and accessed across Apple devices, ensuring a consistent experience for both the presenter and the audience.

Additionally, Keynote as a presentation software offers collaborative editing capabilities, enabling multiple users to work on the same presentation simultaneously. Users can share their presentations with others, who can then provide feedback, make edits and contribute to the project in real-time.

That said, since Keynote is exclusively designed for Apple devices, it may not be accessible or fully compatible with non-Apple platforms. Hence, sharing presentations created in Keynote with users on different platforms may require exporting or converting the files to a compatible format, which can lead to potential formatting issues or loss of certain features.

Mac users, creatives, professionals, educators and anyone who wants visually stunning presentations.

Elegant templates, advanced multimedia options, cinematic transitions and collaborative editing.

Keynote is available for free on Apple devices, including macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. As it comes pre-installed with these devices, users can access and use Keynote without any additional cost.

Prezi

Source: Screenshot from Prezi

Known for its distinctive zooming presentation style, Prezi revolutionizes the way you create presentations by offering a visually engaging and non-linear approach. 

One of Prezi’s renowned features is its unique zooming and transition effects, allowing presenters to navigate through a virtual canvas seamlessly. This dynamic presentation style enhances engagement by creating a sense of movement and spatial relationship between ideas.

Moreover, Prezi offers cloud-based collaboration, making it easy for multiple users to collaborate on a presentation in real-time. This feature facilitates seamless teamwork, enabling users to collectively develop and refine their presentations regardless of their physical locations.

Prezi presentations also include interactive elements, such as embedded videos, images and hyperlinks. Utilizing these elements would allow presenters to create interactive presentations and engage their audience on a deeper level.

However, Prezi has a steeper learning curve compared to more traditional presentation tools. Users may require some time and practice to become proficient in navigating the canvas, creating smooth transitions and effectively utilizing all of Prezi’s features.

Creative professionals, educators and individuals who want to create visually captivating and non-linear presentations.

Zooming presentation style, interactive elements, cloud-based collaboration and reusable templates.

For individuals & business professionals

Basics: Create and share up to 5 visual projects for free

Standard: Starting at $5 USD/month

Plus: Starting at $12 USD/month

Premium: Starting at $16 USD/month

Teams: Starting at $19 USD/month per user (billed annually)

For Students & Educators

EDU Plus: Starting at $3/month

EDU Pro: Starting at $4/month

EDU Teams: Enquiry required with Prezi sales team

Canva

Source: Screenshot from Canva

One of the great things about Canva as a presentation tool is its user-friendly interface, which makes it super easy to use even if you’re not a design pro. You can simply drag and drop elements to create your presentation slides without breaking a sweat.

Canva’s vast collection of pre-designed templates caters to various purposes and occasions. The availability of these templates allows users to jumpstart their design projects with professional-looking layouts, saving valuable time and effort.

For businesses or educational institutions working on group projects or marketing campaigns, Canva also offers collaboration features that enhance teamwork and co-creation. Users can invite team members or clients to collaborate on a design project, enabling real-time feedback and efficient design processes. 

While Canva does offer some basic slide transition effects, the range and customization options for transitions may be limited compared to dedicated presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Keynote. 

Individuals, students, small businesses and startups seeking professional-looking marketing materials and presentations.

Extensive template options, intuitive drag-and-drop interface, ability to share presentations as downloadable files or online links and built-in multimedia support for adding videos , images, and audio to slides.

The free version of Canva provides a wide range of features and resources, with the only limitations being the use of premium resources that can be acquired either through separate purchases or by subscribing to the Canva Pro plan. The Canva Pro plan is available for $12.99 USD per month or $119.99 USD per year.

For collaborative purposes, Canva Teams is available at a price of $14.99 USD per month, with an additional charge of $14.99 USD per month for every team member beyond the initial five.

7. Adobe Express

Adobe Express

Source: Screenshot from Adobe Express

As part of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, Adobe Express is a presentation software that offers a simplified and user-friendly interface. With its intuitive interface, Adobe Express allows users to create visually stunning presentations with ease. Users can access both design professionals and individuals without extensive design experience.

One of the notable advantages of Adobe Express is its seamless integration with other Adobe products, such as Photoshop and Illustrator. This integration enables users to leverage the power of these industry-standard design tools within their presentations, providing access to advanced design features and a vast library of high-quality assets. 

Adobe Express is also great for creating interactive presentations. Its extensive multimedia support, allowing users to incorporate videos, audio files and interactive elements to keep your audience engaged.

That being said,  some of its advanced features may require familiarity with other Adobe tools, which can be challenging for beginners who are not already familiar with the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem.

Designers, creative professionals, individuals and businesses seeking professional-grade presentation design.

Professional design options, multimedia support, easy integration with other Adobe products and cloud-based collaboration.

While the free version for Adobe Express includes all the core features, users can gain access to premium templates and features when they upgrade to the Premium subscription for $9.99 USD/month. 

For businesses and teams, Adobe provides tailored plans that include additional features like collaboration tools, centralized license management and enterprise-level support. The pricing for these plans depends on the number of licenses and the specific needs of the organization. It’s best to consult with Adobe or their authorized resellers to get accurate pricing information for business plans.

8. Haiku Deck

Haiku Deck

Source: Haiku Deck

Haiku Deck is all about visual storytelling, offering a simple and minimalist approach to designing presentations. With its clean and minimalist templates, Haiku Deck makes it a breeze to create presentations that focus on eye-catching images.

Haiku Deck is a user-friendly presentation software that offers a straightforward and intuitive interface. It’s designed to be easily accessible on both computers and mobile devices, giving you the flexibility to create quick and practical presentations on the go.

Plus, the presentation tool seamlessly integrates with image search engines, making it a piece of cake to find and add high-quality visuals that enhance the overall look and feel of your presentation.

However,if you’re looking for advanced features like complex animations or interactive elements, you might not find them here. While the clean and minimalist templates are gorgeous, they don’t offer as much flexibility for customization.

Educators, individuals and professionals who appreciate the power of visual storytelling and minimalist design.

Image-focused templates, easy-to-use interface, cloud-based collaboration and seamless image search integration.

Haiku Deck offers a free trial that allows you to experience the software with one presentation. If you decide to upgrade, they have different pricing plans available. Additionally, Haiku Deck also offers special pricing to qualifying nonprofit organizations, students and educators.

The Pro plans are available at $9.99 per month with annual billing or $19.99 per month with monthly billing. For those seeking advanced features, the Premium plans are priced at $29.99 per month.

apps for doing presentations

Source: Screenshot from Ludus

Ludus brings together the best of both worlds by offering the traditional slide deck format along with interactive and multimedia elements that take presentations to a whole new level.

The presentation software is rich in multimedia capabilities, allowing users to seamlessly integrate videos, audio and elements to create interactive presentations that captivate the audience.

Ludus offers unique presentation tools that enable users to incorporate interactive elements like clickable buttons, hover effects and embedded web content, enabling a more dynamic and engaging presentation experience. 

This makes Ludus a great choice for designers, creatives, marketing professionals, and anyone who wants to create interactive and visually appealing presentations that leave a lasting impression. Collaboration is another area where Ludus excels. The software offers collaborative editing, allowing multiple users to edit presentations simultaneously. 

However, it’s worth mentioning that Ludus has relatively limited templates compared to some other presentation software options. While the customization options are vast, users might find themselves starting from scratch or investing more time in creating the initial design. Additionally, for individuals new to the platform, there might be a learning curve involved in fully harnessing all of Ludus’ features and capabilities.

Designers, creatives, marketing professionals and anyone looking for interactive and visually appealing presentations.

Interactive and multimedia elements, collaborative editing, extensive design customization, real-time comments and feedback.

Ludus offers a starting price of $14.99 USD/month per user for teams consisting of 1-15 members with all features included. For larger teams requiring additional licenses, Ludus encourages reaching out for more information on pricing. It’s worth noting that Ludus provides a 30-day free trial, allowing users to explore the platform and its features before committing to a subscription.

10. Slidebean

Slidebean

Source: Screenshot from Slidebean

Slidebean offers a unique approach to slide design by automating the process and simplifying the creation of well-designed presentations. With its automation features, Slidebean streamlines the design process, saving users valuable time and effort.

The highlight of Slidebean is its automated slide design functionality. Using artificial intelligence (AI), the software generates visually appealing slide layouts based on the content provided. Slidebean also offers collaboration options, allowing multiple team members to work on a presentation simultaneously. 

Another advantage of Slidebean is its AI-powered content suggestions. The software intelligently analyzes the presentation content and provides helpful suggestions for improving the messaging and overall flow. This feature ensures that users can effectively communicate their ideas and engage their audience. 

Unlike Ludus, Slidebean may not cater to users who prefer extensive customization and control over their slide layouts. Certain advanced features are only available in premium plans, which may require an upgrade for those seeking more advanced functionality.

Startups, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and individuals who want to create polished presentations quickly.

Automated design, content suggestions, collaboration tools and pitch deck-specific templates.

The free version offers limited functionalities, but it provides a sufficient opportunity to experience Slidebean’s capabilities and understand its workflow. However, to export your presentation and access advanced features, upgrading to a higher plan is necessary. 

The all-access plan is available at $228 USD/year, while additional services such as startup expert consultations and pitch deck and financial model services are available for separate purchase. 

11. Beautiful.ai

Beautiful.ai

Source: Screenshot from Beautiful.ai

Beautiful.ai aims to simplify the process of creating visually stunning and professional-looking slides with minimal effort. One of the notable strengths of the presentation software is its collection of smart templates and design suggestions. 

Their templates are intelligently designed to provide visually appealing layouts, saving users valuable time and effort in creating presentations. Unlike other types of presentation software, the platform leverages AI-powered technology to offer layout optimization, ensuring that slide elements are positioned optimally for maximum impact.

Beautiful.ai also offers time-saving features that streamline the presentation creation process. The software automatically adjusts the layout and formatting as users add or modify content, eliminating the need for manual adjustments. 

As the software provides smart templates and design suggestions, customization options may be somewhat limited. Users may find that certain design elements or layout adjustments are not as flexible as they would like. 

Individuals, startups and professionals who want visually impressive presentations without extensive design skills.

Smart templates, automated design suggestions, AI-powered layout optimization and easy slide customization.

Beautiful.ai provides two subscription options for users. The Pro plan is available at a monthly cost of $12 USD /month, while the Team plan is priced at $40 USD/month. Both plans are billed annually. You can also subscribe to the monthly subscription for ad hoc projects and gain access to all pro features for $45 USD/month (billed monthly). 

There is a 14-day free trial period that allows users to thoroughly test and explore the features and capabilities of the tool before committing to a subscription.

Pitch

Source: Screenshot from Pitch

Pitch is a modern video presentation maker that stands out with its collaborative and iterative approach to presentation creation.

One of the key strengths of Pitch lies in its collaborative features. The presentation software provides robust collaboration tools that allow team members to work together in real-time. This makes it easy for users to collaborate on presentation content, provide feedback and make revisions collectively.

Pitch boasts an extensive slide library, offering a wide range of professionally designed templates to choose from. These templates serve as a foundation for creating visually stunning presentations while providing a starting point that saves time and ensures a polished look.

The availability of diverse templates caters to different industries, topics and presentation styles, allowing users to create presentations for their needs.

Seamless integration with project management tools is another advantage of Pitch. The software integrates well with popular project management platforms, enabling users to streamline their workflow by syncing tasks, deadlines and other project-related information with their presentations. 

For teams, startups and businesses that value collaboration, feedback and the ability to iterate on their presentations

Collaboration tools, version control, project management integration and template library.

Users can create unlimited presentations and enjoy the starter plan for free or upgrade to Pro for $8 USD/month, billed annually. 

There you have it — the top 12 best presentation tools for the year! Whether you value simplicity, collaboration, automation, design versatility or data visualization, these presentation software examples have a solution out there for your future presentations.

Got your mind set on your to-go presentation software? Great! Now it’s time to start creating your slides and ace that presentation. 

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15 Popular PowerPoint Alternatives (Full Comparison Guide)

Carla Albinagorta

PowerPoint is by far the most popular software for creating and sharing presentations, but it is not the only one!

In this article, we’ll go through the different PowerPoint alternatives you have and the pros and cons of each . Each one of these presentation software options has its own suitable features that will help you create outstanding slides.

In 24Slides, we’re experts at presentations . We know that when talking about slides, PowerPoint is only the tip of the iceberg. That’s why we’ve picked the 15 most popular PowerPoint alternatives that you can use to create outstanding presentations . We’ll go in-depth into each one, covering their price, their options for team collaboration, and if they can be used both online and offline.

Here are the alternative presentation software we’ll go through:

#2. Google Slides

#3. Apple Keynote

#4. Renderforest

#6. Powtoon

#7. Piktochart

#8. Beautiful.ai

#11. Microsoft Sway

#12. DigiDeck

#13. ZohoShow

#15. Haiku Deck

There are so many PowerPoint alternatives that picking one can be a bit tricky. In the end, the best presentation software is the one that fits your needs the most. That’s why we’ve added a ‘best for…’ section at the end of the article.

Hopefully, this will help you decide which PowerPoint alternative is best for your business and more likely to fulfill your goals to keep your audience interested and engaged. Keep reading to the end to find:

- The best free PowerPoint alternative

- The best PowerPoint alternative for enterprises

- The best presentation software for team collaboration

- The best PowerPoint alternative for e-learning and training

- The best PowerPoint alternative for small businesses

Hopefully, this will not only get you a complete overview of the different PowerPoint alternatives you can use, but it will also help you decide which one is the best presentation software for you!

What is the Best PowerPoint Alternative?

Not every PowerPoint alternative is built the same! While some of the presentation software on this list are very similar to Microsoft Office’s options, many have completely different features and work options.

That’s why to figure out which is the best for your business, you’ll need to compare them. In this section, we’ll go through each PowerPoint alternative’s main features, like template options, design elements library, collaboration features, mobile apps, and so on. We’ll also cover

-Presentation software pricing

-Pros and cons of each PowerPoint alternative

-What each presentation design tool is best suited for

When talking about PowerPoint alternatives, Prezi is one of the most popular ones. This presentation software became known for its non-linear layouts and unique take on presentations.

Unlike PowerPoint and many other alternative presentation software we’ll go through in this list, Prezi doesn’t use presentation slides. Instead, it works with a “canvas,” where the presenter can zoom in and out.

This makes Prezi presentations feel more fluid and “free-form” than your typical presentation.

One of the best features of this PowerPoint alternative is that it allows free plans and work online. However, it’s important to note that presentations created through free plans are public and can’t be saved as private , which can be a deal breaker for people working on presentations with sensitive information.

Main features :

  • Cloud and desktop app access
  • Images and templates library
  • Zoom, Google Meets, and Microsoft Team integrations for virtual presentations
  • Prezi Video puts presenters next to their graphics in real-time
  • Freemium (up to 5 projects)
  • Individual prices begin at $9/mo. (billed annually)
  • Enterprise solutions begin at $15/mo. (billed annually)
  • Non-linear, unique layouts
  • SOC2 Security for paid plans
  • Offline access with the desktop app
  • Free presentations are public
  • Steep learning curve
  • Can cause motion sickness in audiences unfamiliar with it

Best for : Storytelling and conversational-oriented presentations

2. Google Slides

If you’re looking for a quick and easy alternative to PowerPoint, then Google Slides is the one for you.

It has all the basic features you’d find in PowerPoint, with the added bonus of real-time collaboration options. And the best part, you will only need a Google Account to have immediate access to it.

Not only that, PowerPoint presentations are easy to convert to and from Google Slides. This means that you can use the vast array of presentation templates for PowerPoint, which is a huge bonus compared to other presentation software alternatives in this list.

While it offers business plans for higher storage capacity, most users will find the free plan of 15GB is more than enough and offers all the main features for creating presentations.

  • Real-time collaboration
  • Cloud-based
  • Google Workspace complete integration, including Google Meets for virtual presentations

Price : Free!

  • Completely free with a Google Account
  • Easy to convert to and from PowerPoint
  • SOC Certified
  • Limited animations and transitions compared to PowerPoint, only for traditional presentation slides.

Best for : Team collaboration and traditional presentation slides

3. Apple Keynote

For Mac users, Apple Keynote is this developer’s alternative to PowerPoint. And just like PowerPoint, it allows you to create impactful presentations to bring your ideas to life.

One of its main advantages is its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy and intuitive to use. However, this also means that many features available on other presentation software are not part of Keynote.

  • Available for all Apple devices
  • Touch interface available for iPad working
  • Integrated library of photos, videos, music, and charts
  • Intuitive and less cluttered workspace, user-friendly interface
  • Similar customization options as PowerPoint
  • Not available for non-Mac Users
  • Limited compatibility when exporting documents to and from PowerPoint

Best for : Mac Users

4. Renderforest

If you’re looking for a PowerPoint alternative to make non-traditional presentations, then you might want to check out Renderforest. This online design platform allows you to create complex videos and slideshows with just a few clicks.

You can use Renderforest to create unique presentations with seamless transitions and animations for a video-like feel.

You can try Renderforest for free but take into account that if you really want to use it as a recurrent tool for your presentations, acquiring a paid plan is a must. This will give you access to the full template catalog and advanced editing tools.

  • Animation toolkits
  • Templates and scenes library for easy use
  • Freemium (up to 500MB)
  • Lite $9.99/mo. (billed annually)
  • Pro $15.99/mo (billed annually)
  • Professional animations with a seamless “video” feel
  • Easy to use pre-made building blocks
  • Limited library of resources
  • Limited customization of templates
  • Full use requires a paid account

Best for : Video-like, seamless presentations

If you’re looking for a PowerPoint alternative to help you make the most without being a professional designer, check out Visme ! It is a self-appointed all-in-one content creation tool for non-designers.

As such, you can use Visme to create infographics, mockups, social media graphics, and of course, presentations. Visme also allows you to share your content with your team and collaborate with other people.

  • Graphs, charts, and data widgets
  • Social Media scheduling integration
  • Workspace for team collaboration
  • Font pairs and design toolkits
  • “Presenter studio” to record yourself
  • Freemium (up to 100MB)
  • Personal $12.25/mo. (billed annually)
  • Enterprise $24.75/mo. (billed annually)
  • App integrations for Social Media
  • Easy import and export from PowerPoint
  • Easy and user-friendly
  • Most templates are just for premium accounts
  • Free download in just one format

Best for : Wide range of design tasks

Looking for a unique PowerPoint alternative that gives your presentations that seamless feel? Then Powtoon will help you create eye-catching presentations for your brand!

It’s an excellent option for those looking for animated characters, as you can customize them to fit your audience and brand identity. It also offers a wide library of stock photos, music, and other design elements. Its templates make Powtoon easy to use, even for those with no previous experience.

However, just like other PowerPoint alternatives in this list, if you really want to make the most out of this tool, then a paid plan is a must.

  • Customizable cartoon characters
  • Brand identity tool-kits
  • Convert PowerPoint to video with the Office add-in
  • ISO Certified Cloud security
  • Several social media and apps integrations
  • Freemium (up to 2GB)
  • Pro starting at $20/mo. (billed annually)
  • Agency starting at $40/mo. (billed annually)
  • Dynamic, video-like presentations
  • Full customization options
  • Needs a premium account to make the most out of it
  • Videos made with free plans have Powtoon watermark

Best for : Educational presentations

7. Piktochart

Similarly to Visme, Piktochart is an online design platform for non-designers. You can use it to create all types of graphic content, like cards, brochures, infographics, and of course, presentations.

It offers a wide range of tools to create graphs and charts, making it ideal for reports and data-oriented products. You can also choose to download your presentations in PowerPoint format or present them online directly through the platform.

While some of the advanced brand features are exclusively for paid plans, this PowerPoint alternative’s free plan can be a great pick for those on a budget. Most features are still available for free, and you don’t need to worry about watermarks even without a Pro plan.

  • Export graphs and charts from Excel and Google Sheets
  • Cloud-based work
  • Template library
  • “Brand Assets” ($) for automatically updating brand guidelines
  • Team collaboration and project organization in folders
  • Pro starting at $14/mo. (billed annually)
  • Smart and customizable charts and maps
  • Traffic and views tools for all accounts
  • Download in .ppt format or present online
  • Color scheme customization only for paid plans

Best for : Infographics and data showcasing

8. Beautiful.ai

Looking for the most efficient way to create presentations? Beautiful.ai is a Powerpoint alternative that uses AI technology to generate professional presentation slides according to your needs automatically.

Its main selling point is to limit the time you spend creating presentations. That’s why it offers a library of smart templates and automatic brand guidelines to make your design experience more efficient.

And, if you’re willing to invest in it, the team plans really offer the most out of Beautiful.ai features.

  • Brand guidelines for team plans
  • Wide library of smart templates
  • DesignerBot
  • Pro $12/mo. (billed annually)
  • Team $40/mo. (billed annually)
  • $45 for single projects
  • Custom price for enterprise solutions
  • Great report-oriented templates: charts and data
  • PowerPoint + Google Slides integration
  • Lots of customization options
  • No freemium options
  • Most features are best for Team Plans and above

Best for : Business reports, low-effort beautiful professional presentations.

On the other hand, are you looking for a powerful design tool? If you’re missing a PowerPoint alternative that focuses on design features, Emaze’s HTML5 editor allows you to customize even the smallest details of your presentations.

Emaze also offers advanced features concerning analytics, so you can track your results and improve conversion rates.

All paid plans include questionnaires, collaboration options, and importing to and from PowerPoint and pdf documents.

Its freemium plan is an excellent option for trying out all the different features it offers, but take into consideration that presentations created with this plan come with a watermark.

  • E-learning questionaries
  • Analytics options
  • Remote presenting options
  • HTML5 Editor
  • Pro $13/mo (billed annually) (30 projects)
  • Executive $40/mo. (billed annually)
  • Business $125/mo. (billed annually)
  • Amazing customization options
  • Powerful design tools
  • Advanced analytics
  • Making the most out of it requires a steep learning curve
  • Branding tools are available just for Executive plans and above

Best for : Business and professional presentations

Vyond, previously known as GoAnimate, is a PowerPoint alternative that will help you create video-like content for your presentations.

Similarly to Powtoon, Vyong allows you to animate cartoon characters to convey your information in a more dynamic way. It offers 3 visual styles, Contemporary, Business Friendly, and Whiteboard, so you can pick which one fits your brand the best. And even better, you can sync the characters’ lips to match your message, making it look seamless and more professional.

Vyond enterprise-level security makes it a perfect fit for companies that are looking for a reliable and secure option to create videos and presentations on the cloud.

  • Enterprise level security
  • Unique, dynamic videos
  • Animated characters in 3 different styles
  • Essential $25 /mo. (billed annually) (with logo)
  • Premium $54/mo. (billed annually)
  • Professional $92/mo. (billed annually)
  • Enterprise-level security
  • Character customization and lipsync
  • Detailed animation options
  • All projects are watermarked unless Premium or above
  • Collaboration options are only available for Professional plans and above

Best for : Online training and learning

11. Microsoft Sway

If you think Microsoft's only option for presentation is PowerPoint, then think twice! Microsoft Sway is great for creating interactive presentations and reports, as it works wonders for content that doesn’t have a live presenter guiding it.

This makes it ideal for creating websites, bulletins, infographics, all overall anything where you‘d need to convey information in a visually appealing way.

And, Sway is completely free for anyone with a Microsoft Account!

However, one big drawback is that its workflow is very different from PowerPoint and other presentation software from this list. If you’re used to this kind of workspace, learning to use Microsoft Sway can feel overwhelming.

  • Interactive elements
  • Different visualization options than PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Office integrations
  • Steep learning curve - different work model than PowerPoint

Best for : Interactive presentations, bulletins, and infographics

12. DigiDeck

For a PowerPoint alternative that is 100% focused on your sales team’s presentations, then DigiDeck has no match.

It offers advanced analytics so you can track how your clients interact with your content and optimize your results. You can get real-time alerts when your presentations are being viewed so your sales team can use it as a lead opportunity. And it offers integrations with Salesforce and other CRM tools.

And, of course, it also enables you to customize your presentation in order to showcase your information in the most visually appealing way possible.

Since DigiDeck is a product aimed at enterprise-level customers, you must request a demo to understand how DigiDeck can help you and your business. They will give you a custom quote as well as help you develop your perfect enterprise solution.

  • CRM integrations
  • Data Analytics + real-time alerts for sales reps

Price : Custom quote

  • SOC2 Certified
  • Limited number of users
  • Need to provide your own photos and graphics to make the most out of the templates

Best for : Sales-oriented design products

13. ZohoShow

Looking for a free alternative to PowerPoint? ZohoShow is a completely free online platform for presentation slides!

Just like Google Slides, ZohoShow is a cloud-based presentation software with a very similar workspace to PowerPoint. Its minimalistic layout and user-friendly interface make it perfect for non-designers.

ZohoShow also offers different apps for you to both work and present on your mobile devices. This makes it perfect to work on a tablet or to present on a Smart TV. It also features a wide array of integrations with other apps, like Google Workspace or Slack!

  • Mobile app for working and presenting
  • PowerPoint integration
  • Chrome extension + mobile apps
  • Real-time collaboration for teams
  • Limited animations and transitions

Best for : Presentation slides on a budget

For a versatile PowerPoint alternative that can cover different design needs beyond presentations, Canva is worth checking out.

Canva’s design center allows you to create logos, flyers, banners, cards, and much, much more. Its library offers thousands of templates to pick from and to make your design process more efficient.

While you can use it freely, to truly make the most out of its collaboration and design tools, a paid plan is a must. This will allow you complete access to their resources and make teamwork much easier.

Canva also features mobile apps for both Mac and Android, so you have access to your designs whenever you need them.

  • Real-time collaboration ($)
  • Wide library of visual resources and templates
  • Brand kits ($)
  • Freemium (limited storage)
  • Pro $12.99/mo. (billed annually)
  • Teams $14.99/mo. (billed annually) (for the first 5 people)
  • Wide array of templates
  • Easy drag-and-drop interface
  • Desktop apps: online and offline modes
  • Best features are limited to premium plans

Best for : Versatile design tasks

15. Haiku Deck

If you’re looking for a user-friendly PowerPoint alternative, Haiku Deck might be the one for you. It allows you to create beautiful presentations with its huge library of photos and design elements.

Its interface is also pretty user-friendly, making it a great option to use for those who are not experienced in presentation design. And all their tools are focused on presentations’ best practices from experts, so you can rest assured that your message is being conveyed in the best way possible.

While Haiku Deck doesn’t offer a Freemium plan, you still have the option to try it out to see if it is the presentation software for you. You can register for the Basic plan to create your first free presentation. Just be aware that you’ll need to register after that and that you’ll not be able to download it.

Main features:

  • Privacy controls
  • Custom branding
  • Analytics (only for Premium)
  • Cloud-based workspace
  • Pro $9.99/mo. (billed annually)
  • Premium $29.99/mo. (billed annually)
  • Big royalty-free photo library
  • Easy export and import from PowerPoint and Keynote
  • Simple and user-friendly
  • No freemium option
  • Limited customization options

Best for: Creative presentations for non-designers

Maximize your marketing team while cutting costs

Choosing the Most Suitable PowerPoint Alternative for You

When talking about the best possible alternative to PowerPoint, it all comes down to what you’re looking for. While each of the presentation software we’ve presented in this article has its pros and cons, some might work better than others depending on the use you’re planning to give them.

The best free PowerPoint alternative

If you’re looking for a free presentation software that can do pretty much the same thing as PowerPoint, then Google Slides is definitely the best !

Google Slides workspace is pretty similar to PowerPoint, making it easy to work with for those who are already familiar with this type of software. It also has the added bonus that you only need a free Google account to gain access to it and, of course, full integration with other Google Workspace software.

Some PowerPoint features, like complex animations, for example, might not be available for Google Slides. However, other features like real-time collaboration compensate for it.

Another option for a free PowerPoint alternative is ZohoShow . Its mobile apps will allow you to create and edit your slides on the go with pretty much the same design options as PowerPoint.

The best PowerPoint alternative for enterprises

When talking about PowerPoint alternatives for enterprises, you should look for software that truly elevates your presentations and offers the most with their paid plans.

Beautiful.ai is a great option for enterprises looking for presentation software options . Its AI doesn't only help you design outstanding presentation slides, but its smart tools will help you create more presentations in a more efficient way.

If your focus is sales-oriented content, then you can’t go wrong with DigiDeck . Its advanced analytics and integration with CRM tools make it the perfect option for sales presentations.

The best presentation software for team collaboration

If you need a PowerPoint alternative that will allow different people to work together on a single project, you also have several good options.

Google Slides' real-time collaboration can work wonders for teams that need to go back and forth on the same document. Its free plan allows you to add several different collaborators to your workspace, which is also a plus.

Visme’s collaboration workspace is also worth checking out, as its organization and commentator options can be a huge asset for teams that need to work together on a single document.

The best PowerPoint alternative for e-learning and training

When talking about presentations for e-learning and online training, making them dynamic and didactic is key. That’s why some of the best presentation software alternatives for educational purposes are Powtoon and Vyond.

Powtoon offers a wide array of customization options for its animated characters, making it easy to develop your brand voice and identity. And Vyond’s character lipsync feature will help you make your presentations and video feel more seamless.

If you’re looking for an e-learning PowerPoint alternative, you might also want to check out Emaze . It features options to add questionnaires and exams to your presentations!

The best PowerPoint alternative for small businesses

For small businesses looking for PowerPoint alternatives for their presentations, it might be useful to hire software that also offers them a wide array of design options beyond just slides. That’s why Piktochart or Canva can be great presentation design options for small businesses .

Their both offer a template library that can be used for a whole range of design tasks. And their paid plans feature brand options that will help small businesses create a sense of unity between their different visual channels.

Hopefully, this PowerPoint alternative list will have offered you a good option for your presentation design!

However, there’s one thing they all have in common: whichever option you pick, you will still have to invest time and effort in creating presentation slides. So why not forget all about presentation design? 24Slides can take this time off your hands while you focus on more important tasks. Just sit back and relax while our professional presentation designers do all the heavy lifting and convert your slides into a true work of art!

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15 Best Presentation Software for 2021

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By Bilyana Nikolaeva

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The Best Presentation Software for 2021

On average a presentation takes up to 20 minutes and experts say we make an impression within the first 30 seconds. That is why it’s important to “dress” our great product/idea with an equally exciting design. Most often, presentations are cooked up by non-designers, which creates a specific need – for powerful presentation software, which can help communicate a message beautifully, effectively, and to suit any user’s skill level. We hand-picked 15 of the best presentation software for 2021 , which will help you create presentations online, share them, while shining in your best light. In the meanwhile, check out some useful ideas tips to spice up your presentations .

A web-based presentation tool, which means you can access your presentations wherever you are, with an internet connection. It is known for its animations, cartoons, and infographics, which help the user to create more interactive presentations and explainer-style videos.

Example by Focusky

Best Features:  Very interactive; you can create a unique to your story by combining different “frames” (slides); create your own animations within the presentation Price:  Free, but heavily subscription-based Learning curve:  Very intuitive, nicely organized by categories, but it would require some time to learn the animation controls Available for:  Online Perfect for: Marketing and education

To summarize, this presentation tool is best for marketers and education, where the creator can get the most out of the cool animation and cartoons available. In the last years, there is an increased interest in Powtoon and RenderForest and we expect that more and more people will use them in 2021. No surprise – if you look at our article about Graphic Design Trends in 2022 , everything is moving towards animation, cool 3D-s, cartoons, and illustrations – and these are all things that this software can offer for your presentation.

Prezi is an online presentation software, which resembles a mind map. In comparison, PowerPoint offers a linear way of presenting, whereas Prezi allows you to better show relationships between different elements of your presentation, show details, zoom in and zoom out and show an overall view of your topic. Compared to PowerPoint is more interactive, but with fewer functionalities and a choice of templates.

Example by PreziBase

Best Features:  Interactive presentations and interesting transitions, zoom in/out details Price:  The very basic features are free, but most of the interesting ones are paid, starting from $3/month and reaching up to $59/month. They offer a free trial. Learning curve:  it requires learning and going through a lot of menus and functionalities, similar to PowerPoint Available for:  Online / Limited use for iOS and Android (only viewing, not creating and editing) Perfect for: teachers, businesses, more experienced designers, and specific presentations needs, but not recommended for newbies

Prezi is best in showing relationships between different parts of your presentations. There are some challenges in editing, and viewing across devices and its best features are paid for. We recommend it for quick, mind-map-like presentations without the need for ultra-special design.

3. RenderForest Presentation Maker

RenderForest is an online presentation tool, which is famous for its explainer style and whiteboard animations. The presentation templates often offer various motion/video backgrounds, which helps to grab your audience’s attention. Currently, the company is working on releasing its Graphic Design Software, which will allow users to create printables and beautiful designs for social media. This shows that RenderForest’s team knows the market well and does its best to cater to its needs!

apps for doing presentations

Example by Renderforest

Best Features:  Video holders with text on shapes, cool transitions Price:  There is a free version, the paid ones start at $20.34 per user/month Learning curve:  Relatively easy to use, the simple interface helps the user Available for:  Online / iOS / Android Perfect for:  Education and business

Although not one of the cheapest solutions, it allows you to create engaging and interactive presentations with lots of cool animations. That makes RenderForest a great choice for more educational and marketing explainer-type videos/presentations.

4. Mentimeter

Mentimeter is a very interesting online presentation software. It allows your audience to engage with your presentation in real-time and you can create polls, ask questions, which are then displayed to your presentation. The answers from the audience remain anonymous so people are even more encouraged to participate.

Example by Mentimeter

Best Features:  Launch live, interactive polls, surveys, quizzes and create things like word clouds in real-time Price:  It has a free version, but the paid plans offer most of the attractive features – the basic plan costs $9.99 per user/month and the more advanced plan is $24.99 per user/month Learning curve:  Easy to use; might need to explain to a less tech-savvy audience how to connect to your presentation Available for:  Online / Android / iOS Perfect for:  Educators, speakers, business and competitions

An excellent choice for educators, speakers, and businesses who want to engage the audience in real-time and display the results immediately. Clean, simple designs, that help you focus on the content.

5. Libre Office Impress

Libre Office is free presentation software, an open-source alternative to PowerPoint. As you can expect from a free product, it offers only the main features of its “big brother”, but it’s a good solution for people used to Microsoft’s productivity suite. The interface is very similar to PowerPoint, which again makes it comfortable to use for a certain audience. Users who need collaboration on presentations, clean interface, and more creative design solutions should steer away from this free presentation software because it will simply not cover their needs.

apps for doing presentations

Example by Theodoros Bousios

Best Features:  Free, compatible with older versions (Windows XP for example) Price:  Free Learning curve:  It will take some time to go through all the options and to get familiar with the interface; Available for:  Windows / macOS / Linux / Android / iOS. Perfect for:  people who want to use a free product and people with older operation systems

To summarize, Libre is free, compatible with older versions, it can cover your basic needs for a presentation, but the options are too many and available templates too little.

6. Zoho Show

Zoho Show is also an online presentation software, which has a very friendly user interface and great collaboration features. There are many functionalities, which help you create a beautiful design, but require some time and design knowledge to get it right. The premade templates are limited and this presentation software needs an internet connection to be able to edit and present.

apps for doing presentations

Image by Zoho

Best Features:  Live broadcasting a presentation with live chat and commenting Price:  Zoho Show is free for personal use. For business users, Zoho Show is included in the Zoho Docs enterprise pricing packages – €5 or €8 per user/month Learning curve: Available for:  Online / Android / iOS Perfect for:  non-profits, start-ups, personal use, teachers

To summarize, Zoho offers great collaboration features, but you need a connection to edit and present. It is suitable for quick, non-pretentious presentations, where you need some kind of collaboration.

7. ClearSlide Presenter

ClearSlide is a sales engagement platform, including an online presentation tool. Another online tool – SlideRocket, was acquired by ClearSlide and one of the differences is that ClearSlide is more costly and targeted at larger businesses. It’s a great platform for very specific needs – collaborating between sales and marketing teams, to achieve the company’s goals. It’s clear even by the interface:

apps for doing presentations

Image by ClearSlide

Best Features: Analytics for costumers’ engagement, video conferencing, screen sharing Price:  They offer a free trial and you can see more about the payment plans here. Learning curve:  Clear and simple interface, but it requires some time to get used to the tools Available for:  Online Perfect for: Sales/business, managers (for coaching); not suitable for newbies, teachers, students

To summarize, ClearSide is perfect for presenting sales pitch , graphics, collaborate in larger teams. It is somehow restrictive for a non-designer because the templates are specific.

8. Piktochart

Piktochart allows you to make infographics, presentations, and printables quickly. Primarily known for its easy customizable infographics, Piktochart also has simple presentation templates and the company is constantly trying to update its library.

Example by Piktochart Knowledge Base

Best Features:  Turning data-heavy content into simple visuals; nice transitions between slides Price:  There is a free version and a paid one, starting at $29 per user/month. They offer a free trial. Learning curve:  It requires time to get used to the options available and to navigate through Available for:  Online Perfect for:  Designers, teachers; it does not offer collaboration options, which might be needed by teams, students, etc.

Compared to other online presentation software is a bit costly and we could still ask a bit more from the presentation templates. We’d recommend it to someone who often uses infographics and wants to use a single platform to combine the infographics with a presentation. But why not check our free infographics as well?

Slides is online presentation software, initially aimed at developers and covering their presentation needs. Thus said, it does not offer offline editing, but you can present offline, after exporting your presentation.

Best Features:  It allows you to use your phone as a remote control; Live Present Mode allows you to control what your audience sees; drop in code, iframes, and SVGs with ease. Price:  Free, with paid plans starting at $7.00/month and $14-$18/month for pro and team packages. They offer a free trial. Learning curve:  friendly interface, but too many functions and options, which might overwhelm the average user and beginner Available for: Online Perfect for:  developers, designers, a little bit too specific for newbies

To summarize, it’s a very cool tool, giving you complete design freedom, but that is also why we do not recommend it to teachers, non-designers, or marketers. Developers and design gurus will love it.

Canva is a web-based solution that started with a mission – to make beautiful designed content available to everyone. The whole platform is organized so that a person without any prior design knowledge can easily create graphs, images, and presentations to impress. Although it is not the best tool for data visualization, it scores high in any other category. Needless to say, it has become a popular choice amongst non-designers.

Image by Iconfinder

Best Features:  Plenty of beautiful templates to choose from and Canva school has plenty of tutorials and tips for free. It offers more free functionalities compared to other competitors. Price:  Free, the offer different subscription plans, starting at $9.95 per user/month Learning curve:  Very easy to use, most of the actions can be performed by drag-and-drop Available for:  Online / iOS / Android Perfect for:  newbies, marketers (who need a unified look across all their social media), non-profits, and teachers

Canva is becoming one of the most popular tools amongst non-designers for creating beautiful unified content. You can create entire presentations, flyers, and other materials with a single drag and drop.

11. Slidebean

Slidebean is the go-to online presentation software for last-minute projects, that look original and professional. Slidebean offers clean and easy-to-use templates and keeps track of your audience’s engagement.

Source Slidebean

Best Features:  It allows you to arrange your content with the help of AI, which saves time creating a beautiful layout. You just pick a template, upload content, and let the AI offer you a nice layout. Premade animations, effects, and alignments are automatically applied to your content and create a cohesive look. Price:  Free, paid versions starting from $8/month Learning curve:  very easy to use since everything is made to fit the premade templates Available for:  Windows / Mac / Android / iOS Perfect for:  financial, academic, pitch, marketing, sales; everything quick with a clear structure

To summarize, if you are in a hurry, Slidebean will offer several layouts for your slides and speed up the process of creation. The platform targets primarily sales, marketing, and financial fields, and the available templates reflect that.

12. Google Slides

Google Slides is part of the G Suite business application. Its popularity has increased in the last years since it’s a web-based platform, allowing you to store, edit, and share your presentation, without the need of installing presentation software on your computer. All you need is a Google account and you are good to go.

Image by G Suite Updates blog

Best Features:  It’s free for personal use, and offers great paid features for business – for example, seamless collaboration and commenting on a presentation, converting other presentations to Google Slides. Some other great features are the wide variety of fonts available (GoogleFonts, not need installing), easy embedding, plus it’s super intuitive and easy to use! Price:   It’s free for individual use. For business use, the price starts at $5/user/month and plans of $10 and $25/user/month, for unlimited cloud storage and extra features Learning curve:  Simple interface, but it will require some time to pick up. Similar to PowerPoint, only a bit lighter. Available for:  Windows / Mac / Online Perfect for:  businesses, freelancers, who need a user-friendly app with elementary features; great for collaborating teams, not so perfect for complex designs and tools, required by big enterprises

Perfect for personal use, well synchronized across different devices, similar to PowerPoint. Maybe you are a teacher and you like GoogleSlides because it is free and easy to use? Well, we’ve gathered some awesome FREE GoogleSlides and PowerPoint templates , specially made for education needs.

If you need something along the lines of PowerPoint but need the option for collaboration – a paid plan for GoogleSlides is your go-to choice.

13. Keynote

Keynote is an Apple product, very similar to Google Slides. All you need to do is create an iCloud account (similar to a Google account) and start using Keynote from there. Running Keynote on Windows also requires an internet connection and a modern browser. The latest version can also import and export PowerPoint formats if needed. All this sends Keynote higher in the list regarding the accessibility and shareability of this presentation software.

apps for doing presentations

Image by Envato tuts+

Best Features:  Simplicity of design, great drag and drop functions, polished transitions and animations, easy image editing/cropping; works great with multimedia; design templates with better aesthetic than an average slide deck; Price:  Free for macOS and iOS Learning curve:  Pretty easy to use for Mac users, a bit of learning curve for users, having experience with other software. Available for:  Mac / Windows / Online Perfect for:  businesses, marketers, people with not much of a design experience

Bottom line, if you are a Mac user, you love the sleek design and you are looking for cool aesthetics – Keynote is simple to use and free, why not use it?

14. Adobe Spark

Adobe Spark is a web and mobile-based media creation application, which helps you create social graphics, short videos, and web pages. What is immediately noticeable is the clean, crisp, simple, and modern designs, which focus you on the content. If you are looking for a funky, ornate design – Adobe Spark is not the right pick for you.

Example by Cikeys

Best Features:  Beautiful templates, user-friendly interface, step-by-step creation, you can add audio to your slides (narrating) Price:  There is a free version, the paid on starts at $9.79. The best templates, as with the competitors, are paid. They do not offer a free trial. Learning curve:  Easy to use Available for:  Online / iOS / Android Perfect for:  quick presentations, teachers, basic presentations without jamming them with too much cool stuff.

Adobe Spark eliminates the cluster of design options and leads you step-by-step in creating elegant, simple presentations. Ideal for basic presentations, not the best for sales and marketing.

15. PowerPoint

PowerPoint certainly is a “classic” – it’s has been the most popular tool for creating presentations so far. What first started as a component of the Microsoft Office suite, now has improved shareability and accessibility. It can be used on the web (as part of Office on the web), works with Android, and iOS, and there is a Mobile app, as well as presentation software for mac.

Example by Abris DC

Best Features:  Many people are familiar with the software, a wide variety of templates; improved accessibility across platforms; extensive tools and options Price: If you want to enjoy the full features of PowerPoint, you’ll need to subscribe to Microsoft 365 – they have payment plans for personal or business use. The price for personal use starts at $5.99/month or $59.99/year, and business plans start at $12.50 per user/month with an annual commitment. You can find more information here . The mobile applications are completely free to use, of course with some limitations. You can compare the available features across different platforms  here. Learning curve: Due to the variety of options and the complexity of the menus, it might take some time to master all of its features. Something that could take a lot of time is editing the text, arranging the visuals, and picking the right transitions – overall, is time-consuming. Still, the interface remained easy to navigate over time and if you trust your design sense, you can achieve satisfying results. Available for: Windows / Mac / Online Perfect for: business, medical, accounting and students; creating concise presentations; but not so suitable for teachers, educators, start-ups and marketers who want to create more interactive and story-based presentations.

To this date, PowerPoint is keeping the lead as the most popular tool for creating presentations. Some of the downsides are that sometimes it can be time-consuming to come up with a good design and PP doesn’t offer collaboration tools and compared to other platforms. But we have a solution for at least one of your problems – we’ve selected 31 Modern PowerPoint templates to set the right tone for your presentation. 

We made a quick summary for you…

Ok, not that we’ve looked at the 15 best presentation software for 2021, we decided to go one step further and compare them by price and popularity. Let’s have a look first at the new-comers:

apps for doing presentations

As you can see, the leaders from the uprising platforms are Canva and Mentimeter, with relatively low prices and with huge success amongst users . Powtoon, Piktochart, and Renderforest are a bit costly , but they are popular since they offer a lot of animation and interactive elements. Hey, but maybe some of the other tools are right for you? We encourage you to go on their websites, contact their support team, and see what they have to offer.

Then, let’s see how the veterans are ranking:

apps for doing presentations

It’s no surprise that PowerPoint and Google Slides are at the top – people are used to their products, have familiar interfaces, and offer a lot of functionalities at a good price. Although, for quick, unpretentious results, their competitors are a very attractive solution.

Final words

We can conclude that there are many useful tools to help you create beautiful presentations. Some of them are well-known and have been here for a while, while others are uprising… No matter the case, we notice a trend for presentation tools catering not only to the designers’ needs but also to the newbies, marketers, and teachers. That way, enabling everyone to create stunning presentations in no time and share them easily.

We hope this presentation software list shed some light on different options out there and that we helped you evaluate quickly what would work for your situation best.

You may also be interested in these related articles:

  • 12 PowerPoint Presentation Tips To Dramatically Boost Your Efficiency
  • 35 Free Google Slides Infographic Templates to Grab Now
  • 23 Online Collaboration Tools for Your Remote Team

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Best free presentation software of 2024

Find an alternative to PowerPoint

A person doing a presentation on a whiteboard.

  • Best overall
  • Best for functionality
  • Best for collaboration
  • Best for speed
  • Best user interface
  • How we test

The best free presentation software makes it simple and easy to create professional presentations without a Microsoft subscription.

While PowerPoint is the market leader when it comes to presentation software, some people may be unwilling to subscribe to a Microsoft 365 subscription, especially if they don't expect to need to use it very often.

However, there are plenty of great alternatives to PowerPoint available for free that you can use. While these won't have the same advanced features as PowerPoint, they still offer a very competent platform to design most any presentation that you need.

To help you choose, we've listed below the best free presentation software currently available.

Add images to your presentations using the best free photo editor .

Google Apps

Google Workspace : Collaboration + productivity apps There are many different presentation software packages but Google Workspace formerly known as G Suite remains the original cloud office software and one of the best business office suites, offering a huge range of features and functionality that rivals can't match, especially when it comes to presentation software. Try it free for 14 days .

The best free presentation software of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Best free presentation software overall

Website screenshot for Prezi.

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Prezi turns the traditional approach to presentations on its head. Instead of creating slide after slide, this presentation software gives you a single giant canvas. You can add blocks of text or images, or even create miniature slides. During your presentation, you can seamlessly fly around the canvas and zoom in to look at individual chunks of content.

For how complex Prezi seems, it’s impressively simple to use the platform. The only major divergence from Microsoft PowerPoint is that you need to add animated paths from one part of the canvas to another. The tools for this are fairly straightforward, especially if you’ve ever used an animation or video editing software.

Of course, this type of presentation structure isn’t always ideal. Prezi makes it hard to visualize structured data like financials, which can make it difficult to use in business applications. Some viewers also might not appreciate the fly-around animation style that’s inherent to the presentation software.

Read our full Prezi review .

  • ^ Back to the top

Best free presentation software for functionality

Website screenshot for LibreOffice.

2. LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a free alternative to Microsoft Office, and it includes a Powerpoint equivalent called Impress with nearly all of the same functionality. The only big difference you’ll find between the two slideshow creation tools is the LibreOffice lacks some modern features like built-in collaboration and integration with Microsoft OneDrive.

However, Impress does have a few advantages of its own. The software can import files from Keynote, the default presentation software on Mac computers. Plus, there are hundreds of free templates that you can download for free. Even better, there’s no limit on what fonts you can use with Impress, so it’s easy to change the look of your presentation from what Powerpoint typically allows.

On the whole, LibreOffice Impress is about as close as it gets to simply replicating Microsoft Powerpoint for free.

Read our full LibreOffice review .

Best free presentation software for collaboration

Website screenshot for Google Slides.

3. Google Slides

Google Slides is part of Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), and it does a nice job of matching a number of PowerPoint’s capabilities. This free presentation software supports embedding videos, creating diagrams, and adding animations to your slides. While the selection of templates is somewhat limited, you can easily import hundreds of additional templates for free or create your own.

Even better, Google Slides supports the collaboration tools users have come to expect from Google. Multiple people can work on a slideshow simultaneously, and there’s a built-in group chat so you can keep track of what everyone is doing. It’s also nice that you can play your presentation in presenter mode, which allows you to preview how it will look to your audience and rehearse timing.

The only downside to Google Slides is that bloated slideshows can experience some loading delays. Also beware that while you can move between Slides and Powerpoint, the conversion often messes with the layout of your slides.

Read our full Google Slides review .

Best free presentation software for speed

Website screenshot for Canva.

Canva is perfect for making speedy presentations right in your web browser. This software offers a handful of free layouts to help you get your slideshow started, and it’s easy to customize the templates to fit your needs. There isn’t a huge variety of content elements to add to your presentation, but Canva makes up for this with a searchable library of more than 1 million images you can use.

Your Canva presentations live online, which makes it extremely easy to collaborate. You can invite colleagues to edit your slideshow (although simultaneous editing is not supported) or seamlessly share your finished presentation. However, beware that Canva can’t import presentations from Microsoft Powerpoint or export finished work to a Powerpoint-editable format.

Read our full Canva review .

Best free presentation software for user interface

Website screenshot for WPS Office.

5. WPS Office Free

WPS Office Free is a Microsoft Office look-alike that fully support PowerPoint files without any layout issues during import. The WPS Presentation tool has all of the same capabilities of PowerPoint, including tons of animations, slide transitions, content effects, and video embedding. The selection of included presentation templates is also very impressive for a free software.

One of the best things about this presentation software is that the user interface will feel incredibly familiar if you’re coming from Microsoft. All of the tools are displayed in a top ribbon, with your slides shown on the left side of the screen for easy navigation. It’s simple to display your presentation right from WPS Presentation, which means there’s no unexpected troubleshooting when it’s time to show off your work.

There’s not much to dislike about WPS Presentation. However, keep in mind that the software is supported by ads. Some users find the ads annoying, but they’re not overly in the way.

Read our full WPS Office Free review .

We've also featured the best free office software .

Best free presentation software FAQs

Which alternative to powerpoint is best for you.

When deciding which alternative to PowerPoint to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes free platforms may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, free and budget software options can sometimes prove limited when it comes to the variety of tools available, while higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require.

How we test the best free presentation software

To test for the best free presentation software we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .  

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Michael Graw is a freelance journalist and photographer based in Bellingham, Washington. His interests span a wide range from business technology to finance to creative media, with a focus on new technology and emerging trends. Michael's work has been published in TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Business Insider, Fast Company, Salon, and Harvard Business Review. 

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10 Best Free Presentation Software for 2024

May 17, 2024

Alexandra Vazquez photo

  • 1. Google Workspace

2. Microsoft 365

  • 3. Simplified
  • 4. Synthesia

6. Mentimeter

7. renderforest.

  • 8. Colossyan Creator

9. Beautiful.ai

10. xtensio, comparison of the best free presentation software.

  • Free presentation software: frequently asked questions

apps for doing presentations

Creating presentations emphasizes the strength and commitment of business teams to achieve certain objectives over a fiscal quarter. But every business's first instinct is to invest in traditional and subscription-based software. 

While it helps to get the needful done, the add-on cost still dents the budget. Free presentation software enables professionals to create sleek and data-driven decks and deliver their presentations with confidence and zeal.

Before you skedaddle into the process of putting slides together, researching and noting key pointers for your next presentation is crucial. Check out this list of free presentation software to do all of that without paying monthly or annual subscription costs.

Let's look at the list of these 10 best free presentation software that offer intuitive user interfaces and all visual elements to empower employees and build amazing pitches.

10 Best free presentation software in 2024

  • Google Workspace 
  • Microsoft 365
  • Synthesia 
  • Renderforest
  • Colossyan Creator
  • Beautiful.ai

How did we select and evaluate the best free presentation software?

At G2 , we rank software solutions using a proprietary algorithm that considers customer satisfaction and market presence based on authentic user reviews. Our market research analysts and writers spend weeks testing solutions against multiple criteria set for a software category. We give you unbiased software evaluations; that's the G2 difference!

We didn't accept payment or exchange links for product placements in this list. Please read our G2 Research Scoring Methodology for more details.

Top 10 best free presentation software of 2024

Whether you're creating an instructional onboarding deck or showing off your latest metrics in a team meeting, there is a free presentation solution to fit your needs and wants.

The list below contains real user reviews from the best presentation software category. It’s important to note that in the context of this list, vendors that offer a free trial are also considered to be free .

To be included in this category, software must:

  • Create slide-based presentation decks
  • Provide online charts and graphs to support the footnotes, speaker notes, or slide notes. 
  • Offer editable slide templates and themes
  • Include shape animations, slide animations, and clip art.
  • Allow users to embed text, audio, images, and videos within the presentation

*This data was pulled from G2 in 2024. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity. 

1. Google Workspace 

Google Slides, a part of Google Workspace , is a comprehensive presentation and visual collaboration platform that provides in-depth integrations to elevate your presentation decks. Users can deft up professional-grade presentations and creative illustrations and sync them in real-time with other collaboration apps like G-Drive or G-docs to keep teams updated and informed of all the edits and changes. It also auto-saves slides and temporarily stores chart values at random shutoffs, so you don't have to begin from ground level every time. 

Easy user management to provide and revoke access  Complex data maintenance
Increased productivity and team collaboration  No offline access; internet connection is mandatory
In-app integrations with Google Meet, Google Calendar, and Google Docs  Limited flexibility and customization options for expensive users. 

What users like best:

"Google Slides is my favorite thing about Google Workspace. The option for all team members to edit in real time helps us increase productivity and save time in repeated reviews and editing.

The next best thing is Gmail which helps us to have our business email while it is being handled by Gmail in silos, but the receiver never gets to know it's actually Gmail." 

- Google Workspace Review , Adarsh S. 

What users dislike:

"A few downsides to using Google Workspace, which can be a deciding factor for many people, are that it only works online. No internet access directly means no workspace. However, I am bothered by the current support for mobile devices. I am able to view sheets, docs, and slides easily with just a click. However, to edit even a bit of data, I need to download the app."

- Google Workspace Review , Megha R.

Microsoft 365 offers an all-in-one slideshow and presentation-making platform called PowerPoint. This software entails numerous data analysis and visualization features to represent your data pictorially. With the addition of Microsoft PowerPoint, users can build efficient decks with captivating graphical data. It also contains built-in design repositories, transitions, audio and video playback features, and advanced flowcharts and graphs to summarize and extract data dependencies for presentations.  

Integrated suite of productivity, collaboration, and security Steep learning curve
Best cloud infrastructure and document retrieval Prebuilt project limitations 
Easy and intuitive user interface  Disconnected applications of suite 

"I can confidently say it's a powerful and versatile productivity suite that has significantly enhanced my workflow. SO here are some feature I personally liked that is it offers a wide range of applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and more whichmake it a comprehensive suite. As it is a cloud base it is easy to store the data, which is easy to use. Also, it ensures automatic updates to the latest versions, keeping users equipped with the most recent features."

- Microsoft 365 Review , Muskan A.

" While Microsoft 365 offers an extensive range of features, the subscription cost can be a bit steep for individual users or small businesses. The user interface across different applications could be more consistent for a smoother user experience. Additionally, occasional syncing issues between desktop and cloud versions have been a minor inconvenience. It would be great to see more streamlined solutions for offline access and better customization options for the interface to cater to individual preferences.

- Microsoft 365 Review , Felipe V.

3. Simplified 

Simplified is an easy-to-use presentation software offering a variety of templates, design tools, and collaboration features. Ideal for teams, it enables the quick creation of visually appealing presentations, infographics, and social media graphics. Simplified streamlines the design process, making it accessible for users of all skill levels.

Simplified offers image trace and edit options for you to tailor your deck visuals before clubbing them together for slideshows. 

Multiple brand kits Usage limitations 
In app publishing Insufficient slide credits 
Ease of use and content creation Limited flexibility and customization options for experienced users

" The dashboard and user interface are so cool and easy. I like the look and feel while working with it. The features and suggestions are helpful. Text-to-image and Video features give good results. Brainstorming blog topics and blog content is easy"

- Simplified Review , Sheeba T. 

"Sometimes the option for generating sections automates itself to 2 even when I only want 1 option to save up on monthly credits. This is an issue the development team can look into.

- Simplified Review , Millicent K.

4. Synthesia 

Synthesia is a presentation software that enables you to generate powerful, AI-supported videos and animations to represent information in a contextual manner. The tool offers real-time video rendering, image creation, image annotaiton, AI scriptwriting and conversational intelligence to convert your documents into attractive creatives, voice clips and screen narrations. 

Quality of videos and realistic avatar creation Sudden upgrade pop ups 
Video creation and ease of use Avatar limitations in certain areas
Multi scene recognition in real-time

Voiceover limitations 

" The app is very easy to use, we started working on videos within minutes. We're using this for internal training right now, which in the real world, video production like this would've taken days if not weeks and a lot of coordination. We'll be working on a lot more content for both internal use and potentially for outbound sales and content production. I had a question I couldn't find an answer to, and customer support was very fast and provided a great workaround solution."

- Synthesia Review , Nick W.

" I wanted to create a Youtube ad. And while I was able to do all the editing I wanted in the video, one thing was missing... I couldn't change the transitions of each slide/scene. So I can't use the video I created for this purpose of running it as an ad, but the easy of use was really good. Plus, the team shared they will add this feature to their roadmap."

- Synthesia Review , Ivan I.

RELAYTO is a document experience platform for creating immersive presentations. RELAYTO has sharing, embedding, converting, and auto-generating tools. Qualified users can enjoy these features for free. You can transcript meeting minutes, generate decks from rough notes, customize your illustrations in real time and do much more with numerous compatible content integrations. 

Drag and drop features and editor Initial difficulty in software understanding
Very intuitive and user friendly interface More features for text creation like font size, color selection and style
content management system support

Learning difficulty and complicated user interface

“My experience with RELAYTO has been truly eye-opening. The ability to add depth and dimension to presentations truly elevates our status in the eyes of prospects and clients as a company that brings professionalism and real value to them. We know how great our solutions and client services are, yet using other platforms doesn't do the job of conveying that to the client as RELAYTO does.”

- RELAYTO Review , Mike R.

“I have only ever designed for print, so there's a bit of a learning curve, but their support is top-notch. You can book a consultation with an expert on how you want to use the platform. Once over that curve, the results are remarkable.”

- RELAYTO Review , KD G.

Mentimeter is an audience engagement platform with tools to build interactive presentations, compile data from live polls, and collect insights about user participation. The Mentimeter free plan offers unlimited audiences and presentations. It offers conversational intelligence and adds presentation notes to outbound sales calls and marketing workflows.

Audience engagement without any interruption Weak PowerPoint integration
Interactive engagement for people to opine on topics Powerpoint limitations and compatibility issues
Collecting live feedback from presentations 

Confusing access permissions

“Any presentation created with Mentimeter looks professional and presentable. Mentimeter takes care of the design aspect for you. It's straightforward and extremely easy to use. It's also flexible - I've used Mentimeter for live surveys, quizzes, and training. They've got excellent customer support, too. ”

- Mentimeter Review , Haley S.

“At times, Mentimeter can feel a bit overly simplistic or repetitive. Most Mentimeter presentations tend to look very similar, and the engagement tools are limited to a degree.”

- Mentimeter Review , Stephanie H.

Renderforest   is an all-in-one platform that brings presentations to life with graphics, videos, and animations. A free Renderforest plan allows for unlimited mockups, access to over 200,000 stock videos, and free subdomains. Be it video, photos, slow-mo graphics, stop motion animation or data-driven charts, renderforest can convert and publish these files on live environment for brand consistency. 

High resolution logo designing Lack of creation of user folders 
Growing library of ready to use mockup templates Limited text formatting
Interesting user interface 

No deeper design customization 

“Renderforest is one of the best online video software for any of my video projects. Whether it’s an animation, intro project, corporate presentation, or slideshow, Renderforest gives you user-friendly templates that are customizable, and the final product is very professionally done. Since using this platform, the amount of commendation that my projects have received is overwhelming.”

-   Renderforest Review , Sherdon F.

“I would like to see more templates and more flexibility in Renderforest.”

-  Renderforest Review , Shubham K.

8. Colossyan Creator 

Colossyan Creator is an AI video-making and slide-making app that specializes in quality content. With this video editing app, you can compose studio-quality videos, trailers, and teasers and also convert your documented strategies and launch plans into a video narrative. Colossyan Creator is being used for social media marketing on a large scale today and at a fraction of the cost of video creation. 

Multiple avatar creation A limited number of templates 
Seamless conversion of text and PDF files  Weak avatar quality
Easy to use with minimal video experience 

Not many multilingual options

What users like:

"I would say anybody looking for a presenter, of any sort, can make use of Colossyan. The best and most common use case would be company induction. I had to train many people in my life, and if I had this product then it would have saved thousands of hours! The best value added is multiple presenters. No other platform gives that."

f- Colossyan Creator Review ,  Hennie L. 

"It is not easy to edit content while using pre-built templates, I had challenges in using animation, it doesn't appear correctly after applying it. Also, I didn't find enough tutorials and tooltips to make changes in the templates. I requested a demo 3 times by special form, but no one got in touch with me for 2 business days."

- Colossyan Creator Review   , Katya K.

Beautiful.ai has smart templates to make presentation building a breeze. It can put together structured and ironed-out data visuals with supplemented slide text and build insightful decks. The Beautiful.ai paid plan options include onboarding guides, collaborative workspaces, viewer analytics, and more. Their free trial lets users get a taste of everything they offer. 

Presentation creativity A limited number of templates 
Smart slide templates  Weak avatar quality
Consistent delivery of professional presentation 

Not many multilingual options

“Beautiful.ai makes creating presentations easy. Just finished your slide and want to add another point? Not a problem: you can easily add a bullet or object or chart, and the whole slide magically moves around and realigns for you.”

- Beautiful.ai Review , Anne-Marie M.

" The AI bot becomes confused most times and you have to continually repeat the instructions as you wait for it to respond. Since you said it's still learning, I guess the more people use it the faster and more intelligent it will become."

- Beautiful.aI Review , Catherine O. 

Xtensio is a document management and slide-sharing platform used to manage paperless departmental communication and workflows. It is a cloud-based document creation and project management tool to update task progress, maintain project plans and objectives, and achieve project goals faster. Xtensio helps project managers view team updates, feedback, progress, and main point of contact interventions to expedite project outcomes.

Integrated website builders  A limited number of templates 
Ready to use design templates Weak avatar quality
Support for pitch decks and persona creation 

Not many multilingual options

" As a beginner, the user persona feature of the extension was incredibly helpful and intuitive. The knowledge material offered insightful guidance on creating personas, and the clear explanation of various elements in the user persona template made it easy to get started. This tool simplified the process of developing user personas, enhancing my understanding and implementation in projects, thereby providing a great learning experience.

- Xtensio Review , Ashish R.

" it's little hard to copy/paste components on the templates."

- Xtensio Review , Cem Beybars G. 

Here is a collated summary of all the tangible parameters of the best free presentation software, which you can go through at a glance before airing more opinions. 

Google Workspace 4.6/5 Available, limited features Starting at $6.00 per month 
Microsoft 365 4.6/5 Available, limited features Starting at $6.00 per month 
Simplified      4.6/5  Free Trial   Starting at $24.00 per month 
Synthesia  4.7/5 Available, limited features Starting at $22.00 per month 
     RELAYTO     4.7/5      Available     Available on request.
Mentimeter 4.7/5 Available Starting at $11.99 per month 
Renderforest     4.7/5      Available Starting at $14.99 per month 
Colossyan Creator     4.6/5      Free Trial  Starting at $19 per month
Beautiful.ai     4.7/5       Free Trial  Starts at $144 per month 
Xtensio     4.5/5 Free Trial  Available on request

Free presentation software: Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Does presentation software offer multimedia integration.

Presentation software can integrate different multimedia elements, such as images, videos, animations, and dynamic transitions. Depending on the business's requirements, you can add your multimedia elements and create efficient presentations.

Is there a limit on the number of presentations we can make?

There is always a set limit on how many presentations you can make with the free version. To extend that credit, you need to go for a premium plan.

Will using presentation software enhance team productivity?

Presentation software allows real time editing and commenting, making it easier for teams to work together efficiently and optimize team productivity together.    

Does it integrate with other business ERP tools?

Yes, you can integrate this software with popular tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, and various CRM platforms to streamline project workflows and data management.

Next slide, please!

Before you deliver project metrics to senior leadership the next time, take a step back and scrutinize your deck, refine it, and make it up to organizational standards. Remember, a major lever to brand growth is how well your department can explain its cause and earn funding for its projects from external stakeholders. This task requires a careful examination of everything you speak or present in your pitch. We hope this list of the best free top presentation software was of some help!

Learn how to make your presentations interactive and pitch business ideas to your team in an engaging and personalized way. 

This article was originally published in 2022. It has been updated with new information.

Alexandra Vazquez

Alexandra Vazquez is a Senior Content Marketing Specialist at G2. She received her Business Administration degree from Florida International University and is a published playwright. Alexandra's expertise lies in writing for the Supply Chain and Commerce personas, with articles focusing on topics such as demand planning, inventory management, consumer behavior, and business forecasting. In her spare time, she enjoys collecting board games, playing karaoke, and watching trashy reality TV.

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The 8 Best Free PowerPoint Alternatives

Professional results for tight budgets

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  • Swansea University, Staffordshire University

Microsoft PowerPoint is a great tool for creating professional-looking slideshows and presentations. However, the home version requires a Microsoft 365 subscription, and the free mobile app locks some features behind the sub as well. Fortunately, there are plenty of free PowerPoint software alternatives out there. Here's a look at some of the best options and how they compare to PowerPoint. 

Best Direct PowerPoint Replacement: Google Slides

Very similar to PowerPoint.

Free to use. 

Compatible with PowerPoint.

An internet connection is strongly recommended. 

Where there's a need for an app, Google seems to have it covered. Google Slides is its PowerPoint equivalent and it's a lot like Microsoft's app. Very simple to use and offering full compatible with the alternative, you can access Google Slides via your browser and easily create custom presentations with audio and your own images, all entirely for free. It also offers great live collaboration features for teamwork purposes.

The only minor downside is you need an internet connection to at least get started but the service does also work offline with presentations syncing once you're back online.

Best for Designers: Prezi

Video editing included.

Can easily make data visualizations. 

Stylish user interface.

Free option is pretty basic.

No support.

Presentations viewable by all.

Prezi is a great option for designers who have a vision but aren't technically proficient at achieving it. Its simple drag and drop interface makes it a breeze to organize your presentation just how you want it. Backed up with other Prezi apps that mean you can create videos or more stylish data visualizations than simple graphs, it's ideal for industries that are more visual than others. A series of pre-made templates makes it all the more attractive. 

Prezi isn't as free as it seems though. To get the full wealth of features like advanced image editing, offline access, and narration, you'll need to pay a subscription fee.

Best for Quick Results: Zoho Show

A theme for every occasion.

Quick to create something.

Intuitive interface.

Need to be online to use it.

Simple to use yet highly effective is the sweet spot for quick results, and that's certainly the case with Zoho Show. You might need to be online to use it, but it's worth the connection with an intuitive user interface that adapts to what you need to do. You can easily embed videos, tweets, and images into your presentations with some neat transition effects making things more interesting. 

Collaboration tools further sweeten the deal with annotation features meaning you can work together well as a team and fast.

Best for Animations: Powtoon

Great animation tools.

Easy to use.

Can export to social media platforms.

Branding applied on free presentations.

More about animations than slideshows. 

PowToon tackles PowerPoint presentations from a slightly different angle than a lot of its competitors. It's primarily great for creating full animations and videos rather than presentations that you would click through and present yourself. That lends itself perfectly to the internet which is why it's so useful that you can export your presentations to various forms of social media. 

With a drag and drop template, you can create something within about 20 minutes from your browser. The free version bundles in branding logos so viewers will always know you've used PowToon to create them but that's a small price to pay for an otherwise very accessible and simple to use piece of software. 

Best for Mass Branding: Renderforest

Plenty of options for expanding branding.

300MB cloud storage for free.

Unlimited exports.

Exports can be low in quality.

Content is watermarked.

RenderForest thinks of itself as more than just a PowerPoint alternative. It tackles everything you might need from creating logos to designing promo videos, music visualizations, landing pages, and websites. That's on top of its extensive animations and intro creation. That might sound intimidating but the service keeps things simple, so it won't take you long to mock something up and develop it.

Stick to the free version and there are some restrictions such as branding on your videos, lower quality logos, and so forth, but it's a solid start for an otherwise entirely free service. In particular, if you just need to concoct a quick 3-minute video for a presentation, RenderForest has you covered.

Best for Non-Designers: Visme

Plenty of templates to choose from.

Can set up five projects at once.

Charts and widgets support.

Limited cloud storage.

Visme branding on free plan.

Been asked to make a presentation and you don't know where to start? Visme is perfect for those that aren't well versed with graphics as it offers an extensive template library. The free plan limits your options a little but there are still some decent choices here. In addition, the service provides cool ways to make stats and data look exciting thanks to chart and widget support. It's all done through a simple drag and drop interface too that makes it super simple to add video and embed other content. 

Just bear in mind that storage options are a little limited and everything on the free plan will contain Visme branding. 

Best for Office Replacement: LibreOffice Impress

Full program rather than browser-based.

Extensive support. 

Similar experience to Microsoft Office.

Requires installation. 

Not quite as intuitive as alternatives.

LibreOffice is a popular free alternative to Microsoft Office, so it makes sense to use LibreOffice Impress if you want the closest experience to Microsoft's package. Unlike most of the others here, you need to install LibreOffice on your PC or Mac which means it's no good for Chromebooks or moving between different systems. However, in exchange, you get an intuitive experience that makes it simple to create slideshows, whether you're handing them out to a class or conference afterwards, or simply projecting them on screen. 

Bear in mind you have to seek out templates yourself though which may be off-putting for the least technically minded user out there. 

Download for:

Best for Apple Users: Keynote

Simple to use. 

Apple Pencil support. 

Cloud based as well as app based.

App is only on Apple devices.

Keynote is Apple's direct competitor to Microsoft PowerPoint and it's a great alternative, especially if you're a Mac user. With app support for iOS and Mac, it takes seconds to get started. Alternatively, PC users can use Keynote via the iCloud website and easily work across multiple devices. 

One of the best features is the ability to use the Apple Pencil on an iPad to create diagrams or illustrations making it great for skilled artists. As well as that, Apple provides plenty of convenient templates for personal and professional projects. 

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Create your presentation create personalized presentation content, writing tone, number of slides, ai presentation maker.

When lack of inspiration or time constraints are something you’re worried about, it’s a good idea to seek help. Slidesgo comes to the rescue with its latest functionality—the AI presentation maker! With a few clicks, you’ll have wonderful slideshows that suit your own needs . And it’s totally free!

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Generate presentations in minutes

We humans make the world move, but we need to sleep, rest and so on. What if there were someone available 24/7 for you? It’s time to get out of your comfort zone and ask the AI presentation maker to give you a hand. The possibilities are endless : you choose the topic, the tone and the style, and the AI will do the rest. Now we’re talking!

Customize your AI-generated presentation online

Alright, your robotic pal has generated a presentation for you. But, for the time being, AIs can’t read minds, so it’s likely that you’ll want to modify the slides. Please do! We didn’t forget about those time constraints you’re facing, so thanks to the editing tools provided by one of our sister projects —shoutouts to Wepik — you can make changes on the fly without resorting to other programs or software. Add text, choose your own colors, rearrange elements, it’s up to you! Oh, and since we are a big family, you’ll be able to access many resources from big names, that is, Freepik and Flaticon . That means having a lot of images and icons at your disposal!

apps for doing presentations

How does it work?

Think of your topic.

First things first, you’ll be talking about something in particular, right? A business meeting, a new medical breakthrough, the weather, your favorite songs, a basketball game, a pink elephant you saw last Sunday—you name it. Just type it out and let the AI know what the topic is.

Choose your preferred style and tone

They say that variety is the spice of life. That’s why we let you choose between different design styles, including doodle, simple, abstract, geometric, and elegant . What about the tone? Several of them: fun, creative, casual, professional, and formal. Each one will give you something unique, so which way of impressing your audience will it be this time? Mix and match!

Make any desired changes

You’ve got freshly generated slides. Oh, you wish they were in a different color? That text box would look better if it were placed on the right side? Run the online editor and use the tools to have the slides exactly your way.

Download the final result for free

Yes, just as envisioned those slides deserve to be on your storage device at once! You can export the presentation in .pdf format and download it for free . Can’t wait to show it to your best friend because you think they will love it? Generate a shareable link!

What is an AI-generated presentation?

It’s exactly “what it says on the cover”. AIs, or artificial intelligences, are in constant evolution, and they are now able to generate presentations in a short time, based on inputs from the user. This technology allows you to get a satisfactory presentation much faster by doing a big chunk of the work.

Can I customize the presentation generated by the AI?

Of course! That’s the point! Slidesgo is all for customization since day one, so you’ll be able to make any changes to presentations generated by the AI. We humans are irreplaceable, after all! Thanks to the online editor, you can do whatever modifications you may need, without having to install any software. Colors, text, images, icons, placement, the final decision concerning all of the elements is up to you.

Can I add my own images?

Absolutely. That’s a basic function, and we made sure to have it available. Would it make sense to have a portfolio template generated by an AI without a single picture of your own work? In any case, we also offer the possibility of asking the AI to generate images for you via prompts. Additionally, you can also check out the integrated gallery of images from Freepik and use them. If making an impression is your goal, you’ll have an easy time!

Is this new functionality free? As in “free of charge”? Do you mean it?

Yes, it is, and we mean it. We even asked our buddies at Wepik, who are the ones hosting this AI presentation maker, and they told us “yup, it’s on the house”.

Are there more presentation designs available?

From time to time, we’ll be adding more designs. The cool thing is that you’ll have at your disposal a lot of content from Freepik and Flaticon when using the AI presentation maker. Oh, and just as a reminder, if you feel like you want to do things yourself and don’t want to rely on an AI, you’re on Slidesgo, the leading website when it comes to presentation templates. We have thousands of them, and counting!.

How can I download my presentation?

The easiest way is to click on “Download” to get your presentation in .pdf format. But there are other options! You can click on “Present” to enter the presenter view and start presenting right away! There’s also the “Share” option, which gives you a shareable link. This way, any friend, relative, colleague—anyone, really—will be able to access your presentation in a moment.

Discover more content

This is just the beginning! Slidesgo has thousands of customizable templates for Google Slides and PowerPoint. Our designers have created them with much care and love, and the variety of topics, themes and styles is, how to put it, immense! We also have a blog, in which we post articles for those who want to find inspiration or need to learn a bit more about Google Slides or PowerPoint. Do you have kids? We’ve got a section dedicated to printable coloring pages! Have a look around and make the most of our site!

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10 Best Animated Presentation Software You Should Know About

Written by: Orana Velarde

Static presentations have long been the norm, but why settle? Instead, consider creating animated presentations that have vibrant and eye-catching designs. Using animated presentation software will help make your presentations shine and stand out from the crowd.

What is an animated presentation? It’s a presentation that has moving parts inside the slides and creative slide transitions. In some cases, you can even have your animations trigger as you click on the slide.

These effects can make your presentation much more engaging for your audience. Not only that, it gives you, as the presenter, cues to move forward with the information on the slides. Sure, PowerPoint can be animated too, but there are many other, better options for animated presentation software that you should know about.

Ready to create a presentation that impresses your audience? Use our presentation software to create beautiful slide decks with smooth transitions, advanced animation, pre-animated assets and more.

10 Best Animated Presentation Software

  • Beautiful.ai
  • Linearity Move

Animated Presentation Software FAQs

animated presentation software - Visme logo

An animated presentation software allows users to apply special effects to the transition between slides. Using a tool like Visme will turn your presentations into works of digital art.

The animation options are classy, easy to use and never over the top.

Visme's animated presentation templates  include a staggered animation of elements right out of the box. So, even if you don’t add anything else to your slides, a finished Visme presentation will already be animated and ready to go!

If you don’t like the way this default transition works, you can change it inside the slide controls.

Below are the different animation controls available inside Visme.

Slide Transitions

As I mentioned before, Visme presentations come animated right out of the box .

But there are plenty of other options if you want to change that. Click on the gear icon in one of the slides and you’ll see the option for “slide transitions.”

animated presentation software - slide transitions

You can choose between the following:

  • Transition delay
  • Advance after
  • When a video is done playing

The last one only applies if you have added a video to your slide.

The default transition style is “enter from side” but you can also choose from the following:

  • Staggered fade
  • Enter from bottom
  • Enter from top
  • Simple fade

All choices can be selected for one slide at a time, or for all slides. This is practical when some slides have media, like video or audio narration.

Pro-tip: Stick to one style or at the most two. If you mix and match too many styles your presentation will look confusing and the magic of animated transitions will be lost. Also, if you add animation to your elements, these have to work together with your slide transitions!

The animation controls in Visme are available for every single element on a slide. To access them, simply click on an element, click Actions and click Animate to open the animations menu.

animated presentation software - animations animated presentation software - animations

Next, select if you want the animation as an element enters the stage or as it exits.

Then, set the timing for the animation and then pick the animation style .

You can choose from the styles below:

  • Fly from left
  • Fly from right
  • Fly from top
  • Fly from bottom

After you have added at least one animation, you’ll be able to see the animation timeline. Click on the arrow next to the timer that now appears at the bottom of your screen to look at the basic or advanced animation timeline.

animated presentation software - advanced animations

Interactivity

To level up your presentations even more, add interactive elements to your slides. Some of the interactivity features that Visme boasts includes:

  • External links
  • Video embeds
  • Slide linking
  • Voiceovers activated on click
  • Hotspots for pop-ups or hoverovers

To add interactivity to your presentation, click on the element that you want to make interactive, click Actions then click Actions again from the menu that’s appeared. You can choose to link that element to an external web page, a slide or another element.

animated presentation software - interactivity

Animated Illustrations

The last major animation feature that Visme has to offer is our vast library of animated illustrations, graphics and presenting cartoons. Add characters, illustrations, gestures, special effects, avatars and more that help your slides move and catch your audience’s attention.

animated presentation software - Animated illustrations

If you want to know more detailed instructions on how to make presentations with Visme, watch our tutorial video on how to use the various features.

3D Animated Characters

Aside from the animated illustrations and graphics, Visme also offers an easy-to-use character builder you can use to create 3D animated characters .

Add these 3D characters to your presentations to instantly grab attention and boost engagement. In fact, you can also create a custom 3D character to represent your brand. This lets you design hyper-personalized presentations that strengthen your brand identity.

Customize the appearance of your character—from facial hair to skin tone—so it fits your vision. Then, choose an animation style or pose that matches your content (or keep your character static.) You can even save your custom 3D animated characters to use in other projects and presentations.

3D Data Widgets

Finally, transform boring statistics and numbers into visually engaging graphics that represent your data in the most engaging way possible. How? With Visme’s 3D Data Widgets .

Our 3D widgets are created by in-house professionals, which means you won’t find these graphics anywhere else. Show percentages, amounts and comparisons with 3D thermometers, batteries, clocks, stacks of coins and books and more unique graphics.

The best part? They’re all fully customizable. You can change the colors to fit your brand or design, and even rotate the objects in 3D.

apps for doing presentations

Prezi has been the animated presentation software of choice for educators for a long time. The zoom in and zoom out effects are always a delight with students of any age.

Let’s take a look at how animations work on Prezi and their range of customization.

First of all, Prezi uses animation as the way a presentation transitions from slide to slide.

The first slide has all the topics in a layout and the presenter must click on each one to enter a set of slides. When a topic is clicked, the effect is a zoom-in visual that takes the audience on a journey inward. The presenter can then exit that slide and zoom-out to the first overview slide again.

Additionally, all slide elements can be animated to fade in or fade out. Simply click on an element and add an animation. The animations for each element can be reordered easily with a movable tab.

animated presentation software - Prezi interface

From the animation controls, you can also add a new zoom-in area to any slide, which adds another level of information to the presentation.

Finally, the main overview page can have animation controls depending on what topic has been opened, creating even more animated options.

3 PowerPoint

animated presentation software - powerpoint logo

The most widely used presentation software, PowerPoint, also has lots of animation features.

The options for animation on PowerPoint are quite varied and can turn a boring presentation into a fun experience. But they can also turn any presentation into a big animated mess in no time .

Of course, if you use some restraint, you can create amazing animated presentations with PowerPoint. Let’s take a look at the animation options inside PowerPoint.

First of all, every single element inside each slide can be animated more than once.

PowerPoint offers around a hundred animation options; from regular slide-ins to pinwheels and color fills. When an animation is added to an element, a marker shows up next to it on the slide that shows its position in the animation timeline.

apps for doing presentations

The animation timeline is on the right side and includes lots of customization options.

The timeline is unique for each slide, and the order can be rearranged by dragging the elements up or down on the timeline. Each animation effect can be given an “on click” control and also a timed value.

Slide transitions in PowerPoint also have animation controls.

apps for doing presentations

There are around 20 slide transition options and they can be further customized using the controls in the top bar. You can choose how long the transition lasts and even give it a sound.

animated presentation software - Genially logo

Genially has a pretty high standard for animations. When you click on any element in a slide, two tiny buttons pop up. One of them is for adding animations to that particular element.

The animation controls open on the right side of the editor and offers many customization options. What’s unique about this animated presentation software is that the effect can be continuous apart from on-entrance and on-exit. What you can’t do is control animations on a timeline or add a delay.

animated presentation software - Genially interface

When it comes to slide transitions, there are around ten style options. Choose for it to be horizontal, vertical or centered. The slide transitions can be selected slide by slide or for all slides at once.

5 Beautiful.ai

animated presentation software - beautiful ai logo

Animation controls in Beautiful.ai are available inside each slide. And if you don’t choose anything, the elements in your slides will be slightly animated on their own.

But that's the only thing that makes Beautiful.ai an animated presentation software .

animated presentation software - beautiful ai interface

Customizability is limited. If you want to change how the animations work, you can change the speed, timing and order. What you can’t do is choose how or from where the element appears on the slide.

There are some simple slide transitions, but you have no option to change them either.

Create a stunning presentation in less time

  • Hundreds of premade slides available
  • Add animation and interactivity to your slides
  • Choose from various presentation options

Sign up. It’s free.

Create a stunning presentation in less time

Keynote is the Apple software version of PowerPoint.

There are plenty of animation options for animating elements on Keynote slides. Like most other animation software , you can animate the entrance and the exit of an element on a slide.

Additionally, you can also add an action animation to happen when you click on the slide.

The options for animation range from standard fades to bumps and light bulb spark effects. All the animation options can be customized for speed and intensity, and can also be given a specific timing.

animated presentation software - Keynote interface

Keynote also has animated slide transition effects. The controls are in the same place as the element animations, you just have to click on the slide instead of an actual object. There are over 20 transition effects, which can be customized for duration and direction.

There is one particularly special transition effect called Magic Move. This animated transition makes objects, words and characters look like they are moving from one slide to another.

animated presentation software - Slides logo

In the Slides animated presentation software, you can animate all the elements in a slide with the usual fades and slides. These can be customized to work on click, on hover or automatically on a timer. The timing controls have duration and delay values that you can edit.

The slide transitions in Slides are a bit more unique than standard animated transitions.

animated presentation software - Slides interface

Transitions are separated into regular transition and background transition, and there are six options for each. The background transition effects work only when a slide has a background image or color.

However, the transitions can only be done for the entirety of the presentation, not slide by slide.

Transitions in Slides are automatically applied to the entirety of the presentation, not slide by slide. However, you can override this for specific slides by tweaking the settings for each individual slide.

8 Linearity Move

animated presentation software - Linearity logo

Linearity Move is the go-to animation software for designers who want to bring their projects to life. Its standout feature, Auto Animate, helps you transform static images or vector files into beautiful animations.

animated presentation software - Linearity interface

Even if you're new to animation, Linearity’s user-friendly interface makes it a breeze to create dynamic animations that look like they were made by a pro. The platform also supports high-resolution outputs up to 8K, which means you can expect sharp and polished animations every time.

And if you're working with a team, Linearity Move's real-time collaboration features make it easy to work together seamlessly.

animated presentation software - Vyond logo

Vyond is known for its advanced animation and transition capabilities that make it a professional video presentation maker.  The software offers detailed control over each frame and seamless transitions.

With its easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, you can quickly build engaging scenes using thousands of customizable characters, templates and backgrounds.

animated presentation software - Vyond logo

Moreover, Vyond’s lip-sync feature synchronizes voiceovers with character mouth movements, which makes your animations feel more lifelike and engaging.

Another cool feature is Vyond’s generative AI tool, Vyond Go, which automates video creation from text prompts to produce high-quality animations in minutes.

animated presentation software - Moovy logo

Moovly is an intuitive platform for creating animated presentations and videos. Users can combine various media assets, including royalty-free images, videos and sounds, to create beautiful animations.

The software offers a wide range of animation effects, such as fade, fly, wipe, bounce, move, zoom,and rotate, which can be applied to any visual object like images, text or videos. You can also incorporate hand animations and transparent motion graphics to enhance your presentations.

animated presentation software - Moovy interface

Moovly supports various video formats, and users can create horizontal, square or vertical videos for different platforms. You can also add multiple soundtracks, voiceovers and sound effects to your presentations.

Finally, Moovly's text-to-speech feature converts written text into voice-over, available in over 20 languages, adding another layer of customization to the projects. You can also use the AI subtitle generator to automatically create closed captions for your video presentations.

What are the different animation styles commonly used in presentations?

Presentations often use various animation styles, like 2D, 3D, motion graphics, whiteboard and kinetic typography. 2D animations are flat and simple, while 3D adds depth and realism. Motion graphics combine text, shapes and images, and whiteboard animations mimic hand-drawn illustrations. Kinetic typography uses moving text to convey messages.

What are the types of animated presentations?

Some types of animated presentations include 2D animation videos, 3D animation videos, whiteboard animation videos, motion graphic videos, animated typography videos and stop motion videos.

Which animation is best for presentations?

The best animation style for presentations depends on the content and target audience. However, simple, clean animations that enhance the message without overwhelming the viewer are generally preferred in most situations.

It's important to choose animations that complement your presentation's tone and purpose instead of distracting from the core content.

Can you animate a PowerPoint presentation?

Yes, PowerPoint offers built-in animation tools, effects and transitions that allow users to animate the text, images, shapes, slides and other elements in their presentations.

You can also edit your PowerPoint presentations using a third-party tool like Visme to add even better, more advanced and sleek animations, interactivity and design elements.

What are the 4 types of animation in PowerPoint?

PowerPoint offers four main types of animations: entrance, emphasis, exit and motion paths.

  • Entrance animations determine how elements appear on the slide, such as fading in or flying in.
  • Emphasis animations draw attention to specific elements, like pulsing or changing color.
  • Exit animations define how elements leave the slide.
  • Motion paths create custom movement patterns for objects.

What is better than PowerPoint?

There are several alternatives to PowerPoint, but one of the best tools for creating engaging presentations is Visme. The platform offers powerful and easy-to-use tools for creating, editing, animating, presenting, sharing and downloading all kinds of slide decks.

Visme’s presentation software gives you access to thousands of ready-made presentation templates and lets you customize every aspect of the slides, use AI and branding tools, add animated elements and interactivity, embed multimedia and much more.

Do Canva presentations have animations?

Yes, Canva offers a range of animations, transitions and effects to enhance your presentations. Users can apply an animation style to the entire presentation or animate specific elements within slides.

You can also adjust duration and delay settings, and even create your own animation style. Canva also offers several transitions to create a smooth flow between your slides.

Create Stunning Animated Presentations with Visme

If you’re looking for the perfect software to help you create your own animated presentation, you don’t really need to look any further than Visme.

You can easily animate elements in a clean and seamless way without it getting overwhelming. Slide transition effects are also super effective with plenty of options for customization.

To present or share your animated presentation, use the online link and view from any device. If you’d like to present it without an internet connection, download it as an HTML5 (offline web) file or as a high-quality MP4 video.

You can also collaborate with your marketing team to put together an animated presentation in Visme. Or, take advantage of the brand kit and save your animated presentation as a template to use for your future slideshows.

Sign up for a free Visme account today and create your perfect animated presentation .

Create beautiful presentations faster with Visme.

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About the Author

Orana is a multi-faceted creative. She is a content writer, artist, and designer. She travels the world with her family and is currently in Istanbul. Find out more about her work at oranavelarde.com

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COMMENTS

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