December 13, 2023 | SlideUpLift

10 Best Presentation Softwares

Presentation softwares enable you to display information through slideshows. These are purposeful for users from all backgrounds, including working professionals, business owners, and students. However, finding the right tool for your specific needs is not easy. Here’s a list comparing the ten best presentation softwares for you to choose from.

Having access to appropriate presenting tools can benefit anyone, whether a business owner, a working professional, or a student. Using the best tools for presentations can increase the recall value of your message. With the best presentation tools, you can do more than just impart knowledge; you can tell a story, create a picture, and make an impression on your audience. 

Because of the abundance of information available today, people’s attention spans are shorter than ever. This is something that a strong presentation slide considers: dividing up difficult information into manageable bits. There are an ample number of tools that help you create your desired presentation slide. Here are the top 10 presentation software programs to assist you in keeping ahead.

What Is A Presentation Software?

Software programs, or presentation tools, let users communicate information or show concepts visually. Such application software helps users create presentations of ideas using various media forms, including texts, graphics, images, audio, and video. These presentations are delivered as slide shows.

You can use presentation software to teach working professionals new or difficult concepts, train staff on new policies or ideas, offer new products or services to customers, pitch ideas to investors, and present proposals to clients. 

Top 10 Best Presentation Programs

From the many presentation software available in the market, finding the right one is difficult. Professionals tend to look for tools with pre-built templates, flexible options that can be customized, options with sharing and collaboration features that are also affordable. Here’s a look at the best presentation softwares and the features they offer. 

The top presentation tools are:

  1. PowerPoint
  2. Google Slides
  3. Keynote
  4. Visme
  5. Canva
  6. Prezi
  7. Slides
  8. Zoho Show
  9. Microsoft Sway
  10. Beautiful.ai

PowerPoint

Most users still consider Microsoft PowerPoint as the best software to make presentations. Even if other presentation tools have caught up and can provide competitive solutions worth considering, PowerPoint is still a favorite among most professionals due to its well-known interface and widespread availability.

It’s also much more difficult to ignore PowerPoint and Microsoft’s other office applications now that they’re available as free mobile apps (with limited capability) on iOS and Android. And that’s even before we consider PowerPoint’s integration with Microsoft’s cloud-based Microsoft 365 suite.

Even a general user with less expertise can utilize PowerPoint with little to no difficulty. Its simple-to-use PowerPoint templates are given to give general presentations a more sophisticated, detailed, and professional look.

Pros

Cons

Widely used and accepted. Offline software and collaboration features may require cloud-based services.
Powerful customization options. Subtle designs compared to newer tools.
Excellent support and resources.

Who Is It For?

As the best presentation tool available in the market, PowerPoint has abundant features suitable for all kinds of users, especially working professionals. It is perfect for business professionals, marketing teams, project managers, educators, and students. Users looking to create traditional, corporate-style slideshows and presentations can benefit from its versatile characteristics.

Pricing

Standard version (PowerPoint Online): Available for Free.

Professional version comes with Microsoft 365 bundle: $159.99/year

Corporate bundled options: Range between $6/month to $22/month.

READ MORE: Advantages and Disadvantages of PowerPoint for Presentations

Best Presentation Tools PowerPoint

Best Presentation Tools – PowerPoint

To download this template, click here.

Google Slides

Google Slides is one of the best online presentation tools. Unlike PowerPoint, it allows quick access from any device with an internet connection and real-time collaboration.

Google Slides excels at facilitating easy collaboration. The ability for multiple users to collaborate effectively and modify in real-time on the same presentation makes teamwork easier. Collaboration is further improved with the integrated commenting tool on Google Slides, which enables discussions and criticism to be exchanged.

The cloud-based storage and auto-saving functionality of Google Slides minimizes the possibility of losing work or significant modifications by ensuring that your work is continuously stored. 

EXPLORE: Find the best Google Slides templates on SlideUpLift.

Pros

Cons

Easy collaboration and sharing. Limited offline functionality.
The auto-save feature prevents data loss. It may lack some advanced design features.
Accessible from various devices. Dependency on internet connection.

Who Is It For?

Google Slides offers similar features to PowerPoint, making it fit for a similar set of users. It is most suitable for collaborative work and online presentations. Working professionals, teams, and even remote workers may find Google Slides easy to use as it allows users to work with others in real-time. 

Pricing

All users with a Google account: Free access to Google Slides and its features

Free Business Starter: $6/month/user

Business Standard: $12/month/user

Business Plus: $18/month/user

Enterprise: Price revealed upon contacting Google

READ MORE: Advantages and Disadvantages of Google Slides Presentations

Top Presentation Software Google Slides

Top Presentation Software – Google Slides

To download this template, click here.

Keynote

Keynote is a top presentation software for Apple users. It is particularly for your Apple devices and is accessible on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. Keynote is noted for its elegant and intuitive interface, mirroring Apple’s design principles. 

It features visually appealing layouts, animations, and transitions, helping users to build polished and modern-looking presentations. Keynote users can smoothly add photos, videos, audio files, and interactive components to their presentations. 

The presentation program also features many animations and transitions, enabling seamless and dramatic effects that bring slides to life. Presentations made in Keynote can be effortlessly shared and accessed across Apple devices, delivering a uniform experience for the presenter and the audience.

Pros

Cons

Sleek and visually appealing presentations. Limited collaboration features.
Seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem. Smaller template library compared to PowerPoint and Google Slides.
User-friendly interface. Compatibility issues with non-Apple devices.

Who Is It For? 

Although Keynote has a smaller template library than PowerPoint and Google Slides, it is very useful for Mac users, creative professionals, and users seeking a visually impressive presentation tool. 

Pricing

Keynote is a free online presentation software on Apple platforms, including macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.

Best Tools for Presentation Mac Keynote

Best Tools for Presentation Mac – Keynote

To download this template, click here.

Visme

Visme is an excellent presentation software and all-in-one content development tool. It boasts a user-friendly interface and a rich range of tools that make it easy for novices and experienced pros to build and deliver impressive presentations.

Presentations built using Visme go beyond the typical slide deck to integrate interactive components and quick, full-featured offline sharing.

Making professional presentations with Visme is straightforward. Create slides from scratch using content blocks and slide libraries grouped by style. Browse the presentation template library for pre-designed slide decks, which you can quickly edit to match your needs.

Pros

Cons

Rich multimedia options. Learning curve for beginners.
Extensive template library. Some advanced features are behind a paywall.
Analytics for tracking presentation performance. Online dependency for editing.

Who Is It For?

Visme is most suitable for marketers, designers, and content creators. It’s best for users who want to create interactive presentations. 

Pricing

You are free to use Visme for as long as you would like. However, you can subscribe to one of the subscription plans to access Visme’s features.

Basic: Free

Starter: $12.25 per month, billed yearly ($147 per year)

Pro: $24.75 per month, billed yearly ($297 per year)

Best Presentation Programs Visme

Best Presentation Programs – Visme

To download this template, click here.

Canva

Canva has one of the most powerful free plans of all the presentation software. The app pauses account creation until you’ve produced your first design. 

You can start developing your presentation in seconds. Choose from numerous stunning templates (almost all available for free), including some built expressly for education or corporate use cases. Canva has added several AI-powered capabilities. These features will undoubtedly improve your presentation-making experience.

Pros

Cons

Offers a free plan. The Magic Design AI tool is still uneven and not particularly impressive.
Templates available for all usage situations. Does not have any better features compared to PowerPoint and Google Slides.
Has some rich features.

Who Is It For?

Although it is not as suitable for business professionals, Canva is a great presentation software for creatives, beginners, and small businesses. Users who do not have design expertise may find Canva and its templates useful. 

Pricing

Basic: Free

Pro Plan: $119.99/per year when paid annually ($9.9/per month)

Pro Plan: $14.99/per month, when paid monthly ($179.8/per year)

Best Presentation Tools Canva

Best Presentation Tools – Canva

To download this template, click here.

Prezi

Having trouble fitting information into a simple presentation? Try using Prezi! Unlike almost all other online presentation tools, Prezi does not force your presentation’s structure to follow a straight line. The editor lets you generate a more conversational flow of information by focusing on subjects and subtopics and arranging them in any way.

You still receive all the customization options—including fully editable templates—that you would expect from the best presentation software despite the structural flexibility. Prezi Design and Prezi Video are two more apps that come with Prezi. You can elevate your remote presentations with the help of Prezi Video. 

The presentation parts can be recorded in a video and played directly over your webcam stream. You can connect using your preferred video conferencing software (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, etc.) to present live or record and store the video to distribute later.

Pros

Cons

Doesn’t force you to follow a set presentation format. Steep learning curve.
Numerous personalization choices. Has a confusing layout.
With Prezi Video, you can see a presentation directly over your webcam footage. Limited Data Visualization.

Who Is It For?

Prezi is ideal for users intending to create less formal presentations. It is also apt for creators who desire presentation softwares that can make storytelling, non-linear, and zooming presentations. 

Pricing

Basic: Free

Plus (Individual Plan): $12/month

Students & Educators: $3/month (Edu Plus), $4/month (EDU Pro), $8/month/user (EDU Teams)

Business Professionals: $12/month (Business Plus), $16/month (Business Premium), $29/month/user (Business Teams)

$5/month for subscription plans that include extra capabilities like private presentations and Prezi Present; free plan includes up to 5 visual projects; free 14-day trial available.

Best Presentation Softwares Prezi

Best Presentation Softwares – Prezi

To download this template, click here.

Slides

Unlike PowerPoint’s superb, detailed, and sophisticated interface, Slides has a very basic style. It uses OpenAI’s characteristics to speed up the creation of presentation content as AI advances. 

But what makes Slides different is that the slide decks are made entirely using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, meaning you can self-host and modify them right down to the last JavaScript line. This presentation software offers a range of features. These include importing PowerPoint presentations and PDFs, although they may have some limitations. 

Slides can stream in real-time and has many interactive elements. It is also suitable for remote workers and gives a presenter perspective. The presentation tool also has a Developer mode for customizations. Slides users can also create AI content using the tool and its features.

Pros

Cons

Seamless Google Drive integration. Limited offline functionality.
Real-time collaboration. Template options can be basic.
Easy to use. It may lack some advanced features.

Who Is It For?

Slides is suitable for users who want to create presentations using code. Hence, it is a useful presentation tool for developers and tech-savvy users. 

Pricing

Slides pricing starts from $5/month.

Best Presentation Softwares Slides

Best Presentation Softwares – Slides

To download this template, click here.

Zoho Show

Zoho Show is an excellent choice if you’re searching for a straightforward but functional presentation tool that improves your slides. It has several basic templates and a clear, easy-to-use editor and is free to use.

Although few “Themes“ are available, Zoho templates have a more sophisticated and polished look. The software also makes no compromises when it comes to sharing and collaboration. Like Google Slides, Zoho makes collaborating on presentations simple with the help of version history, comments, and email invitations, similar to the features that PowerPoint and Google Slides offer. 

When you’re ready to share, you may broadcast your presentation directly from within Zoho to a distant audience. Additionally, you may conceal specific slides to tailor your presentation to various audiences or lock specific slides with a single click to stop editing.

Pros 

Cons

Straightforward and simple to use. The templates are really basic.
Version history and sliding locking functionality. Template management is not as good as PowerPoint.
Entirely free.

Who Is It For?

Business professionals and teams who have already been using Zoho’s suite of productivity tools will likely find Zoho presentation software useful. This is because it integrates well with other Zoho applications.

Pricing

Zoho Show is a free presentation software.

Best Presentation Tools Zoho Show

Best Presentation Tools – Zoho Show

To download this template, click here.

Microsoft Sway

Users who are a part of the Microsoft ecosystem can try Microsoft Sway as well. It is generally meant for presentations but may also be used for media storytelling in newsletters and other contexts. Sway is very similar to PowerPoint regarding operation but lacks many features. However, it offers seamless integration to embed content on many platforms. These include OneDrive, YouTube, Twitter, and Office 365. 

Microsoft Sway allows dynamic elements, including navigation buttons and web content. It also supports collaboration, with compatibility to operate online, on desktop and mobile platforms. Sway also offers automatic design recommendations to the users. This versatility makes it one of the best presentation softwares. 

Pros

Cons

User-friendly interface. Limited control over design elements.
Integration with Microsoft services. It may not suit traditional presentation needs.
Automatic design assistance. Offline functionality is limited.

Who Is It For?

Microsoft Sway is suited for creative professionals and educators. Although it may not suit traditional presentation needs as much as PowerPoint and Google Slides, Sway is great for users wanting to create interactive and visually appealing presentations. 

Pricing

For users with a Microsoft Account: Basic version Free

Users with Microsoft 365 Membership: Access to enhanced content limits for membership of $6.99/month

Best Presentation Tools Microsoft Sway

Best Presentation Tools – Microsoft Sway

 

Beautiful.ai

With the help of artificial intelligence, Beautiful.ai streamlines the presentation process and eliminates many issues associated with specific design specifications. This allows you to concentrate on the presentation’s content without compromising on presenting quality. 

Beautiful.ai has mastered the UX of AI design, so the tool will always be the most simplified and intuitive choice for AI design. Although the editor differs slightly from most presentation programs, it is still very user-friendly, and it begins with a brief two-minute introduction. 

Unlike many options available on PowerPoint, Google Slides, and other great presentation softwares, Beautiful.ai only has 40 fully designed templates, multiple templated slides, 10 themes, and 23 distinct color schemes.

Pros

Cons

True AI design.

No free plan.

No alignment issues.

Generative AI features aren’t apt yet.

Allows modification to existing templates.

Who Is It For?

Beautiful.ai is suitable for users who desire to create simple yet well-designed presentations in less time. It can be useful for beginners.

Pricing

Pro (for individuals): $12/month, billed annually ($144 per year)

Team (for team collaboration): $40/month/user if billed annually (total per year $480) or $50/month/user if billed monthly (total per year $600)

ALSO READ: 30+ ChatGPT Presentation Prompts

Top Presentations Programs Beautiful.ai

Top Presentations Programs – Beautiful.ai

To download this template, click here.

How To Choose The Best Presentation Software?

Slideshows are used for almost everything, from complicated and formal business presentations and business plans to something as simple as class lectures, pitch decks, and product launches. Keeping that in mind, these are some tips on choosing tools to create a great presentation:

  • Your use case: There are multiple presentation softwares available in the market. However, not all of them will align with your needs. To find your perfect match, it’s important to recognize your requirements.
  • Pre-built templates: To create presentations quickly, the best presentation tools should include eye-catching, polished templates. These templates help beginners build their desired presentations with low effort.
  • Sharing and collaboration: It should be simple to exchange files and work together in real-time on presentations, whether you want to share your webinar slides with colleagues or work on them together in real-time.
  • Customization and flexibility: Although templates are fantastic, the best presentation tools should allow you to customize almost everything to create exactly what you need.
  • Cost-effectiveness: Making eye-catching presentations is crucial, but it shouldn’t break the bank to achieve. Price is a crucial factor in considering free online presentation tools.
  • Standalone functionality: You should not consider any programs that need to be used with another presentation app because there’s no need to utilize multiple tools when one can do the job well.

Out of all these options above, it still seems that the best free presentation tools are Google Slides and PowerPoint because of their interoperability, adaptability, and collaboration features. The well-known industry-standard Microsoft PowerPoint provides a robust feature set, many customization options, and a huge template collection. 

For collaborative work in particular, Google Slides is a great choice because of its collaborative features, cloud-based accessibility, and interaction with other Google services. These presentation tools are the preferred choices for various presentation scenarios since they accommodate varying user needs and preferences. 

SlideUpLift’s Google Slides themes and PowerPoint templates offer versatility, consistency in design, and user-friendliness while integrating smoothly with the platform. These templates provide consumers with many options, intuitive customization features, and high-quality visuals, all of which are seamlessly integrated with both platforms. As per customer reviews on multiple websites, including g2.com, PowerPoint and Google Slides remain the highest-rated and widely used presentation software.

FAQs

  1. What is the best presentation software?

    The best presentation program depends on user preferences, but PowerPoint and Google Slides are widely considered top choices for their versatility, collaboration features, and widespread adoption.

  2. What factors should I consider when choosing presentation software?

    Considerations include collaboration features, ease of use, design capabilities, compatibility with your workflow, and whether you prefer cloud-based or offline tools.

  3. Are there offline options for working on presentations?

    Yes, both PowerPoint and Google Slides offer offline modes, enabling users to work on presentations without an internet connection. However, real-time collaboration may be limited offline.

  4. Can I use SlideUpLift templates for both PowerPoint and Google Slides?

    Yes, SlideUpLift provides templates that are compatible with both PowerPoint and Google Slides, offering flexibility for users of either platform.

  5. How to download PowerPoint and Google Slides templates from SlideUpLift?

     Click here to go to the website, SlideUpLift, and select “Get Started”. Find your desired presentation template in our collection.

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