MS PowerPoint, a popular presentation software, is an excellent supportive tool for producing visuals for those who are attending a formal presentation. It’s available in Office 365 subscriptions for personal and business use. However, this program has a lot of limitations and can be expensive for some people. Even so, choosing the finest alternative to PowerPoint presentation software might be difficult because there are so many alternatives.
There is no simple answer, since different tools provide arrays of functions to meet various demands and preferences. Of course, there have to be some better ones. Let’s have a look at the 12 Best PowerPoint Alternatives here.
Things to look for in a PowerPoint Alternative
It is good that you are looking for a PowerPoint alternative, and if you need any help, regarding how to choose one, just carry on reading. A PowerPoint alternative needs to fundamentally offer the same things that the Microsoft product did but in a more constructive or effective manner.
By itself, PowerPoint might actually seem fine, but it only offers the most basic features. Certainly, there are some better options out there, but many people get confused when it comes to choosing one. So, how does one actually lock on a suitable target? Well, here are a few things you can look out for in a PowerPoint alternative:
- The alternative should have a migration or import feature, negating the need for creating slides from scratch.
- You can also look for a more animated transition feature.
- Also, make sure the software has all the necessary add-ons like graphs, charts, forms, etc. available.
- If you can find a product offering pre-built templates, then that’s good.
- However, look for software that supports both online and offline presentations.
- The app should also support integration on some levels. And if it has a collaboration feature, that is good as well.
- Lastly, make sure it has good data visualization tools.
List of Top 12 Alternatives to MS PowerPoint
| Software Name | Pricing | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Keynote | Included with Apple devices | Apple users, interactive presentations |
| Prezi | Starts at $5 per month | Dynamic presentations, visual learners |
| Google Slides | Free with a Google account | Collaboration, compatibility |
| PowToon | Pricing varies, free trial available | Animated presentations |
| Zoho Show | Starts at $2.5 per month | Collaborative offline presentations |
| SlideShare | Free and paid plans | Sharing presentations, analytics |
| Canva | Free and paid plans | Easy design, templates |
| Venngage | Free and paid plans | Simplified presentations |
| Microsoft Sway | Free to use | Cloud-based presentations |
| SlideBean | Free trial, pricing starts at $8 or $12 per month | Automatic design, time-saving |
| Pitch Deck | Free and paid plans | Professional pitch decks |
| Visme | Free and paid plans | Interactive presentations, seamless transitions |
Around 206,648 companies in the US use MS PowerPoint, and most of them are from the software industry. Keep in mind that this presentation software has two major drawbacks; it’s costly, and you’ll have to buy an entire Office 365 Suite.
Even though you can run the tool online, it limits your use in the offline mode. The good thing is, there are several PowerPoint Alternatives you can try to build more appealing and engaging projects at the last minute.
1. Apple Keynote
Keynote is a powerful presentation program that comes pre-installed on Apple devices. It has many of the same features as PowerPoint and offers some unique functions, such as creating interactive presentations. It does not disappoint, looking as good and operating simultaneously. It is compatible with most Apple devices, ensuring that your deck looks great and runs smoothly.
The software emphasizes design, making it a fantastic PowerPoint replacement. The cloud version, accessible by any browser, is convenient for last-minute changes.
Keynote’s major drawback is that learning the navigation and tools will take some time if you’re used to using PowerPoint. You may even export your files as PDF or PPTX, so you can construct your presentation in Keynote. Apart from this, Keynote is an excellent example of how technology can be used in presentations.
2. Prezi
Prezi is a newer web-based presentation program that quickly gained popularity because of its unique zooming and panning abilities. These allow you to create more dynamic presentations with less text, making them perfect for visual learners or those who want to add pizzazz to their slides. Prezi also offers great cloud integration, meaning your colleagues can make changes without ever having to see the original file.
What’s the downside? It can be tricky to learn how to use all of the features, and some people find it difficult to follow along with a presenter who is using Prezi instead of PowerPoint.
3. Google Slides
Google Slides is a great alternative to PowerPoint, especially if you already use Google Docs. One of the major upsides of Google Slides is you won’t need additional logins except for a Google account. Whatever you do, Google Slides saves it.
It offers all of Microsoft PowerPoint’s features and allows for easy collaboration with other users. You can also save your presentations as PDF or JPG files, so they work on any device without worrying about compatibility issues. The collaborative tools are flexible and efficient, allowing others who have been given access to make edits directly from their phones, no matter where they might be.
4. PowToon
Powtoon is a visual communication platform that allows you to create high-quality, highly personalized films that your audience will enjoy. PowToon is a presentation program aimed at those who want to create animated presentations. It offers various templates and tools, making it easy to get started quickly. Plus, many online tutorials can help you learn how to use the software effectively.
The only downside of this presentation tool is the pricing. It also offers a free trial, though, using which you can decide whether it’s a perfect alternative to MS PowerPoint or not. Another limitation of PowToon users has reported the use of animation, which makes the slideshow less professional.
5. Zoho Show
Zoho Show is an online based presentation tool that works well as a PowerPoint alternative. Users can access this software to create presentation slides and a slideshow for offline meetings and workplace presentations.
Other features that come with Zoho Show are animations, transition effects, and live tweets. Users can import multiple files and use collaborative tools. As for pricing, the basic plan starts at $2.5 per month.
6. SlideShare
SlideShare is known as the world’s largest platform for sharing presentations. It allows users to upload files and distribute them across various social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+. The latest version offers many new features to help presenters create amazing visual content shared online.
This tool includes some additional features such as analytics about how the presentation has been viewed and who those people are. LinkedIn’s SlideShare is very valuable for making presentations on the go. Presentations can also include built-in slideshows and animations without using an outside program like Photoshop or Illustrator first before uploading them here on Slide Share.
7. Canva
Canva is a presentation program and design tool perfect for intermediate-level users who want to create beautiful visuals. It offers an easy-to-use interface, a wide variety of templates, and access to millions of free stock photos. You can also use Canva to create social media graphics, logos, and more. There are two major problems with this approach. It’s time-consuming and difficult to use Canva if you’re a perfectionist and want a lot of personalization in your presentations.
Canva does have a collaboration tool, although it’s not as user-friendly as Adobe Acrobat. You can’t import PowerPoint files into Canva, but you can save slide decks in PDF or PPTX format.
8. Venngage
The tool has basic presentation capabilities similar to Canva, but the design dashboard isn’t as robust as some of the other presentation applications and software on this list. While there are many presentation designs available for each of their plans, Venngage does not offer any animation or transition features for transitioning from slide to slide.
When it comes to producing a presentation, Venngage is in the same boat as Canva. You can use both to generate a presentation, but they aren’t ideal and don’t include as many capabilities as a presentation program designed for creating slideshows.
9. Microsoft Sway
Microsoft also realizes the need for a PowerPoint substitute. Hence, it offers MS Sway as an alternative. But the catch is that both apps are so different that people can’t believe them to be from the same company. Unlike PowerPoint, Sway is entirely cloud-based.
It offers features such as animations, storyline editing, and remix, where users can make a single click and change the whole project elements randomly. The default look is a vertical scroll, and users can customize the font and color accordingly. And the best part, it is completely free to use.
10. SlideBean
SlideBean can be used as a replacement for PowerPoint for personal and business use whether you’re a solo designer or have a lot on your plate and need to focus on the presentation. Upload your material, and it will be converted into stunningly designed slides automatically. A nicely put-together presentation that looks professional in a short amount of time results as a consequence of this.
SlideBean provides a free 30-day trial, but there’s a catch; you can continue to use the program after the period without paying anything more. SlideBean offers service starting at $8 or $12 per month, depending on the billing cycle.
11. Pitch Deck
This collaborative presentation software helps users create professional pitch decks, often used in business or sales presentations. It also allows you to include images and charts so that your deck can be visually appealing. A friendly and easy-to-use UI makes it a great option if you don’t want something too overwhelming like Photoshop.
One downside is that there aren’t many templates available, so creating one from scratch might take some time because each slide needs different content instead of copying one design onto another layout similar to MS PowerPoint. However, all other functionalities work smoothly, and the application is still very useful for creating pitch decks, whether a sales or business presentation.
12. Visme
Visme is another online presentation tool that can be used as an alternative to MS PowerPoint. It works similarly in terms of the user interface and features. Still, it also has some additional functionality, so you won’t feel like you’re missing out on any important aspects if you choose this instead.
One example would be their interactive elements feature. Users can link each slide to others within their presentation, allowing for more seamless transitions between slides rather than having a hard cut from one layout into another.
However, there might not be much variety in the design of these templates, so it might be a good idea to explore their library before committing. Overall, Visme is definitely worth considering as an alternative to MS PowerPoint.
Our recommendation regarding PowerPoint alternative
We strongly recommend looking for a PowerPoint alternative if you want more than a few basic features. Having said that, you can always use Apple Keynote as a PowerPoint alternative.
Although it might have more or less the same things as PowerPoint did, it surely is an improvement in a few aspects. It looks nice, runs smoothly, and can create interactive slides.
Google Slides might also work, especially if you value collaboration. You can even use it on a web browser, without installing the app, and save and share slides as PDF or JPG.
And for those who are looking for a professional grade option, they can give Pitch Deck a try. And though it is more inclined towards professional use, it has a great UI that is easy to use.