20 Best Presentation Software - Key Features, Pros & Cons
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What is presentation software? It can be the key to your success as a speaker. Informative and eye-catching slides help you keep the audience's attention and convey your ideas in a clear, structured way - which is essential for public speakers, teachers, entrepreneurs, managers, and virtually everyone giving a speech. Still, choosing the right presentation program can be quite a challenge as the software market offers lots of tools for different fields, devices and levels of experience. That's why we've prepared an exhaustive presentation software review where we examined and compared 20 powerful applications for every taste and budget. Take a look at the summary table below!
| Features |
SmartSHOW 3D
Download |
Haiku Deck
Sign Up |
Prezi
Sign Up |
Animoto
Sign Up |
Powtoon
Sign Up |
Slidebean
Sign Up |
MS PowerPoint Download |
Keynote
Download |
Google Slides Sign Up |
Flowvella
Download |
Microsoft Sway Sign Up |
Swipe
Sign Up |
Zoho Show Sign Up |
Focusky
Download |
Canva
Sign Up |
Adobe Spark Sign Up |
Deckset
Download |
Mediashout
Download |
Easelly
Download |
LibreOffice Impress Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| License | Free trial | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Free trial | Free | Free | Freemium | Free | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Free trial | Free trial | Paid plans | Free |
| Price | $39.95 | $9.99/month | From $5/month | From $33/month | From $4/month | $8/month | $139 or $6.99/month | Free | Free | From $10/month | Free | From $15/month | From $30/month | From $9.90/month | From $9.95/month | $9.99/month | From $35 | From $199 | From $2/month | Free |
| Ease of use | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ready-made templates | 200+ | 1000+ | 180+ | 100+ | 50 | 100+ | 30+ | 30+ | 20+ | 20+ | 18 | 20+ | 600+ | 50000+ | 8 | 19 | 20+ | 320+ | 200+ | |
| Textures & backgrounds | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Built-in text styles | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Animation | Limited | |||||||||||||||||||
| Audio | 200+ tracks | 300+ tracks | 30+ tracks | |||||||||||||||||
| Sharing options | 30+ formats | 3 formats, online sharing | .EXE, online sharing | MP4, online sharing | 3 formats, online sharing | 3 formats | 30 formats, online sharing | 7 formats, online sharing | 7 formats, online sharing | PDF, online sharing | 2 formats, online sharing | PDF, online sharing | 7 formats, online sharing | 6 formats, online sharing | 7 formats, online sharing | MP4, online sharing | 3 formats | 7 formats | 2 formats, online sharing | 6 formats |
| Target audience | Photographers, entrepreneurs, real estate agents, teachers | Education, small businesses, sales | Business, education | Photographers, real estate agents, teachers | Teachers, students | Startupers, SMBs, consultants | Businesses, education, science | Businesses, educators, managers | Sales managers, marketers | Teachers, businesses, sales managers | Teachers, startupers, remote teams | Business, education | Educators, entrepreneurs, office employees | Enterprises, educators, entrepreneurs | Enterprises, educators, entrepreneurs | Startupers, SMBs, educators | Developers, IT startupers | Priests | Teachers, students, SMBs | SMBs, open-source enthusiasts |
| Final verdict | 10 | 9.7 | 9.3 | 9 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 8 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 7 | 6.7 | 6.3 | 6 | 5.7 | 5.3 | 5 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4 | 3.7 |
Top 20 Presentation Software: Find What Works Best for You
Here, we're going to review the best presentation software of different kinds: multi-purpose and specific, desktop and web-based, time-tested and new, freemium and free. We briefly describe the key features of each program and list its pros and cons, so that you could find the perfect tool for yourself. So, let's begin our presentation software comparison!
1
SmartSHOW 3D
SmartSHOW 3D is professional slideshow software that helps you shift away from the dull click-through format, present your ideas in a creative way and keep your audience totally captivated. Originally aimed at photography enthusiasts, the software is quite versatile in fact: a wide range of themed templates, a collection of cool photo and video backgrounds, animated text captions and elegant title slides will be of great use in any field - be that business, education, real estate, sales or personal use.
Pros:
- Intuitive interface
- 200+ ready-to-go templates
- Customizable 3D animation
- Voice recording support
- Over 200 tracks & sound effects
- Animated text captions
- Rich library of title slides
- 30+ sharing options
Cons:
- No collaboration
- Some templates look a bit old-fashioned
2
Haiku Deck
The major advantage of Haiku Deck is its ultimate ease of use. This web-based tool allows you to quickly make professional presentations using thousands of ready-made layouts and millions of royalty free pictures. Paid subscribers get access to the AI-based wizard that makes content suggestions. Paid plans also support adding videos and music, as well as recording voice comments.
Pros:
- Easy to start and to use
- Rich library of layouts and pictures
- Tons of pre-designed templates
- Supports .PPTX and video formats
Cons:
- Only online mode
- Few customization options
3
Prezi
Prezi is best known for its non-linear presentations that look like mind maps: you can zoom in to go to the deeper level, or zoom out to return to the general view. The free version is extremely limited, but paid plans support a lot of handy features such as teamwork, voiceovers, talking head presentations and much more. Although the process of editing can be quite challenging, the final result is worth it.
Pros:
- Dynamic non-conventional format
- 180+ pre-designed templates
- Online collaboration
- Live presentations
- Offers a free version
Cons:
- Complex editing
- No team chat for collaboration
- Requires high-speed Internet
4
Animoto
Animoto is a web-based tool that turns your photos and video clips into captivating presentations. It offers a fine variety of templates, a vast collection of music files, and over a million photos and videos from Getty Images. Its editing opportunities are rather limited since most templates don't allow much customization.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use
- Auto movie creation
- Themed templates
- Vast media library
Cons:
- Limited customization
- No collaboration
5
Powtoon
Powtoon is excellent intuitive software for teachers and other educators. It helps you create engaging presentation movies with cartoonish elements, infographics, and animated effects. The media library is quite extensive but you can get access to it only if you have a paid subscription.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use
- Pre-designed templates
- Rich library of animated characters
- Voice comments
Cons:
- Slow rendering
- Crippled free version
6
Slidebean
Slidebean is a great time-saver meant for startup founders and other busy people who have no time for design frills. You only need to write a presentation sketch: provide headings, illustrations, digital data for graphs and diagrams, and Slidebean will automatically turn them into a professional-looking presentation based on the chosen template. Collaboration is supported, but only on paid plans.
Pros:
- Stylish themes
- 5-minute presentations
- Smart automatic design
- Collaboration and sharing
Cons:
- Limited customization
- Few free templates
7
MS Powerpoint
Being a standard Windows software for presentations, Microsoft PowerPoint sticks to the traditional slide-by-slide format. You can use a variety of transition effects to decorate it, but some of them are quite excessive and might distract the audience. It also provides time-saving tools and visual aids that streamline the workflow. As for collaborations, PowerPoint supports real-time editing with a built-in chat for maximum teamwork productivity.
Pros:
- Real-time collaborative editing
- Relevant graphics suggestion
- A variety of transition effects
- Presentation rehearsal tools
- Online presenting option
Cons:
- Basic editing features
- Expensive as a standalone tool
8
Apple Keynote
Apple Keynote is the main presentation software for Mac users since it is seamlessly integrated into the OS X ecosystem and provides convenient access to the contents of iTunes and iPhoto. Despite being a free program, Keynote features a decent collection of fancy templates and effects, as well as some really marvelous graphic tools. However, you can't use it on Windows or any other operating systems except for MacOS.
Pros:
- Straightforward interface
- Pre-designed templates
- Lots of slide effects & transitions
- Synced use on multiple devices
- Collaboration via iCloud
- Free of charge
Cons:
- Buggy updates
- Basic editing options
9
Google Slides
Google Slides is an easy-to-use cloud service that offers real-time collaboration with different permission levels. The editing options are basic and scanty, but you can add videos and import audio files. Google Slides is free of charge, so many people choose it for synchronous teamwork.
Pros:
- Easy to start and to use
- Synchronous collaboration
- Real-time audience feedback
- Audio and video import
- Free of charge
Cons:
- No desktop version
- Basic effects
- Requires stable Internet access
10
FlowVella
FlowVella is known for its interactive app-like presentations that engage your audience more than any other format. They combine text, PDFs, GIFs, image galleries and video elements - everything your viewers may need. The program offers a good choice of professionally designed templates, but limited image library and poor animation effects. Teamwork is possible on premium subscription plans.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Interactive format
- Trendy templates
- Online and offline mode
- Collaboration(on paid plans)
Cons:
- Severely limited free version
- Minimum animation
11
Microsoft Sway
Often called “PowerPoint's artistic cousin”, Microsoft Sway is a free online tool for making newsletters and presentations. It allows you to make sleek content-focused slides in a hassle-free way. You just throw in everything you have (notes, images, links, multimedia content from other websites) and get a cool-looking slide deck.
Pros:
- Intuitive interface
- Smart image suggestions
- Collaboration support
- Free of charge
Cons:
- Only online mode
- Confusing navigation
- Few templates
- Limited customization
12
Swipe
Much like Microsoft Sway, Swipe can digest all content types: YouTube and Vimeo videos, pictures, GIFs, notes, PDFs. The whole presentation-making process is quick and simple, but there are few customization options. This program is tailored for online presenting right in the browser: you share a link, and your audience can view the presentation on their devices. Interactive poll slides with real-time feedback are a nice additional touch.
Pros:
- Works on any device
- Interactive polls
- Markdown scripting
- Easy to share
Cons:
- No offline mode
- Limited editing options
13
Zoho Show
Zoho Show is a convenient cloud-based service that offers a versatile toolkit for presentation-making. Clear interface, image formatting, collaboration support and the live presenting option make it an excellent tool for business and education. Still, the collection of pre-designed templates is somewhat limited. Zoho Show is free for personal use, but businesses need a paid subscription to Zoho One suite.
Pros:
- Clutter-free interface
- Live streaming with a chat
- Free for personal use
- Multi-device support
Cons:
- Limited choice of templates
- No offline access
- No audio/video support
14
Focusky
Focusky is much like Prezi: it creates non-linear presentations organized like mind maps. The available editing options include diverse pre-designed layouts, video backgrounds, 3D animation effects, and a rich media library. Screen recording and voice comments make it an excellent tool for teachers and other educators (to say nothing of cute cartoonish characters that help you hold your audience's attention).
Pros:
- Compelling non-linear layouts
- Pre-designed themes
- Online and offline editing
- Various formats including .EXE
- Screen recording
Cons:
- Confusing interface
- No collaboration
- Limited free version
15
Canva
Canva is a popular presentation platform with thousands of fancy templates and vast opportunities for customization. Its ease of use combined with the abundance of media resources attracts all kinds of users — entrepreneurs, professionals, students, and marketers. It also offers cloud storage and a convenient collaboration environment.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use online tool
- Convenient collaboration
- Lots of customizable templates
- Built-in image editor
- Free for personal use
Cons:
- No animation
- No audio support
- No offline editing
16
Adobe Spark
Adobe Spark is a handy web-based tool that enables you to quickly create animated videos. If you want a dynamic video presentation instead of a conventional slide deck, Spark is worth trying. You can integrate it with free photo stocks, use the most stunning pics and apply various graphic editing tools. There is a free version, but it doesn't support collaboration and puts a watermark on your videos.
Pros:
- Clear interface
- Integration with photo stocks
- Dynamic video format
- Style suggestions
Cons:
- No offline version
- Collaboration on paid plans only
- Limited customization options
17
Deckset
Deckset is a macOS-only program that creates good presentations using Markdown text. It doesn't boast a huge set of features and effects, but it saves your time and helps you focus on your message. If you are used to Markdown scripting and want to streamline the process of presentation-making, Deckset is a great option for you.
Pros:
- Easy (if you know Markdown)
- Fully customizable themes
- Automatic layouts
- Code highlighting
- Rehearsal mode
Cons:
- Can’t create complex charts
- Lacks visualization
18
Mediashout
Mediashout is a presentation tool meant for priests and spiritual leaders. Its content library and template collection are tailored for sermons and other religious services: there are dozens of Bible versions, numerous lyrics of worship songs, spiritual pictures, and music. Besides, it features time-saving features such as Sermon Builder, Liturgy Tool, etc. However, Mediashout will be of little use outside the church.
Pros:
- Audio support
- Tools for quick sermon planning
- Flexible customization
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Can’t be used in other fields
- Paid upgrades
19
Easelly
User-friendly and intuitive, Easelly creates compelling infographics from a bunch of boring figures and facts. It is a perfect tool for students and teachers thanks to affordable prices, hundreds of templates and a huge library of photos and icons. Real-time collaboration makes Easelly a worthy option for businesses, too.
Pros:
- Collection of great templates
- Customization flexibility
- Collaboration support
- Affordable price
Cons:
- Limited free version
- Extra payment for animation
- Online editing only
20
LibreOffice Impress
LibreOffice Impress is an open-source presentation maker that offers basic editing tools and dynamic effects including 3D animation - but it works rather slowly and has an old-fashioned interface. Thanks to the vast LibreOffice community, there is a variety of ready-to-use templates that you may tailor to your needs. You can download Impress for free as part of the LibreOffice application suite.
Pros:
- Compatible with MS Office formats
- User-friendly interface
- Cross-platform work
- Audio and video support
- Free of charge
Cons:
- Basic editing options
- Slow and old-fashioned
- No tech support
Make Up Your Mind and Get Started with the Best Tool
As you can see, it is difficult to name the best presentation software for everyone. MS PowerPoint is the program of choice for those who value conventional formats and a familiar interface. Tools like Prezi and Focusky are perfect for creating non-linear presentations. Teachers will definitely benefit from Powtoon or Easelly, while Google Slides is the ultimate collaboration tool. That being said, there still exists a versatile program that works fine in virtually any field. If you want to make the most of your visual content, download the free trial of SmartSHOW 3D and start making enthralling video presentations right now.
Download
Fully compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7
Want to shift away from overly formal presentations and try your hand at something more artistic and visually gripping? Then start creating videos with your photos, clips, and music. Make sure to get acquainted with the best slideshow software to find the right tool for the job.
SmartSHOW 3D truly stands out from the other presentation software tools. It enables you to create a captivating presentation in just 5 minutes, and customize virtually every part of it. Besides, you don't need to worry about connection-related problems which are typical of web-based types of presentation software. With SmartSHOW 3D, you'll be able to impress your audience and convey your ideas in the most compelling way without any trouble.