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The 11 Best Presentation Software to Use in 2024

The ability to effectively share ideas, illustrate a concept, and convince an audience is invaluable whether you’re a student or a C-level executive. These days, the presentation software you use to create presentations is just as important as your public-speaking skills.

On top of that, most companies have transitioned to remote work recently due to the current coronavirus situation, and now need to share their stories online through a virtual conference room with their distributed teams and external audience members.

That’s why we’ve come up with a list of some of the best presentation software available right now, so you can choose a compatible and innovative presentation maker that includes the best presentation tools to suit your specific needs.

Choose the best presentation software by weighing the pros and cons

You’ll see some of the most popular presentation apps: from free to paid subscription platforms, and slideshow applications to full-blown visual design presentation software with interactive features and more.

Each presentation software has its pros and cons, so it’s up to you to figure out which suits your needs best; consider the software learning curve, whether your company is made up of Mac users or Windows users and the software compatibility, if you need an enterprise account or free account, etc.

Let’s dive in!

1. Piktochart

Piktochart is a presentation software that can create a variety of design visuals, from infographics to social media stories.

An area in which Piktochart shines is crafting unique presentations. 

On Piktochart, users can choose from a wide range of professionally-designed presentation templates .

These custom templates include everything from monthly marketing reports to employee onboarding templates.

This broad selection of customizable templates is especially useful for those who don’t have much design experience or know-how but need to create a visually stunning unique presentation in a pinch. 

Piktochart’s presentation maker also makes it easy to edit presentations and include design elements such as lists, timelines, comparisons, graphs, and different types of charts through drag-and-drop tools.

You can even make visual maps and interactive charts to keep your audience engaged throughout your presentation. 

And if your company uses a Piktochart TEAM plan , you can enjoy the platform’s ability to store brand assets , color schemes, and bespoke templates. Here, replicating company-branded visuals is a breeze. 

Piktochart comes with a free version but with certain limitations. Active visuals are capped at five per month and published visuals have a Piktochart watermark.

If you want features such as team template collaboration, project sharing, and annotated commenting, you’ll have to get a Team account. To sum it up:

• Lots of professionally-designed templates 
• Good for both design professionals and non-professionals 
• Easy to store brand assets and bespoke templates for future presentations
• Access presentation tools from anywhere via a web browser
• Free presentation app version available
• Might take some getting used to if you’re used to PowerPoint presentations

2. Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is often the first presentation software that comes to mind.

Once considered the “O.G.” and best presentation software available, it is still widely used and has a familiar interface—which means most users are comfortable with it. 

This presentation app has everything you need to create a presentation: from animated transitions for interactive presentations to pre-installed fonts and graphic elements.

Users can also upload their own fonts, graphics, and images into their finished presentation.

Lastly, it’s available as part of the Microsoft Office software package; and you can work on your presentations via the web and mobile devices, for offline viewing as well as online. 

However, PowerPoint is no longer considered the best presentation software, as it has very few templates to choose from, and these tend to fall quite flat compared to modern apps and software.

It’s easy to fall back into boring slideshow PowerPoint files if you don’t know what you’re doing.

And because most people use PowerPoint, you’re likely using the same template as the next guy. 

As standalone presentation software, PowerPoint is pricey at US$139.99—and accessible through only one device unless you upgrade your package.

And while PowerPoint is primarily a slideshow application and presentation maker, its strengths are limited to this category. 

So if you’re looking for the best presentation software, and bang for your buck for a robust presentation tool, you might want to look elsewhere. 

• Market leader in slideshow applications to create slides
• Widely used and familiar interface for the presentation process
• Reliable and usable on most devices as well as being a desktop app
• Flat templates
• Limitations with its standalone-presentation software price

3. Google Slides

Google Slides is a slideshow application that is very similar to PowerPoint.  But there are three main differences: it’s fully online (while also allowing for offline viewing), collaborative, and free. 

The great thing about Google Slides (besides the fact that it’s completely free for anyone with a Google account) is that you can log on via your browser or through its official app. 

You can access all Google Slides presentations from any device (mobile, tablet, and desktop), and share them with other people so you can collaborate in real-time. 

Google Drive allows all your presentations to live on the cloud, accessible to all marketing and sales teams, with unparalleled ease of use.

And there’s no need to worry about disruptions as all changes are saved as they happen, as long as you have an active internet connection. 

Additionally, anyone familiar with PowerPoint will be comfortable using Google’s iteration and likely be delighted by Google Drive and the slide library available. 

It’s also a lot simpler, so even those new to presentation-making will find it easy to navigate. 

However, some might find Google Slides too simple as it lacks the wealth of features available on PowerPoint. 

These include embedding videos from sources other than YouTube, plus adding audio tracks and sound effects, limiting the ability to create unique interactive presentations. 

Some users also encounter issues with downloading and exporting to different formats, including PowerPoint. 

Some slides may even turn out completely different from the original version. 

All in all, Google Slides is a great option for those who are looking for a free application and only need to create simple presentations. 

• The free plan supports professional presentations
• Web-based and collaborative to create presentations
• Simple and familiar interface for an online presentation software
• Too simple for advanced presentation making
• Difficult to export to other formats
• Limited templates and customization options for interactive content

You could say Keynote is Apple’s version of PowerPoint. It’s also a slideshow application—but in typical Apple fashion, it comes with a sleek, minimalist interface and is considered one of the best presentation apps on the market. 

There are 30 different themes to choose from, which serve as templates for those who need a quick fix. And it can do most of what PowerPoint can. 

Keynote’s main perk is that it’s part of the Apple ecosystem. 

That means it has built-in iCloud and Apple Watch support so users can control their presentation from their mobile device or even their wrists with just a click. 

This presentation app comes pre-installed on most Mac devices. Otherwise, you can purchase it from the Apple store for just US$9.99 for mobile and US$19.99 for OS X. 

The big downside is that Keynote is exclusive to Mac OS. 

Non-Apple users can create, upload, and sync their own Keynote presentations through their iCloud Drive, but this presentation app is only truly helpful only for those who use multiple Apple devices. 

And if you’re used to working on PowerPoint, you might find Keynote a bit confusing in the beginning, especially when editing presentations. 

• Sleek, minimalist interface 
• Free with most Apple devices
• No access for PC and Android devices except through iCloud

5. SlideDog

Sliding away from straightforward slideshow applications and other presentation apps, SlideDog is a web-based multimedia presentation tool that lets users combine different types of media to create and edit presentations. 

This includes everything from PowerPoint decks to videos and even PDFs that can all be played side by side without any awkward transitions. 

It’s also extremely easy to customize a SlideDog presentation. 

You just need to upload the files into the SlideDog web browser application, and then drag and drop them according to the order in which you want them to play. 

You can control your presentations and playlists from another device, and audience members can view your slideshow on their devices by clicking a link. 

SlideDog has a free presentation app version that provides all of the basic features. 

However, live sharing and premium support are only available with a Pro account that costs US$99 per year, and not via the free version alone.

While SlideDog is technically considered presentation software, you can’t actually create presentations on it. 

You can simply stitch together different pre-made presentations in various formats into what is essentially a playlist. 

Lastly, SlideDog supports only Windows devices, so Apple and Linux users can’t use it. 

• Supports a lot of different media
• Provides live-sharing
• More dynamic compared to the usual slideshow presentation
• Only collates media; doesn’t create them

6. Haiku Deck 

Ever come across presentations with size-eight fonts and blocks of indecipherable paragraphs on each slide? 

You can avoid such an unfortunate scenario with Haiku Deck. 

HaikuDeck is a web and mobile application that favors images over text. 

It works by limiting the number of words users can put on each slide, and allowing them to search for images on their platform related to the slide’s main idea. 

This makes it ideal for those who want to simplify their thoughts and let the images do all the talking. 

Users have over 40 million royalty-free photos to choose from, plus dozens of simple slide layouts on the platform itself. 

While this certainly simplifies the process of creating a visually rich presentation, it can be limiting for those who need to include more information into their slides. 

It’s a great option for someone giving a TED Talk, for example.

But for others who need to pass on more facts and figures, having a built-in word limit might be too restrictive.  

• Simple and easy to use 
• Access to millions of royalty-free stock images
• May be too simple for some
• No Android support
• Limited features

7. Prezi Business

Among the other presentation software on this list, Prezi Business might be one of the most unique presentation tools. 

Rather than offering a regular slideshow format, Prezi looks more like a 3D interactive mind map where viewers jump dynamically from one idea to the next. 

You can zoom in on one “slide” and then zoom out for the next. 

Prezi has over 100 templates to choose from and comes with a very simple interface and a drag-and-drop style of editing. 

It’s compatible with both Mac and PC desktops as well as smartphones. 

It’s also similar to a regular PowerPoint deck in that you can jump back and forth from one “slide” to the next. 

And like SlideDog, you can send viewers the link to the presentation as you’re presenting. 

Also, up to 10 people can work on a Prezi presentation at the same time, one of its main selling points. 

This is great for collaboration, but having so many hands-on deck at once can get messy. 

• Dynamic and immersive presentations
• Highly visual
• Easy to use
• May not be appropriate for all types of presentations

In a world of slides and presentations, standing out is the key. Ludus brings the flair of graphic design into the world of presentations.

At its core, Ludus is the bridge between presentation tools and design software. It enables users to infuse their slides with the kind of design elements you’d typically find in advanced design platforms.

Not only can you import assets from design giants like Adobe, but its seamless integration with tools like Unsplash and Giphy makes sourcing visuals a breeze.

It’s a fairly affordable tool for all its features compared to the other paid options in this list, as users pay 12.49 euros monthly (if billed annually).

However, while Ludus’ robust design capabilities can elevate the look of your presentation, those unfamiliar with design tools might find there’s a learning curve.

• Merges presentation creation with advanced design tools.
• Seamless integration with popular design platforms and visual databases.
• Offers a unique edge in presentation aesthetics.
• Might be a tad overwhelming for non-designers
• Can have a steeper learning curve for those used to more straightforward platforms

9. Slidebean

Crafting a compelling presentation demands not only compelling content but also a design that can captivate your audience. Enter Slidebean.

Slidebean offers an intelligent design solution, using AI to transform raw content into professionally styled presentations. This platform streamlines the design process, allowing you to focus on the message rather than fretting over aesthetics.

The basic plan is free and allows you to create a presentation. But if you want to share or download your presentations, as well as unlock the full suite of features, you’ll need to sign up for the All-Access plan priced at $199 per year.

While it provides a quick and efficient method to produce polished slides, it also offers features for sharing, collaboration, and viewer analytics, adding an edge to your presentation strategy.

However, for professionals who prioritize granular design control, the automated design might feel limiting at times.

• AI-driven design ensures visually appealing presentations.
• Features for collaboration and viewer insights.
• Efficient design process reduces time and effort.
• Might not offer the detailed design customization some users desire.
• Automated choices may not always align with specific branding or style preferences.

10. ClearSlide

Having great visuals to drive your point home can be the difference between getting a sale across the line or customers walking away. ClearSlide stands out in this area as a presentation tool for businesses laser-focused on boosting their sales and marketing game.

At its core, ClearSlide is all about leveling up business presentations. Whether you’re marketing a new product or tracking client engagement, it’s got tools that cater to every need.

Whether it’s a PowerPoint, a PDF, or something from Google Drive or Dropbox, ClearSlide makes it simple to upload and work with these files.

The unique edge? ClearSlide’s virtual meeting space pops open with just a click. It’s all about seamless, professional presentations without the hassle.

Beyond just slides, the platform dives deep into metrics and analytics, ensuring every presentation is backed by data-driven insights. And the tool is available for $35 per month, which isn’t too pricey for medium-sized businesses.

However, its complexity isn’t for everyone. For some, the variety of features might seem a tad overwhelming, and its focus on metrics might be a bit much for those just wanting a basic presentation tool.

• Seamless virtual meetings and presentations
• Integrates with popular platforms
• Offers insightful analytics for sales and marketing
• Might feel complex for some users
• Limited transition and design effects
• Mobile experience could be better

Stepping into the world of animation, Vyond, once known as GoAnimate, allows users to turn their narratives into professional animated videos. For those looking to elevate their content without diving deep into animation complexities, Vyond can be the go-to tool.

This platform is more than just drag-and-drop animations. It integrates AI capabilities with Vyond Go, which transforms text prompts into rough-cut videos.

Fancy a quick draft for your upcoming project? This AI assistant is up for the task. And if perfection is your game, take it to Vyond Studio, filled with an array of characters, templates, and backgrounds.

The Essential Plan at $25 per month is suitable for individuals on a budget. However, if you want to export videos at 1080p and above, have collaboration tools, or different export options, you’ll need to sign up for the Professional Plan at $92 per month.

As robust as the tool is, there are still some kinks to iron out. AI voiceovers might still need some tweaks, and detailed color customizations can be a bit tricky, but the tool’s strengths, especially for businesses, are undeniable.

• Hassle-free video creation for beginners to experts
• Generous library of pre-made assets
• AI-powered video and script creation with Vyond Go
• AI voiceovers might feel a bit robotic
• Some customization limitations for specific props and scenes

The best presentation software is…

 …completely up to you! 

When it comes to presentation software, the world is your oyster. 

Each of these tools either has a free or trial version for you to check out, so you don’t have to commit just yet. 

When it’s time to choose, consider the following aspects to find the right presentation software for you: 

• Ease of use. Is it easy for you to understand or will it require lots of training before you can start creating presentations? 
• Accessibility. Can you access your presentation software from any device or are you limited to carrying your laptop to every presentation? 
• Real-time collaboration. Can multiple people work on the same project or do you have to keep downloading and emailing drafts? 
• Create design tools. Can you create presentations with dynamic design elements or are you stuck with the same kind of slide each time? 
• Template availability. Is this tool only accessible to a design professional or can anyone create stunning presentations through pre-designed and updated templates? 

Piktochart , for example, would be a fantastic presentation software choice among the long list of PowerPoint alternatives for teams looking for a variety of eye-catching designs without requiring much technical know-how. Meanwhile, Microsoft PowerPoint might be the best presentation software for those who are just looking to play it safe. 

Hopefully, this best presentation software list sheds some light on the tools at your disposal. Choose wisely! 

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What is presentation software?

Presentation software, also known as graphics presentation applications or presentation graphics programs, is a category of software used to create content where information is often represented in a graphical or visual way. A variety of presentation software is available to help tell a story or support written information using pictures, charts, graphs and other visual elements.

Types of presentation software

There are two main types of presentation software: business presentation software and general multimedia authoring tools.

Business presentation software products generally emphasize ease of learning and use, particularly for nontechnical and business users. However, they can include more advanced functions for experienced users. Most business presentation applications let users include visual elements like images , and sometimes audio and video.

General multimedia authoring software lets users create sophisticated presentations that might include photos, icons , audio narrations, transitions, animations and video sequences. Some presentations products combine ease of use and sophisticated features.

Key features in presentation software

Presentation software often includes templates to create visually rich presentations and slide decks. Templates can be easily edited to match user requirements or company brand guidelines. The software usually includes a search feature to discover these templates, as well as approved layouts and previous presentations.

Cloud-based presentation applications generally include shared workspaces and team folders that let multiple people securely collaborate, provide inputs, set status updates, and add comments and reactions. Users can also share presentations, project plans, conference keynotes, sales decks and more in real time. Versioning capabilities might be included so authorized users can manage version history, recover previous versions and view current progress.

Many vendors offer a centralized library of images, photos, icons and animations, and regularly update these libraries so customers can access the visual elements for their presentations. Some applications also integrate with external image sources like Unsplash, Giphy and Brandfetch, so business users can find additional digital assets such as images, logos, fonts and colors.

Other vendors' presentation software integrates with external video sites like YouTube or Vimeo, enabling users to embed video to support the deck's story or main message. Still other graphics applications include audio and data capabilities so users can add narrations to content and integrate data from Google Analytics , Google Sheets and other sources to accompany and strengthen the text.

Some applications include a built-in designer that implements predefined design rules and guardrails. Once content is added to the software, the designer converts notes, data and more into visually rich slides. The slides automatically adapt to the rules, so users don't have to make manual adjustments to change text font and resize images, for example. In addition, the software might include intuitive editing options and smart formatting capabilities to let users make quick edits and finalize a presentation.

The best presentation software includes support for brand esthetics. The application updates every slide and deck with the brand's specific fonts, colors, logos, themes and templates to create consistent brand presentations with the approved brand style. In most cases, style themes are customizable so company logos, colors, fonts and icon styles can be added to the presentation theme and updated as needed.

Artificial intelligence in presentation software

Presentation software products have evolved with more advanced capabilities and intuitive options for edits, sharing and collaboration. Sophisticated applications also include conversational AI engines so users can automatically generate new presentations quickly.

Depending on the software's capabilities, the AI engine may create the first draft of the presentation based on a user's description and needs.

Some AI-powered presentation products include smart templates that can quickly edit the autogenerated software and adapt the content to a user's or brand's story. The application might also include a designer bot that takes design inputs from the (human) user in natural language and generates unique images.

Common applications of presentation software

Presentation software is especially useful to create presentations and decks that include some combination of text, animations, images, video, audio and transitions. These might include creative briefs, pitch decks, moodboards , competitor analyses, proposals, bulletins, project reports, annual reviews, marketing plans and meeting discussions.

All these presentations can be displayed in a slideshow format. Built-in templates, content libraries and editing tools accelerate the design process, regardless of the presentation's purpose or intended audience.

Popular presentation software products

Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the most popular presentation software applications available today. It includes numerous user-friendly features for design, sharing and collaboration, object insertion, slideshows, text formatting, audio and video.

Other popular products include Lotus Freelance Graphics, Google Slides , Prezi, Slidebean, Canva and Keynote. Most of these products offer PC and Mac versions. In addition, many are free to download and use, while others come in free, paid or freemium versions.

Presentation software might include different features and capabilities. Organizations and users must assess their requirements, technical stack, audience type and budget before making a purchase.

For example, a geographically dispersed team might be better suited to a cloud-based application that supports borderless collaboration than a desktop application that can't be accessed from outside the enterprise network . Similarly, a marketing plan might require more visual elements while an investor update might require more graphs or charts. The software that is ultimately selected should satisfy these specific requirements.

For more on this topic, learn how to create a successful presentation .

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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

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 

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. 

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.

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

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

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)

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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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Best presentation software of 2024

Perfect slideshows for speeches, talks, and presentations

• Best overall
• Best for media
• Best unique
• Best for branding
• Best for marketing
• Best for themes
• How we test

We list the best presentation software, to make it simple and easy to make and manage slideshow presentations to display to an audience.

Presentation software runs at the heart of business sales, management, and development, so it's important to ensure you have the best presentation software for your needs. This is especially when looking to share ideas, concepts, and workflows, and the ability to present these in a simple and understandable way is essential.

However, while presentation software has been traditionally limited to text and images, it has widened its ability to work with different media such as video and audio. 

Therefore it's important for the best presentation software to not simply be easy and simple to use, but also be able to support additional media so that presentations can be more engaging, lively, and ultimately serve their purpose in educating and updating their intended audience.

Below we've listed the best presentation software currently on the market.

We've also listed the best free presentation software .

The best office software in the world is: Microsoft 365 There are many different office software suites out there, but Microsoft Office remains the original and best, offering an unsurpassed range of features and functionality that rivals just can't match.

Even better, Microsoft 365 - previously branded as Office 365 - is a cloud-based solution which means you can use it on any computer, mobile device, or smartphone, without having to worry about compatibility. All your files are saved in the cloud and synced between devices, so you can begin work on a document at home or in the office, then continue working on it on the go.

You can sign up to Microsoft 365 here .

The best 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 presentation software overall

1. PowerPoint

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

For most people, Microsoft 's PowerPoint remains the original and best of all the presentation software platforms out there. While other companies have managed to catch up and offer rival products worthy of consideration, the fact is that PowerPoint's familiar interface and ubiquitous availability means it remains a favorite for the majority of people.

On the one hand, it's long been a staple of the hugely popular Microsoft Office suite, meaning that for most users this is going to be the first - and last - presentation software they are going to need to use.

Additionally, Microsoft has made PowerPoint, along with their other office products, available as free apps (with limited functionality) on both iOS and Android for mobile use, meaning it's even harder to avoid them. And this is before we even consider the inclusion of PowerPoint in Microsoft's cloud-based Microsoft 365.

It does everything necessary that you'd expect of presentation software, allowing you to add text and media to a series of slides, to accompany a talk and other presentations. There are easy-to-use templates included to help spice things up a little, but even a general user with little experience of it is likely to find themselves able to use PowerPoint without much trouble at all.

Overall, it's hard to go wrong with PowerPoint, and although Microsoft 365 has a nominal cost, the apps are free to use even if they do have more limited functionality.

Read our full Microsoft PowerPoint review .

Our Microsoft discount codes can help you save on your next purchase.

• ^ Back to the top

Best presentation software for media

2. SlideDog

Reasons to avoid.

It’s all too easy to end up creating a presentation that’s unappealing, and the last thing you want to do is make the audience fall asleep. SlideDog lets you combine almost any type of media to create a rich presentation that’s sure to keep the viewers’ peepers open, avoiding the ‘cookie cutter’ look that makes presentations seem dull.

Marketed as a web-based multimedia presentation tool, it gives you the ability to combine PowerPoint presentations, graphics, PDF files, Prezi presentations, web pages, pictures, videos, and movie clips. You can drag these into custom playlists and display them to your audience with ease.

You’re able to remotely control your presentations and playlists from your smartphone, the web, or a secondary computer, and there’s also the option to share slides in real-time. Audience members can even view your slide from their own devices by clicking a link. That’s a handy feature if you’re looking to create an immersive presentation experience.

SlideDog is probably the cheapest of the presentation software featured, with a free account that will cover the essential features. However, for live sharing and premium support, you need to upgrade.

Read our full SlideDog review .

Best unique presentation software

Prezi is one of the more unique presentation tools. Instead of presenting your graphics and text in a slide-to-slide format, you can create highly visual and interactive presentation canvases with the goal of “emphasizing the relationship between the ideas”.

Presentations can also be tailored to the specific audience, as this is a flexible platform that’s capable of skipping ahead, or veering off into a side topic, without having to flip through all the slides to get to a particular bit.

For business users, there are a variety of handy tools available. By downloading Prezi , you can build and edit presentations with your colleagues in real-time, which is perfect for companies with teams based around the globe.

When you have created a presentation you’re happy with, you can present it live (in HD) and send a direct link to viewers. There are some analysis tools here, too – you can see who’s accessed your presentation, which parts of it, and for how long. The app is available for Mac and Windows devices.

Read our full Prezi review .

Best presentation software for branding

4. CustomShow

Branding says a lot about a business, and it’s something firms need to get right from day one – from a good logo to a suitable font. CustomShow is business presentation software that puts all these elements of branding first.

Using the system, you can design and present customized, branded presentations that reflect your company and the products you offer, featuring the aforementioned logo and custom fonts. As well as this, you get a slide library and analytics to ensure your presentations are a success.

What’s more, you can import presentations into the software, and use it to tweak them further. There’s also integration with SalesForce , and because the platform is cloud-based, you can access your presentations on computers, tablets, and smartphones. 

Considering the focus on branding, this offering could be good for marketing and sales teams, and it's used by major companies such as HBO and CBS Interactive.

Best presentation software for marketing

5. ClearSlide

Just like CustomShow, ClearSlide has a niche focus for companies. The platform is targeted at firms looking to generate successful marketing campaigns, pushing sales via presentations (and more), not least through a range of analytics and metrics to work for sales and marketing.

With the product, you can upload a range of files, including PowerPoint, Keynote, PDF, and Excel. ClearSlide is integrated with other platforms, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and Salesforce.

This system is pretty complex and may offer too many irrelevant features for some businesses, but you can create customized content that reflects your company and the message you’re trying to get out to customers. There are also some good metrics and analysis features, and you can sign up for a free trial before making any decisions.

The real strength of ClearSlide comes from its focus on sales and marketing data, not least being able to track user engagement alongside other metrics.

Best presentation software for themes

6. Haiku Deck

Any presentation app will allow you to personalize your slides to at least some extent, but Haiku Deck goes one step further than the competition. It comes with a wide range of themes suited to different needs, and you also get access to 40 million free images from the Creative Commons collection.

When it comes to creating a presentation, you have the option to do so on the web, which means your presentation is accessible across a range of mobile devices as well as desktops. Regardless of the device used, you’re able to select from a variety of different fonts, layouts, and filters to make the perfect presentation.

The great thing about these various customization options is that they’re categorized into different industries and use cases. For instance, you’ll find themes for teaching, cooking, real estate, and startups. Most of the features require you to be online, but hopefully, you’ll have a sturdy net connection wherever you go.

Other presentation software to consider

Google Slides  is part of the Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) office platform intended as an online alternative to Microsoft Office. It may seem a little limited by comparison to PowerPoint, but as it's browser-based that means cross-platform compatibility. Additionally, it allows for collaborative work, and Google Slides really works well here. On top of the fact that it integrates with the rest of the Google Workspace apps, not least Google Drive, and you have a contender. 

Zoho Show  is another of the many, many tools and apps that Zoho has made available for business use. It also operates in the cloud so it's accessible to any device with a browser, and it also allows for collaborative work. You can also easily share the link for users to download, or provide a live presentation online. The updated version has a simpler and easier to use interface and comes with a free version and a paid-for one with expanded features.

Evernote  is normally thought of as just note-taking software, but it does provide the option to create a presentation you can share online or with an audience. In that regard, it's a little more limited than the other options in not being dedicated presentation software. However, as an easy and handy way to pull together a presentation quickly, it could serve as a backup or last-minute option, especially if Evernote is already being commonly used by you.

LibreOffice Impress  is part of the open-source suite offered as a free alternative to Microsoft Office, and comes with a powerful array of tools and editing options for your presentation, not least working with 3D images. It's supported by a large community, so it's easy to find an array of additional templates. If there is a limitation it's that it's software you download and install rather than web-based, but any presentations created should be easily portable to the web if needed.

Adobe Spark  does things a bit differently, as rather than just use images it's geared toward video as well. This makes for potentially more powerful multimedia presentations, especially as Adobe also has a big selection of photos and images available for its users. There is a free tier for core features but requires a subscription for custom branding, personalized themes, and support.

Slides  comes with a lot of features in an easy-to-use interface, and involves setting up presentations using drag and drop into an existing grid. It's also internet-based so there's no software to download, and it only requires a browser to use and access. 

Presentation software FAQs

Which presentation software is best for you.

When deciding which presentation software 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 for your presentation needs.

How we tested the best presentation software

To test for the best 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 .

We've also featured the best alternatives to Microsoft Office .

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Nicholas Fearn is a freelance technology journalist and copywriter from the Welsh valleys. His work has appeared in publications such as the FT, the Independent, the Daily Telegraph, The Next Web, T3, Android Central, Computer Weekly, and many others. He also happens to be a diehard Mariah Carey fan!

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13+ Best Presentation Software to Bid Farewell to PowerPoint

Renderforest Staff

07 Dec 2023

11 min read  

Attention, all presenters, innovators, and knowledge sharers! Brace yourselves, because the era of boring and forgettable presentations is officially over. 

We all know that presentations are the beating heart of every business, work endeavor, and educational pursuit. And let’s face it, captivating your audience is an art form that can make or break your success.

Plain slides filled with text and bullet points will no longer do the job! To grab your audience’s attention, you need to shake things up a little.  

Luckily, we’ve done the legwork and compiled the ultimate list of the best presentation software in one place to help you make creative and captivating presentations.

No more dull slides. No more snooze-fest presentations.

By the time you’ll have finished reading this article, you’ll have discovered: 

• The 13 best video presentation software  to upgrade your presentations – their advantages and disadvantages. 
• How does each software compare to PowerPoint, and what are their unique features? 
• How to use each software to convert your ideas into strong narratives and keep your audience hooked. 

Consider these presentation software gems as your trusty sidekicks, ready to transform your ideas into captivating narratives that will leave your audience begging for more.

So buckle up and join us as we explore each presentation software individually, unveiling the best presentation software for your unique needs. Let’s dive right in!

The Finest Online Presentation Tools to Try Now!

Imagine you have an important project coming up, and you need to create a cool presentation to share your ideas with others within a short amount of time. Instead of just plain slides, you can make your presentation awesome by using some really impressive online presentation tools – tools you may not have heard of before. 

These tools make it easy to add pictures and videos and make your slides look super interesting as they take your regular presentation and turn it into something that will make everyone go, “Wow!” 

So, let’s check out some of the best presentation software you can try right now to make your presentations stand out!

1. Renderforest

You can use Renderforest’s slideshow video maker online and completely free of charge to create videos, branding, presentations, and graphics. 

If you upgrade to the lite version, you can enjoy an early-stage growth boost plan for promotional and explainer videos, powerful presentations, and graphics.

Now, if you choose to have the Pro plan, you can make use of advanced growth tools, the highest quality videos, outstanding designs, and a professional website.

For much larger projects, the Business plan gives you advanced-level solutions for teams and businesses to deliver high-end results for your campaigns.

The presentation software goes beyond the ordinary by providing you with a treasure trove of ready-made presentation templates that cater to every occasion, from personal projects to business endeavors. With just a few clicks, you can unlock a realm of visually stunning designs that are guaranteed to captivate your audience from the very first slide.

Extended Template Library

Whether you’re seeking to dazzle clients, engage students, or simply impress your peers, Renderforest has your back with an extensive library of slideshow video templates . From mesmerizing 3D animations to sleek corporate slideshows and whiteboard animations, the possibilities are limitless.

EXPLORE MORE!

Pre-Made Color Palettes

Give yourself a break from doing all the work of finding the perfect font and color palette for your presentation. Renderforest provides you with a large selection of ready-to-use, pre-designed sets that give your presentation a modern and professional look. 

All color palettes align with the main design principles, so you can rest assured that your presentation is aligned. 

Go to the left-side editor in your presentation template, open the color and font sections and click on your favorite mix.

GIFs, Stickers, Icons, and So Much More

Renderforest presentations are like a magic toolbox for making your presentations extra awesome. With it, you can do way more than just stick to regular pictures and words. 

One of the best presentation software out there, Renderforest lets you sprinkle some fun into your slides by adding GIFs, which are short, moving pictures that can make your points pop! Not just that, you can throw in stickers and icons to make things more lively and interesting. 

All of these elements help you show your ideas without even saying a word. 

Renderforest gives you all these tools to help you turn your presentation into a masterpiece that everyone will remember!

Premium Images

With Renderforest, you can access a treasure trove of amazing pictures through a royalty-free premium stock images library.

These are high-quality images that you can use in your presentations without worrying about any copyright stuff. It’s like having a secret stash of amazing pictures at your fingertips.

But here’s the exciting part – you can also bring pictures to the party! So, if you have some awesome photos you took on a family trip or nice shots you found on the internet. You can toss them into your presentation as well.

Ultimately, you have your gallery of pictures that makes your presentation uniquely yours. With Renderforest, you’re not just limited to what it provides – you can mix and match to create a presentation that tells your story in your style!

Prezi is offered in three different subscription tiers, including access to all three main parts of the suite – Prezi Video, Prezi Design, and Prezi Present.

Prezi’s Standard plan costs just $5 per month, the Plus plan costs $15 per month, and the Premium plan costs $19 per month.

The presentation software is built from the ground up to remove as many of the traditional limitations imposed by web applications as possible and enable users to create stunning, rich presentations with minimal effort and design skills.

It doesn’t take long to get used to how Prezi works and where everything is located, including some of the more advanced features of the application.

Its price is quite attractive compared to most of its competition, too, making Prezi a great offer for you in general!

General Overview

Prezi is a feature-rich online presentation suite that aims to enable anyone to create stunning presentations, including those without any in-depth knowledge of design and related practices.

It comes with various advanced tools that can help you do pretty much anything you want with your presentation, and it doesn’t take a lot of time to get used to how everything works.

It’s important to note that Prezi does have some minor flaws in its UI, but those are mostly limited to features that aren’t used that often to begin with.

There are three main tiers to Canva subscriptions. You can use it completely free to design anything, on your own or in collaboration with others, and you can choose from 250,000+ templates.

However, there are a lot of wonderful templates that are labeled as premium, as well as the option to integrate your own Brand Kit, which can only be accessed when you upgrade to the Pro plan at $12.99 USD/month.

Canva for Teams includes all the features of Canva Pro but also allows large teams to collaborate easily and efficiently together, and it is priced at $29.99 USD/month. 

The key selling point of Canva is how easy it is to use, even for people with no design background. It offers a range of design options, from social media posts to presentations, all in one place.

You can create professional-looking presentations at the tip of your fingers, especially with the newly released Magic Media™ apps that use AI to help you create consistent imagery.

Instead of wasting precious time scrolling through image libraries,you can try some of the AI image generator apps in the Canva Apps Marketplace. Simply type what you’d like to see, and watch it come to life.

Canva works as a web-based tool, so you don’t have to download it. It offers many ready-to-use templates and design elements like fonts, images, and illustrations.

You can either start from scratch or use these templates to create various designs, including social media graphics, presentations, flyers, and more. It also allows for collaboration, enabling multiple people to work on a project simultaneously.

Once you sign up, you can create designs by selecting a template or starting from scratch. You can then customize your design using the drag-and-drop editor, where you can easily add and adjust text, images, shapes, and other elements.

So, whether you’re one of the many small business owners, marketers, bloggers, or creative freelancers—Canva has something for everyone!

4. Google Slides

There are free trials available. For Personal and Free Business Starter plans, it is priced at $6 USD/month per user, for Business Standard, it is priced at $12 USD/month per user, while for Business Plus, it is priced at $18 USD/month.

Enterprises can contact Google to find out about pricing details for their needs.

Google Slides is very handy if many slideshows are required for certain projects. The presentation software acts as an easier alternative to PowerPoint because you don’t need to download anything in order to use Slides.

It’s as easy as going online and opening the program, while with PowerPoint, you need to download the program to start using it.

Google Slides is a cloud-based office suite that helps create, edit, and collaborate on presentations. It has features like themes and fonts, embedded videos, animations, and transitions.

The presentation software lets users create personalized presentations using ready-to-use templates with custom fonts and styles, color schemes, animations, transitions, and background images. If you’re a larget team, you can also upload files from Google Drive or Dropbox.

5. Microsoft Sway

Microsoft Sway is free to use for anyone with a Microsoft Account (Hotmail, Live, or Outlook.com).

This presentation tool dynamically adapts online to any screen and can be shared or co-edited with a URL.

It is best for people who are too occupied with work to spend time creating presentations, as it literally helps produce interactive reports, newsletters, presentations, and other personal stories in a matter of minutes, thanks to the help of AI.

Sway helps create presentations and other documentation in minutes by adding photos, videos, and other multimedia.

It’s connected to the Microsoft account, so the users can easily add files from OneDrive, or turn their Word or OneNote documents into a dynamic Sway.

6. Beautiful.ai

The Pro plan is for individuals and is priced at $12 USD/month. The Team plan is for team collaborations and starts at $40 USD/month, while the Enterprise plan boasts advanced security, support and control and require you to contact the sales team to get a quote.

Beautiful.ai saves you time and provides everything necessary for making great presentations.

You can use the right colors, font, and logo every time with its foolproof features, and when you sign up, the presentation software unlocks millions of modern images and icons that reflect your own brand guidelines. What else could you ask for?

With the Team Plan, you can also control your brand from one account and scale productivity across all departments of your organization.

Beautiful.ai is an AI presentation maker you can use to visualize your ideas easily. It offers 50+ beautifully designed customizable templates that are enhanced with presentation design best practices to keep your projects professional and clean. Besides, you can find and add stock images and icons from the image library.

7. Keynote (for Mac users)

The software comes free with most Apple devices.

This interactive business presentation software allows you to create engaging and dynamic slides, add charts and graphs to them, edit photos, and add effects to sharpen your project.

Now, you can remove backgrounds from supported images a lot more easily. You can even remove live videos or adjust them accordingly.

The software also lets you know when people join, edit, or comment on your collaborative presentations and lets you get in touch with your team using Messages and FaceTime.

Apple Keynote is the most successful competitor of PowerPoint among other Mac free presentation software solutions.

Access your presentations either online with iCloud, with a mobile app, or download a desktop version for Mac.

8. Haiku Deck

The Edu plan starts at $5 USD/month, Pro at $10 USD/month, and the Volume plan is at $100 USD/month.

Haiku Deck helps you focus on one idea at a time, letting you choose a powerful image from a library of 40M+ royalty-free photos and applying consistent formatting across your presentation in just one click.

All presentations you create with this software are hosted online and allow for easy audio narration recording and the ability to save as videos or export to PowerPoint/Keynote format for offline viewing and editing.

Haiku Deck is labeled as the “Instagram for pitch decks” by Mashable, for a good reason!

Even if you’re not a designer, the software helps you deliver presentations that connect with your listeners, spice up your social media feed, illustrate your blog, promote your product, inspire a movement, and more. It is centered around the best practices that presentation experts are after.

You can quickly design slides that don’t look like PowerPoint, and you can find related pictures to your keywords.

You can even view what other designs people have done on the same topic and use it as inspiration for your own presentation.

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9. Slidebean

The Slidebean All-Access Advanced plan for founders starts at $149 USD/year, and this includes features such as pitch deck templates, unlimited fundraising kit, sharing and exporting decks, and tracking presentation views.

There is also the Slidebean Incorporation plan at $649 USD/year, which includes everything in the All-Access Advanced plan but allows businesses to incorporate their company in the US.

Slidebean offers everything you need for a successful creation process – images, icons, fonts, to name a few.

It is very easy to use and has beautiful graphic design elements. Even if you’re not a graphic designer, Slidebean makes your presentations look great.

It also helps you create pitch decks. Through its advanced analytics section, individuals can see which investors viewed their decks and how long they viewed each slide or whether the investor finished the deck, which is very helpful information to have on hand.

Slidebean is an easy-to-use and simple presentation software that provides professional templates to present your ideas with simple styling features.

Its target market includes startups, marketers, and small and medium-sized businesses that are trying to get their powerful ideas across to professional thinkers.

Streamline the process with the help of integrated automation features. Choose the templates depending on your field to simplify the creation even more. You can see insights into how users interact with the slides.

Visme is an all-in-one online presentation maker that offers custom, high-quality templates. Pick a template and customize it according to your needs, or create a presentation from scratch.

The tool offers 50+ charts and other data visualization tools, 120+ custom fonts, stock images, and vector icons. You can add website links, emails, and pop-ups. When your presentation is ready, share it online, embed it on your website, or download it.

11. SlideDog

There are 3 plans available. The first is $19/month per 2 seats, billed monthly, and you can cancel anytime. You also have a yearly plan at $99/month (1st year) per 2 seats, $79 2nd year with a 20% renewal discount. The last option is a lifetime purchase of $299 per 2 seats, where you only pay once and can access it forever.

SlideDog is a presentation software that lets its users create playlists from presentation files and easily switch between them.

The features include real-time sharing, interactive elements, and remote control with various devices to streamline the presentation process.

12. Zoho Show

Zoho Show is completely free for individuals, while larger teams and organizations are billed $2.70 USD/month.

The tool can be used by those who need to tell a story, such as educators, authors, and business owners, helping them create and publish presentations with stunning visuals in a short period.

Choose from a variety of integrated themes designed to fit all kinds of needs. Make your slides more interactive by adding transitions and animation, using charts, tables, images, videos, and more.

Zoho Show is a dedicated online presentation tool, simplistic and easily customizable. From creating and collaborating to broadcasting and publishing, you will surely find solutions to your every need.

The tool is also available on mobile devices. To access your presentations remotely on your smartphone, simply download the app and log in.

It also lets you import your existing PPTX, PPT, ODP, PPSX, and PPS files and edit them without any formatting issues.

Gamma offers three pricing plans. Upon signing up, you get 400 credits to test the Free plan with various features and create a few documents.

The Plus plan starts at $8/month, and you get to gain access to additional features like PDF export.

The Pro plan starts at $16/month, and you receive unlimited AI creation and advanced AI models.

Gamma takes just one prompt and a bit of refining to produce a beautiful presentation.

It uses the chatbot to improve existing slides, and you can incorporate live websites and applications into your presentations. It’s a great way to demonstrate your ideas in real time.

This is an opportunity to monitor how your creations perform and if they have the ability to engage your audience.

Gamma is an AI-powered tool that lets you create impressive and engaging presentations for anyone.

Besides creating your presentations, it also offers a great editing experience where you can improve your work simply by interacting with an AI chatbot.

There is a free trial available. The Personal plan for teams of up to 15 people starts at $14.99 USD/month, and the Enterprise plan for teams of 16 people and over requires you to contact Ludus directly for a quote.

Other than being incredibly easy to use, this tool is very intuitive, and presentations can be customized as you play around with unique fonts, drawings, code, interesting transitions, and much more.

Ludus combines creativity with simplicity. Ludus is more than a presentation tool; it is also a tool for communicating, collaborating, learning, and playing.

The presentation software has many features that designers are already familiar with. You can create anything without limitations, from fonts and graphics to blending modes.

It also allows you to integrate with Unsplash, GIPHY, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc., so you can add anything you want.

Ludus is a tool that allows you to create presentations with unlimited creative possibilities.

This presentation software will solve your problems regarding sharing, compatibility, collaboration, creativity, and more.

It is recommended for everyone to use, especially for creatives and designers. Everyone can use it, too, but it has a bit of a learning curve that is worth the time if you want to use it properly.

This app might be the solution to the problems that our presentation tools have nowadays. It is not restrictive, so you can let your imagination run wild and express your creativity.

This presentation tool is affordable, especially for big teams. With remote work on the rise, Ludus is a great presentation assistant to have nearby.

Still Looking for the Best Presentation Software?

And there you have it. The 13+ best presentation software that you should bear in mind if you’re thinking of trying something a little bit different to the software you’re used to hearing about all the time – PowerPoint.

Each software has its benefits, but if you’re aiming for presentation software that offers a blend of creativity, versatility, and user-friendly features, Renderforest stands out as your go-to choice.

With a vast library of templates and the ability to add GIFs, stickers, icons, and even your own images, Renderforest empowers users to create visually stunning and uniquely personalized presentations.

Renderforest also provides different pricing plans, including a free option, making it accessible regardless of your need and budget.

So, stop wasting hours of your life trying to create your presentations manually and with predictable designs, and start taking your presentations to the next level with Renderforest, your ultimate presentation companion that goes beyond the ordinary!

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What is Presentation Software?

Presentations provide a platform for people to share their message. Entrepreneurs, independent contractors, enterprise businesses, educators, and students can all benefit from presentations to learn, inform, sell, or persuade. Effective presentations will engage an audience with a clear message and call to action. Many businesses leverage presentation software to help them create visually appealing decks quicker, and more efficiently. 

If you’re not clear what presentation software is, and how it can help your productivity, you’re in the right place. 

Understanding presentation software

Presentation software is a type of computer application software that is designed to help users create digital presentations, or slide shows, to convey information in a more engaging way. Most presentation software will come fully equipped with tools and features for creating and editing digital slides that can include text, images, audio, video, charts, graphs, and other multimedia elements. Some key functionalities to look for in presentation software include slide creation and organization, formatting and design options, multimedia integrations, animations and transitions, collaboration, and sharing capabilities. 

Key features and functionalities

When you’re comparing different types of presentation software, these are the key features and functions that you should look for.

Slide creation and organization

It goes without saying, but the number one functionality of presentation software is slide creation. Whether you’re starting from scratch, or using a pre-built presentation or slide template, presentation software allows you to structure your thoughts in a way that makes sense. It also acts as a repository for old and new presentations so you can easily save and find what you need, when you need it.

Formatting and design options

One of the biggest challenges in the presentation creation process is deciding how to format your content without making a mess of the design. Many presentation softwares will handle that for you by offering design guardrails, drag-and-drop templates, and smart recommendations. The benefit of formatting and design options is that even non-designers have the tools they need to create something professional and on-brand.

Multimedia integration

A presentation without visual assets is a lot more likely to lose the audience. Presentation softwares will offer multimedia integration with images, videos, icons, and gifs. Every presentation software allows you to upload your own multimedia to your deck, but only select programs offer a free stock library to choose from. 

Animations and transitions

The average attention span of humans is 8 seconds, which means an engaging deck is critical to your presentation. Presentation software makes it easier to hold the focus of your audience with animations and transitions. Many platforms offer features that allow you to choose the speed and transitions to which your content builds and progresses to the next slide.

Collaboration and sharing capabilities

The whole goal of presentation software is to make the design process more efficient, and a big part of that is collaborating with your team. Newer presentation software— especially web-based or SaaS presentations— will allow teams to work together on the same deck, under the same roof. Similarly, the same web platforms have more flexible sharing capabilities through shared links or embed codes.

Types of presentation software platforms

There are various types of presentation software platforms available, and the industry continues to expand and evolve with new technologies. 

Traditional presentation

Traditional software refers to computer applications or programs that are typically used to create and deliver visual presentations. These programs are designed to allow users to create slideshows containing text, images, charts, graphs, and other visual aids. 

Web-based or SaaS presentation

Web-based or SaaS (Software as a Service) presentation software refers to programs that are accessed through a web browser and do not need to be installed on a user's device. These programs are hosted on the cloud and can be accessed from any internet-connected device.

AI presentations

AI presentation software is a type of presentation software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help users create and design presentations. AI presentation software typically includes features such as automated design suggestions, layout recommendations and image recognition to streamline the presentation creation process.

Video presentation

Video presentation software is a type of software that allows users to create and deliver video presentations. These presentations can include a combination of video footage, images, text, and audio. Video presentation software typically includes features such as editing tools, visual effects, and transitions to help users create engaging and professional-looking presentations.

Nonlinear presentation

A nonlinear presentation is a type of presentation where the viewer can navigate the content in a non-sequential order, rather than proceeding from one slide to the next in a linear fashion. In a nonlinear presentation, the content is organized using hyperlinks or other interactive elements that allow the viewer to jump back and forth between different parts of the presentation, depending on their interests and needs.

To learn more about the differences between presentation software, visit The Ultimate Guide to Presentation Software .

Benefits of a dedicated presentation software platform

Using a specific presentation software for every business need helps teams stay consistent across all internal and client-facing decks. 

Enhancing visual appeal and engagement

Presentation software— like Beautiful.ai— gives teams more control over the deck design which helps them maintain branding. By using the same presentation design software each time, you are ensuring consistency from deck to deck across each department. 

Simplifying content creation and organization

Like any productivity tool, presentation software is all about simplifying the process. You’ve heard of rinse and repeat. By using the same platform for each company or team deck you can automate and recycle things like colors, fonts, logos, and even branded slides. On the same coin, if you’re creating every deck in the same platform, it acts as a library for all of your presentations, making it easy to organize and find existing content. 

Facilitating effective communication

Communication is the backbone of any successful organization, so the ability to communicate effectively in the presentation design process is important. When the entire team is working in the same presentation software, it makes collaboration and communication more efficient and seamless. In Beautiful.ai, for example, teams can add comments and provide feedback in real-time to help eliminate any bottlenecks. 

Enabling seamless sharing and collaboration

When you're working with a presentation software in the cloud, teams can simultaneously make edits or contributions to the same deck at the same time. Gone are the days of lengthy email chains sharing various revisions of the same deck. Presentation software allows you to share the most updated version and invite stakeholders or external partners to collaborate with you in the platform. 

Tips for using presentation software effectively

Now you know what presentation software is, but how do you use it effectively to scale your business efforts? Keep these tips in mind for your next presentation. 

Planning and structuring your presentation

Planning and structuring your presentation effectively is crucial for delivering a clear and organized message. You should think about how you want to format your story before you even open up a presentation software. 

Six things to consider when planning your presentation anatomy;

• The audience
• Overarching message
• Clear objectives
• One key point for each slide
• A strong call to action

Utilizing design principles and visual elements

Presentation softwares have design principles in place to help take on some of the burden of deck creation, and you should take advantage of that. Using a pre-built template can help you think of new ways to structure your presentation, while lending the ability to customize it where you see fit. As a good rule of thumb, less is more in presentations. Your design should be clean and professional, while keeping your company branding in mind. 

Creating concise and impactful slides

With new technology, many presentation platforms (excluding PowerPoint) will actually limit how much you can add to each slide to help avoid Frankendeck situations. Creating clear, concise slides are more impactful than cluttered ones. Make sure to stick to one key point on each slide so that your audience knows exactly what you want them to pay attention to. 

Using multimedia wisely

A picture is worth a thousand words. Your audience will likely remember the multimedia in your presentation over any bullet point or statistic, so choose your visual assets wisely. They should be relevant, high-quality, and on-brand, always. The multimedia is meant to complement your story and drive the point home.

Practicing and rehearsing 

Presentation software and deck design is important, but so is your delivery. Don’t spend time crafting the perfect presentation deck only for your actual presentation of it to fall flat. Practice, practice, practice. And even when you think you’ve practiced enough, do a full dry-run one more time. This allows you to test the presentation software, the technology required for the meeting or conference, and the timing of any video or animations within the deck.

Jordan Turner

Jordan is a Bay Area writer, social media manager, and content strategist.

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Best Presentation Software

What is presentation software.

Presentation software allows users to create interactive, slide-based presentations that help to tell a story or convey a message. These presentations are built on generic or custom templates that provide themes for the slide decks. Each presentation page can include images, embedded videos, dynamic transitions, or other animations for entertainment purposes. These products help to display information in a visual way and are often used by companies to aid in sales pitches and marketing campaigns, or for educational purposes, among other uses. Presentation software products are often included as part of an office suite and are used in place of older visual aids, including pamphlets, posters, or slides. These presentations can be made more interactive when used in conjunction with audience response systems and video conferencing tools .

To qualify for inclusion in the Presentation category, a product must:

Best Presentation Software At A Glance

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• Overview Expand/Collapse Overview

Google Workspace brings email, chat, files, meetings and your favorite apps into a people-first experience powered by Google AI so that you can safely connect, create and collaborate.

• Education Management
• Information Technology and Services
• 47% Small-Business
• 34% Mid-Market
• Google Workspace is a suite of productivity tools, including email, calendar, cloud storage, and document creation, designed to facilitate collaboration and streamline tasks.
• Users frequently mention the ease of use, seamless integration of services, and the ability to collaborate in real time as key benefits of Google Workspace.
• Users experienced issues with the requirement for continuous internet connectivity, limitations in offline functionality, and difficulties in integrating with non-Google products.
• Pros and Cons Expand/Collapse Pros and Cons
• User Satisfaction Expand/Collapse User Satisfaction

Build the story, present with conviction, and move forward faster.

• Software Engineer
• Higher Education
• 35% Enterprise
• 35% Small-Business

Synthesia is the world's first AI Video Generation Platform - in a browser. Did you know that you retain 95% of a video’s message, compared to 10% if reading it in text?💡 Companies of all sizes are

• Computer Software
• 73% Small-Business
• 16% Mid-Market
• Synthesia is a video creation tool that uses AI technology to generate lifelike avatars and realistic speech synthesis for diverse communication needs.
• Reviewers frequently mention the ease of use, the variety of customizable avatars and voices, and the ability to create high-quality videos quickly and efficiently.
• Reviewers experienced issues with the AI avatars occasionally appearing unnatural, the pronunciation and pausing of speech being off, and a desire for more control over the creation and editing features.

Launch and grow your business with Microsoft 365. Do more, faster, with intelligent tools to create, send, share, and store professional, branded documents with your customers and team - securely in t

• 36% Mid-Market
• Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive toolkit that includes productivity tools, collaboration features, and robust security measures, designed for both individual and organizational use.
• Reviewers appreciate the seamless integration of essential productivity tools, the real-time collaboration features, the cloud-based accessibility, and the continuous updates that ensure access to the latest features and improvements.
• Reviewers mentioned that the subscription cost can be steep for individual users or small businesses, the user interface across different applications could be more consistent, and there are occasional syncing issues between desktop and cloud versions.

Mentimeter is the audience engagement platform. Easy-to-use, interactive, and innovative; presenting has never been less stressful and more effortless! Create unique and dynamic presentations that wil

• 39% Small-Business
• 33% Mid-Market

Simplified is the one app to create, collaborate, and scale your marketing. Design, write marketing copy, create videos, collaborate, and publish to socials—all in the same place. Built for speed and

• Writing and Editing
• Marketing and Advertising
• 94% Small-Business
• 3% Mid-Market
• Simplified AI is a tool that leverages artificial intelligence to streamline content creation, including text generation, image enhancement, and data analysis.
• Users like the user-friendly interface, the range of features, and the ability to generate, design, and edit content quickly and effortlessly, making it a favorite tool for creating social media content.
• Reviewers mentioned issues such as the occasional complexity in navigating the interface, the steep learning curve for new users, limited advanced customization options, occasional AI-generated inaccuracies, and dissatisfaction with the credit and pricing system.

VEED is the all-in-one platform for businesses that want to scale video production. Customers across 200+ countries in marketing, sales, L&D, and social media are creating video 30x faster than e

• Health, Wellness and Fitness
• 89% Small-Business
• 8% Mid-Market
• Veed is a web-based video editing tool that allows users to create, edit, and add subtitles to videos.
• Users frequently mention the ease of use, the wide range of features, and the ability to generate subtitles automatically as key benefits of using Veed.
• Users experienced issues with the software's stability, occasional glitches, especially with larger projects, and limitations in the trial version of the pro features.

How do you 100X you content? RELAYTO is the #1 Interactive Experience platform that transforms your static content (PDFs, MP4s, images) into engaging interactive experiences, enabling viewers to choos

• Executive Assistant
• 60% Small-Business
• 24% Mid-Market
• Relayto is a software tool designed to create interactive presentations and digital content, with features for customization, integration, and analytics.
• Reviewers appreciate Relayto's user-friendly interface, wide range of templates, and ability to convert static content into interactive presentations, with many noting its time-saving benefits and the ease of creating engaging content.
• Users mentioned initial difficulties with the learning curve, limited features in the mobile version, and lack of integration with certain visualization apps like Excel and Tableau.

Canva Enterprise is a subscription offering designed to empower large organizations to easily create, collaborate, and publish high-impact visual content at scale with a secure platform designed for e

• 98% Enterprise
• 1% Small-Business
• Canva is an online graphic design tool designed to help users create high-quality images and content for various purposes.
• Reviewers appreciate Canva's user-friendly interface, wide range of templates and options, and its ability to cater to both personal and professional needs, making it accessible to individuals without a design background.
• Users mentioned that Canva can be a bit overwhelming at first, has limited free designs, and requires a paid subscription for access to more sophisticated capabilities and high-quality images, and it may be challenging to switch from Canva to other design applications.

Keynote for Mac makes it simple to create and deliver beautiful presentations. Updated for OS X El Capitan, Keynote employs powerful tools and dazzling effects that bring your ideas to life. You can w

• Project Manager
• 55% Small-Business
• 23% Enterprise

Vyond is the effortless, all-in-one AI video creation platform for business. Vyond provides everything needed to communicate better, including an AI-powered instant video maker (Vyond Go) and a full

• Instructional Designer
• Senior Instructional Designer
• Financial Services
• 50% Enterprise
• 28% Small-Business

Prezi is a suite of online content design and visual communication tools that helps to foster deeper understanding and connection between people — even when they're working or learning remotely. The

• 40% Small-Business
• 31% Mid-Market
• What G2 Users Think Expand/Collapse What G2 Users Think
• Reviewers really appreciate how Prezi helps them captivate their audience and keep them engaged during presentations.
• Reviewers find Prezi easy to use, especially when customizing the templates.
• Users appreciate the variety of templates to choose from.

Visme makes it easy and affordable for anyone to create impactful, original, interactive experiences. Visme's all-in-one platform allows non-design professionals to transform the way they create, shar

• Marketing Manager
• 68% Small-Business
• 25% Mid-Market
• Reviewers appreciate the quick and excellent customer service of Visme.
• Reviewers regularly use Visme’s impressive and ready-to-use catalog of templates to add a professional design to presentations, visuals, documents, etc.
• Reviewers appreciate Visme’s graphic design features to create stunning infographics.

iSpring Suite is a comprehensive authoring tool that allows you to create professional eLearning content, including courses, quizzes, video tutorials, role-play simulations, SCORM-compliant e-books, a

• 49% Small-Business
• 30% Mid-Market
• iSpring Suite is a software tool that integrates with PowerPoint to create interactive e-learning courses and quizzes.
• Reviewers like the user-friendly interface, seamless PowerPoint integration, and the variety of features available for creating engaging content, including multimedia elements, diverse quiz types, and a text-to-speech function.
• Users mentioned limitations in design flexibility within some elements, the lack of a Mac version, and the limited capabilities of the iSpringCloud Editor compared to iSpring Suite.

Colossyan is the AI video platform for workplace learning. Our mission is to democratize video content and make studio-quality videos available for all learning and development teams, content creato

• 81% Small-Business
• 9% Enterprise
• Colossyan is a video creation platform that allows users to create videos with avatars and voiceovers.
• Reviewers like the user-friendly interface, the variety of avatars and voices, the ability to have multiple avatars in a conversation, and the time-saving aspect of the platform.
• Reviewers mentioned issues with the high cost, lack of diversity in avatar options, difficulty in changing elements, and the need for more advanced editing features and more natural avatar movements.

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Presentation topics, why use presentation software, who uses presentation software, presentation software features, potential issues with presentation software, software and services related to presentation software, learn more about presentation software.

No matter your industry, professional presentations can be an ace-in-the-hole maneuver for communicating important ideas or aligning teams around company vision or initiatives. A handful of well-designed slides goes a long way, and the right presentation tool can make it easy for even the least tech-savvy individuals to create presentations.

These tools replace the old-fashioned method of drawing bullet points and supplemental images on whiteboards or poster boards, and can help hammer home the main points of a public speech to the desired audience. After walking through a presentation in front of a group, you can also share the completed files as helpful resources to specific departments or the entire organization. Some of the best presentations have a life that extends far beyond the intended meeting.

Key Benefits of Presentation Software

• Communicate information in an organized, digestible way
• Engage listeners of presentations visually as well as aurally
• Provide your slide deck as a post-presentation resource
• Convert more listeners to leads through interest

Whether delivering a keynote address or a book report, the impact of visual aids cannot be overstated. We are an increasingly graphics-oriented species: Online posts that involve images are 650% more effective than text-only content, according to one study. Presentation apps and desktop tools empower professionals of all backgrounds to create eye-catching, easy-to-follow supplements that can keep an audience engaged when important information is being communicated.

These apps can also replace notecards as personal guides during meetings, training sessions, or company announcements. With the helpful templates, graphics, and other features, users can make presentation tools an invaluable asset for uniting teams and effectively mastering complex subjects. Long after the public presentation, slides designed on your presentation program can be saved on a file storage platform or content management system to be accessed and shared by the teams who can benefit from the contained information. You may continually draw value from a quality slideshow presentation or video presentation as a form of training for new hires. In this way, presentation software tools can double as eLearning solutions when used to their full potential.

Our research team has discussed the dos and don’ts of engaging presentations and other presentation software tips in blogs on G2 Crowd. Owning a great software solution doesn’t guarantee great presentations, and they won’t do all the work for you. But when used properly and delivered confidently, these products can be indispensable mediums of communication, regardless of the user’s industry.

Like many of the best apps, presentation solutions can be used by a wide spectrum of users. A good business presentation is useful at a restaurant staff meeting just as it is in an enterprise context. The marriage of graphics and informative content is a universal language that does not discriminate to one industry or another. Nearly anyone can craft a basic presentation with many of the tools in this category, and create a memorable experience for their staff and/or clients. As skills progress or situations demand, these same tools can be used for advanced and multi-layered presentations.

With that said, there are some individuals who may find a more consistent or impactful use from presentation software.

Department managers or c-level execs — A well-made presentation can add authority to and maximize comprehension of major announcements or important team/company meetings. Rather than simply talking with your staff, leveraging quality slides can drive the main points home for the intended viewers.

Sales representatives — Presentation software can create a stronger relationship between sales reps and prospective or current clients, adding depth to conversations and answering clients’ questions in great detail. There is no telling how many closed deals and renewals around the world are due in part to well-executed presentations.

HR/training teams — In the modern workplace, projects such as employee handbooks, organizational updates, and new hire education are often completed or assisted by presentation technology. A free presentation for internal use can be endlessly valuable in company alignment and culture-building.

Creative departments — For those hired to create, there are constant opportunities to go above and beyond when sharing and explaining new ideas. The features within a presentation software package can help graphic designers , UX architects , and other creative teams shine a light on exciting projects using colorful slides filled with multimedia and approachable explanations.

Teachers and students — Presentation software has one of the largest overlaps between professional and academic practicality. Teachers and professors, particularly in higher education, can make digital presentations an integral component of lesson plans. In today’s classroom, many create presentation-based environments in place of lectures with scribbled chalkboard notes. Additionally, students are often encouraged to take advantage of these solutions for presenting projects to the class; in some cases, the use of this software is mandatory.

The growing selection of presentation software builds off the model created by early torchbearers, as far back as the late 1980s. Today’s offerings include updated versions of some tenured platforms and fresh, boundary-pushing releases from forward-thinking developers. Across these varying products, you will find a handful of common, practical features to help create masterful slides—in addition to some platform-specific tools that can elevate your professional presentation to its peak.

Some common features include:

Templates and themes — One of the core values in the presentation software space is a low learning curve, at least for simple projects, and the best example of that is presentation templates. Even free presentation software or the free version of some paid products may include this feature, which provides various pre-built outlines for both individual slides and entire presentations. Templates can incorporate suggested layouts, color schemes, fonts, and object placements that can be modified as necessary by the user, and used as starting points off which to insert personal content.

Text and image effects — Cropping and resizing are just the tip of the iceberg for the content and media elements you utilize in your project. When you create a presentation, you will have a multitude of effects at your disposal to bring each slide to life, such as shadows and shading. The toolbox within the average presentation software shares qualities of those found in desktop publishing and drawing software ; learning one gives you an immediate advantage in the other.

Transitions — A good presentation is more than a series of slides—it’s a complete expression of an idea or a concept. To help tie the different ingredients together and keep a rapt audience, these platforms usually offer transitions that ease each slide into the next. Some are more vivid or showy than others, but even the basic transition effects can hold the finished product together and prevent an understandably jarring reaction when the presenter leaps from page to page.

With these features alone, you can take advantage of these powerful apps to design a noteworthy in-house or online presentation. That said, complete tool sets within these platforms will lend themselves to endless edits and additions on the way to richer presentations. You can take presentations to the next level by pasting in videos pieced together with video editing software ; you may also find certain video editing features included depending on the product. On a similar note, you can import files created with 3D design , photo editing , and audio editing software to spice up a presentation where desired.

As robust and practical as these tools are, presentation software should not become a replacement for actual understanding of the topics being communicated within a completed presentation. It can be all too easy for this to occur, with the presenter using the platform as a crutch during important meetings with either fellow employees or external clients. These pitfalls can quickly rise to the surface in the event that a slideshow app lags or crashes, or a similar technical mishap occurs, leaving the speaker without visual assistance. When using presentation software, consider utilizing handwritten notes as well, and make a concerted effort to internalize the subject matter well beforehand.

Many of the best presentations are group efforts, and may require input from a number of users. Depending on the product, this could involve continual discussions on team collaboration , video conferencing , or email software , as the presentation tool might allow for only one user at a time. If real-time collaboration is essential to you, consider business content management software for a more interactive experience in fleshing out concepts or visuals to be used in presentations.

Though presentation management tools offer some ground-level features for media editing, your presentation could greatly benefit from touching up relevant multimedia—or creating it altogether—with a different product. As previously mentioned, consider video editing , photo editing , or another authoring and publishing software to produce audio/visual building blocks of truly memorable presentations.

If you’re looking for help with individual components or an entire presentation, consider a local creative services provider , such as a graphic design agency . In some cases, the expertise and artful eye of these companies can bring your presentation ideas to life or at least point you in the right direction, eliminating the stress of going at it alone.

7 Most Popular Software for Presentations

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Wondering which are the top presentation software options available right now on the market? In this article, we’ll throw some light on the subject.

Multimedia presentations have become an inevitable part of business and education nowadays. With the rising demand for powerful and feature-rich presentation software, developers keep presenting more and more advanced tools that actually make users create impressive presentations faster and more easily than ever.

The market offers a lot of suggestions for good presentation software – free or paid, each packed up with valuable features that help you create good engaging designs in minutes. In today’s post, we’ve outlined 7 top presentation software, which you can use online, on your PC, or both ways. Let’s begin!

“Designed for people who aren’t designers.”

A very famous cloud-based platform that lets you create interactive presentations and track your results. Depending on your plan, you will have access to a huge library of templates on marketing, sales, business, and education themes, as well as icons and images that can be edited right in the app. Plus, building your presentation is very easy with the drag-and-drop function which lets you add smart structures.

Prezi has developed a unique technique that makes presentations more engaging, escaping from the traditional look of a presentation with slides. The platform provides an open canvas that plays the role of your whole presentation. Within this canvas, you can zoom in to different modules and points in order to reveal your story. Check out a quick tutorial:

• The newest app version Prezi Next is built on HTML instead of Flash;
• A library of templates, design assets, and pre-designed  building blocks;
• A zoom reveal function;
• Prezi Analytics to track your results;
• Cloud-based software for online work across devices;
• A desktop app for offline work;
• PowerPoint to Prezi conversion.
• Free version with limited features;
• Standard – from $5/month (free trial);
• Plus – from $15/month (free trial);
• Premium – from $59/month (free trial);
• More pricing options for education and teams.

2. Google Slides

“Create, edit, collaborate and present wherever you are. For free.”

Google Slides is a tool for creating presentations that you can use right in your browser or download on your PC. It comes with a library of interesting themes, fonts, animation effects, video embedding, and even more functions.

The Google presentation app requires you to have an account. Beyond that, everything about Google Slides is intuitive and easy. The app can be used from every browser, as long as you have an internet connection. It even saves your changes automatically and you can easily see old versions of your creations.

Google Slides is very easy to use among teams. You can share your slides with other users in view, comment, or edit modes and collaborate on the same presentation in real-time. You can even chat in the app and see other people’s cursors, as they make changes. Here is a useful tutorial on how to use Google Slides:

• Pre-made presentation themes, pitch decks, portfolios, and a variety of fonts to choose from;
• Easy access from every browser – you only need to have an account;
• Download an app for offline use;
• Quick and easy sharing options;
• Collaborate with other people on the same presentation at the same time;
• Chat with fellow collaborators inside the app;
• Changes are automatically saved;
• PowerPoint compatibility.

3. Slidebean

“The world’s first slide design platform powered by Artificial Intelligence.”

Another presentation software that is quite different from the rest on the market – Slidebean. The platform practically does the design for you by using Artificial Intelligence. The algorithms of the software analyze your images and text and design your content in optimal layouts, thus saving you a lot of time. The software designs your content and creates an outline of the presentation. Moreover, it identifies the key elements and arranges your content accordingly. And all of this – without human intervention.

Slidebean allows full customization of your presentations. Other useful features are real-time collaborations between multiple users, activity tracking, and useful analytics. Here is what to expect from the software:

• Uses Artificial Intelligence to make the outline and design of presentations;
• Analyzes your content and key elements to design it optimally;
• Simple and intuitive interface;
• Support for online collaboration between many users and automatic sync;
• Full customization of themes, and more.
• Free (with limited usage);
• All-Access – $29/month (or $228 annually).

“Beautiful presentations for everyone. By everyone.”

A famous tool for creating engaging presentations. Keynote can be used on Mac, iOS, or iCloud.com from any PC browser. The software comes with a library of over 30 thematic templates, over 30 impressive cinematic transitions for your design elements, interactive charts and stunning animations, over 700 editable shapes, and more exciting assets.

Keynote lets your team collaborate on the same presentation from different locations in the world, and changes are displayed in real-time. If you are using an iPad, you can even draw and write directly on your presentation template with the Apple Pencil. Here is a recent tutorial on Keynote for iPad:

• A library of pre-made themes and easy customization;
• Import photos, galleries, math equations, charts, shapes;
• Animate your slides with transitions and effects (and see animation previews live on canvas);
• Draw directly on your presentation on an iPad by using Apple Pencil;
• Real-time collaboration on one presentation from multiple devices;
• Invite many people to watch your presentation live with Keynote Live from their own devices;
• You can record and edit audio clips to narrate your presentation and import different sounds;
• Compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint – export presentations as  PowerPoint files or import and edit pptx files in Keynote (Keynote supports the most popular PowerPoint features);

“Make better presentations.”

Slides is an open-source cloud-based tool for creating and sharing presentations. The tool can be used on any device including mobile devices. Moreover, it is enriched with features that will help you fully personalize your slide decks.

Slides come with a media library that keeps your assets organized and easy to reuse even by your team collaborators. To make your presentation more informative, you can use vertical slides, as well, which look like sub-slides to your main slides.

Since Slides is open source, so it is 100% developer-friendly and it offers full customization by giving you access to your decks’ source code. You can fully edit your presentation by using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and embed content from other devices. All your presentations are safely stored on Slides’ servers, so you can access them at any time from any device, and download them for offline use if you wish.

• A personal media library that you can share with fellow collaborators;
• Easily position and edit content blocks;
• Publish your presentations easily or protect the access with a password;
• Easily embed content into your presentation and embed the presentation itself on websites;
• Google Analytics integration;
• Click, tap and hover interactions on your slides;
• Unsplash & GIPHY integration;
• Support for SVG images;
• Edit presentation’s HTML, CSS, and JavaScript;
• Import PowerPoint files and PDFs;
• Handy features for presenters;
• Convenient tools for teams;
• Free account – your decks will be publicly viewable and searchable;
• Slides Lite – from $7/month;
• Slides Pro – from $14/month;
• Slides Team – from $28/month;
• Slides Enterprise.

6. SlideDog

“Freedom to present.”

If you are looking for a little bit more untraditional presentation software to engage your audience, then SlideDog’s approach may be right for you. The software lets you combine different media types into one multimedia presentation. This basically means that you can mix different presentation mediums like PowerPoint, Prezi, websites, media files, static PDFs, and more to play as one presentation.

The app allows you to add a live chat or discussion, so your audience can actively engage in the experience. You can also receive anonymous feedback, as well as questions and comments to respond to at a time of your convenience. Learn a little bit more about how it works:

• Easy combination of different presentation mediums, media files, and static files;
• All elements display like in the original file;
• Live stream presenting & the audience can join in any time from any browser;
• Remote control function;
• Interactive polls;
• Questions and comments from the audience;
• Anonymous feedback on your presentations;
• Dual screen support
• SlideDog Free – limited features;
• Monthly – $19/month;
• Annual – $99/year ($79.20 for subsequent years);
• Lifetime access – $299.

7. Visme’s presentation tool

“Not just another boring presentation software.”

A very easy-to-use presentation tool by Visme with a drag-and-drop editor that lets you create presentations quite fast. With over 1000 templates and slides included, as well as graphics, charts, and data widgets, using Visme’s presentation tool doesn’t require much graphic design experience. Of course, if you are more experienced, you can start by scratch and create your own slide library. Also, you can import your Powerpoint presentations to use online.

Editing templates is quite easy – you can customize the colors, change text, add more graphics and use high-quality photos and vector files . Here is a very good explanatory video tutorial that will help you understand the basics of working with Visme’s presentation tool.

• Over 1000 pre-made HD templates and slides
• A library of over 500k high-resolution photos and vector icons
• 50+ data visualization charts, maps, widgets, and more
• Options for online sharing and download in JPG, PNG, PDF, HTML
• An option to import your existing Powerpoint presentation
• Create your own media library, slide library, and custom content blocks for future use
• Free with limited features;
• Paid Individual, Business, and Education plan at different rates.

The evergreen leader: PowerPoint

“Create presentations that stand out.”

It’s no surprise that the most popular presentation software worldwide right now is PowerPoint, available in over a hundred languages. For the last few decades, Microsoft has established PowerPoint as a synonym for presentation software. The powerful app has been developed and enriched with amazing features throughout the years. Now, it has everything you would need in order to create beautifully animated presentations with 3D models, impressive motions, and tons of more goodies.

PowerPoint comes as a part of the Office 365 package (including Word, Outlook, Excel, and cloud storage) or as a separate purchase. Microsoft has also provided online versions of the desktop apps which allow you and your teammates to collaborate on the same presentation in real-time. Here is a quick tutorial on how to start using PowerPoint if you don’t have any experience with the software:

• Rich in features with which you can create amazing designs;
• Real-time collaboration and commenting via the Office Online applications
• Easy share via the cloud;
• Slide-by-slide notes that only you can see;
• Multilingual support;
• Individual purchase or as a part of Office 365;
• A library with templates in more than 40 categories.
• With a subscription for Office 365 – from $69.99/year;
• As a separate purchase – $159.99.

You may be interested in some PowerPoint templates to get started: The Best Minimalist Powerpoint Templates for Free Download The Best Free PowerPoint Templates to Download in 2022

To wrap up,

There is indeed a suitable presentation software option for each taste. Some are cloud-based, others you can use on your PC. Some are free to use, others – are paid and loaded with advanced features. No matter which presentation software you will use, remember that creating an engaging presentation is up to you.

You would probably find it interesting to learn which are the  4 Invaluable Presentation Design Tips You Wish You Knew Earlier .

Now leaving the comments to you. Do you have a favorite presentation software not listed here? We’d love to read about it in the comments below.

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Iveta Pavlova

Iveta is a passionate writer at GraphicMama who has been writing for the brand ever since the blog was launched. She keeps her focus on inspiring people and giving insight on topics like graphic design, illustrations, education, business, marketing, and more.

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17 Examples of Presentation Software

Presentation software is a type of software that allows users to create and deliver presentations using graphics, animation, sound, and data. Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Apple Keynote, Prezi, Visme are some examples of presentation software.

Table of Contents

Examples of Presentation Software

Here are some most common examples of Presentation Software :

1.   Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is the most popular presentation software in the world. It offers a wide range of features, including a variety of templates, themes, and objects. It is available for Windows and macOS.

2.   Google Slides

Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation software that is free to use. It is similar to PowerPoint and offers many of the same features. It is available for all platforms.

3.   Apple Keynote

Apple Keynote is a presentation software that is available for macOS and iOS. It is known for its beautiful design and intuitive interface. It is available for macOS and iOS.

Prezi is a presentation software that uses a non-linear, zooming presentation format. This allows users to create presentations that are more engaging and interactive. It is available for all platforms.

Canva is a cloud-based graphic design platform that can also be used to create presentations. It offers a variety of templates and tools that make it easy to create professional-looking presentations. It is available for all platforms.

Visme is another cloud-based presentation software that offers a variety of features, including interactive charts, infographics, and animations. It is available for all platforms.

7.  Haiku Deck

Haiku Deck is a presentation software that is designed for creating presentations that are visually appealing and easy to understand. It is available for all platforms.

8.  Slidesgo

Slidesgo is a website that offers free and premium presentation templates. It also offers a variety of other resources for creating presentations, such as graphics, icons, and fonts. It is available for all platforms.

9.  Slidebean

Slidebean is a presentation software that allows users to create presentations using a drag-and-drop interface. It also offers a variety of templates and features for customizing presentations. It is available for all platforms.

Emaze is an online presentation software that allows users to create presentations with a variety of interactive features. It is available for all platforms.

11. Powtoon

Powtoon is an online presentation software that allows users to create animated presentations. It is available for all platforms.

12. SlideDog

SlideDog is a presentation software that allows users to combine presentations, videos, and other media into a single presentation. It is available for Windows and macOS.

13. Showpad

Showpad is a presentation software that is designed for sales professionals. It allows users to create and deliver presentations that are tailored to specific audiences. It is available for Windows and macOS.

14. Panopto

Panopto is a presentation software that allows users to record, store, and share presentations. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

15. LibreOffice

LibreOffice Impress is a free and open-source presentation software. It is similar to PowerPoint and offers many of the same features. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Beamer is a LaTeX-based presentation software. It is used by many technical professionals and academics. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Xymag is a presentation software that is designed for creating presentations that are accessible to people with disabilities. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

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What are Presentation Graphics?

Pre-requisites: Introduction to Computer Graphics

Graphics are defined as any sketch or a drawing or a special network that pictorially represents some meaningful information. Computer Graphics is used where a set of images needs to be manipulated or the creation of the image in the form of pixels and is drawn on the computer. Computer Graphics can be used in digital photography, film, entertainment, electronic gadgets, and all other core technologies which are required. It is a vast subject and area in the field of computer science. Computer Graphics can be used in UI design, rendering, geometric objects, animation, and many more. 

Presentation graphics provides predefined backgrounds and simple page layouts to help in the creation of slides. These slides can be moved automatically within seconds.

Slides: 

Slides mean we have text, graphics, audio clips, video clips, animations, and other effects   Presentation graphics is also known as Presentation Software. The best example of presentation graphics is Microsoft PowerPoint. 

In recent days we have a new presentation tool that is: our Web browser and that is for creating Web pages, like Microsoft’s FrontPage and Adobe’s PageMill. 

Rules to Design Presentation:

• Keep it simple: Make it simple to understand. It only contains information regarding your topic.
• Correct Spelling:   We have to be careful with the spelling that we have written.
• Consistency: There is need to be continuous flow from one slide to another.
• Don’t put too much on a Slide: Don’t write too much. just give a brief description and important points.
• Use Fonts Properly: Only you can use two font styles in the presentation.
• Find Your Equipment: First, you have to be confident with your topic and details about it.

Uses: 

Presentation graphics programs are mainly concerned with the display of graphs and charts but now allow users to attach anything from text to animations. When Compared to other programs like Excel, PowerPoint follows a slideshow format.

Applications:  

In the following areas we can use presentation software:

• Google Slides
• Microsoft Office
• WPS Office 
• Photo Slideshow with Music

Advantages:

• Less Cost: The cost is low to use presentation software
• Logical Ideas: Tables and graphs are used to represent information then a logical order is created to give a clear idea for viewers.
• Acceptability: By using this busy person can easily get an idea about the topic.

Disadvantages:

• Time-taking process. It needs more time to prepare.
• Data can sometimes be lost.
• Errors and Mistakes can occur during design.

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PowerPoint Graphics Complete 2024 Guide (PPT Presentation Design)

Warning: this tutorial may contain graphic content! But don't worry, it's all family friendly. We're talking about  PowerPoint graphics  and how you can use them to create your best presentation yet.

PowerPoint graphic design is an art. Ultimately, the goal of a presentation is to share information with your audience. Choosing the right PowerPoint graphics is all about  supporting  your message with the proper illustration or infographic.

You don't have to build PowerPoint presentation graphics from scratch! One thing you'll see in this tutorial is a source for unlimited PPT graphics included inside of templates. Plus, get  graphics for presentations that you can source one-by-one with the help of GraphicRiver.

What Are PowerPoint Graphics?

The term PowerPoint graphics is a bit broad. There are many types of graphics that pro presenters use. Here are three types of popular PowerPoint presentation graphics and how you can use them:

• SmartArt.  These flexible graphics are great if you aren't a graphic designer. You can create graphics that adapt to your content like org charts and flowcharts.
• Infographics . At the intersection of information and graphics are these helpful explanatory visuals. These PowerPoint presentation graphics can help drive understanding with the audience.
• Shapes . You might be surprised by how much a few simple shapes add to your slide. Try out shapes like arrows to add a bit of annotation, for example.

In this tutorial, we'll explore all three of these popular types of PPT graphics. For a complete deep dive on infographics, we've got an excellent resource for you:

How to Access Unlimited PowerPoint Graphics Templates

At the end of this tutorial, you'll be a master of working with PPT graphics. Best of all, you won't have to learn how to design all those graphics for presentations from the ground up. With the help of templates, talented designers have already created all you need.

You might have seen a few built-in templates in Microsoft PowerPoint. They're certainly an upgrade from a pure, blank slate in PowerPoint. But the bottom line is that they're simple combinations of color schemes and layouts.

There's another type of template that offers so much more. With premium templates, you'll find that powerful PPT graphics are built into the presentation file. And thanks to Envato Elements, you can download them easily.

Don't think that Elements will break the bank. For a single flat rate, you unlock unlimited downloads of the top PowerPoint presentation graphics templates. 

As a bonus, the all-you-can-download subscription includes so many extras that enhance your PowerPoint presentation. That provides access to assets like:

• Stock photos . Need to spice up a slide? Just jump to the well-organized stock photography library and download a high-resolution image for your slide.
• Graphics and illustrations . Some templates will benefit from supplementary graphics. Download those from Elements too and add them to  any  PowerPoint presentation.
• Background music . Add some looping background music for an engaging presentation that you could leave on loop in a conference room, for example.

For three outstanding examples of the best graphics for PowerPoint presentations (packaged inside of PPT graphics templates), here are our three top picks in the Envato Elements library. Remember, they're all included!

1. The X Note

Consistently topping our list of the best PowerPoint templates, The X Note is a stunning design. This template's got many PPT graphics that are to add so much to your next presentation. You'll be impressed by how easy it is to customize the included graphics. Use more than 40 unique slides in multiple color schemes to create a PPT graphics focused presentation.

2. Beauty | PowerPoint Template

Beauty might be in the eye of the beholder. But some PPT graphics templates capture it perfectly. That's certainly the case for the appropriately named "Beauty" PowerPoint template. It's one of the best PowerPoint presentation graphics options thanks to its inclusion of graphics across 30 unique slides.

3.  Groningen - PowerPoint Template

Remember, there are many types of PowerPoint presentation graphics. The best PPT graphics templates have a range of infographics, shapes, and more. This PowerPoint presentation graphics-focused template's got all the above. Plus, it's easy to edit these cool presentation graphics thanks to smartly constructed slides.

These three templates are just the start of graphics for presentations included on Elements. For infographic-focused templates and professional designs, make sure to check out these articles:

Find More PowerPoint Presentation Graphics on GraphicRiver

PowerPoint graphics templates come in all shapes and sizes. You can use Envato Elements for unlimited access to the entire library. 

But sometimes, you know  exactly  what you're looking for. in that case, the cost-effective GraphicRiver library might be perfect for you. It's a pay-as-you-go option to source single PPT graphics templates.

With the help of a template, you're on your way to the best graphics for PowerPoint presentations. Best of all, you're getting ready to see that it's easy to edit those background graphics for  your  presentation.

How to Use and Edit Graphics in PowerPoint

Sure, templates are great. But you might be wondering how to edit background graphics in PowerPoint along with other visuals. Are templates adjustable?

The answer is: yes, PowerPoint graphic design is easy to master with templates. Cool presentation graphics are easy to edit. So, use templates for practically any purpose!

In this section, I'm going to use one of the outstanding templates that we highlighted in the section above. We're going to use The X Note , which includes some of the best PPT graphics. 

The X Note is part of Envato Elements, the best source for unlimited downloads with the best PowerPoint presentation graphics . Most of the templates are built by PowerPoint graphic design experts.

Maybe you're wondering how to edit background graphics in PowerPoint. Or, you need some help inserting graphics in PowerPoint. Let's tackle all those topics (and more) in our guide to creating better PowerPoint graphics below.

How to Use SmartArt PowerPoint Graphics

The first type of PPT graphic that we'll cover in our guide is  SmartArt.  This feature is built into Microsoft PowerPoint and helps you create graphics for presentations with fewer clicks. You don't have to open a separate graphic design app.

To start working with SmartArt, click  Insert  on the ribbon. Then, click on the  SmartArt  menu option. The new window gives you many options to begin building SmartArt graphics for PowerPoint.

As you'll see in this window, SmartArt starters are divided into multiple categories. The goal here is to choose a preset that's as close as possible to what you need. For our quick example, let's work with a  cycle chart.  Specifically, I'm going to edit the SmartArt graphic for PowerPoint called  segmented cycle.

After you choose a preset and click  OK,  you'll see the graphic added to your slide. Also, you'll see an accompanying text box to the side that's got bullet points. These correspond to the text on the slide.

Think of this menu as the way to edit SmartArt graphics in PowerPoint. Type in the text box. The chart will update with your details. 

Press return to add a new bullet point. The chart will update automatically.

Here's why I love SmartArt graphics for PowerPoint: they're flexible . When you want to update a PPT graphic with a new bullet point or detail, you won't have to jump back to a design app like Illustrator or Photoshop. 

Instead, type inside the edit window. Your PowerPoint SmartArt will update automatically.

Want to learn more about SmartArt? We've just scratched the surface with an introduction in this section. read the complete guide to master the feature in our article below: 

How to Edit PowerPoint Infographics

The best way to work with PowerPoint infographics is to use ones that are already built. That's why we recommend templates as the proper starting point for PowerPoint infographics.

Take  slide 21  in The X Note .  This beautiful, arctic scene is just the tip of the iceberg for what you can do with better PowerPoint graphics. It looks great from the outset. But with a few tweaks you can make it all your own.

Right-click the graphic and choose  Group > Ungroup.  Now, the individual shapes are easy to select and edit.

The best graphics for PowerPoint presentations help you explain your ideas more easily. After you ungroup the components, you can create business graphics for PowerPoint that explain a case study or concept.

From this point forward, editing this slide is easy. You've got all the controls you usually would to reposition, resize, and update the components of the chart. Some example tweaks I made in the finished product below include:

• Clicking on the water  area  of the chart and using the fill color to change the water to blue.
• Clicking and dragging the arrows  to change the annotation on crucial items.
• Updating the text boxes  with helpful text that serves the purpose I've got in mind for the slide.
• Removing one unused  iceberg part by clicking on it and tapping "delete" on my keyboard.

When you're busy creating a presentation, you won't have time to create business graphics from the ground up. Instead, start with a pre-built option like the one you see above.

This is just one example of working with PowerPoint graphics in templates. Templates are flexible enough to help you create practically any presentation! Check out our guide below to learn more.

How to Use Shapes as Illustrative PowerPoint Graphics

For our third look at PowerPoint presentation graphics, let's check out a straightforward option.  Shapes  are PowerPoint graphics that are easy to add and can draw attention.

To add a shape, jump to the  Insert  tab on the ribbon. Then, click on the  Shapes  dropdown. You'll see an incredible variety of shapes that are easy to add to your slide. 

Just choose your shape, then click and drag to draw it on your slide. These vector graphic shapes are scalable. So, you never have to worry about the shape's quality becoming pixelated or distorted.

One of my favorite PowerPoint shape examples is a simple arrow. It's the perfect way to point to a specific slide fact.

After you add a shape, style it with the  Drawing Tools > Format  menu. Click on a shape, then check out options like  Shape Fill,  for example. Select a new color to transform the shape on your slide.

That's it! The only thing left to do is to try out many PowerPoint graphics with a deep set of shape options.

Learn More About Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint graphics are just the beginning of the learning journey. With the help of more learning resources, you're on your way to feeling like a confident presenter every time you speak.

That's why we've invested time in building out the most in-depth library of PowerPoint tutorials. With the help of our resource,  How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide,)   you're sure to conquer PowerPoint's learning curve.

Here are three tutorials from the guide that you can use to power up your learning:

Create a Presentation with PowerPoint Graphics Today

PowerPoint graphics aren't a "nice to have" in 2024 and beyond. They're a must that every audience expects. But if you're still learning how to edit background graphics and infographics in PowerPoint, you owe it to yourself to start with a pre-built template. 

Whether you use one of the PowerPoint graphics templates from Elements' unlimited library or a single graphics presentation for PowerPoint from GraphicRiver, you've got options!

Download a template, design today, and present with confidence. No matter what option you choose, cool PowerPoint presentation graphics are sure to wow the audience.

Presentation Graphics Program

A presentation graphics program is an application designed to create and enhance charts and graphs so that they are visually appealing and easily understood by an audience through the use of a slideshow. A full-featured presentation graphics package such as Lotus Freelance Graphics or Microsoft PowerPoint includes facilities for making a wide variety of charts and graphs and for adding explanatory content like titles, legends, and labels anywhere in the chart or graph.

Author Mel Hawthorne

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The Definition of a Slide (or Slides) in a PowerPoint Presentation

• Brock University

Presentation software such as PowerPoint generates a series of slides to accompany a human presenter or to be recorded as a stand-alone presentation. A slide is a single screen of a presentation, and every presentation is composed of several slides. Depending on the subject matter, the  best presentations may consist of 10 to 12 slides to get a message across, but more may be needed for complex subjects.

Slides keep an audience's attention during a presentation and provide additional supporting information in textual or graphic format. 

Selecting Slide Formats in PowerPoint

When you open a new PowerPoint presentation file, you are presented with a large selection of slide templates that you can choose from to set the tone for your presentation. Each template has a series of related slides in the same theme, color, and font choice for different purposes. You can choose a template and use only the additional slides that work for your presentation.

The first slide of a presentation is usually a title or introductory slide. It typically consists of text only, but it can include graphic elements or images as well. Subsequent slides are chosen based on the information to be transmitted. Some slides contain images, or charts and graphs.

Transitions Between Slides

Slides follow one after another during a presentation, either at a set time or when the presenter advances the slides manually. PowerPoint includes a large number of transitions you can apply to slides. A transition controls the appearance of one slide as it transitions to the next. Transitions include one slide morphing into another, a fade of one to another, and all sorts of special effects such as page curls or animated motion.

Although transitions add extra interest to a slide presentation, overdoing them by applying a different spectacular effect to each slide tends to look unprofessional and may even distract the audience from what the speaker is saying, so use transitions judiciously.

Enhancing a Slide

Slides can have sound effects attached to them. The sound effects list includes cash register, crowd laughing, drum roll, whoosh, typewriter and many more. 

Adding motion to an element on a slide – a line of text or an image – is called animation. PowerPoint comes with a large selection of stock animations you can use to generate movement on a slide. For example, you can choose a headline and have it zoom in from the margin, spin around 360 degrees, flip in one letter at a time, bounce into position or one of many other stock  animation effects .

As with transitions, don't use so many special effects that the audience is distracted from the content of the slide. 

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16 Examples of Presentation Packages and Software

You’re ready to start planning that big presentation for work, school , or an event but aren’t sure what software to use. With so many options out there for building presentations, how do you choose? Well, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll walk you through 16 of the top presentation packages and software tools to consider for your next project. Whether you need something free and simple or are looking for more advanced features , we’ve got you covered. We’ll break down the key capabilities, and strengths of each platform. So read on to explore 16 presentation packages that can take your next talk, pitch, or presentation to the next level.

What is a Presentation Package?

A presentation package is a computer software package that is used to display information usually in the form of a slide show.

To choose a presentation package, consider the following;

• Look for a presentation package that allows you to save your presentations in a format compatible with the most common suites like Microsoft PowerPoint. That way, you know your work can be viewed by nearly anyone. Some packages also allow you to export your presentation as a PDF, video, or even an interactive website.
• Choose a package that makes it easy to share your presentations and access them from anywhere. Many are cloud-based, so you can log in from any device with an internet connection and pick up where you left off. Your presentations are automatically saved and backed up in the cloud as well.
• For interactive and engaging presentations, choose a package that allows you to easily add animations, transitions, videos, music, charts, images, and other multimedia elements. Look for options that allow you to apply animations to text, images, and other objects with just a click, as well as coordinate animations across multiple slides.

Presentation packages come in a range of price points, from free, open-source options up to paid cloud-based services. Evaluate your needs and budget to determine what level of features and support you require. For individuals and small teams, a free or low-cost option may work great, while large organizations may need a more robust paid solution.

Whether you’re a teacher, student, or business professional, presentation software is an essential tool for sharing ideas with an audience. There are many options available, from free, open-source platforms to paid software with advanced features. Here’s an overview of 16 popular presentation packages to help you choose the right one for your needs.

Microsoft PowerPoint – The Classic Presentation Software

Microsoft PowerPoint is the most well-known presentation software and has been the industry standard for years. Chances are, you’ve created or sat through a PowerPoint presentation at some point.

PowerPoint is very intuitive and easy to use, even for beginners. The simple drag-and-drop interface allows you to quickly create slides by adding text, images, graphs, videos, and more. There are many pre-designed templates and themes to choose from to help you get started.

While easy to use, PowerPoint also has a ton of features for more advanced users. You can animate text and graphics, add transitions between slides, embed audio and video, and link to external data sources. There are tools for collaboration so multiple people can work on the same presentation. You can also save your presentation as a video to share online.

PowerPoint is part of the Microsoft Office suite and works seamlessly with other apps like Word and Excel. You can easily copy and paste content between the apps. For example, you might create a table of data in Excel and paste it into PowerPoint as a graph. Or, write content in Word and paste it into PowerPoint as slide bullet points. This tight integration is one of the biggest benefits of using PowerPoint.

PowerPoint files (.pptx) can be opened and edited on both Windows and Mac computers, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues when sharing and collaborating. The files can also be exported to several other formats, including PDF, JPG, and HTML. This makes it easy to share your presentations virtually anywhere.

Google Slides – Great for Collaborative Presentations

Google Slides is a free presentation software that allows you to create and edit slide decks. It’s part of the Google Drive suite and works right in your browser. One of the biggest benefits of Google Slides is how easy it is to collaborate with others. Multiple people can work on the same presentation at once, and you’ll see each other’s changes in real-time.

Google Slides has a simple, intuitive interface that’s easy to pick up. You can choose from a variety of pre-made themes and layouts to get started quickly. It has all the basic features you’d expect like adding text, images, shapes, charts, and animations. The learning curve is very small, so you can dive in and start creating right away.

One of the best features of Google Slides is the ability to share and collaborate. You can invite others to view or edit your presentation by entering their email addresses. Everyone will have access to the latest version, and you’ll see changes from your collaborators in real-time. This makes it easy to work with colleagues remotely and ensure everyone is on the same page. Comments and suggestions can also be added to specific slides for feedback.

Because Google Slides lives in the cloud (on Google Drive), your presentations are accessible from anywhere. All you need is an internet connection and a browser. Your files are also saved automatically as you work, so you never have to worry about losing changes or remembering to save your progress.

Canva – For Creating Visual Presentations

Canva is a graphic design tool website used to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, documents, and other visual content. For presentations, Canva provides an easy-to-use interface with pre-made templates to choose from, as well as the option to design from scratch.

Canva has templates for presentations, social media posts, posters, infographics, and more. You’ll find templates for keynotes, PowerPoint, and general slide presentations. The templates are modern, minimal, and eye-catching. They’re also easy to customize by changing fonts and colors and adding your own images. This is perfect if you want a quick option to make a simple yet professional presentation.

With an easy-to-use interface, stylish templates, and powerful design features like uploading custom images and using shapes, Canva is a great free tool for creating stunning visual presentations.

Prezi – For Non-Linear Presentations

Prezi is a popular presentation software known for its dynamic, nonlinear designs. Unlike traditional slide-based presentations, Prezi lets you create engaging presentations on a giant virtual canvas.

To get started with Prezi, you first need to sign up for a free account. Then, you can begin building your presentation on an infinite canvas, adding text, images, videos, and shapes wherever you like. Rather than slides, you have frames that contain the elements of your presentation. These frames can be arranged in a nonlinear fashion, connected together on the canvas.

Some useful features of Prezi include:

• Themes and templates to get you started. Prezi has many free presentation templates for business, education, and personal use.
• Inserting multimedia like YouTube videos, graphics, and images. You can also draw freehand on the Prezi canvas.
• Collaborating with others. Multiple people can work on the same Prezi presentation together in real time.
• Presenting offline. You can download your Prezi to present without an Internet connection. The presentation and any embedded multimedia will be included in the download.
• Sharing and embedding. Share your Prezi via a link or embed it on your website so others can view and interact with it.
• Reusing content. Import slides from PowerPoint or reuse content from previous Prezis. You can also save sections as reusable frames or templates.

Prezi is an innovative tool for creating eye-catching presentations. With its zoomable interface and nonlinear approach, Prezi is a great option if you want to stand out and make a memorable impact. The free version is useful for personal and student use, while paid plans provide additional features for business and education.

Keynote – Apple’s Sleek Presentation App

Keynote is Apple’s presentation software and a direct competitor to Microsoft PowerPoint. If you’re an Apple user, Keynote is free to download and a great option for creating beautiful slide decks.

Keynote offers a simple, intuitive interface with tools to help you make an eye-catching presentation. You have access to gorgeous templates that make it easy to get started. Choose from categories like Business, Education or Casual. Keynote’s templates are very stylish, with modern and minimalist designs. If you prefer, you can also start from a blank canvas.

One of Keynote’s best features is the Photos browser. Search through thousands of high-quality, royalty-free images to use in your presentations. The photos are sorted into useful categories to make it simple to find what you need. You can also use your own photos from Photos, Adobe Lightroom, and Photo Stream.

Keynote’s simple interface, stylish templates, and powerful features make it easy to build a beautiful slide presentation. The best part is that if you own an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, Keynote comes free as part of the iWork suite. For creating dazzling presentations, Keynote is a fantastic option for any Apple user.

SlideDog – For Mashup Presentations

SlideDog is a unique presentation tool that lets you combine content from multiple sources into a single slideshow. With SlideDog, you can mash up slides, videos, websites, document files and more into a seamless presentation.

This versatile software gives you a blank canvas to work with. You start by importing elements like PowerPoint slides, PDF documents, images, YouTube videos, web pages, and many other formats. SlideDog will automatically format and arrange the elements on your timeline. You can then easily reorder, resize, and style each element to create the perfect flow and look for your presentation.

A major benefit of SlideDog is that it saves you time by allowing you to reuse slides and elements from previous presentations. You can also update presentations easily by just replacing or rearranging a few elements on the timeline. SlideDog’s simple drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create presentations, even if you have no experience with design software.

SlideDog has a variety of useful features for creating mashup presentations:

• Easily change themes, colors, and fonts to match your brand
• Add highlights, text, shapes, images, or callouts to slides
• Record audio or video narration for your entire presentation or individual slides
• Import PDF, PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, video, audio, images and web content
• Share your presentations as videos, interactive web pages or self-playing executables
• Present directly from the SlideDog interface or in full-screen mode
• Sync presentations across devices using SlideDog Cloud

Whether you want to create a dynamic pitch for investors, engage students with an interactive lesson, or boost brand awareness with a multimedia showcase, SlideDog gives you an innovative toolset for crafting memorable presentations. With a simple yet powerful design, SlideDog allows anyone to be a presentation expert.

Visme – For Interactive Presentations

Visme is an online presentation software that allows you to create interactive and engaging presentations. With Visme, you can easily design presentations, infographics, reports, social media graphics and more.

Some of the key features of Visme include:

• A drag-and-drop interface that makes it simple to add, edit, and rearrange elements on your slides. You have access to thousands of free templates, photos, icons, and illustrations to choose from.
• Animations and transitions to help bring your presentation to life. Add animations to objects, text, images, charts and more with just a few clicks.
• Interactive content like quizzes, surveys and data visualizations to actively engage your audience. You can also link between slides and presentations, add audio and video, and embed live websites and social media feeds.
• Real-time collaboration so you can work with teammates on the same presentation at the same time. Share your work and allow others to edit and comment.
• Presenter mode for a smoother presenting experience. Get a preview of your next slide, timer, and notes to help you stay on track.
• Analytics to see how your audience interacts with your presentations. Get insights into what content resonates most with your viewers so you can optimize future presentations.
• The option to download as PDF, PPTX, HTML, or image formats. You can also publish your presentations to the Visme gallery to share with the public or embed on your website.

With an easy-to-use interface, lots of customization options, and powerful features, Visme has everything you need to create a memorable presentation experience for your audience.

Haiku Deck – For Creative Slide Designs

Haiku Deck is a free presentation tool with a simple, intuitive interface and professional design themes to help you create stunning slide decks in minutes. If you want to make eye-catching presentations without being a designer, Haiku Deck is a great option.

Haiku Deck provides 35+ free themes to choose from, with styles ranging from minimal to bold and playful. Each theme comes with a coordinated font and color palette to give your presentation a polished look with zero design experience needed. The themes are also fully customizable, so you can tweak colors, change fonts, add images, and make the theme your own.

One of the best features of Haiku Deck is how it simplifies the design process. You don’t have to spend time picking colors, choosing fonts, or dragging elements into position. Haiku Deck handles the design details for you so you can focus on your content and message. It really streamlines the creative process.

Haiku Deck also has features like animations to bring your slides to life, presenter notes to keep you on track, and analytics to see how your decks are performing. You can present your slideshows right from the Haiku Deck app or export them to share as images or PDFs.

Emaze – For Animated Presentations

Emaze is a presentation software that lets you create animated presentations quickly and easily. With Emaze, you can make your presentations come alive by adding cinematic animations, 3D transitions, and motion graphics.

To get started, simply select a theme or template to base your presentation on. Emaze offers stylish templates for business presentations, school projects, personal stories, and more. You can then add your content, including text, images, videos, shapes, charts, and icons. Emaze has a built-in search tool to find free stock photos, videos, and icons to incorporate into your presentation.

Emaze’s easy-to-use timeline editor gives you precise control over the timing of your animations and transitions. Simply drag and drop the animations onto the timeline to determine the order and duration. You can also tweak the speed, delay, and duration of each effect right within the timeline interface.

Emaze allows you to present your creation in a few different ways. You can present directly within Emaze using their online presentation viewer, embed your presentation into a website or blog, or download your presentation as a video to share on social media and video hosting platforms.

PowToon – For Animated Video Presentations

PowToon is an animated video and presentation software. It allows you to create animated explainer videos, video presentations, and video ads in just a few clicks.

With PowToon, making an engaging animated video is easy. You don’t need any design or tech skills. Simply pick from the pre-made animated scenes, characters, and video templates to get started. Add your own images, logos, text, and voiceovers to customize the video. You have full control over customization to produce high-quality results.

PowToon’s library includes animated characters, scenes, props, and music that you can include in your videos. You can also upload your own images, photos, and logos to incorporate into the animations. With the text editor, easily add speech bubbles, titles, and captions. You can also record your own voiceover or add free music and sound effects. Once your video is complete, you can download it as an MP4 video file to use on your website, blog, or social media. You can also share it directly on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn from within the PowToon editor.

Some of the main features of PowToon include:

• Professionally designed video templates, scenes, props, and characters
• Intuitive drag-and-drop editor
• Customize with your own images, logos, text, and voiceover
• Animated characters and scenes
• Free music, sounds, and voiceovers
• One-click sharing to social media and video sites
• Collaborate in real-time with team members
• Analytics to see how your videos are performing

Whether you want to create an explainer video for your business, a fun video invitation, an educational animation, or just a short story, PowToon makes it easy to produce a professional-looking animated video in no time. With its simplicity and powerful features, PowToon is a great free tool for creating engaging video content.

Slidesgo – For Minimalist Presentations

Slidesgo is a presentation package with minimalist and simple templates suitable for all types of presentations. If you’re looking for an easy-to-use software without an overload of design options, Slidesgo is a great choice.

With Slidesgo, you’ll find templates with minimal elements, neutral color palettes and clean layouts. The simplistic designs make the templates versatile and suitable for business as well as educational presentations. You can easily customize the templates by adding images, changing fonts or switching colors to match your company’s branding. Even with the minimal designs, the templates still look professional and polished.

To get started with Slidesgo, you simply sign up for a free account on their website. You’ll then have access to over 20,000 free templates to choose from. The templates are categorized based on the purpose like business, marketing, education etc. which makes it easy to find the right template for your needs.

If you use Google Slides or PowerPoint, you can also download the Slidesgo templates and edit them in the software you prefer. The templates will retain the minimalist style but give you access to more advanced features for customization and animations.

Prezentar – For Quick Presentations

Prezentar is a presentation tool perfect for when you need to throw together a quick slideshow. With an intuitive interface, you can have a basic presentation up and running in just a few minutes. Simply select a template, add your content to the slides, pick transitions, and you’re done. You don’t need any advanced design skills or have to waste time fiddling with complicated formatting options.

Prezentar comes with over 50 modern templates to choose from, so your quick presentation can still look polished. The templates feature professional layouts, color schemes and font pairings. You just need to fill in the text boxes and you’ll have a presentation that looks like it took hours to design.

While Prezentar focuses on simplicity, it does allow you to enhance your presentations by adding images, icons, shapes, and even video or audio clips. You can search their library of free media or upload your own files. The drag and drop interface makes placing media on your slides a breeze.

For creating and delivering a fast, lightweight presentation, Prezentar is a fantastic free option. While it may lack some of the advanced features of PowerPoint, for most basic presentations it provides an easy to use and capable alternative.

Slidebean – For Branded Presentations

Slidebean is a slick presentation tool designed for creating branded and stylish slide decks. If you want to quickly make a good-looking presentation for your company or clients, Slidebean is a great choice.

Slidebean offers over 150 professional presentation templates to choose from. The templates feature bold graphics, photos, and charts on eye-catching layouts. Just select a template and add your content titles, bullet points, images, charts, or whatever you need. Slidebean does the heavy lifting of making your slides look polished and cohesive.

With Slidebean, you have options to match your company’s brand. You can fully customize the template colors to your brand palette. You can also add your logo and brand fonts to create a seamless brand experience in your presentation. These branding features allow you to craft a presentation that aligns with and reinforces your company’s visual identity.

Slidebean also offers a selection of graphs, charts, illustrations, and photos within the editor. You have options to add video, gifs, tables, and code snippets as well. Slidebean allows you to present directly from their site, or you can download your presentation as a PDF or PPTX file. They offer both free and paid plans, with the option to upgrade for additional storage, advanced features, and support.

FlowVella – For Interactive Presentations

FlowVella is a powerful presentation app that lets you create interactive presentations. It allows you to add multimedia content like images, gifs, videos, and animated elements to bring your presentations to life. The interactive features provide an engaging experience for your audience.

FlowVella comes with a variety of templates to choose from to get you started. You can then fully customize the templates by changing fonts, colors, and layouts. Add your brand elements like logos to make the presentation look professional. The simple drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to rearrange slides and add multimedia content.

Gain valuable insights into how your audience is engaging with your presentations. FlowVella provides analytics to show you which slides are most viewed and how long viewers spend on each slide. See where people enter and exit your presentation. Use this data to make improvements to your presentations and increase audience engagement.

LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a free and open-source office suite developed by The Document Foundation. It includes applications for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases, and more. Compatible with many file formats like Microsoft Office, LibreOffice is a great free alternative for productivity software.

LibreOffice Writer is the Word processing component. It allows you to create and edit text documents like letters, resumes, newsletters, and books. You have access to features such as auto-complete, auto-format, and styles to easily format your documents. You can also add images, tables, comments, footnotes, endnotes, and more. Files can be exported to PDF, EPUB, and other formats.

LibreOffice Calc is a spreadsheet application. It has a familiar grid layout where you can enter and calculate data. It includes over 300 functions for tasks like averaging numbers, finding percentages, and looking up values. You can create charts and graphs to visualize your data. Calc also has pivot tables, database ranges, and other features useful for data analysis.

LibreOffice Impress is used to create presentations. You can choose from many templates to get started and then add text, images, shapes, charts, and other media to your slides. Impress includes slide transitions and animations to make dynamic presentations. You can even embed or link to Calc spreadsheets and charts in your presentations. Presentations can be exported to PDF, HTML, and video formats to share online or present without Impress.

LibreOffice Draw lets you create vector graphics like diagrams, flowcharts, maps, and more. You have access to various drawing tools like lines, shapes, text, and connectors. Draw files can be exported to bitmap and vector image formats to use in other documents or shared separately.

Showpad is an online presentation software used to create and share interactive presentations, documents, and training materials. With Showpad, you can build gorgeous pitch decks, client presentations, training materials, and more all in one place.

Showpad is very easy to use. You don’t need any design experience to create beautiful and impactful presentations. Showpad provides pre-designed templates and themes to get you started. You can then customize the fonts, colors, and layouts to match your brand and preferences. Showpad also has an intuitive drag and drop interface, so adding, reordering and editing slides is simple.

Showpad isn’t just for presentations. You can also upload and organize all your sales and marketing collateral in one place – things like datasheets, case studies, training videos, and more. Everything is neatly organized so you and your team can quickly find what you need.

Showpad integrates with many popular business tools like Salesforce, Microsoft Office 365, and G Suite. Your data and files are encrypted at rest and in transit, and Showpad is compliant with major security standards like ISO 27001 and GDPR.

So there you have it, 16 of the most popular and efficient presentation packages and software options to help you create stunning slides, wow your audience, and knock your next talk out of the park. From industry stalwarts like PowerPoint and Keynote to up-and-comers like Prezi and Visme, you’ve got plenty of excellent choices. The key is finding the one that aligns best with your personal presentation style and needs. Don’t be afraid to test some of them to see which one feels like the best fit.

With the right presentation software, you’ll be ready to deliver your ideas with clarity, visual impact, and confidence.

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• Adapting Trial Graphics to Jurors’ New Media Expectations

Trial graphics are instrumental in conveying your story to today’s jurors. Presenting an understandable argument to a jury usually involves technology-driven visual communication in the form of demonstrative exhibits and evidence. This is particularly important in complex matters because jurors are given an opportunity to rely on visual support as well as auditory learning to absorb the concepts.

The success of courtroom visuals depends on their effectiveness with the audience—your jurors. Of course, no two jurors are exactly alike, so how can your graphics possibly speak to everyone? There are three key factors to consider: generational differences, visual communication fundamentals, and the evolution of media both inside and outside of the courtroom.

#1: Generational Differences Among Jurors

One valuable way to address the communicative power of visuals acros s the broad spectrum of jurors is to consider generational divisions: namely, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y aka “Millennials and Gen Z. (See chart below.) [i] As with any social science topic, there are exceptions and overlaps, but these divisions offer numerous clues about the behavioral and perceptual differences across generations.

Baby Boomers

For years, a trial attorney’s most substantial communication concerns involved simply conveying their messages clearly and keeping a jury focused. Baby Boomers are adept at—and used to—single, extended interactions or conversations. [i] These jurors might sit in the box thinking about picking up their kids or grabbing groceries afterward, but lawyers were still competing, for the most part, only with a juror’s internal dialogue. Jurors were more attuned to what might be called “Matlock moments,” in which the drama revolved around the attorney’s spoken word.

Generation X

When Gen X came along, information dissemination went through a major period of transition. Gen Xers grew up with television as a household staple and later the fledgling worldwide web, which suddenly exposed them to an enormous amount of information. With it came email, text, and image-heavy communication beyond TV.

While the internet’s breadth and speed grew exponentially, attorneys began to rely more on images to reach the jury, utilizing PowerPoint slides or other digital graphics in the courtroom. As CSI and its progeny replaced Perry Mason and Matlock , an attorney’s word alone was not good enough. Jurors increasingly expected the drama to unfold before their eyes. [ii]

Generation Y (aka Millennials)

For the most part, Gen Ys (Millennials) were born before the digital age but were young enough when it arrived that they made the transition at a young age. Millennials can handle an astounding amount of information at once but often at the expense of a dedicated attention span. These users are perpetually enveloped in social media, news media, search engines/information databases, on-demand videos, and streaming services with the touch of a finger. [iii] As such, Millennial jurors expect to see mixed media (i.e., text, images, and videos) in trial presentations.

Generation Z

Called the “digital natives,” members of Gen Z have been using technology their entire lives and do not know a world without internet, cell phones, and social media. [iv] Their attention spans are even shorter, so visual interest and movement are paramount to holding their focus in the courtroom—think 3D animations, short clips, and unique perspectives (i.e., drone footage). Gen Z is also powered by video. [v]

Younger jurors’ constant connection to information is not only a distraction outside of the courtroom, but it can also tug on their focus at trial—in addition to their internal dialogue, which knows no generational boundaries. Jurors are looking to be informed and entertained by your trial presentation. That can be a tall order.

Expectations for All Generations

New media can be defined as any media delivered digitally. Radio, TV, and hard-copy print are categorized as old (or traditional) media. The term “new media” is also constantly being refined, as innovative technologies are developed and adopted. As new platforms become popular, the landscape changes. Case in point, TikTok has surpassed Google and YouTube as the primary search engine for Gen Z. [vi] In 2022, the White House even gathered TikTok influencers to a Zoom call about the war in Ukraine, showing their awareness that TikTok was the most effective way to communicate with the largest audience. [vii]

New media is an integral part of life for jurors of all generations, and frankly, it is not all that “new” anymore. It would be a mistake to assume older generations have not adapted successfully to modern technology. Baby Boomers have embraced tablets, smartphones, social media, and bite-sized information. [viii] Particularly with the pandemic, older jurors have had to become comfortable with various forms of online communication and social media just to be able to connect to friends and family. So, while their attention spans are longer than younger jurors, they have acclimatized to new media and they now also have expectations of sophisticated multimedia presentations.

#2: Trial Graphic Fundamentals

Great graphics are a given in the lives of new media users, and savvy trial teams should expect to adapt to these expectations. However, some trial graphic basics will never go out of style, and they will still come into play with sophisticated new media graphics.

Effective graphics provide jurors with a consistent visual starting point around which they can mold their conclusions. Images that are well-produced and expertly presented will make a strong impression on jurors and will provide a common visual experience to which jurors can refer during deliberations. They will also give jurors the framework they need to retain and evaluate the case facts and your overarching story.

What Trial Graphics Should Do

• Present a cohesive story and timeline
• Incorporate strong images with relatable associations
• Apply visual analogies to make unfamiliar/complex concepts comprehensible
• Communicate with text that is easy to understand and see
• Use titles and headers effectively
• Utilize icons and colors (when possible)
• Ensure each word has meaning consistent with your message/strategy
• Group information together in bite-sized pieces

These tenets work. If your trial graphics incorporate them harmoniously, you will be more effective in reaching jurors of any generation. Maximizing your effectiveness in the modern media landscape is less about reinventing the wheel than it is about taking rock-solid graphics fundamentals and incorporating a new media twist.

What Your Graphics Are Up Against

Websites, apps, TV networks, streaming services, podcasts, social media platforms, and search engines—these are news products that facilitate the consumption of information on demand. Jurors can decide when, where and how much information they want throughout their normal day, and as a result, they have high expectations when they step into the courtroom.

Social Media

Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) remain major news and information hubs for the older generations. [ix] Younger generations are relying on Instagram and YouTube, but TikTok is catching up quickly. [x ] Whether it is a 280-character tweet or 15-second reel, all ages of jurors are consuming and sharing eye-catching shortform content. Most social media posts, regardless of the platform, closely follow this trend toward brevity. To keep in line with subliminal expectations, your trial graphics should make an immediate synapse with jurors.

High-Quality Graphics Are Everywhere

A quick look around your immediate environment will reveal the fact that graphics are now commonplace, and they reach all generations. There are even sophisticated graphics overlaid on live sporting events. Gone are the days of John Madden’s rudimentary circles and lines. Now they can highlight a player and his pass route in three dimensions while providing his game or season stats in an onscreen bubble.

Infographics

Particularly relevant to trial demonstratives, hyper-polished (and sometimes animated) infographics are an eye-catching way to display a large volume of data. But these are not just pie charts made pretty; they are carefully developed to point out important patterns, consequences, and conclusions with the least possible cognitive effort for the viewer. They seamlessly blend images and icons with text, numbers, colors, and font styles.

Twenty years ago, infographics would be considered state-of-the-art. Now your average juror sees them all over social and news media, 24 hours a day. If your trial graphics do not approach the level of what your jury encounters on these platforms, you might have a communication problem in the courtroom.

#3: Adapting Graphics for Modern Juries

By sticking to the basic rules of visual communication and making tweaks with the modern juror’s expectations in mind, your trial presentation can successfully reach and resound with all ages. The examples below demonstrate how well-known trial graphics can be tweaked for today’s media landscape.

Checklists are powerful, simple, and crystal-clear tools for reaching any audience. They offer the advantage of walking the jury through a chain of events step-by-step, as well as providing clear comparisons. Traditionally, an attorney might have stood in front of the jury and written out a checklist on a pad of paper. Over time, that paper was replaced by a PowerPoint slide with colors and icons, perhaps to denote “good” (green checkmark) or “bad” (red X).

In the next example, we see how a checklist can be subtly updated to reflect how jurors now recognize information. While the graphic is not too busy, the viewing experience is jam-packed with understated techniques. Keywords are bolded, thereby highlighting the most important pieces for rapid intake. Portraits of key players are added to match the image/text expectations of your average modern webpage. Lastly, checkmarks are provided to immediately clue the audience to the graphic’s purpose.

While the simplicity of the first checklist graphic may appear preferable in some ways, current jurors are used to the appearance and style cues of the second example. Anything less can feel dated and is easy to tune out.

In response to the staggering amount of information available, people are more than ever communicating in eye-grabbing, bite-sized pieces—essentially headlines. To cut through the noise, each piece must be informative, engaging, precise, and brief. Stylized imagery meshes with stylized text in a battle for the subject’s limited time and attention. Consider the following fictional news example.

The content still resonates with older generations, but the design has the brevity and flair to which younger generations have grown so accustomed. Note the stylistic choices: the use of color, large text, and a larger subject image, without cluttering up the screen. Below is an example of how that style can influence your trial graphics.

The speaker in this second example is immediately apparent. The portrait is bigger than we would have considered in the past, but it matches viewers’ expectations while connecting to case themes and helping to humanize the client. Key responses are bolded, and there is a short thematic slide header.

Data Trends

In the earlier days of trial graphics, demonstrating a data point trend might look a little like the fictitious example below. We will call the company “ACME.”

In this mock-up, you can see how ACME’s cash on hand was shrinking over time, or you could put together a basic timeline demonstrating the downward slope. Nowadays, representing data in that fashion likely would be met with boredom. You will need to take a page from modern infographics to keep your audience interested and to help jurors quickly draw the right conclusions.

This second graphic invites the viewer to zone right in on the circled beginning and end points and watch how ACME’s cash deteriorates over time. Moreover, a large red arrow icon summarizes and capitalizes on the point, highlighting in large text the percentage of the decline. Color is used boldly to denote financial loss and guide the viewer’s eyes to the most important sections of the image.

The following modernized timelines also use subtle techniques to point jurors’ eyes where we want them. New media relies on attractive images to grab one’s attention, so we must do the same. Colors, icons, and short-but-sweet text keep it interesting while making case points. Each title cements the graphic’s core theme.

In this first example, colorful lines (each with a corresponding icon) show the moment that safety at this plant began to take a backseat to production levels. Jurors see the plant’s physical condition and the number of maintenance technicians declining while production increases—a counterintuitive notion demonstrating our opponent’s irresponsible practices. The trend inevitably leads to a plant explosion, fittingly represented by bright red spikes.

Likewise, in the second timeline example, services rendered soon fade from good to bad. Each data point connects to a bite-sized quote, linking the evidence—in small, digestible pieces—to our chronology. Observe that the coloring reinforces our argument; jurors can witness the exact point at which quality drops off (and continues to decline).

Finding Balance in the Courtroom

The examples above reflect the evolving ways in which jurors take in information. But what may not be readily apparent is how graphics weather the inevitable balancing act between a judge and opposing counsel—a tightrope walk between what is allowed and what will be most effective with jurors. If your opponent successfully objects to one graphic, and your PowerPoint is full of similar slides, you have just lost your whole slide deck. Keep that in mind, and make sure you do your homework about what the judge in your case will accept when it comes to visuals.

In Conclusion

Speaking of balance, the goal here is not to suggest everything you present at trial needs to be in the form of a special graphic. Variety is extremely important to hold the jury’s attention. There is an art to understanding how much is too much and knowing when to put down the clicker and just speak to the jury, or when that big pad of paper and a few colored markers might be exactly the right tools for the job.

But when you do use graphics—and you should, often —be mindful of the effect that new media has on your jurors. In the end, even older generations have been influenced by the major shift in information acquisition. Younger jurors certainly do not know a world without sophisticated visuals and videos.

When you are crafting trial graphics, it is important to walk before you run. Start with fundamentals to ensure more positive results, t hen hone each graphic to a fine point by using the tips above and staying up to date with how your audience expects to receive information. And remember, as technology continues to shift over time, attorneys must be prepared to adapt to the evolving multimedia that new generations will have at their disposal.

This article is an update to the original three-part series published in 2022. A version was also published by Law360.com (Opens an external site in a new window) in 2023.

[i] Adapted from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/(Opens an external site in a new window)

[ii] Gardiner, Alistair. “From Boomers to Zoomers: Crossing the communication divide at work.” MDLinx. September 20, 2021. See https://www.mdlinx.com/article/from-boomers-to-zoomers-crossing-the-communication-divide-at-work/5sGEpOlr4ShazPsyrVoXJP(Opens an external site in a new window)

[iii] Shelton, The Hon. Donald E. “The 'CSI Effect': Does It Really Exist?” National Institute of Justice. March 16, 2008. See https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/csi-effect-does-it-really-exist(Opens an external site in a new window)

[iv] Media Insight Project. “The news consumption habits of 16-40 year olds.” American Press Institute. August 31, 2022. See https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/the-news-consumption-habits-of-16-to-40-year-olds/#:~:text=Indeed%2C%20on%20average%2C%20those%20surveyed,%3B%2045%25%20do%20so%20daily(Opens an external site in a new window)

[v] What is Gen Z? (2023, March 20). McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z(Opens an external site in a new window)

[vi] Baron, Jessica. “The Key to Gen Z is Video Content.” Forbes. July 3, 2019. See https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessicabaron/2019/07/03/the-key-to-gen-z-is-video-content/?sh=5b573d193484(Opens an external site in a new window)

[vii] Huang, Kalley. “For Gen Z, TikTok Is the New Search Engine .” The New York Times. September 17, 2022. See https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/16/technology/gen-z-tiktok-search-engine.html(Opens an external site in a new window)

[viii] Lorenz, Taylor. “The White House is briefing TikTok stars about the war in Ukraine.” The Washington Post. March 11, 2022. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/11/tik-tok-ukraine-white-house/(Opens an external site in a new window)

[ix] Faverio, Michelle. “Share of those 65 and older who are tech users has grown in the past decade.” Pew Research Center. January 13, 2022. See https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/01/13/share-of-those-65-and-older-who-are-tech-users-has-grown-in-the-past-decade/(Opens an external site in a new window)

[x] Morrison, Stella. “How to Target Older Demographics with Social Media Marketing.” Business News Daily. August 5, 2022. See https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10146-target-older-demographics-social-media.html(Opens an external site in a new window)

[xi] Rosenblatt, Kalhan. “Gen Z is over Facebook, Pew Research Center finds.” NBC News. August 10, 2022. See https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/gen-z-facebook-pew-research-center-finds-rcna42429

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