If you don’t want to pay for Microsoft PowerPoint, the best free presentation software makes it easy and simple to make slides. PowerPoint is the most popular presentation software, but some people may not want to pay for a Microsoft 365 license, especially if they don’t plan to use it very often. But there are many great, free options to PowerPoint that you can use instead. Even though these won’t have as many advanced features as PowerPoint, you can still use them to make just about any kind of presentation you need.
Use-case is the most important thing to think about when picking the right presentation tool. If you are giving a business presentation, you may need skilled transitions and templates. You might want help with creative images and sounds. You might just need a simple slideshow that everyone can work on together. We have listed the best free presentation software below to help you make your choice.
What is presentation software?
Presentation software, also called slideshow software or presentation graphics software, is a type of computer tool or software program used to make and give visual presentations. Most of the time, these presentations are made up of a number of slides with text, images, charts, graphs, videos, and audio clips. Presentation software is used a lot in business, education, and in people’s daily lives to share ideas, information, and data with an audience.
Key features of presentation software typically include
🎨 Slide Creation: Users can make individual slides that can have different things on them, like text, pictures, and multimedia.
📝 Templates: Many presentation software programs come with pre-made templates with different themes and styles that can be used to make slideshows quickly that look good.
🖌️ Formatting text: Users can change the fonts, colours, sizes, and styles of text to make their material look better and be easier to read.
📸 Integration of media: Presentation software lets users put pictures, videos, music files, and other types of multimedia right into slides.
🎬 Transition Effects: Users can add transition effects between slides to make slideshows flow smoothly and look good.
Best Free Presentation Software Comparison Table
With free presentation software, you can make eye-catching visual slides without spending a lot of money. These easy-to-use tools, such as Google Slides and LibreOffice Impress, let users make interesting slideshows, add video elements, and work together without any problems. They open up access to dynamic presentations so that people and groups of all sizes can use them.
| Feature | Prezi | Canva | Powtoon | Renderforest | LibreOffice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation Type | Dynamic | Static | Animation | Animation, Video | Static |
| Templates | Limited | Abundant | Limited | Abundant | Limited |
| Learning Curve | Moderate | Low | Moderate | Low | Low |
| Multimedia | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Animation | Limited | Basic | Extensive | Extensive | Limited |
| Online Access | Web-based | Web-based | Web-based | Web-based | Desktop/Online |
| Offline Use | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited | Yes |
Prezi
Features
- Dynamic zooming and panning.
- Non-linear, interactive presentations.
- Cloud-based collaboration.
- Templates and customizable designs.
- Offline presentation mode.
- Analytics to track viewer engagement.
- Integration with PowerPoint.
Prezi flips the way slideshows have been done in the past. Instead of making one slide after another, this presentation software gives you one big canvas to work on. You can add blocks of text or pictures, or you can even make little videos. During your show, you can fly around the canvas and zoom in on different parts of the content without any trouble.
Pros
- Dynamic, non-linear presentations.
- Engaging zoom and motion effects.
- Cloud-based collaboration.
- Unique and visually impressive templates.
Cons
- Learning curve for new users.
- Limited design customization options.
Canva
Features
- User-friendly drag-and-drop interface.
- Extensive library of templates and graphics.
- Collaborative editing with team members.
- Free access to a wide range of fonts.
- Export presentations as PDFs or images.
- Mobile app for on-the-go editing.
- Easy sharing and embedding options.
Canva has one of the best free plans for presentations out of all the apps I tried. The app doesn’t let you make an account until you’ve made your first drawing. This way, you can start making your presentation right away. You can choose from a nearly overwhelming number of beautiful themes, almost all of which are free. Some are made especially for business or educational use.
Pros
- User-friendly drag-and-drop interface.
- Extensive library of high-quality templates and images.
- Wide range of customization options.
Cons
- Not as robust for data-driven presentations.
- Limited to online use.
Powtoon
Features
- Animated presentation creation.
- Library of pre-built characters and assets.
- Voiceover and narration capabilities.
- Templates for various presentation styles.
- Integration with YouTube and social media.
- Real-time collaboration with team members.
- Analytics to measure video performance.
Powtoon is the most popular visual communication tool. It lets anyone make professional-looking videos and presentations in minutes, even if they don’t know anything about design or technology. More than 30 million people, including 96% of the Fortune 500, use Powtoon to engage their audience. They use it for business training and L&D, HR, internal communications, marketing, sales, and other things. Powtoon has offices in London, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Ukraine, and the Philippines. It was started in 2012.
Pros
- Animated presentations for dynamic content.
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
- Broad library of pre-designed templates and characters.
- Option for voiceovers and soundtracks.
Cons
- Free version includes Powtoon watermark.
- Limited export options in free version.
- Advanced features require a subscription.
Renderforest
Features
- Online video presentation maker.
- Animation and video editing tools.
- Extensive template library.
- Customizable scenes and transitions.
- Music and voiceover options.
- Cloud-based storage and sharing.
- Export presentations in various formats.
Renderforest is an all-in-one tool that uses graphics, videos, and animations to bring presentations to life. A free Renderforest plan gives you access to over 200,000 stock videos, lets you make as many models as you want, and gives you free subdomains. “Renderforest is one of the best free video programs I’ve used for any of my video projects. Renderforest gives you templates that are easy to use and can be changed. The end result looks very professional, whether it’s an animation, an intro project, a business presentation, or a slideshow.
Pros
- Intuitive interface with drag-and-drop functionality.
- Option for video presentations with animations.
- Easy export and sharing options.
- Logo maker and other branding tools.
Cons
- Free version has Renderforest watermark.
- Limited customization options in free version.
LibreOffice
Features
- Open-source office suite.
- Presentation software (Impress) included.
- Supports multiple file formats.
- Animation and slide transition effects.
- Master slides for consistent design.
- Built-in drawing and diagram tools.
- Offline, desktop-based application.
LibreOffice is a free option to Microsoft Office. It has a Powerpoint-like program called Impress that can do almost everything that Powerpoint can do. The only big difference between the two tools for making slideshows is that LibreOffice doesn’t have some current features like built-in collaboration and integration with Microsoft OneDrive.
Pros
- Fully offline, open-source software.
- High compatibility with other office suites.
- No watermarks or subscription fees.
- Offers a wide range of file formats for export.
Cons
- No cloud-based collaboration features.
- Less dynamic animations and effects.
- Steeper learning curve for some users.
How to choose the right free presentation software
🌟 Set of Features: Look for free presentation software that lets you make slides, style text, add images, and do some simple animations. Make sure that it fits your wants.
🚀 Ease of Use: Choose software with an easy-to-understand layout. You shouldn’t have to work hard to figure out how to move around and make presentations.
🔌 Compatibility: Make sure the software works with your device and operating system and can export presentations in popular formats like PDF or PowerPoint.
🎨 Templates and Themes: Check to see if the program has a variety of templates and themes that can help you make presentations that look good.
👥 Online teamwork: If teamwork is important, choose software that lets you work on presentations with other people in real time.
FAQs
Is Canva better than PowerPoint?
If you want a tool for making graphics that is easy to use, you should use Canva instead of PowerPoint.
What is the Google alternative to PowerPoint?
Google Slides is an online presentation app that lets you make and style presentations and work with other people.
