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Cloud Storage

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Custom Business Email

Meet icon

Video and voice conferencing

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Shared Calendars

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Word Processing

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Spreadsheets

Presentation Builder

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Survey builder

google workspace

Google Workspace

An integrated suit of secure, cloud-native collaboration and productivity apps powered by Google AI.

Tell impactful stories, with Google Slides

Create, present, and collaborate on online presentations in real-time and from any device.

  • For my personal use
  • For work or my business

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Jeffery Clark

T h i s   c h a r t   h e l p s   b r i d g i n g   t h e   s t o r y !

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E s t i m a t e d   b u d g e t

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Make beautiful presentations, together

Stay in sync in your slides, with easy sharing and real-time editing. Use comments and assign action items to build your ideas together.

Slides create presentations

Present slideshows with confidence

With easy-to-use presenter view, speaker notes, and live captions, Slides makes presenting your ideas a breeze. You can even present to Google Meet video calls directly from Slides.

Slides present with confidence

Seamlessly connect to your other Google apps

Slides is thoughtfully connected to other Google apps you love, saving you time. Embed charts from Google Sheets or reply to comments directly from Gmail. You can even search the web and Google Drive for relevant content and images directly from Slides.

Slides connect to Google apps

Extend collaboration and intelligence to PowerPoint files

Easily edit Microsoft PowerPoint presentations online without converting them, and layer on Slides’ enhanced collaborative and assistive features like comments, action items, and Smart Compose.

Slides connect to Google apps

Work on fresh content

With Slides, everyone’s working on the latest version of a presentation. And with edits automatically saved in version history, it’s easy to track or undo changes.

Design slides faster, with built-in intelligence

Make slides faster, with built-in intelligence

Assistive features like Smart Compose and autocorrect help you build slides faster with fewer errors.

Stay productive, even offline

Stay productive, even offline

You can access, create, and edit Slides even without an internet connection, helping you stay productive from anywhere.

Security, compliance, and privacy

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Secure by default

We use industry-leading security measures to keep your data safe, including advanced malware protections. Slides is also cloud-native, eliminating the need for local files and minimizing risk to your devices.

Encryption in transit and at rest

All files uploaded to Google Drive or created in Slides are encrypted in transit and at rest.

Compliance to support regulatory requirements

Our products, including Slides, regularly undergo independent verification of their security, privacy, and compliance controls .

Private by design

Slides adheres to the same robust privacy commitments and data protections as the rest of Google Cloud’s enterprise services .

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You control your data.

We never use your slides content for ad purposes., we never sell your personal information to third parties., find the plan that’s right for you, google slides is a part of google workspace.

Every plan includes

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$12 USD

info Or $14.40 per user / month, when billed monthly

content creation

done

done

Secure cloud storage

15 GB per user

2 TB per user

remove

done

Secure email

done

done

remove

done

Video and voice conferencing

100 participants

150 participants

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done

Centralized administration

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done

remove

done

Self-service online and community forums

24/7 online support and community forums

Collaborate from anywhere, on any device

Access, create, and edit your presentations wherever you are — from any mobile device, tablet, or computer — even when offline.

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Get a head start with templates

Choose from a variety of presentations, reports, and other professionally-designed templates to kick things off quickly..

Slides Template Proposal

Photo Album

Slides Template Photo album

Book Report

Slides Template Book report

Visit the Slides Template Gallery for more.

Ready to get started?

Best free presentation software of 2024

Find an alternative to PowerPoint

Best overall

Best for speed, best for functionality, best for collaboration, best user interface.

  • How we test

The best free presentation software makes it simple and easy to create presentations as an alternative to subscribing to Microsoft PowerPoint.

A person doing a presentation on a whiteboard.

1. Best overall 2. Best for speed 3. Best for functionality 4. Best for collaboration 5. Best user interface 6. FAQs 7. How we test

While PowerPoint is the market leader when it comes to presentation software, some people may be unwilling to subscribe to a Microsoft 365 subscription, especially if they don't expect to need to use it very often.

However, there are plenty of great alternatives to PowerPoint available for free that you can use. While these won't have the same advanced features as PowerPoint, they still offer a very competent platform to design most any presentation that you need.

To help you choose, we've listed below the best free presentation software currently available.

Add images to your presentations using the best free photo editor .

Google Apps

Google Workspace : Collaboration + productivity apps There are many different presentation software packages but Google Workspace formerly known as G Suite remains the original cloud office software and one of the best business office suites, offering a huge range of features and functionality that rivals can't match, especially when it comes to presentation software. Try it free for 14 days .

The best free 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.

Prezi website screenshot

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Prezi turns the traditional approach to presentations on its head. Instead of creating slide after slide, this presentation software gives you a single giant canvas. You can add blocks of text or images, or even create miniature slides. During your presentation, you can seamlessly fly around the canvas and zoom in to look at individual chunks of content.

For how complex Prezi seems, it’s impressively simple to use the platform. The only major divergence from Microsoft PowerPoint is that you need to add animated paths from one part of the canvas to another. The tools for this are fairly straightforward, especially if you’ve ever used an animation or video editing software.

Of course, this type of presentation structure isn’t always ideal. Prezi makes it hard to visualize structured data like financials, which can make it difficult to use in business applications. Some viewers also might not appreciate the fly-around animation style that’s inherent to the presentation software.

Read our full Prezi review .

  • ^ Back to the top

Canva website screenshot

Canva is perfect for making speedy presentations right in your web browser. This software offers a handful of free layouts to help you get your slideshow started, and it’s easy to customize the templates to fit your needs. There isn’t a huge variety of content elements to add to your presentation, but Canva makes up for this with a searchable library of more than 1 million images you can use.

Your Canva presentations live online, which makes it extremely easy to collaborate. You can invite colleagues to edit your slideshow (although simultaneous editing is not supported) or seamlessly share your finished presentation. However, beware that Canva can’t import presentations from Microsoft Powerpoint or export finished work to a Powerpoint-editable format.

Read our full Canva review .

LibreOffice website screenshot

3. LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a free alternative to Microsoft Office, and it includes a Powerpoint equivalent called Impress with nearly all of the same functionality. The only big difference you’ll find between the two slideshow creation tools is the LibreOffice lacks some modern features like built-in collaboration and integration with Microsoft OneDrive.

However, Impress does have a few advantages of its own. The software can import files from Keynote, the default presentation software on Mac computers. Plus, there are hundreds of free templates that you can download for free. Even better, there’s no limit on what fonts you can use with Impress, so it’s easy to change the look of your presentation from what Powerpoint typically allows.

On the whole, LibreOffice Impress is about as close as it gets to simply replicating Microsoft Powerpoint for free.

Read our full LibreOffice review .

Google Slides website screenshot

4. Google Slides

Google Slides is part of Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), and it does a nice job of matching a number of PowerPoint’s capabilities. This free presentation software supports embedding videos, creating diagrams, and adding animations to your slides. While the selection of templates is somewhat limited, you can easily import hundreds of additional templates for free or create your own.

Even better, Google Slides supports the collaboration tools users have come to expect from Google. Multiple people can work on a slideshow simultaneously, and there’s a built-in group chat so you can keep track of what everyone is doing. It’s also nice that you can play your presentation in presenter mode, which allows you to preview how it will look to your audience and rehearse timing.

The only downside to Google Slides is that bloated slideshows can experience some loading delays. Also beware that while you can move between Slides and Powerpoint, the conversion often messes with the layout of your slides.

Read our full Google Slides review .

WPS Office Free website screenshot

5. WPS Office Free

WPS Office Free is a Microsoft Office look-alike that fully support PowerPoint files without any layout issues during import. The WPS Presentation tool has all of the same capabilities of PowerPoint, including tons of animations, slide transitions, content effects, and video embedding. The selection of included presentation templates is also very impressive for a free software.

One of the best things about this presentation software is that the user interface will feel incredibly familiar if you’re coming from Microsoft. All of the tools are displayed in a top ribbon, with your slides shown on the left side of the screen for easy navigation. It’s simple to display your presentation right from WPS Presentation, which means there’s no unexpected troubleshooting when it’s time to show off your work.

There’s not much to dislike about WPS Presentation. However, keep in mind that the software is supported by ads. Some users find the ads annoying, but they’re not overly in the way.

Read our full WPS Office Free review .

We've also featured the best free office software .

Best free presentation software FAQs

Which alternative to powerpoint is best for you.

When deciding which alternative to PowerPoint 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.

How we test the best free presentation software

To test for the best free 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 .  

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Michael Graw is a freelance journalist and photographer based in Bellingham, Washington. His interests span a wide range from business technology to finance to creative media, with a focus on new technology and emerging trends. Michael's work has been published in TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Business Insider, Fast Company, Salon, and Harvard Business Review. 

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create presentations software free

Make interactive presentations

Create show-stopping presentations and clickable slide decks with Genially’s free online presentation builder. Leave boring behind and tell a story that’s interactive, animated, and beautifully engaging.

AON

INTERACTIVE CONTENT

A presentation that works like a website

Engage your audience with interactive slides that they can click on and explore. Add music, video, hotspots, popup windows, quiz games and interactive data visualizations in a couple of clicks. No coding required!

Animating an image with genially

NO-CODE ANIMATION

Make your slides pop with animation

Bring a touch of movie magic to the screen with incredible visual effects and animated page transitions. Add click-trigger and timed animations to make any topic easy to understand and captivating to watch.

Image of the Genially tool showing the insertion of multimedia elements from Spotify, Google Maps and Youtube

INTEGRATIONS

Live from the world wide web

Embed online content directly in your slides for a media-rich interactive experience. From YouTube and Spotify to Google Maps and Sheets, Genially works seamlessly with over 100 popular apps and websites.

Image of the Genially tool showing free libraries of backgrounds, color palettes, vector graphics, images, charts, graphs, maps and smartblocks.

TEMPLATES & TOOLKIT

Genius design tools

With Genially, anyone can create a polished and professional presentation. Choose from over 2000 pre-built templates, or create your own design using the drag-and-drop resources, color palettes, icons, maps and vector graphics.

Image of a Genially interactive presentation

ONLINE PLATFORM

Safe and sound in the cloud

Because Genially is online, you can relax knowing that your slides are always up-to-date. There’s no risk of forgetting to save changes or accessing the wrong file. Log in from anywhere, collaborate with your team, and make edits in real time.

All-in-one interactive presentation maker

Real-time collaboration

Co-edit slide decks with others in real time and organize all of your team projects in shared spaces.

Multi format

Present live, share the link, or download as an interactive PDF, MP4 video, JPG, HTML, or SCORM package.

Engagement Analytics

See how many people have viewed and clicked on your slides and keep tabs on learner progress with User Tracking.

Import from PPTX

Give your old decks a new lease of life by importing PowerPoint slides and transforming them with a little Genially magic.

Keep content on-brand with your logo, fonts, colors, brand assets, and team templates at your fingertips.

Quiz & Survey Builder

Use the Interactive Questions feature to add a fun quiz to your slides or gather feedback from your audience.

Beautiful templates

Make your next deck in a flash with Genially’s ready-to-use slides.

Interactive Okr shapes presentation template

Okr shapes presentation

Interactive School notebook presentation template

School notebook presentation

Interactive Animated sketch presentation template

Animated sketch presentation

Interactive Minimal presentation template

Minimal presentation

Interactive Land of magic presentation template

Land of magic presentation

Interactive Onboarding presentation template

Onboarding presentation

Interactive Visual presentation template

Visual presentation

Interactive Animated chalkboard presentation template

Animated chalkboard presentation

Interactive Online Education Guide template

Online Education Guide

Interactive Terrazzo presentation template

Terrazzo presentation

Interactive Startup pitch template

Startup pitch

Interactive Historical presentation template

Historical presentation

THEMES FOR EVERYONE

Interactive presentation ideas

From classroom materials to business pitches, make an impact every day with Genially.

A photograph with 7 children of different nationalities in a school classroom with a laptop making a presentation

Education presentations

Photograph of 3 people gathered together talking about a report with a tablet

Pitch decks

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Business presentations

Photo of 1 girl with a mac computer doing a slideshow

Thesis defense

Why the world loves Genially presentations

Reviews from people rating the tool genially

Share anywhere

Present live

From the front of the room or behind a screen, you’ll wow your audience with Genially. Heading off grid? Download in HTML to present dynamic slides without WiFi.

Share the link

Every Genially slide deck has its own unique url, just like a website! Share the link so that others can explore at their own pace, or download an MP4 video slideshow or PDF.

Post online

Embed the slides on your website or post them on social media. Upload to Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Moodle or any other platform.

Composition of an eye surrounded by image icons to illustrate the Genially method; interactive visual communication

The benefits of interactive slides

🗣️ Active participation An interactive slide deck gives your audience cool things to click on and discover, boosting learning and engagement.

👂 Multi-sensory experience Audio, video, animations, and mouse interactions make your content immersive, entertaining and accessible.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People-friendly format Pop-ups and embeds condense more material into fewer slides so you can break information down into digestible chunks.


🎮 Gamification Games, quizzes and puzzles make information more memorable and enable you to gather feedback and check understanding.

How to make an interactive presentation

With Genially’s easy-to-use presentation platform, anyone can make incredible visual content in moments.

Choose a template or a blank canvas

Create content starting from a Genially template

Get stunning results in less time with a ready-made template. Feeling creative? Design your own slides from scratch.

Customize the design

Add animations and interactions

Resources to become a pro presentation creator

Image showing the interactivity of the Genially tool

VIDEO TUTORIAL

How to create an interactive presentation: Get started in Genially.

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EXPERT TIPS

How to present data without sending your audience to sleep.

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MICRO COURSE

No-code animation: Bring your slides to life with cinematic visual effects.

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PRESENTATION IDEAS

The art of digital storytelling: Engage and thrill on screen.

Genially in a nutshell

How do I make a presentation interactive and how does Genially work? Find the answers to all of your slide-related questions here!

What’s an interactive presentation?

Interactive slides contain clickable hotspots, links, buttons, and animations that are activated at the touch of a button. Instead of reading or watching passively, your audience can actively interact with the content.  

Genially’s interaction presentation software allows you to combine text, photos, video clips, audio and other content in one deck. It’s a great way to condense more information into fewer slides. 

If you’re a teacher, you can share multiple materials in one single learning resource. Students can create their own projects using digital media and online maps. For business or training, try embedding spreadsheet data, PDFs, and online content directly in your slides. 

An interactive slide deck is more user-friendly than a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or Google Slides document. That’s because you can break information down into chunks with pop-ups, labels, voiceovers and annotated infographics.  

The other benefit of interactive content is increased engagement. It’s easier to keep your audience’s attention when they’re actively participating. Try Genially’s presentation software and free slideshow maker to see how it’s better than other presentation websites. You won’t go back to standard presentation apps!

How do you make a clickable slide?

The best way to make slides clickable is to use Genially’s free interactive presentation program. Design your slide then apply an interaction. In a couple of clicks, you can add popup windows, hyperlinks, close-up images, games, animations, multimedia and other content. 

Choose from the library of hotspot buttons and icons to show people what to click on. Go to Presenter View to get a preview and see how your content will appear to your audience.

How do I create presentations that look professional?

You’ve got a deadline looming and you’re staring at the screen with a blank presentation. We’ve all been there! Starting a presentation design from scratch is tricky, especially if you’re short on time. 

Genially’s free online presentation maker has over 2000 ready-to-use templates for professional slide presentations, photos slideshows, and more. Each slide design has been created by our team of top graphic designers. No need to worry about fonts, centering images, or designing a matching color scheme. It’s all done for you. 

Start by browsing our layouts and themes for education, business and then customize with your own text and images.

How do I share or download my slides?

Because Genially is a cloud based presentation software, you can simply share the link to your slides. Like other online presentation tools, there are no files to download or store on your computer. Everything is saved online.  

When you publish your slide deck, it gets its own unique url, just like a website. Share the link with others to let them explore the content in their own time. If you’re presenting live, just click the Present button. 

You can also embed your presentation on your website, company wiki, or social media. Genially is compatible with WordPress, Moodle, Google Classroom, and other platforms. If you use an LMS, you can also download your interactive design slides in SCORM format.

For slideshow videos and slideshows with music, share online or download as an MP4 video. Check out our free slideshow templates for ideas.

Can I make a free presentation in Genially?

You bet! Genially is an easy-to-use slide maker, with a free version and paid plans. The free plan allows you to create unlimited slides with interactions and animations. Subscribe to one of our paid plans for more advanced features.

Discover a world of interactive content

Join the 25 million people designing incredible interactive experiences with Genially.

A presentation maker for every team

Give better presentations and visually communicate your ideas, projects, and everything you need. Miro’s online presentation maker helps you to gain the confidence to keep the momentum going.

create presentations software free

Over 70M+ users love Miro.

Be presentation-ready in seconds

Make presentations in just a few clicks with Miro’s presentation creator. Choose one of the ready-made templates and edit it to suit your needs; no design experience is needed. We’ve got your back with a great selection of templates.

create presentations software free

Layouts that fit your needs

We help you to get started, but you’re welcome to fully customize your presentation. Add your brand colors, fonts, and styles, create graphs, and move frames around to fit your storytelling. Don’t be afraid to explore the many editing tools on the left toolbar and get creative with the presentation maker.

create presentations software free

No more boring presentations

Present content and pre-planned activities to facilitate powerful meetings and workshops. Presentations are boring. On Miro, they’re not.

create presentations software free

Why Miro is the best presentation maker

Master storytelling.

Miro’s presentation creator has an intuitive UI, making communicating your ideas easier without worrying about tech complications. Use the Presentation mode, and focus your energy on what matters: your content.

Co-creation made simple

Invite others to collaborate with you whenever, wherever. Miro’s robust capabilities allow you to have guests on your board or build a shared team space where everyone comes together to collaborate.

Create dynamic presentations

Use the drag-and-drop feature and effortlessly add images, text, and videos to your presentation frames. Miro’s visual workspace allows you to quickly create professional-looking presentations with just a few clicks.

Easily share your presentation

Engage your stakeholders and get buy-in by creating eye-catching and on-brand presentations. Use Brand Center and presentation templates to improve your bargaining power, influencing decision-making.

Related templates

Presentation Template

Deliver impressive presentations that resonate with your audience.

Logo Presentation Template

Present your design ideas with confidence and make your clients fall in love with their new logo.

Rebranding Presentation

Provide clarity around the reinvention of your brand and your rebranding strategies.

Company Vision Presentation Template

Summarize your company’s goals and describe your path to achieving them using professional-looking slides.

Sales Presentation Template

Shed pre-sales pitch nerves and deliver the speech of a lifetime with the Sales Presentation Template.

Pitch Deck Template

Make people care about your idea and gain supporters everywhere.

Present ideas from anywhere

Miro’s visual workspace helps teams to communicate and collaborate across formats, tools, and channels — without the constraints of physical location and meeting space.

create presentations software free

Brand management

Make sure your brand looks consistent across all work. With easy access to approved fonts, colors, styles, and templates, anyone can create polished and on-brand boards in just a few minutes.

create presentations software free

Meetings and workshops

Creative energy that you can feel, presentations that just flow, and teams that connect and collaborate like humans — bring the in-person experience online with Miro, whether you’re running a brainstorm or facilitating a workshop.

create presentations software free

Client work solutions

Miro gives consultants, agencies, freelancers — and their clients — one living, dynamic space to go from project brief to big business breakthrough. Always collaborative, no matter how, where, or when you work.

create presentations software free

Hybrid work

How we work has changed. Your tools should too. Experience seamless collaboration, no matter when or where you work, in Miro. Give teams a dynamic and visual way to collaborate, connect, and create.

create presentations software free

Project management

Manage complex projects — and their stakeholders — with confidence. Create process alignment and shared understanding between cross-functional teams with a collaborative visual workspace.

Dashboarding & Performance Tracking

Dashboarding & Performance Tracking

Create a shared space for custom dashboards and performance monitoring, pattern identification, and decision-making.

Strategy Development

Strategy development

Propel your plans from strategy through execution. Run engaging kickoff sessions, build visual presentations, manage and track progress collaboratively, all in one online planning tool.

Organizational Design

Organizational design

Your employees are your greatest asset. Map out your organization to see the big picture and design for the future.

How to make a presentation

create presentations software free

Select a ready-made template

Miro has a wide range of presentation templates you can choose from. Or start building from scratch, adding content to your board. Miro’s presentation maker has many features to help you get started.

Structure your presentation

Edit your content, apply your brand fonts and colors, and resize frames if needed.

Share ideas with one click

To present, select Presentation mode on the upper right toolbar. Invite others to join your presentation, and good luck!

Presentation maker FAQs

Where can i make free presentations.

Search for tools that give you free access. Sign up for free for Miro’s visual workspace, and see if it fits your needs.

Which is the best presentation maker?

There are many options out there; choose the one that gives you flexibility and suits your needs. Miro’s presentation maker allows you to create presentations quickly, saving time and effort when designing and crafting your storytelling. Try it for yourself, and see if it works for you.

How to make a good presentation slide?

Miro’s presentation maker allows you to use your board's frames as slides, working exactly as any regular presentation. When creating a presentation with Miro, you have the option to use the Presentation mode, which helps you manage your time and audience on the board, enabling you to facilitate and present at the same time.

10 Miro templates for powerful presentations

How do you design a good presentation?

What you need to know about human perception to be great at presentations

ALTERNATIVE

Klaxoon competitors & alternatives

ALTERNATIVES

Top 5 Venngage Alternatives To Switch To In 2024

Get on board in seconds

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Top 10 Free Presentation Software for 2022

April 26, 2022

by Alexandra Vazquez

free presentation software

  • Renderforest
  • Beautiful.ai
  • Personify Presenter

Let me just go ahead and shaaaaare myyyy screeeeen… 

Ok great. Can everyone see this? Today, I’ll be presenting about the best free presentation software for 2022. 

We’ve all been there: struggling to put together the perfect slides for a really important meeting or school project. Bringing a visual aid to the table is necessary to keep your audience engaged. 

But finding the right place to build your presentation is challenging. Are there templates? Are there customization tools? How much is this going to cost me? 

You can use presentation software to create interactive slide decks to elevate your message. Presentation software allows users to build dynamic slides , stay brand consistent, and utilize other forms of media like images and videos. These presentations can be made even more interactive when integrated with audience response systems to construct live polls and quizzes and video conferencing software to make everything digitally seamless. 

Free trials and free basic plans make upgrading your presentations a little easier on the bank. You can start building virtual presentations, adding immersive elements like animations and live participation tools, and collecting audience analytics – without spending a dime. 

What are the best free presentation software solutions for 2022?

  • DocSend 
  • Powtoon 
  • Vyond 
  • Personify Presenter 

Best free presentation solutions

Whether you're creating an instructional onboarding deck or showing off your latest metrics in a team meeting, there is a free presentation solution to fit your needs and wants.

The list below contains real user reviews from the best presentation software category. It’s important to note that in the context of this list, vendors that offer a free trial are also considered to be free . 

To be included in this category, a software must:

  • Provide tools for building presentation slides
  • Offer slide templates and themes
  • Utilize unique slide animations and transitions
  • Allow for users to embed text, audio, images, and videos within the presentation

*This data was pulled from G2 on April 4, 2022. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity. 

DocSend by Dropbox helps companies create and maintain presentations and other important documents. DocSend’s free trial allows users to increase file security, share content within their organization, and track link analytics. 

What users like:

"DocSend is simply a better way to share content with prospective clients, from documents and presentations to video clips and proposals. Prospective clients like the organized access to relevant content. It's quickly become a critical resource for us.”

What users dislike:

“Once you erase a version, you lose all the insights on it. It would be better to have a deposit of everyone reviewing the deck or document and improved version management.”

2. Renderforest

Renderforest is an all-in-one platform that brings presentations to life with graphics, videos, and animations. A free Renderforest plan allows for unlimited mockups, access to over 200,000 stock videos, and free subdomains. 

“Renderforest is one of the best online video software for any of my video projects. Whether it’s an animation, intro project, corporate presentation, or slideshow, Renderforest gives you user-friendly templates that are customizable, and the final product is very professionally done. Since using this platform, the amount of commendation that my projects have received is overwhelming.”

- Renderforest Review , Sherdon F.

“I would like to see more templates and more flexibility in Renderforest.”

Powtoon is a visual communication platform that allows users to animate their presentations. Powtoon offers access to hundreds of presentation templates, brand-consistent slides, and shareable folders with paid options and a free plan.

“The best thing about Powtoon is the user interface. It’s super intuitive and the professionally designed template library is feature-rich with scenes, characters, props, background music, and much more.”

- Powtoon Review , Zuber A.

“The free properties are unique but very limited. It would be great if they added more.”

4. Beautiful.ai

Beautiful.ai has smart templates to make presentation building a breeze. The Beautiful.ai paid plan options include onboarding guides, collaborative workspaces, viewer analytics, and more. Their free trial lets users get a taste of everything they offer.

“Beautiful.ai makes creating presentations easy. Just finished your slide and want to add another point? Not a problem: you can easily add a bullet or object or chart, and the whole slide magically moves around and realigns for you.”

- Beautiful.ai Review , Anne-Marie M.

“There’s a small learning curve when getting started on the platform. Because the design is automated, some people have trouble with the minor limitations around customization. Be patient and explore the platform in its entirety. Eventually, you'll see that the limitations are extremely helpful in creating congruency and professionalism in your presentations.”

emaze gives users the tools they need to automate the digital presentation building process. The emaze free basic plan includes unlimited PowerPoint importation, widgets, embedding, graphs, contact lists, audience analytics, and more.

“I love the ease of use with emaze, with an added professional look with extra flair. Every template is different, and there are templates for every topic you can think of. The ease of use and editing helps from year to year when I update the same topic.”

- emaze Review , Dianna W.

“I wish there were more templates available for those who are not as creative as others. In addition, when presenting, I wish the bar at the bottom would disappear so that people can’t see how much of the presentation is left.”

RELAYTO is a document experience platform for creating immersive presentations. RELAYTO has sharing, embedding, converting, and auto-generating tools. Qualified users can enjoy these features for free.

“My experience with RELAYTO has been truly eye-opening. The ability to add depth and dimension to presentations truly elevates our status in the eyes of prospects and clients as a company that brings professionalism and real value to them. We know how great our solutions and client services are, yet using other platforms doesn't do the job of conveying that to the client as RELAYTO does.”

- RELAYTO Review , Mike R.

“I have only ever designed for print, so there's a bit of a learning curve, but their support is top-notch. You can book a consultation with an expert on how you want to use the platform. Once over that curve, the results are remarkable.”

Vyond elevates presentations with video. With Vyond, presenters can utilize video animations, character creation, and social media sharing capabilities. Users can sign up for a free trial to see if Vyond is the right fit. 

“Vyond is really easy to learn, making it a great tool for our onboarding team members to learn and use right away. There is a low barrier for entry for new users, so we can rely on Vyond as a useful and result-oriented tool that our new team members can start using right away.”

- Vyond Review , Samantha L. 

“The objects available in the Vyond library are not fully customizable, plus the library is small. You may not always be able to find what you’re looking for. Adding a feature in which users can customize those objects would be a solution to this.”

Knovio is a smart platform for creating on-demand videos and presentations. It offers tools for adding video and audio narration to presentation slides, sharing content collections, and analyzing viewer engagement. The free lite version of Knovio lets users test drive some of these features. 

“Knovio has come quite a long way since I first used it. I love how responsive the company has been to improvement suggestions. I also love that you can edit your recording and replace slides.”

“The analytics are powerful; however, I feel creating custom reports could be improved.”

- Knovio Review , Tim D.

9. Mentimeter

Mentimeter is an audience engagement platform with tools to build interactive presentations, compile data from live polls, and collect insights about user participation. The Mentimeter free plan offers unlimited audiences and presentations. 

“Any presentation created with Mentimeter looks professional and presentable. Mentimeter takes care of the design aspect for you. It's straightforward and extremely easy to use. It's also flexible - I've used Mentimeter for live surveys, quizzes, and training. They've got excellent customer support, too. ”

- Mentimeter Review , Haley S.

“At times, Mentimeter can feel a bit overly simplistic or repetitive. Most Mentimeter presentations tend to look very similar, and the engagement tools are limited to a degree.”

10. Personify Presenter

Personify Presenter is an online platform for integrating audio and video into presentations. It offers tools for recording, live editing, file uploading, and writing for seamless presenting. A 30-day free trial lets users give Presenter a try.

“It’s one of the best presenter tools for business presentations. It consists of preset themes and fonts. It also has a library of images and GIFs which can be added to the slides. The notes function only displays to the presenter of the slides which helps them recall the content if necessary.”

- Personify Presenter Review , Kumar A.

“It doesn't recognize boundaries too well, and the video resolution is a little low compared to HD.”

Next slide, please!

Before you deliver project metrics or show your students what the lesson has in store for them today, consider whether automating your presentation could boost the message. No matter your skill level, presentation software gives you the tools you need to create a unique presentation experience and upgrade the way you share. 

If you have any questions, make sure to drop them in the chat.   

Ready to unmute and wow your audience? Find out how you can elevate a virtual presentation and bring your content to life.

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Create interactive slides, embed multimedia, utilize smart templates, and improve participation in a new way with presentation software.

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Alexandra Vazquez is a Senior Content Marketing Specialist at G2. She received her Business Administration degree from Florida International University and is a published playwright. Alexandra's expertise lies in writing for the Supply Chain and Commerce personas, with articles focusing on topics such as demand planning, inventory management, consumer behavior, and business forecasting. In her spare time, she enjoys collecting board games, playing karaoke, and watching trashy reality TV.

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  • Entrepreneurship

The 15 Best Free Online Web Presentation Software Tools for 2024

Laura Spencer

Are you running a small business, and now you need to give a sales presentation? Maybe you're a student and your assignment is to create a slideshow.

Either way, you probably don't have much to spend on a web presentation software tool. At some point or another, most of us need to create a slideshow. 

Virtual Presentation Illustration

If you need a tool to help you create web presentations, but you're on a limited budget, you may think you're out of luck. Fortunately, there are quite a few good free presentation tools for you to consider.

In this post, we'll share 15 free presentation tools. We'll describe each and point out key features. We'll also explain what to look for when choosing your online presentation software.

Finally, we'll share resources you can use with some online presentation software .  

What to Look for in Free Online Presentation Software

It's important to use a good web presentation tool when showcasing it. Many free online presentation tools have all the features you need. Create a top-notch web presentation with presentation websites for free .

Here are some things to look for when selecting online presentation software:

  • Ease-of-use. You don't want to spend hours and hours learning how to use the web presentation tool. Good online presentation software should be easy to learn and have plenty of training resources available.
  • Import/export features. Your presentation software tool should be compatible with popular file formats. Also, keep in mind that at some point you may want to export your presentation into another tool.
  • Real-time collaboration . Teamwork has become increasingly important in today's professional environment. With the right web-based tool, you and a teammate can work together on a presentation project.
  • Cloud access and storage. It used to be that when you were away from your computer, you couldn't work on your project until you came back. With a cloud-based tool, that's no longer a problem. Access your work anywhere there's an Internet connection.
  • Audio/video capabilities. Multi-media has become the norm for slideshows. If you want your presentation to really stand out, consider adding an audio or video component.
  • Good technical support. What are you going to do if something goes wrong while you're creating your presentation? Look for quality support resources such as third-party tutorials and a strong online help section

When choosing an online presentation software tool keep in mind your future needs. Consider starting with presentation websites for free. Then work with the premium version of the presentation software tool of your choice. 

Free Online Presentation Software Tools—Well-Known Tools (2024)

Looking for free presentation websites? Now you know what to expect from a free presentation software. We made a selection of free presentation websites for you.

Let's examine some of the most popular options. Look at the free versions of some of the most popular online presentation tools:

1. PowerPoint Online

PowerPoint Online presentation software

Many people don't realize that there's a free version of PowerPoint available . This free presentation tool i s a great choice for students who need to make a presentation once and can't afford a Microsoft Office subscription.

Microsoft products are widely used. Because these online presentation tools are so popular, many people are familiar with the software layout and commands. That helps make PowerPoint Online easy to learn to use.  Plus, you can upgrade to the premium PowerPoint tool if you need more features.

The online presentation software, PowerPoint Online, includes many of the features of its premium counterpart. Format text, use animations, and include other graphic elements. Since it's web-based, there are also collaboration features and cloud storage.

There are some limitations of this free presentation tool . For example, you can't use PowerPoint Online unless you've got Internet access. Some views aren't available. You're limited to built-in themes, although you can import a presentation with a third-party theme. And you can only insert audio and video files through YouTube. There are other differences as well. 

PowerPoint provides many help documents and articles to its users. O nline presentation tools like this one includes online help in the form of the Tell Me tool. Plus, you can find lots of third-party articles and resources on PowerPoint, such as this Tuts+ tutorial:

create presentations software free

2. Google Slides

google slides

Next up on our list of free presentation tools in Google Slides. Even though it's free online presentation , Google Slides' features rival those of premium presentation software tools. It's real-time collaboration tools make it ideal for times.

Google Slides is also a great option if you intend to publish your presentation online. Plus, even though Google Slides is a cloud-based tool, you can change the settings to use it while you're offline .

Considering using Google Slides? These articles explain how it compares to more expensive tools: 

create presentations software free

Google's office suite is increasing in popularity. And you can upgrade to a premium version of the office suite if your needs grow.

This free online presentation is also easy to learn. Google has helpful online documentation within each office tool, including Google Slides.

Check out our tutorial on how to use Google Slides:

create presentations software free

Make your Google Slides presentation stand out. Yse a professional template like the ones available on Envato Elements . For a peek at some of the best Google Slides presentation themes, look at:

create presentations software free

3. Keynote  

keynote

Keynote is another one of the many free online presentation tools available. If you've purchased a Mac computer lately, it probably came with Apple's Keynotes software already loaded. It's also available to download for free for iOs devices from the iTunes App Store. PC users can now view or edit Keynote presentations online with the iCloud website.

If you've got a Mac, you'll probably find Keynote easy to use. It's well-integrated with the Mac platform, which makes it easy to add images and multimedia into your presentation. A recent upgrade added better collaboration features to Keynote. 

Coming from Apple, Keynote is well-documented. There's good technical support and other resources from both Apple and third parties. To learn more about this online presentation software , read this Tuts+ article:

create presentations software free

Produce a professional slideshow quickly and easily through a third part template such as those available through Envato Elements . 

Here's a look at some popular Keynote presentation templates:

create presentations software free

4. Prezi Basic

Prezi presentation software

Prezi is a popular free online presentation tool known for its graphic interface. It has a non-linear approach to presentations.

The zooming tool is impressive in this online presentation software . Plus, there are tutorials and other aids to help you learn how to use it.

Its popularity is growing, which means there's also a growing number of third-party resources available.

Try Prezi for free by using either the basic version or by signing up for Prezi basic, or for a free trial of one of the other versions. 

5. SlideShare Scribd

linkedin slideshare

SlideShare Scribd isn't a presentation authoring software tool, but rather a free presentation sharing software tool. If you need to get your slideshow in front of a large professional audience, then this online presentation software is worth knowing about.

Currently, there are millions of users on this best free presentation software , many of whom are business professionals.

This best free presentation software is easy to use and there's some help available within the tool. Since SlideShare is growing in popularity, there are also a growing number of third-party resources and tutorials. To learn more about SlideShare, study:

create presentations software free

Canva is most know as an online graphic design tool. However, this software has presentation software. It allows users to create beautiful slides online with free custom presentation templates and a massive media library. It offers some of the best-looking templates around.

It has drag-and-drop functionality that makes it easy to add your own content and visual assets, or users can pick from an extensive library of free photos and graphics.

Best Free Online Software Presentation Tools—Other Tools

The free online presentation tools below may not be as famous as others listed above. But many have features similar to their well-known counterparts.

Many of these free interactive presentation tools are limited in features at the free level. Some free tools may display ads or require that your presentation include their logo or company name on it.

Let's take a closer look: 

1. Zoho Show  

zoho show

Zoho Show is part of a popular office productivity suite. According to the website, the free version of this office suite is available for teams of up to 5 users. The free version also offers some nice extra features for teams such as secure file collaboration and in-app chat.

Zoho Office Suite offers quite a bit of support, with a knowledge base, articles, and more.  

2. FlowVella  

FlowVella presentation software

FlowVella (formerly Flowboard) was designed to work online with mobile devices. But there's also version available for the Mac. Easily incorporate multi-media and other online content into your presentation. The newest version also includes drag and drop. Presentations are also easily shared through URL links.

FlowVella is a strong presentation tool choice with company support and help. Currently, there aren't a lot of third-party resources. The free version limits you to four public flows (presentations). The presentation size is limited to ten slides. 

3. LibreOffice Impress  

LibreOffice presentation software

Impress is part of LibreOffice (based on OpenOffice), which is free and open source software. There's no premium version available for this free online presentation tool . This might not be a problem for you because Impress compares favorably to many pricier alternatives.

When LibreOffice 5.3 was released in 2017, LibreOffice also made LibreOffice online available. To use it you'll need to install it on your own server.

As might be expected for open source software, LibreOffice has a sizeable community. This means that there are several third-party resources and tutorials available for this free online presentation tool . 

Ludus online presentation software

A promising new best free presentation software tool is Ludus. It's designed with creativity and the web in mind. So, you can easily integrate content from other web services like YouTube, Vimeo, DropBox, GIPHY, and more. It's also got some nice design tools including the ability to upload fonts, blend colors, use overlays, and more.

Because Ludus is so new, there aren't a lot of third-party resources, such as articles and tutorials. But the main site includes helpful videos that illustrate how to use some of the main features that should help new users get up to speed.

You can get a free trial of any of their versions. With the free trial version of the Solo level, one user can create unlimited presentations for free with access to all the features. When the trial ends, you'll need to decide if you want to buy one of the premium versions.

5. PowToon  

powtoon

Next up on our list of best free presentation software is PowToon. PowToon gives you the option to create an animated video instead of a more static, slide-based presentation. Even at the free, basic level you get access to some nice features. Free users get up to 100 MB of storage and can create a video of up to three minutes. With the free version, your video will have the PowToon branding.

The PowToon site includes help articles and tutorials to help you learn to use this tool quickly. Plus, there are plenty of third-party tutorials available.

6. Speaker Deck

speker deck.png

Speaker Deck is a free tool owned by GitHub. While it's not a presentation authoring tool, upload your presentations as a PDF file and it'll convert them to slideshow format. You can then share your presentation through the Speaker Deck site or embed it into another website.

visme

The Visme website includes many resources such as tutorials and a helpful knowledge base.

This free interactive presentation tool  is a multi-faceted online presentation software. Not only can you create presentations, but you can also make infographics, charts, and social graphics. Add video or audio or animate an object in your presentation to make it more interesting. With the free version of Visme, create up to five projects and you also get 100 MB of storage. You can download your project as a .jpg file.

8. WPS Presentation  

WPS Presentation 

WPS Presentation is part of a free office suite that also includes Writer and Spreadsheets. If you choose this option, you'll find it to be very comparable to more popular office productivity software such as MS Office. Even with the free version you get 1G of cloud-based storages. You can also use it on up to three devices (one desktop device and two mobile devices). 

This free interactive presentation tool  includes a searchable online help, a useful blog, and other helpful resources.

9. Genially  

Genially presentation software

This online presentation software specializes in letting you create interactive content. It also features many animation effects. You use Genially to create online presentations, create infographics, and other interactive projects. 

Most people should find this software easy to learn. The website includes a frequently updated blog with some helpful tips. I was also able to find some third-party tutorials for this presentation software tool.

10. Haiku Deck

haikudeck

Haiku Deck is an easy-to-use presentation software that focuses on simplicity and clarity. It offers a range of stylish templates and high-quality images that you can use in your presentations. The tool also provides various font and filter options to help you customize your slides.

The free version of Haiku Deck only gives you certain features and limits the number of presentations you can create.

Emaze is an online presentation tool that enables you to create impressive presentations with its wide range of templates, 3D effects, and video backgrounds.

It also allows you to easily share your presentations online and view them on any device. The free version comes with limited storage and access to a select number of templates.

12. SlideDog

slidedog

SlideDog lets you combine different types of media into a seamless multimedia presentation. You can mix PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, Prezi presentations, movie clips, web pages, and more to create an interactive viewing experience for your audience.

The free version comes with SlideDog branding and does not include some advanced features like interactive elements.

13. Animaker

animaker

Animaker is a do-it-yourself video animation software. While it's primarily used for creating animated videos, it can also be used to make animated presentations. It offers a variety of features, including a wide range of characters, props, and backgrounds, as well as the ability to add voiceovers and special effects.

14. Microsoft Sway

sway

Sway is a digital storytelling app from Microsoft that's perfect for creating presentations, newsletters, personal stories, and more. It has a simple interface that allows you to add various types of content.

It automatically takes care of the design aspect, creating a polished, cohesive look for your presentation.

15. Slidebean

slidebean

Slidebean offers a unique approach to presentation creation by focusing on design. You input your content, and Slidebean automatically formats it into a visually appealing presentation.

This can be a great option for those who want to create professional-looking presentations but may not have a lot of design skills or time. Slidebean also offers collaboration features, allowing multiple people to work on a presentation together.

5 Quick Tips for Making Great Online Web Presentations in 2024

We'll help you create the best possible online web presentation. Here are five quick tips that you can use in your free interactive presentation tools :

1. Simplicity Is Key

Free interactive presentation tools have many advanced features, allowing you to personalize your slides. A header text plus no more than four bullet points and graphics is more than enough to create a powerful presentation. 

Pitch Deck Google Slides Template

2. Timing Is Everything

If you create a presentation that's too short, your audience will feel like you didn't put enough effort into the presentation.

If you create a presentation that's too long, you run the risk of confusing and boring your audience. Aim to create no more than 17 slides and have each slide take no longer than four minutes. 

3. Use Graphics

To make your presentation more engaging and connect with your audience, include graphics on some slides.Make sure to include graphics that are relevant to the subject of the slide that you're on and that helps you illustrate your point.

Simplica

4. Speak in a Clear and Expressive Voice

How you speak during your presentation will make or break the presentation.

Speak in a clear, strong, and expressive voice. This type of voice will capture the attention of your audience and make the entire presentation much more appealing to watch.

5. Ask Your Audience to Take Part

Presenting online has many advantages. One advantage is being able to send messages during the presentation without disturbing the speaker.

This opens up a great opportunity for you to encourage questions and comments. This will help engage your audience but also help them learn the material you are trying to present more effectively. 

Premium Templates Help You Create Powerful Online Presentations in 2024

If you're new to making slideshows and on a budget, focus on design. As a business owner or student, a professional-looking presentation helps create a good impression.

You can find templates for many online presentation tools at a much lower cost than hiring a professional designer. 

Presentation templates on Envato Elements

Get a professional template for your PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Keynote presentations on Envato Elements . All for a low monthly payment.

The unlimited downloads that Elements offers lets you download anything in the Envato library. Not only can you access all these presentation templates, but you get access to photos, videos, fonts, and many other resources that could be helpful to you.

The presentation templates that Elements offers include a variety of features:

  • modern and engaging designs
  • completely customizable slides
  • gallery and portfolio slides
  • free fonts and icons 

Take advantage of this offer on Envato Elements today!

Have a look at some of the best-selling PowerPoint presentation templates below:

create presentations software free

Top 5 Trending Presentation Templates (From Envato Elements - For 2024)

Envato Elements gives you a huge library of business presentation templates to choose from. 

I've gathered five top-selling presentation templates from Envato Elements for PowerPoint, Keynote, and Google Slides. This should help you find the perfect one!

1.  Permanent Keynote Template

Permanent Keynote Template

This eye-catching Keynote features 32 masters and two slide sizes. It'll allow you to choose the flexibility to choose a layout that'll work for you.

Find matching charts, diagrams, and tables in this template that'll make your presentation stand out. If you're looking for a versatile template that works well for a wide variety of presentations, then this is the template for you.

2.  Nextar - Multipurpose PowerPoint Template

Nextar - Multipurpose PowerPoint Template

This sleek, modern PowerPoint template is perfect for creative agencies, tech startups, and any finance-related presentation. All the elements are fully editable and can easily be customized. 

Here's what to expect in this presentation template:

  • 30 unique slides
  • 12 PPTX files
  • 3 premade colors theme
  • widescreen & standard
  • easy to change colors 

3.  Expert PowerPoint Template

Expert PowerPoint Template

The Expert template will make you look like an expert. This presentation template offers a whopping 620 unique slides, 100 color themes, and 24 templates.

The design of the template is very versatile making this a go-to template for any of your presentation needs. Don't be afraid to use this template for more than one presentation!

4.  iEdu - Education Google Slides Template

iEdu - Education Google Slides Template

The iEDU template gives you a contemporary and minimal design that'll engage your audience. All the content on the design is well structured and flows nicely. 

Here are a few of this template's main features:

  • 30+ total slides
  • free web fonts
  • vector icons
  • 100% fully editable
  • aspect ratio 16:9

Don't miss out on this high-quality presentation template !

5.  Tech Corp - Modern Google Slides Template

Tech Corp - Modern Google Slides Template

This multipurpose presentation is ideal for many cases. These include internal meetings, investor pitch decks, weekly meetings, and much more. Every object in this Google Slides template is editable. So, customize the presentation to your specific needs. 

Here are a few notable features of this presentation

  • 30 unique slides in HD r
  • optimized and fully compatible PPTX 
  • professional company profile slides
  • business reports slides

Discover More Presentation Templates for 2024

The templates outlined in this article are some of the best available. But this is only a small selection of the presentation templates that you can find on Envato Elements.

With the unlimited subscription on Envato Elements, you get to use all kinds of presentation templates .

Didn't find the perfect template for your presentation in this article? We have lots of high-quality templates for presentations:

create presentations software free

Learn More About Making Stunning Presentations

Online web presentation tools come with a variety of features that can help you in creating a professional presentation.

Learn more great tips and tricks when it comes to free online interactive presentation tools. Check out our articles below: 

create presentations software free

Extra Resource: Free Presentation eBook Download ( PDF )

Download our new eBook on Making Great Presentations . It'll help you with the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully.

Free PDF Presentation eBook

Get Started on Your Next Online Presentation

Don't let a limited budget keep you from creating the presentations you need. You're just learned about what to look for in an online presentation software tool.

We've also shared 15 free online presentation software packages. One of them is bound to be right for you. 

Choose from the professional templates we shared for these online presentation makers. You can use them to make your presentation look great and leave a good impression.

Good luck with your presentation!

Editorial Note: This tutorial was originally published in December of 2017. It's been comprehensively revised to include new information—with special assistance from Daniel Strongin .

Laura Spencer

The best presentation software in 2024

These powerpoint alternatives go beyond the basics..

Hero image with logos of the best presentation software

The latest presentation apps have made it easier than ever to format slides and create professional-looking slideshows without giving off a "this is a template" vibe. Even standard PowerPoint alternatives have updated key features to make it easier than ever to collaborate and create presentations quickly, so you can spend more time prepping for your actual presentation.

If, like me, you've used Google Slides unquestioningly for years, it's a whole new world out there. The newest crop of online presentation tools go way beyond the classic slideshow experience, with new features to keep your audience's attention, streamline the creation process with AI, and turn slide decks into videos and interactive conversations.

I've been testing these apps for the past few years, and this time, I spent several days tinkering with 25 of the top presentation software solutions out there to bring you the best of the best.

The best presentation software

What makes the best presentation app, how we evaluate and test apps.

When looking for the best presentation apps, I wanted utility players. After all, slideshows are used for just about everything, from pitch decks and product launches to class lectures and church sermons. With that in mind, here's what I was looking for:

Pre-built templates. The best presentation tools should have attractive, professional-looking templates to build presentations in a hurry.

Sharing and collaboration options. Whether you plan to share your webinar slides later, or you just want to collaborate with a coworker on a presentation, it should be easy to share files and collaborate in real-time.

Flexibility and customization options. Templates are great, but top presentation apps should enable you to customize just about everything—giving you the flexibility to build exactly what you need.

Affordability. Creating compelling presentations is important, but you shouldn't have to bust your budget to make it happen. With capable free tools on the market, affordability is a top consideration.

Standalone functionality. There's no reason to use multiple tools when one can do it all, so I didn't test any apps that require and work on top of another presentation app like PowerPoint or Google Slides.

Familiar, deck-based interface. For our purposes here, I only tested software that uses slides, with the familiar deck-based editor you expect from a "presentation" tool (versus, for example, a video creation app).

Beyond that, I also looked for presentation apps that brought something unique to the table—features above and beyond what you can get for free from a legacy solution like PowerPoint or Google Slides.

Here's what my testing workflow looked like:

I went through any onboarding or guided tutorials.

I created a new deck, scanning through all available templates, noting how well-designed they were (and which were free versus paid).

I added new slides, deleted slides, edited text and images, and played around with other content types.

I changed presentation design settings, like color schemes and background images.

I reviewed and tested the sharing and collaboration options.

I tested out presenter view (when available).

After my first round of testing, I went back into the top performers to test any unique or niche features, like AI, brand settings, and interactive content. With that, these are the best presentation apps I found—each one really brings something different or radically easy to the table.

The best presentation software at a glance

A free option

Free plan available; paid plans from $10

AI-powered design

From $12/month

Non-linear presentations

Free plan available; paid plans from $7/month

Video presentations

Limited free plan available; paid plans from $15/month

Collaboration

Free plan available; from $22/month for 2 users

Conversational AI features

Free plan available; paid plans from $8/user/month

Audience engagement

Free plan available; paid plans from $11.99/user/month

Generative AI features

Limited free plan available; paid plans from $16/user/month

The best free presentation software

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Canva, our pick for the best free presentation app

Canva pros:

Excellent free plan

Tons of amazing templates for all use cases

Feature-rich

Canva cons:

The AI tools aren't groundbreakingly useful

Canva offers one of the most robust free plans of all the presentation apps I tested. The app delays account creation until after you've created your first design, so you can get started building your presentation in seconds. Choose from an almost overwhelming number of beautiful templates (nearly all available for free), including those designed specifically for education or business use cases.

Anyone who's accidentally scrolled too far and been bumped to the next slide will appreciate Canva's editor interface, which eliminates that problem altogether with a smooth scroll that doesn't jump around. Choose from a handful of preset animations to add life to your presentations, or browse the library of audio and video files available to add. And Canva also has a number of options for sharing your presentation, including adding collaborators to your team, sharing directly to social media, and even via QR code.

Present directly from Canva, and let audience members submit their questions via Canva Live. Once you share a link to invite audience members to your presentation, they can send questions for you to answer. As the presenter, you'll see them pop up in your presenter view window, so you can keep the audience engaged and your presentation clear. Alternatively, record a presentation with a talking head bubble—you can even use an AI presenter here—to share remotely.

Canva pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $120/year for 1 user and include additional features like Brand Kit, premium templates and stock assets, and additional AI-powered design tools.

The best presentation app for AI-powered design

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Beautiful.ai pros:

True AI design

No fussing around with alignment

Still allows for customization

Beautiful.ai cons:

No free plan

If you're like me, editing granular spacing issues is the absolute worst part of building a presentation. Beautiful.ai uses artificial intelligence to take a lot of the hassle and granular design requirements out of the presentation process, so you can focus on the content of a presentation without sacrificing professional design. If I needed to make presentations on a regular basis, this is the app I'd use.

Many apps have recently added AI design features, but Beautiful.ai has been doing it for years—and they've perfected the experience of AI design, ensuring the tool's reign as the most streamlined and user-friendly option for AI design.

The editor is a little different from most presentation apps, but it's still intuitive—and you'll start off with a quick two-minute tutorial. When creating a new slide, scroll through "inspiration slides" to find a layout you like; once you choose, the app will pull the layout and automatically adapt it to match the design of the rest of your presentation.

With 10 themes, several templated slides, over 40 fully-designed templates, and more than 20 different color palettes to choose from, Beautiful.ai strikes a perfect balance between automation and customization.

While Beautiful.ai doesn't offer a free plan, paid plans are reasonably priced and offer sharing and collaboration options that rival collab-focused apps like Google Slides. And speaking of Google, you can connect Beautiful.ai with Google Drive to save all your presentations there.

Note: I re-tested the generative AI feature (called DesignerBot) this year. It's great for adding individual slides to an existing presentation—automatically choosing the best layout and matching the design to the rest of the deck—but as with most other apps, it struggled to pull in relevant images.

Beautiful.ai pricing: Plans start at $12/month for unlimited slides, AI content generation, viewer analytics, and more. Upgrade to a Team plan for $40/user/month to get extra collaboration and workspace features and custom brand controls.

The best presentation app for conversational presentations

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Prezi pros:

Doesn't restrict you to standard presentation structure

Lots of customization options

Prezi Video lets you display a presentation right over your webcam video

Prezi cons:

Steep learning curve

Struggling to squeeze information into a basic, linear presentation? Give Prezi a try. Unlike nearly all other presentation apps on the market, Prezi Present doesn't restrict the structure of your presentation to a straight line. The editor focuses on topics and subtopics and allows you to arrange them any way you want, so you can create a more conversational flow of information.

With the structural flexibility, you still get all the same customization features you expect from top presentation software, including fully-editable templates. There's a learning curve if you're unfamiliar with non-linear presentations, but templates offer a great jumping-off point, and Prezi's editor does a good job of making the process more approachable.

Plus, Prezi comes with two other apps: Prezi Design and Prezi Video. Prezi Video helps you take remote presentations to a new level. You can record a video where the presentation elements are displayed right over your webcam feed. Record and save the video to share later, or connect with your video conferencing tool of choice (including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet) to present live.

Prezi's generative AI feature works ok, but it's more useful as a wireframe. When I asked it to create a presentation about the Stanley Cup Playoffs, for example, the resulting content read a lot like a student writing a term paper in the broadest strokes possible to avoid doing any actual research.

The best presentation app for video presentations

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Powtoon pros:

Timing automatically changes based on the content on the slide

Can toggle between slideshow and video

Can orient presentation as horizontal, vertical, or square

Powtoon cons:

Limited free plan

Powtoon makes it easy to create engaging videos by orienting the editor around a slide deck. Editing a Powtoon feels just like editing a presentation, but by the time you finish, you have a professional video. 

You can edit your slides at any time, and when you hit play, a video plays through your deck—the feel is almost like an animated explainer video. Each slide includes the animations you choose and takes up as much time as is needed based on the content on the slide. Powtoon figures the timing automatically, and you can see in the bottom-right of the editor how much time is used on your current slide versus the total presentation. If you ever want to present as a slide deck, just toggle between Slideshow and Movie.

You'll likely need to subscribe to a paid plan to get the most out of Powtoon—like creating videos longer than three minutes, downloading them as MP4 files, and white-labeling your presentations—but doing so won't break the bank. Plus, you'll unlock tons of templates complete with animations and soundtracks.

One of my favorite Powtoon features is the ability to orient your video: you can choose horizontal orientation (like a normal presentation) or opt for vertical (for mobile) or square (for social media). When your presentation is ready, you can publish straight to YouTube, Wistia, Facebook Ads, and any number of other locations.

The best presentation app for collaborating with your team

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Pitch, our pick for the best presentation software for collaborating with your team

Pitch pros:

Google levels of collaboration

Assign slides to specific team members

Excellent generative AI feature

Pitch cons:

User interface is a little different than you're used to

Need to collaborate on presentations with your team? Pitch is a Google Slides alternative that gets the job done. As far as decks go, Pitch includes all the beautifully-designed templates, customizability, and ease of use you expect from a top-notch presentation tool. But the app really shines when you add your team.

The right-hand sidebar is all about project management and collaboration: you can set and update the status of your deck, assign entire presentations or individual slides to team members, plus comment or add notes. Save custom templates to make future presentations even easier and faster.

You can also invite collaborators from outside your company to work with you on individual decks. And if you opt for a paid plan, Pitch introduces workspace roles, shared private folders, and version history.

Pitch also offers one of the most impressive generative AI features on this list. It still struggles to pull in relevant images, but I found the AI-generated written content and design to be top-notch.

The best presentation app for conversational AI

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Gamma pros:

Creates fully fleshed-out presentations from a prompt

Conversational chatbot-like experience

Can still manually edit the presentation

Gamma cons:

Not as much granular customization

I tested a lot of apps claiming to use AI to up your presentation game, and Gamma's conversational AI features were head and shoulders above the crowd.

Simply give the app a topic—or upload an outline, notes, or any other document or article—approve the outline, and pick a theme. The app will take it from there and create a fully fleshed-out presentation. It's far from perfect, but Gamma produces a very useful jumping-off point. (Last year, it was by far the best, but this year, other apps are catching up.)

Here's the key: Gamma is much more geared toward the iterative, chatbot experience familiar to ChatGPT users. Click on the Edit with AI button at the top of the right-hand menu to open the chat, and you'll see suggested prompts—or you can type in your own requests for how Gamma should alter the presentation.

Once you've done all you can with prompts, simply close the chat box to manually add the finishing touches. While you do sacrifice some granular customizability in exchange for the AI features, you can still choose your visual theme, change slide layouts, format text, and add any images, videos, or even app and web content.

The best presentation app for audience engagement

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Mentimeter, our pick for the best presentation software for audience engagement

Mentimeter pros:

Tons of audience engagement features

Simple for participants to interact

Mentimeter cons:

Less granular customizability

Bit of a learning curve

If you need to engage with an audience during your presentation, Mentimeter makes that easy. The app is designed around interactive elements like quizzes, surveys, Q&As, sliders, and more (even a Miro whiteboard!).

Each of these is included in a number of different, professional-looking templates, so you can build a fully interactive presentation super quickly.

When it's time to present, your audience members can scan the QR code with their phone cameras or type in the URL and access code to participate. There's one code per presentation (so they won't have to do this on every slide), which gives access to each slide as you move through the presentation.

There are two main drawbacks to this one, though. First, there's a bit of a learning curve and less familiar editing interface (but I found it pretty easy to learn with some practice). The other drawback is that you can't get as granular with the visual customization as you can with many other presentation tools.

The best presentation app for generative AI

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Tome, our pick for the best presentation software for generative AI

Top-tier generative AI features

Simple, customizable templates

Intuitive doc-style editor

There's definitely a learning curve

Tome is one of the new additions to this list that I'm most excited about. If you're looking for generative AI that just genuinely works , it's definitely worth a look. The editor is a bit more stripped down than most presentation apps but intuitive nonetheless—it's almost a cross between your standard deck editor and a Notion-style doc.

To generate an AI deck, click Generate with AI in the top right, and either write your own prompt or choose from the example prompts that cover a handful of common use cases, like sales enablement and company pitches. Edit or approve the suggested outline, then generate the full presentation.

From there, you can edit each slide as a doc via the right-hand menu—without limits on how much information you can include. During the presentation, you simply size down any slides that take up more than the standard amount of space. It's super simple but somehow feels revolutionary in a presentation app.

What about the old standbys?

You might notice a few major presentation players aren't on this list, including OGs Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides. These apps are perfectly adequate for creating basic presentations, and they're free if you have a Windows or Mac device or a Google account.

I didn't include them on the list because the presentation space has really developed in the last several years, and after testing them out, I found these behemoths haven't kept pace. If they weren't made by Microsoft/Apple/Google, I might not even be mentioning them. They're pretty basic tools, they're behind the curve when it comes to templates (both quantity and design), and they don't offer any uniquely valuable features like robust team collaboration, branding controls, video, and so on.

In any case, if you're reading this, you're probably looking for an alternative that allows you to move away from one of the big 3, and as the presentation platforms featured above show, there's a ton to gain—in terms of features, usability, and more—when you do.

What about PowerPoint and Google Slides add-ons?

While I focused my testing on tools with full feature-sets—those that can serve as your sole presentation tool—there are a ton of add-on tools you can use atop big name tools like PowerPoint and Google Slides.

Related reading:

This post was originally published in October 2014 and has since been updated with contributions from Danny Schreiber, Matthew Guay, Andrew Kunesh, and Krystina Martinez. The most recent update was in April 2024.

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Kiera Abbamonte picture

Kiera Abbamonte

Kiera’s a content writer who helps SaaS and eCommerce companies connect with customers and reach new audiences. Located in Boston, MA, she loves cinnamon coffee and a good baseball game. Catch up with her on Twitter @Kieraabbamonte.

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Microsoft PowerPoint has been around for a long while and so far it has served users well. However, because it's a paid program, not everyone can afford it.

Thankfully, there are many options available for users who want the functionality of Microsoft PowerPoint in a free-to-use package. In fact, some of them don't even require any downloads and are completely web-based.

1. Google Slides

Google Slides editing screen

By far the most popular PowerPoint alternative out there, Google Slides shines when it comes to collaboration. Multiple people can work simultaneously on a presentation and add new slides.

This is further strengthened by its availability. Google Slides works on your web browser and has apps for both iOS and Android.

Additionally, Google Slides keeps a record of all the changes users have made to a presentation, and you can easily restore your slideshow to a previous version. While anyone with a Gmail account can use Google Slides, G Suite users get added data protection.

Compared to PowerPoint, the number of templates, animation forms, and fonts is somewhat lacking. However, businesses tend to overlook these shortcomings on a day-to-day basis.

Canva Presentation maker.

While Canva is primarily known as a photo editor and design tool, it is also a competent MS PowerPoint alternative.

One of Canva's main strengths is its ease of use. There are many beginner tutorial videos on the website if users do not understand something. Complete beginners can easily navigate through the minimalistic interface.

With the free version of Canva, you get access to over 8000+ presentation templates that exponentially speed up your workflow. Additionally, Canva still remains one of the easiest services to create infographics and charts in.

The only limiting thing with Canva is that it offers a basic set of tools and transitions at users' disposal. It's apparent that the company places more focus on photo editing and design aspect than anything else.

Prezi presentation editing screen.

The Prezi presentation format is unique in the way that it lets you view slides. Instead of addressing multiple elements at once, Prezi gives viewers a single canvas that allows them to zoom in on different presentation parts. This provides a much more immersive experience.

Similar to Google Slides, Prezi supports the real-time collaboration of up to 10 users. Users can also add comments to indicate changes or report missing information. Prezi works on any modern web browser, and there are Android and iOS apps available as well.

Related: Powerful Google Chrome PDF Extensions and Apps

The Prezi software also has an analytics feature that helps users optimize their presentation by showing them which slides were the most viewed as well as which ones were skipped.

Even though the basic version of Prezi is free to use, it doesn't allow users to control the privacy of their presentation, which could be a dealbreaker for many. Additionally, due to the way Prezi works, there is a steep learning curve associated with it.

4. WPS Office Free

WPS Office Web Presentation maker

WPS Office is the closest alternative to PowerPoint when it comes to functionality and user interface. Plus, unlike the other web-based services on this list, you don't always need an active internet connection to use it.

With its complete support for PowerPoint files, users can edit existing PowerPoint documents with ease in WPS Office. They can also embed videos and animate individual objects, just like in Microsoft PowerPoint. It also offers many templates, so users can pick their favorite.

However, users should keep in mind that while the software is free, it is supported by ads, which may be a bit intrusive at times. In addition to this, collaboration is less straightforward than with Google Slides.

WPS Office is available across all major platforms such as Windows, macOS, Linux. iOS, and Android. There is a web-based version available as well. Alternatively, you can check out this handy guide to smoothen your transition to WPS Office from Microsoft .

Xtensio presentation maker web app.

Xtensio is one of the best options for business users. It has many templates available regarding various organization sections, such as marketing, UX design, etc.

With Xtensio's easy-to-use interface, even newbies can create professional-looking reports and presentations. Additionally, they offer even greater flexibility in terms of design. You can edit each object in a template to suit your specific needs.

But it does have some shortcomings. For one thing, users cannot export their presentations in PowerPoint format. Additionally, the free version supports only one user at a time with a storage space of 1MB.

6. LibreOffice

LibreOffice Impress Presentation Software editing screen

LibreOffice is open-source presentation software that does everything PowerPoint can do. Although it lacks functionality such as OneDrive Integration, its PowerPoint-like functionality more than makes up for it.

LibreOffice has its share of useful features, such as the ability to import Keynote files. In addition, LibreOffice has a vast collection of free templates that users can use to create their presentations.

If that's not enough, you can download additional templates from LibreOffice's online repository. LibreOffice is available across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

7. Zoho Show

Zoho Show presentation maker

There are several reasons to use Zoho Show for your next presentation. It's a great presentation tool that's similar to Google Slides, but even better. Users can also import and edit all their PowerPoint files in the online tool.

Users can create tables, infographics, and data charts within Zoho Show itself. In addition to this, the service also has in-built Google Image Search functionality that lets you search and insert images quickly.

Related: Tools to Give an Online Presentation From Anywhere

Additionally, Zoho Show supports collaboration in real-time and multiple users can edit presentations. Although there's not much to complain about in Zoho Show, many users would like to have more options when it comes to templates and animations.

Worthy PowerPoint Alternatives

Essentially, all these tools and services function the same way as PowerPoint without the cost. Furthermore, the web-based alternatives are more advanced such as automatic saving and cloud storage.

Despite this, PowerPoint remains the front-runner when it comes to presentation software. As such, it is important for users to know how to make the best out of its features.

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When lack of inspiration or time constraints are something you’re worried about, it’s a good idea to seek help. Slidesgo comes to the rescue with its latest functionality—the AI presentation maker! With a few clicks, you’ll have wonderful slideshows that suit your own needs . And it’s totally free!

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Generate presentations in minutes

We humans make the world move, but we need to sleep, rest and so on. What if there were someone available 24/7 for you? It’s time to get out of your comfort zone and ask the AI presentation maker to give you a hand. The possibilities are endless : you choose the topic, the tone and the style, and the AI will do the rest. Now we’re talking!

Customize your AI-generated presentation online

Alright, your robotic pal has generated a presentation for you. But, for the time being, AIs can’t read minds, so it’s likely that you’ll want to modify the slides. Please do! We didn’t forget about those time constraints you’re facing, so thanks to the editing tools provided by one of our sister projects —shoutouts to Wepik — you can make changes on the fly without resorting to other programs or software. Add text, choose your own colors, rearrange elements, it’s up to you! Oh, and since we are a big family, you’ll be able to access many resources from big names, that is, Freepik and Flaticon . That means having a lot of images and icons at your disposal!

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How does it work?

Think of your topic.

First things first, you’ll be talking about something in particular, right? A business meeting, a new medical breakthrough, the weather, your favorite songs, a basketball game, a pink elephant you saw last Sunday—you name it. Just type it out and let the AI know what the topic is.

Choose your preferred style and tone

They say that variety is the spice of life. That’s why we let you choose between different design styles, including doodle, simple, abstract, geometric, and elegant . What about the tone? Several of them: fun, creative, casual, professional, and formal. Each one will give you something unique, so which way of impressing your audience will it be this time? Mix and match!

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What is an AI-generated presentation?

It’s exactly “what it says on the cover”. AIs, or artificial intelligences, are in constant evolution, and they are now able to generate presentations in a short time, based on inputs from the user. This technology allows you to get a satisfactory presentation much faster by doing a big chunk of the work.

Can I customize the presentation generated by the AI?

Of course! That’s the point! Slidesgo is all for customization since day one, so you’ll be able to make any changes to presentations generated by the AI. We humans are irreplaceable, after all! Thanks to the online editor, you can do whatever modifications you may need, without having to install any software. Colors, text, images, icons, placement, the final decision concerning all of the elements is up to you.

Can I add my own images?

Absolutely. That’s a basic function, and we made sure to have it available. Would it make sense to have a portfolio template generated by an AI without a single picture of your own work? In any case, we also offer the possibility of asking the AI to generate images for you via prompts. Additionally, you can also check out the integrated gallery of images from Freepik and use them. If making an impression is your goal, you’ll have an easy time!

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Yes, it is, and we mean it. We even asked our buddies at Wepik, who are the ones hosting this AI presentation maker, and they told us “yup, it’s on the house”.

Are there more presentation designs available?

From time to time, we’ll be adding more designs. The cool thing is that you’ll have at your disposal a lot of content from Freepik and Flaticon when using the AI presentation maker. Oh, and just as a reminder, if you feel like you want to do things yourself and don’t want to rely on an AI, you’re on Slidesgo, the leading website when it comes to presentation templates. We have thousands of them, and counting!.

How can I download my presentation?

The easiest way is to click on “Download” to get your presentation in .pdf format. But there are other options! You can click on “Present” to enter the presenter view and start presenting right away! There’s also the “Share” option, which gives you a shareable link. This way, any friend, relative, colleague—anyone, really—will be able to access your presentation in a moment.

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60 Effective PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks (Giant List)

Here's a PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks guide that takes you through how to make a good PowerPoint presentation.

PowerPoint Presentation Tips

The best PowerPoint presentations shouldn’t be remembered. Instead, they should fall into the background to support you and the message you’re trying to get across.

Unlike good PowerPoint presentations , bad PowerPoint presentations are a distraction. You may remember them, but not in a good way.

You’ve seen them before. They might have millions of lines of text. Or a disjointed flow to the slides. Even worse, some slides feature ugly photos and poor design that detract from the message you’re trying to get across. That can even hurt your credibility as a professional or speaker.

Office Workers Doing Presentation

This article will take you from finding your initial topic to learning how to make a great PowerPoint presentation. Our guide covers everything in between so that you learn how to present a PowerPoint like a pro.

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines are organized into sections. So cut straight to the advice you need and come back when you’re ready for the next steps.

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

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Also, download our Free eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It’s the deepest resource for learning effective presentation skills for a PPT.

This eBook covers the complete presentation process. It takes the PowerPoint tips and tricks you learn in this article further. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully. It’s another great source for presentation design tips.

Master PowerPoint (Free Course): 15 Essential Tips

This article is full of helpful tips so you can build a powerful presentation. You can also find more PowerPoint tips in this video lesson:

To learn even more about how to make a PowerPoint look good, review the huge list of tips below.

What Makes a PowerPoint Presentation Effective?

Knowing how to use PowerPoint and work within it quickly is helpful. But more important is making a good presentation that hits all your goals. A great PowerPoint presentation is:

  • Prepared to Win . Research, plan, and prepare your presentation professionally. It helps you deliver an effective message to your target audience.
  • Designed Correctly . Your visual points should stand out without overwhelming your audience. A good PowerPoint visual shouldn’t complicate your message.
  • Practiced to Perfection . Rehearse your timing and delivery so that your points land as practiced with a live audience.
  • Delivered With Poise . Present with a relaxed inner calm and confident outward projection. Give your audience warmth, excitement, and energy.
  • Free From Mistakes . Avoid typos, cheesy clip art, and mistakes like reading directly from your slides.

Consider this your all-inclusive guide to how to make a good presentation. We’ll look at preparing your presentation and explore how to design it in PowerPoint. Plus, we’ll cover how to practice and nail your delivery successfully come presentation time.

We’ll also address what not to do in these tips for PowerPoint presentations—so you can sidestep any big mistakes. Now let’s dig into these tips for effective PowerPoint presentations.

Killer Presentation Preparation Tips to Get Started Right

Before even opening PowerPoint, start by addressing these things. These Microsoft PowerPoint tips and tricks will ensure that you’re prepared for your presentation:

1. Know Your Stuff

Your presentation isn’t about your slides alone. It’s about the message you want to get across. Before filling in stats, facts and figures, think about the narrative that’ll be discussed, why, and in what order.

2. Write It Out

Start in a Word or Google doc, and storyboard or script the entire presentation. This will give you an idea of how the information presented will flow and how viewers will see it in sequence. Learn the complete writing process .

3. Highlight What’s Most Important

A presentation covers the most crucial pieces only. Whatever you’ve been working on that led to this—a paper, a work project, a new product design—doesn’t need to be shared in its entirety. Pick key points and put the rest in an “Appendix” to refer to during the Q&A session at the end.

4. Know Your Audience

How you talk to a room full of medical professionals should be different from the way you address a room full of young entrepreneurs. Everything, in fact, is different: your topic selection, the language you use, the examples you give to illustrate points. The little bits of humor you include should be tailored specifically with your target audience in mind.

Understand your audience’s needs to create a successful PowerPoint presentation. Customize your content to meet their specific requirements.

5. Rehearse! (Yes, Already)

It’s never too early to get used to the rhythm of your presentation and take note of points you want to emphasize. While saying it out loud, you’ll start to develop a “feel” for the material. You’ll notice that some things work well, while others don’t and might need to be worked around.

6. Rewrite After You Rehearse

As you’re rehearsing your presentation, you’re bound to stumble over sections that don’t quite flow naturally. Instead of reworking your delivery, it might be time to consider the content and rewrite the areas that served as stumbling blocks.

“Editing is hard. ‘It’s good enough,’ is a phrase wannabes use. Leaders take editing seriously.” – Anthony Trendl

The most important part of creating a great presentation is the writing stage. The second most important stage is rewriting.

7. Share With a Friend

If the stakes are high for your presentation, it’s never too early to get feedback from those that you trust. Here’s an article that helps you collaborate as a team on a PowerPoint presentation. Get PowerPoint design tips from those that you trust when you collaborate.

Simple Tips to Design Your PowerPoint Presentation Better

Second only to you (the information you bring and how you present it) is your PowerPoint slides. If not designed well, a PowerPoint can be disengaging or distracting (regardless of the content quality). Here are some presentation design tips to make sure this doesn’t happen to you:

8. Keep Your Slides Simple

This is one of the most important PowerPoint presentation tips to follow when designing your slides. Keep in mind that less is more (effective.) A cluttered slide is distracting. It causes confusion for an audience: Which part of the slide should I focus on? Should I read the slide or pay attention to the presenter?

A simple, visually appealing slide will engage your audience, keeping them on track with your main points. Here’s an example of a simple slide that serves its purpose perfectly:

Nook - Minimal Powerpoint Template

Minimalist slide templates like Nook can help you resist the urge to clutter your slides.

9. Limit Words on Your Slides

Piggybacking on the last point, less is more effective. If possible, avoid bullets altogether. Otherwise cut them to just a few simple words. The audience should be listening, not reading.

10. Use High-Quality Photos and Graphics

One of the most important tips for quality PowerPoint presentations is to use high-quality photos and graphics.

Earlier in this tutorial, you saw Envato Elements, an all-you-can-download service with PPT tips inside of templates. Those pre-built designs are a beginner’s best friend. They’re even better when paired with Elements’ unlimited library of stock photos .

People are more likely to take you seriously if your presentation is visually appealing. Users view attractive design as more usable. Similarly, they’ll view a more attractive PowerPoint as more effective.

11. Use Accurate and Relevant Charts and Graphs

Charts and graphs can also be distracting if they’re not used right. Make sure your information design is simple and clean so that the audience doesn’t spend the entire time trying to decipher what your X axis says. Learn more about PPT data presentation .

12. Use High-Quality, Fresh Templates

Have you seen the old PowerPoint template that looks like worn paper and uses ink splashes? Yeah, so has your audience. Templates can be distracting if they’re too basic or if the design feels dated. You need one with great design options.

Costs are always a concern. But when you use Envato Elements, you’ve got everything you need to create a great PowerPoint presentation . That’s thanks to the incredible all-you-can-download subscription package.

The best PowerPoint tips and tricks can hardly compare to the value of using a template while building your presentation.

On Envato Elements, there are thousands of PowerPoint design templates that are ready to use. Instead of designing a presentation from scratch, start with a template! Just add your specifics to the placeholders.

Galaxi Powerpoint Template

Templates like Galaxi are impressively designed and waiting for your slide specifics.

The best PowerPoint design tips save you time. And there’s no tip more powerful than this one: use a pre-built template . It helps you master how to present a PowerPoint without spending all your time in the app.

13. Choose Appropriate Fonts

Fonts are an important part of engaging your audience. Fonts and typography choices have a subconscious effect on viewers. They can characterize your company’s presentation and brand either positively or negatively. Make sure that you’re choosing fonts that are professional and modern.

14. Choose Color Well

Like font choice, colors cause specific subconscious reactions from viewers. Choosing an outdated color combination for your presentation will render it ineffective.

Below is an example of the Popsicle PowerPoint template , which has a modern presentation color choice:

Popsicle - Colorful Powerpoint Template

The Popsicle PowerPoint template highlights how harmonized color palettes can create beautiful slides.

15. Clean + Simple Formatting Makes All the Difference!

We’ve got a full tutorial on how to make a good presentation slide . Give it a read through and review the accompanying video. Just remember, less is more. The focus is you and your message , not your slides.

16. Make Sure All Objects Are Aligned

A simple way to create a well-designed presentation is to make sure all items on a slide are intentionally aligned. To do this, hold down Shift and select all the objects you want to include. Then choose Arrange in the options bar and apply Alignment Type .

17. Limit Punctuation

This isn’t the place for exclamation points. Emphasize your points (while speaking). Don’t enlist punctuation to do this for you. (Leave these at home!!!)

18. Avoid Over-Formatting Your Points

This PowerPoint presentation tip is simple. There’s no need to have every word of every bullet point capitalized, or to have all your bullet points in title case. If possible, drop bullets altogether. Again, the simpler, the better!

Limit your text formatting, including reducing the use of bullets, underline, and other effects. Compare the before example on the left to the revised version on the right.

over-formatted vs simple text

19. Combine Information With Graphics in PowerPoint

One of the most powerful presentation skills for PPT is using infographics. With the right type of visuals, slides come to life and reduce the text in favor of graphics.

Infographics help combine information with graphics. It’s easier to explain complex ideas when you use visual formats that are intuitive.

Practice Presentation Tips: Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!

Delivery is probably more important than the actual content. Here’s how to become more aware of your own unique ticks, and how to present like a polished pro:

20. I’ll Say It Again, Rehearse!

Just do it. Again and again. Experiment with pauses, gestures, and body language. Practice around one hour for every minute of your speech.

21. Practice With a Timer

Consistency is key to an effective PowerPoint presentation. The timing should be similar (ideally the same) each time you rehearse. This one will especially pay off when it’s time to present in front of your audience.

22. Slow It Down

Many of the best speakers today intentionally speak slowly. You’ll have the chance to emphasize, appear more thoughtful, and make your information easier to digest.

23. Pause More Often

Like the prior tip, pausing more often allows your main points to be emphasized and gives time for information to sink in. You need to let key points breathe a little before rushing into the next section.

24. Record Yourself

Use your phone’s voice recorder. Assess and critique yourself. Consider:

  • Are your pauses too short or too long?
  • Are you speaking slowly enough? Too slow?
  • When you’re nervous, does your voice get high like the mice in Cinderella?

record yourself presenting

It’s always weird to hear your own voice recorded; don’t stress it. Use this as a time to adjust.

25. Choose Three Focal Points in the Room

If you stare at the same spot (or even creepier, the same person) the entire time, your presentation will be ineffective (and awkward.) People will be distracted by you, wondering what you’re staring at.

Try this: pick three points in the room (typically: left, center, right). Take time to direct your delivery toward each physical focal point in the room. Also, focus on the center when making your primary points.

26. Vary Your Sentence Length

This makes you sound more interesting, and it’s easier for your audience to follow. Think short and punchy. Or go long and complex for dramatic effect.

27. Modulate!

Don’t speak in monotone for your whole presentation. Be conscious of raising and lowering your voice tone. Otherwise, people will tune you out, and you’ll come across like the teacher in Charlie Brown.

28. Practice in Front of a Mirror

What you look like is as important as how you sound. Pretend you’re having a normal conversation, and allow your hands to move with your speech to emphasize your points. Just don’t get carried away! (I’m thinking Brene Brown or President Obama , not your Aunt Jamie after a few gin and tonics.)

29. Use “Present Mode” When Rehearsing

When you finally are ready to hit the Present button in PowerPoint, make sure you use the Present Mode option. This allows you (and only you) to view extra notes about each slide—just in case you forget something!

30. Practice With New Audiences

If possible, try doing a few real live test runs as a webinar or even at a local Toastmasters organization to get some feedback from a live audience.

31. Engage the Audience by Asking Questions

There’s no reason that a presentation should be one-sided. Why not invert the format and ask your audience a question?

To learn how to create a slide that kicks off a Q&A, use this article . These PowerPoint design tips help you create an engaging and exciting discussion.

Helpful Tips to Step Up and Deliver Come Presentation Time

When the actual day arrives, there are only a few last PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to keep in mind:

32. Take a Deep Breath

Deep breathing is proven to relieve stress. It’s simple, and it’ll help you remain calm and in the moment, even up to the last minute before starting.

33. Lighten Up Your Mood

Tell yourself a joke or watch a funny video clip. Do this before the presentation, of course. Research concludes that happy people are more productive. More productive is more focused and able to perform better.

34. Remind Yourself to Take It Slow

When we’re stressed or nervous (or both), we tend to speak faster. Consciously, take yet another deep breath and remind yourself to take it slow!

35. Read the Room

Every presentation room has a temperature. It’s your job as a speaker to gauge it and tailor your presentation to it.

Here’s a great example. Layoffs are coming at a company, and you’re asked to speak to an audience. Even if the audience isn’t personally affected by the actions, you’ve got to consider the morale of the workforce.

read the room

Skilled speakers have a knack for reading the energy of the room and adjusting their presentation on the fly.

The last thing that group will want to hear is how strong the economy is and why the company is the best place to work. That doesn’t mean that you’ve got to align to their uncertainty, but don’t go too far against the grain while presenting.

Robert Kennedy III is a master of bringing energy and aligning a speech to the audience. Here’s his advice for adjusting:

“It can be hard to wake up a “dead” crowd but go for it. Most of all, don’t take their energy personally. Focus on serving them with every bit of your fiber then leave empty.”

36. Fake It ‘Til You Make It!

Go forward with confidence. If you act confident, you’ll start to feel more confident. Move slowly with grace, speak clearly, smile, wear something nice. You’ll appear confident to all attendees (no matter how you feel internally).

PowerPoint Presentation Tips and Tricks to Help Avoid Mistakes (What Not to Do)

Most importantly, focus on what you can do to make your presentation better. There are a few important things not to do that we’ve got to address. Here are a handful of PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks to help you avoid missteps.

37. Stop With the Sound Effects

Sound effects are distracting and outdated. In most cases, avoid them. Add audio or music to your presentation to inject interest or highlight an important point, but it’s something to take extra care with. If you insert audio, then make sure your use really connects with your audience and has a fresh approach. Otherwise, it’s best to leave it out.

38. Don’t Use Flashy Slide Transitions

Again, this is distracting and outdated. Use transitions and subtle animations in your PowerPoint presentation. But you need to take care and do it right .

39. Beware of Clip Art

This PowerPoint presentation tip shouldn’t even have to be said. But please, please don’t use clip art. Use professional graphics instead.

40. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Afraid

The fear of public speaking is a real one. Many beginners think that if they’re feeling nervous that a presentation won’t go well or succeed. That might lead them to cancel the presentation.

Here’s a tip from expert Sandra Zimmer, who leads The Self-Expression Center on conquering your fears before you take the stage:

“Get out of your head and into your body. I do this through a grounding exercise that really works to calm nerves and bring you present in the moment.”

If you think that public speaking fears aren’t normal, you might never give your award-winning presentation. So don’t be afraid to be afraid, and acknowledge it’s part of the process!

41. Don’t Read Directly During Your PowerPoint Presentation

If you spend your entire presentation looking at the screen or your note cards, you’re sure to lose your audience’s attention. They’ll disengage from what you’re saying, and your presentation will fall flat.

Reading from your paper or screen also makes it look like you’re not prepared. Many people do it, but no one should. As a general rule, only present something you know well and have, at least mostly, memorized the main points of.

42. Don’t Miss Out on PowerPoint Customizations

Many new PowerPoint users often make significant mistakes when using Envato Elements designs.

The best way to see how to make a good presentation PPT is to start with designs from others. That means using a template, but that doesn’t mean you can’t customize them!

Haluiva : Pitch Deck Keynote Template

Don’t forget that PowerPoint templates are infinitely customizable. Think of them as guides with built-in presentation design tips.

To see more presentation tips that show you what not to do, make sure to check out our guide .

Work in PowerPoint More Effectively (Tips & Tricks to Level Up Your PPT Skills)

These PowerPoint tips will help you get the most out of the application to level up your next presentation. Let’s dive in.

43. Use the Visual Guides

When you’re designing your next PowerPoint presentation, it helps to create a sense of visual rhythm. Slides that have objects aligned and centered are more likely to resonate with an audience.

44. Use a Few Animations (Tastefully)

Animations in effective PowerPoint presentations are a slippery slope. We’ve all sat through presentations where there were so many objects in motion that it was easy to lose focus on the key ideas in the presentation.

But that’s why animations get an unfairly bad reputation. Use animations to create motion and hold an audience’s attention. Use them sparingly and on key elements on your slide, and you’ll capture that attention properly.

45. Stage Key Content With Animations

You just learned that animations should avoid being distracting. But there’s an important principle to using animations properly. It’s called staging content.

Staging content means that the content appears step by step. There’s nothing worse than overwhelming an audience with all your content at once. But when you stage content, bring it on step by step.

Take it from presentation pro Suzannah Baum :

“If you’re sharing a slide with lots of different points on it, using the animation to reveal those points one at a time is a way to keep the presenter’s content flowing smoothly.”

For more animation presentation tips and tricks, follow our guide .

46. Add a Video to Your PowerPoint

When you’re sharing a big idea in your presentation, it helps to share your perspective from a few different angles. Adding a video to supplement your content can do just that. Luckily, it’s easy to add and embed a YouTube video in your next PowerPoint presentation.

47. Add Charts & Graphs

Charts and graphs can help you tell stories with data. It’s easy for an audience to zone out when you throw a big data table or set of statistics at them.

instead, convert those to charts and graphs. Try out our tutorial to learn how to edit those graphs.

48. Build Your Own Infographics With SmartArt

Earlier in this tutorial, we gave you one of my favorite PowerPoint design tips: use infographic templates.

Here’s another. One of my favorite PowerPoint features is SmartArt, which allows you to build infographics right inside the app.

You don’t have to use another graphic design app like Photoshop or Illustrator to add visuals. Instead, try out SmartArt to help you build graphics that are easy to update.

49. Use Presenter View

Remember that when you use the PowerPoint, you’ re the presentation. The slides are just there to reinforce what you’ve got to say and support your speaking points.

That’s why I always recommend using Presenter view. More often than not, you’re going to have several displays. Presenter view shows your content on your screen, while your presentation is displayed on another screen.

50. Track Your PowerPoint Changes

One of my favorite PowerPoint design tips is to collaborate. Those who know you best will suggest compelling changes that are sure to help you succeed.

As you start collaborating on your presentation, it helps to keep track of proposed and included PowerPoint changes. Use this article to track changes made by others.

10 More Advanced PowerPoint Tips & Tricks

Really need to wow an audience with a good PowerPoint presentation? Give these tips a try to make an unforgettable impression:

51. Engage With an Interactive Quiz

A good PowerPoint presentation gets your audience involved. One of the best PowerPoint tricks is to do that with a quiz. By engaging audiences, a quiz makes your slides memorable.

MIDTEST - Education Quiz Powerpoint Presentation

By adding trivia, you’ll see how to present a PowerPoint in a way that people will love. Channel your inner game-show host today. MIDTEST is a  good PowerPoint presentation  with quiz slides.

52. Illustrate With Custom Image Masks

One of the top PowerPoint tips is to illustrate your slides. But you can go beyond simple, rectangular images on each slide.

BURTE - Powerpoint Template

The Burte template is full of  PowerPoint tricks , including custom image masks. Image masks shape photos into unique works of art. And thanks to premium templates, you can style photos just like this. Masks overlay your photos onto geometric shapes, instantly elevating your style.

53. Print Handouts With Extra Notes

Wonder how to give a good presentation PPT that audiences will remember? Give them a piece of it to take home.

PowerPoint makes it easy to print handouts with room for notes on the page. This way, audiences can keep copies of your slides, along with their own notes. This is the perfect way to ensure everyone engages with and retains your content.

54. Make Bulk Edits With Master Slides

When you think about how to present a PowerPoint, consider your branding. That means keeping your logo front and center in the eyes of an audience. But if you’re working with a lengthy slide deck, this could seem daunting.

That’s where master slides come in. They’re common in premium layouts, and they’re a leading example of presentation skills for PPT. Master slides let you make bulk edits fast.

55. Shrink File Sizes for Sharing

Many of the top presentation tips involve making your slides more accessible. Often, that involves sharing them with audiences online.

You’ll often find that email clients and cloud services limit the size of files that you share. This can be a problem with large PPT slide decks. But there are a few quick steps you can take to reduce PPT file size. Cut graphics, scale down photos, and more.

56. Map Processes With Flowcharts

As you consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation, think of ease of understanding. After all, you’re trying to explain something to your audience.

Infographics Multipurpose Powerpoint

The  Flowcharts in Infographics  template seamlessly illustrates ideas and processes. A flowchart maps out a process in a visual way. Instead of resorting to endless narration, try a quick illustration like this. It saves you time and effort, and your audience is sure to thank you.

57. Use Brand-Specific Colors

Using presentation skills for PPT helps form an association between your message and branding. There’s no better way to do that than with your brand colors.

PowerPoint makes it easy to change color themes, adding your brand colors and logo to each slide. This is one of the top PowerPoint tricks for marketing presentations.

58. Build Social Media Posts in PPT

A good PowerPoint presentation doesn’t have to be shared through a projector. Use the app and templates to build amazing illustrations to use anywhere.

Soffee - Social Media CoffeeShop Presentations

A template like Soffee helps you learn how to present a PowerPoint easily with a pre-built design.

Try using PowerPoint to create social media posts. It helps you engage with your audience, with no need to design custom layouts from scratch.

59. Be Industry-Specific

One of the top presentation tips in 2024 is to be industry-specific. That means avoiding generic layouts and choosing something more customized.

This offers two key advantages. First, you save time by having layouts built for you. Second, you gain design inspiration for your specific topic. Themed templates are truly the best of both worlds.

Medical and Health Powerpoint Template

The Medical and Health template is a good PowerPoint presentation with a set theme.

60. Design for Online (Virtual) Sharing

Last but not least in our list of PowerPoint tips comes virtual presenting. More and more often, slides will be shared with online audiences around the globe.

Why not design your slides for that very purpose? And then learn how to share flawlessly with a global team? It’s one of the top presentation tips for 2024. Embrace it today.

More Great PowerPoint Tutorial Resources

We’ve built a resource for Microsoft PowerPoint that you’re sure to want to try. It includes countless PowerPoint tips and tricks. It’s called How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide) and has all the PowerPoint design tips you need.

Discover More Top PowerPoint Template Designs From Envato Elements for 2024

You’ve just seen our favorite powerful PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to help you improve your speaking. We’ve also mentioned Envato Elements, an incredible all-you-can-download source for top PowerPoint designs .

Here are five of the best PowerPoint templates that you can use to create your best presentation yet:

1. Galaxi PowerPoint Template

Blast off to success with the help of this PowerPoint template! Think of the pre-built slide designs as pro PowerPoint design tips. They’re built by professional graphic designers. All the popular and modern slide styles that are perfect for your next presentation. Use Galaxi’s five styles and 30 designs to create a great presentation.

2. Masmax PowerPoint Template

Masmax Powerpoint Template

We selected templates for this article that match the PowerPoint tips and tricks provided. Masmax fits the bill perfectly across its 234 unique slide designs. These slide designs are sure to align with the latest in design expectations.

3. STYLE Multipurpose PowerPoint Template V50

STYLE - Multipurpose PowerPoint Template V50

Style is subjective, but we can all agree that this template is stunning! The light and airy slide designs are built with fashion-focused designs in mind. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not perfect for most presentations. When learning to present a PowerPoint, remember that templates can be customized to suit your purpose.

4. Peachme Creative PowerPoint Template

Peachme Creative Powerpoint Template

Peachme has image-focused slides with splashy designs. The slides are colorful and perfect for a modern presentation. Don’t worry about remembering all the PowerPoint design tips because they’re included in the pre-built slides. Use Peachme’s designs for your presentation today.

5. Buizi Office Building Rent PowerPoint Template

Buizi - Office Building Rent Powerpoint Template

Buizi markets itself as a real estate focused template. It’s ideal for that purpose because of the minimal, image-focused slide designs. But that also makes it a perfect choice for presentations in many fields.

We’ve just scratched the surface of PowerPoint design tips with these five options. Here are many more, bundled inside of the best roundups on Envato Tuts+:

How to Build a Good PowerPoint Presentation Quickly (In 2024)

You’ve already seen effective presentation skills PPT techniques. But you may be wondering exactly how to do a good PowerPoint presentation. It only takes a few clicks. Let’s learn how in just five steps.

For this mini-tutorial, we’ll use the Enjoy PowerPoint Template from Envato Elements. You’ll see that it’s a beautiful template that helps you learn how to present a PowerPoint by giving you every object and layout you need.

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Let’s get started:

1. Choose Your Slides

As you can see, a template like Enjoy has dozens of unique slides inside. The key to how to give a good presentation PPT is to choose only the slides that you need.

select slides

One of the best PowerPoint tricks is to start by selecting slides you wish to use from your template.

In PowerPoint, scroll through the sidebar on the left to view different slide layouts. Right-click and choose Delete to remove unwanted designs. Plus, you can click and drag slide thumbnails to reorder them in the deck.

2. Add Text

Consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation without investing a ton of time. That’s where premium templates come in.

add text

One of our top presentation tips when working with a PPT is to lean on the pre-built text boxes for your content.

To add custom text, simply click and select the contents of any text box on your slide. Then, type in your own words. Repeat as needed throughout your slide deck.

3. Customize Fonts

With text selected, it’s easy to customize fonts on each slide. Find the Font section on PowerPoint’s Home tab. From there, you’ve got a variety of dropdown options.

customize fonts

Another of our top tips for presentation tricks is to use a custom font setting in your template.

Click to change the font, font size, and more. You can also use the buttons on the left to add bolds, italics, and more.

Need more custom font styles? As an Envato Elements subscriber, you’ve got instant access to thousands of custom fonts . Use them in your presentation with ease.

4. Insert Images

Slides like this one contain an image placeholder. That’s another advantage found only with premium templates. These make adding images a breeze.

insert images

Add images to your PPTX template for more visually interesting slides.

To get started, find an image file stored on your computer. Then, drag and drop it over the placeholder. PowerPoint will import it, sized and scaled for a perfect fit.

5. Change Colors

One of the top effective presentation skills is changing shape colors. This helps you control the look and feel of each slide.

change colors

With a shape selected, find the Shape Format tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon. Then, click on the Shape Fill dropdown. You’ll see a color chooser menu appear. Click on any thumbnail to apply it to the shape or browse through the Gradient and Texture options.

Start Putting These PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks Into Use Today!

Learning to write, design, and present a PowerPoint presentation is an invaluable skill, no matter where you use it. If you’re a good communicator of important messages, you’ll never go hungry.

Luckily, improving PowerPoint presentations isn’t as hard as it seems. Follow these tips for PowerPoint presentations to design and deliver with greater confidence.

Remember: Less is more (effective) . Use PowerPoint presentation templates for better design and more effective visual impact. And you can customize a PPT template quickly , with the right workflow.

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Lead Capture: Best Practices, Templates & Software to Use

Lead Capture: Best Practices, Templates & Software to Use

Written by: Oghale Olori

Lead Capture: Best Practices & Software to Use header

You’ve spent a lot of time and effort creating content that drives traffic to your website. Great job!

But the major hurdle you’ll face is turning those visitors into potential leads for your business. You’re not alone; 45% of marketers admit generating quality leads is one of their biggest challenges and top priority.

Lead capture is an effective tactic that helps you capitalize on your web traffic and turn visitors into leads.

In this article, we explore lead capture best practices, templates and software to help you optimize your lead capture and convert more qualified leads on your website.

Let's begin!

Table of Contents

What is lead capture, why is lead capture important.

  • Types of Lead Capture

6 Lead Capture Best Practices

4 best lead capture software, lead capture faqs.

  • Lead capture involves gathering relevant details from website visitors who have shown interest in your company either by engaging with your content, interacting on your page or seeking out your offerings.
  • A well-designed lead capture form captures and retains your lead's attention through animation, interaction and adequate messaging.
  • The top lead capture software includes Visme, HubSpot, Salesforce and Omnisend.
  • Follow these best practices for lead capture: start with a lead capture template , create interactive forms, craft personalized and action-oriented CTAs, conduct A/B testing to gauge performance and accurately measure results.
  • Visme is a powerful lead capture software that empowers you to create eye-catching interactive forms, collect relevant data and evaluate the performance of your lead capture strategies.
  • Visme seamlessly integrates with email marketing tools and CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, Zapier and more, enhancing your overall lead capture process. Create your lead capture form with Visme today!

Lead capture is the process of collecting relevant information from potential customers called leads by offering something of value in return. This value can be an ebook, free trial, discount or free quote.

A lead capture form or page is used to collect your prospective customer’s information. It includes fields like name, email, phone number and more.

Customers may come across your lead capture form while browsing your website, reading your content or on social media.

The primary goal of your lead capture strategy is to collect information from your website visitors. This information can help you build and establish a relationship and eventually convert them into paying customers.

Here's an example of a lead capture form powered by Visme Forms

The Difference Between Lead Generation and Lead Capture

Lead generation is the process of attracting potential customers to your website through various online marketing activities. This includes creating valuable content, running social media ads and implementing SEO strategies to grab the attention of visitors.

Lead capture, on the other hand, is just one step in the lead generation process that gathers lead information. It involves collecting contact information from potential customers who have shown interest in your product or service.

Without lead capture, the lead generation process is incomplete.

Convert Website Visitors into Leads

One of the major benefits of lead capture is converting website visitors into leads and, eventually, paying customers.

By obtaining information from potential customers and building a relationship with them, you can address their queries, provide clarity and showcase the benefits of your company. This, in turn, has the potential to grow your email list and customer base.

Gather Valuable Insights

Have you ever come across a form that not only requested your name and email but also inquired about your job role and industry? These lead capture forms are designed to collect data on the specific types of individuals or industries that are interested in downloading their ebook or utilizing their tool.

By doing so, the company can focus their efforts on targeting more people in those areas or developing improved products.

The information in your lead capture form can help you effectively segment your target audience and gain a deeper understanding of their preferences and needs. You can also easily pre-qualify leads who have conversion potential with the insights from your lead capture.

Boost Brand Visibility and Trust

When customers willingly share their information in return for a product or quote, it indicates their genuine interest in what you have to offer. By carefully nurturing your leads through email or SMS, you establish a sense of trust and enhance brand recognition. This ultimately simplifies their decision-making process when they are ready to make a purchase in the future.

Promote New Information

Lead captures are a great way to introduce a new product, resource or information to your audience. By utilizing lead captures, you can captivate the attention of your website visitors and motivate them to actively participate in exploring your new offering.

Types of Lead Capture Forms

Lead capture forms fall into two categories: pop-up forms and in-page forms.

Pop-up forms appear while a visitor is engaging with your website, scrolling or preparing to exit. In contrast, in-page forms are embedded into your website or landing page as part of your web content.

Let's take a look at the various types of lead capture forms.

Newsletter Signup Forms

Having a newsletter signup form on your website or social media platforms is a great way for interested individuals to receive updates, promotions and other news directly from your brand. These forms are highly effective at capturing leads and growing your subscriber base.

Newsletter forms typically have one or two fields to collect information, keeping them concise and simple. They should also be visually appealing and offer a clear incentive for signing up, such as exclusive content or a discount code.

Including achievements in your header is a great way to make your newsletter form more enticing. For example, "Join 200,000+ people to receive insights and updates in the XYZ industry."

Take a look at the newsletter form template below.

an image of a newsletter form template in Visme

This company subscription template is designed to attract website visitors to your company newsletter. The headline is clear and direct. The text below gives your visitors insight into what they will receive when they subscribe.

This template contains only two fields. Since it is for a newsletter, it collects just the name and email address. The best part? You get a personalized interactive character to guide your website visitors through this process.

Lead Magnet Forms

Lead magnet forms are a great way to provide visitors with a valuable resource or incentive in exchange for their contact information.

Lead magnets come in various forms, like ebooks, checklists, templates, webinars or free trials. Creating valuable lead magnets increases your chances of attracting more leads.

Typically, lead magnet forms include a button at the end of the form that allows leads to download or access your resource. This also provides them with more information on what to expect from you or your lead magnet.

Check out this lead magnet form template below. It offers your website visitors a free copy of your marketing report.

The animated character's unique entrance will capture the interest and attention of your website visitors. In addition to primary information like your lead’s name and email address, you can request their company or industry to better qualify them and understand the kind of people downloading your lead magnet.

Right after your lead submits the form, they are directed to your lead magnet through a link on the thank-you page. This ensures a seamless and engaging experience.

This template has great structure and content, but it is also visually appealing and professionally designed. The background adds a cool and distinct touch that makes your lead magnet form stand out.

You can also create a stunning book cover design for your lead magnet form. While we’re told not to judge a book by its cover, many people still do. So make the best of it!

an image of Visme's lead magnet form

Contact Forms

Contact forms, also referred to as inquiry forms, enable website visitors to communicate with your company directly. These forms typically include fields like your visitor's name, email address and a message or question.

Contact forms can be used for various purposes, such as sales inquiries, customer support or general queries. They are most effective when they are simple and go straight to the point.

Take a look at Zendesk’s contact form . It has a clean layout that provides a seamless experience for visitors. Their contact form is designed to prioritize sales support. Any leads generated through this form are promptly forwarded to the sales team for immediate assistance.

an image of Zendesk's contact form

Registration Forms

Registration forms are lead capture forms that gather information for a specific event, like a webinar, course, or membership. They may require additional information from your website visitor and are usually multi-step forms.

The information you collect from your website visitors can help you create accounts or segment them into suitable groups.

Take a look at this retreat registration form template below.

It is a four-page registration form with 2-3 fields per page. The CTA button features a progress bar that indicates the completion percentage of the form. This is especially helpful for multipage forms. It lets users know how much of the form they have left to complete, saving them time and making the process more efficient.

Feedback Form

Feedback forms gather opinions, suggestions, complaints or comments from website visitors or customers about their experience with your brands. These forms aim to enhance customer satisfaction and identify areas for improvement.

Feedback forms generally consist of open-ended questions and rating scales such as:

  • Would you refer us to someone?
  • How did you hear about us?
  • How has your experience using our product been so far?
  • Do you have any complaints or criticisms?

Your feedback form should be brief yet include relevant questions to capture meaningful responses.

Take a look at this evaluation form template. It is designed to collect important feedback from leads and customers without overwhelming them.

The first page is designed to attract customers to share their feedback. The header and text emphasize that the user's input will enhance their overall experience with the product or service. This encourages customers to complete the form, knowing it will benefit them.

The first page of the form collects basic information from your customers, such as their names and email addresses. The second page contains open-ended questions, allowing your customers to express their concerns and feedback.

leac capture - feedback form

Use a Lead Form Template

Instead of starting from scratch, you can customize a lead form template to suit your marketing needs and goals, saving you time and effort.

Lead form templates help you keep your lead capture forms looking consistent and on-brand. This makes it easier for your audience to recognize your messaging and feel more comfortable filling out your forms.

Visme’s form builder comes with hundreds of professionally designed form and survey templates across multiple categories, including:

  • Newsletter signup forms
  • Lead magnet forms
  • Contact forms
  • Registration forms
  • Email signup forms
  • Feedback forms
  • Popup forms

Collect Relevant Information Only

Your lead capture form should be simple and concise. Only request for information that aligns with the value you are offering. For example, asking for personal details like a home address when it's not necessary can raise concerns. When creating your lead capture form, make sure you place the most important field like email first.

If you require information from a lead that won’t fit into a page, consider using a multi-step form. Studies show that multi-step forms have a 300% higher conversion rate .

Multi-step lead capture forms break down your content into multiple pages, with 2-3 fields per page.

Make Your Lead Capture Form Visually Appealing

Enhance the visual appeal of your lead capture form by incorporating captivating elements like vibrant colors, eye-catching fonts and high-quality photos that align with your brand identity.

To boost engagement, consider incorporating animations and interactive elements into your lead form.

With its 3D animated characters, Visme’s interactive form converted 210% more leads than traditional forms and decreased form rejections by 21–47%.

Take a look at this lead capture form below.

Once your lead has landed the lead form, the interactive 3D character grabs your visitor’s attention and makes the form-filling process more enjoyable.

When customizing your l ead capture forms , you can choose your interactive character or build your own. You'll also be able to choose their gestures before, during and after your lead fills out the form.

Avoid Pop-ups That Obstruct and Interrupt Leads

Ensure your lead capture doesn't cover the content on your page. This may hinder your website visitors from viewing your content, causing them to exit the page.

Timing is crucial when it comes to launching your popup. Studies show that the optimal delay time for a popup is typically between 5 to 30 seconds.

However, this can vary depending on the average time spent on your website. If the average time is less than 30 seconds, you can delay your pop-up to 20 seconds or less.

Additionally, popups triggered by a visitor clicking a button tend to outperform welcome or exit popups .

Position Your Lead Capture Strategically

Where you place your lead capture form makes a difference.

If you are embedding your lead capture form on your website, make sure it is on a page that gains a lot of traffic. Doing this will maximize the visibility of the lead capture and ensure your users engage with it.

A high-traffic page could be your homepage, product/service pages, blog posts or any other page that consistently receives a large number of visitors. By placing the lead form on such pages, you can increase the likelihood of capturing their information.

Don’t forget to optimize the lead capture for mobile devices. More than 50% of web traffic comes from mobile users. Ensure the form is responsive and adapts to different screen sizes, making it easy for mobile users to see and interact with it without any issues.

Personalize Your CTAs

A study by HubSpot revealed that personalized CTAs convert 202% better than generic ones. Your CTA should inspire your lead to take action. Step into the shoes of your lead or website visitor for a moment. Ask yourself ‘What would inspire me to click a button?’

Here are some examples of personalized CTAs

  • Start my free trial
  • Send me my ebook
  • Talk to the sales team
  • Get my free quote
  • Schedule a meeting now

All these phrases start with a verb, prompting your user to take action.

If you’re looking for the best lead capture tool for your business, you’ve come to the right place.

Here are the four top lead capture tools you can explore and choose from.

Visme Forms

Google forms alternatives - Visme forms logo

Visme’s online form builder is a powerful lead capture software that creates stunning and effective lead capture forms in just minutes.

With their user-friendly interface, anyone can create a form with zero design or coding background.

Visme Forms

Visme's lead capture form does great at capturing lead data, but that's not all it does! Our interactive form also boosts engagement on your site and significantly reduces bounce rates.

Read this case study to discover how Visme interactive forms increased lead conversion rates by up to 40% and reduced form abandonment rates by up to 10%.

Main Features

Lead Form Templates

Visme offers a wide variety of lead capture form templates. Visme's design editor allows you to customize and fine-tune every aspect of your lead capture form, down to the tiniest detail.

Your headline is the first part of the lead capture that your visitors see and you want it to grab their attention. Use Visme’s AI writer  to generate great headlines and copy that captivate your potential leads.

Branding Capabilities

Visme offers a variety of style presets that can make your lead capture stand out. You can also upload your brand assets or utilize Visme’s brand design tool for consistency across your lead capture forms.

Visme's analytics tool helps you monitor the performance and engagement of your lead capture form.

You can track metrics like form views, completion rate, user behavior and more. You can also export and download your data in Excel format for deeper analysis.

Legal Consent

Visme allows you to incorporate your brand’s legal consent into your lead form. Including your privacy policy and marketing agreement in your lead capture builds trust and transparency.

Publishing and Sharing Lead Capture Form

Visme makes it very easy to publish and share your lead capture form. You can embed it as a pop-up, between content, or at the side of your website.

lead capture- a screenshot of form sharing and publishing page in Visme

Third-Party Integrations

Visme seamlessly integrates with tools like CRM and email software like ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, Hubspot, Brevo, Airtable, etc.

You get even a lot more connections with your favorite tools using our Zapier integration.

lead capture- a screenshot of Visme form integrations

This is vital for lead nurturing and it removes the hassle of transferring data.

Here’s what Noah Nelson, one of our clients, says about the Visme-Salesforce integration.

"For us, the success that we found in Visme was the ability to capture the data within Salesforce and for our clients, the success that Visme has brought boiled down to the easy-to-share, easy-to-indulge content."

Noah adds, "We strategized how we wanted Visme to work with Salesforce. So, having that Visme pop-up window where we can easily connect the proposal to the Salesforce opportunity has been great for us to data capture and gain visibility right in Salesforce on how our Visme proposals are being viewed by our opportunities."

Character Animation

Visme’s interactive characters play a major role in capturing your website visitor’s attention and reducing cancellation rates. You can customize the character’s activities, looks, and more to ensure they resonate with your audience and your brand.

The beauty of Visme’s animated characters is that they don't slow down the page response time. They seamlessly work on desktops, laptops and mobile phones.

See it in action!

Smooth Collaboration

Visme's collaboration tool makes it easy to invite your team members to your lead form and designs. With this, you can see their comments or changes in real time and keep them updated on your progress.

  • Basic: Free
  • Starter: $12.25/month
  • Pro: $24.75/month
  • Visme for Teams: Request for pricing

2. Salesforce

lead capture - Salesforce logo

Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a marketing automation platform that simplifies both inbound and outbound lead generation processes. It allows users to create lead capture forms and build multichannel marketing campaigns through audience building and email list segmentation.

lead capture - Salesforce home page

Within the Salesforce marketing cloud is the Journey Builder tool, which helps businesses manage the customer lifecycle. It customizes the customer journey based on needs, preferences, demographics, and behavioral input.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud seamlessly integrates sales, marketing, and customer service data into Salesforce's CRM platform, providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions.

  • All-in-one lead management platform that includes lead capture
  • Detailed measurement and cross-channel analytics
  • Efficient email marketing for lead nurturing
  • Create dynamic webforms and landing pages
  • Understand customer behavior across web, socials and mobile

Salesforce has customized plans for its various hubs and tools. Prices for the marketing hub include:

  • Marketing Cloud Account Engagement: $ 1,250
  • Plus: $ 2,750
  • Advanced: $ 4,400
  • Premium: $ 15,000

Note : All plans are billed annually!

lead capture - HubSpot logo

HubSpot is an all-inclusive platform that provides a diverse range of software and tools. These tools cut across inbound marketing, sales and customer service.

lead capture - HubSpot home page

With HubSpot's Marketing Hub, you can easily draw in visitors, convert them into valuable leads and nurture their growth. The Marketing Hub contains lead capture tools that streamline this process for you.

  • An easy drag-and-drop lead capture form builder
  • Automatic lead-nurturing after signup
  • A/B testing to optimize your lead capture forms
  • Live chats and chatbots as a lead capture tool
  • Detailed analytics and performance metrics

Individuals and small teams:

  • Starter: starts at $15/month
  • Professional: starts at $800/month

For businesses and enterprises, they offer:

  • Professional plan: $800/month
  • Enterprise plan: $3,600/month

You can also calculate your customized price based on your needs and the number of contacts you will collect.

4. OmniSend

lead capture - Omnisend logo

Omnisend is a marketing platform designed to help e-commerce brands boost their sales. With Omnisend, you can capture leads in the form of subscribers, distribute your newsletters and automate your sales process.

lead capture - Omnisend home page

  • Drag-and-drop form builder
  • Landing page builder
  • E-commerce integration
  • Gamify forms with wheel of fortune
  • Potential revenue calculator
  • Detailed analytics

Omnisend prices are dependent on the size of your email list. They have 3 tiers and for 0–500 contacts, the prices are

  • Standard : $16/month
  • Pro: $59/month

Q. Is a Lead Capture Rate?

A lead capture rate is calculated by dividing the total number of leads captured by the total number of web page visitors within a specific time frame.

For instance, if your page received 155 visitors in a day and you managed to capture 40 leads, your lead capture rate would be calculated as (40/155)*100 = 25.8%.

Q. How Is a Lead Captured in CRM?

CRM software captures leads through lead capture forms that are embedded on websites or social media platforms. The information collected from your lead capture forms is directly sent to the CRM.

This allows CRM systems to automate the lead capture process by monitoring and organizing incoming leads from various sources, such as web forms, emails and chat applications.

Q. What is a Lead Capture Funnel?

A lead capture funnel is a step-by-step approach to generating leads and converting them into paying customers. The goal of the lead capture funnel is to qualify leads.

By guiding them through a series of steps, you can gain deeper insight into their pain points and needs. This will help you tailor your messaging and promotions to get more results.

Q. What Is Another Name for Lead Capture?

Lead capture is commonly called lead generation. However, lead capture is one stage of the lead generation process that converts website visitors to leads.

Q. What Is the Best Tool for Collecting Leads?

The best tool for collecting leads is one that is easy to use, interactive, captures visitors' attention, keeps them engaged, and integrates well with other tools for effective analytics and nurturing. Visme is a lead capture tool that ticks all these boxes and more.

Capture & Convert More Leads with Visme

Lead capture is an effective way to grow your subscriber base, improve conversion rates, and establish relationships with potential customers. By implementing the best practices we shared and utilizing the software, you can capture and convert website visitors to leads in the right way.

Visme’s form builder is a powerful tool that can double your conversion rates. Whether you prefer using ready-made lead form templates or starting from scratch, you can create eye-catching lead forms for various purposes, such as newsletter sign-ups, blog subscriptions and lead magnet downloads.

But Visme is much more than a lead capture tool! You can also design irresistible lead magnets , ebooks , guides, reports , cheat sheets, checklists, whitepapers and more. Add them to your Visme forms in exchange for contact info or create a separate landing page to attract and gather leads.

Are you ready to get started? Create your free account with Visme today!

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