Trying to put together a presentation that doesn't put your audience to sleep? We've all been there. Luckily, presentation software has evolved from your everyday PowerPoint, and the right tool can turn your next snoozefest into a showstopper.
A jaw-dropping 94% of professionals agree that a great presentation can seriously boost their message. Problem is, with more presentation tools than you can shake a slide deck at, choosing the perfect one can feel like picking a needle in a haystack. This article dives into the best presentation tools of 2024, breaking down their top features to help you find the perfect match for your next presentation.
Table of Contents:
Tool | Great for | Top features | Free version | Price (paid plans) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mentimeter | Real-time engagement | Interactive features, real-time feedback, easy audience participation | Yes | Starts at $11.99/presenter/month |
Canva | Pre-built templates and designs | Drag-and-drop interface, library of templates, icons, and stock photos | Yes | Starts at $120/user/year |
Beautiful.ai | AI-powered design | AI-powered design for automatic polish and consistency, smart data visualization tools | No | Starts at $12/user/month |
Prezi | Non-linear presentations | Unique zooming canvas, non-linear storytelling approach, focus on visuals and multimedia | Yes | Starts at $7/user/month |
Powtoon | Video presentations | Easy-to-use interface, large library of pre-animated characters and assets | Yes | Starts at $15/user/month |
Pitch | Sales proposals and pitches | Focus on storytelling and clear communication, coaching features | Yes | Starts at $25/user/month |
Gamma | Easy-to-use AI | AI-powered content structuring, interactive card format | Yes | Starts at $8/user/month |
Google Slides | Cloud-based collaboration | Real-time collaboration, Google Workspace integrations, accessibility | Yes | Free |
Lucidchart | Intelligent diagramming | Diagramming tools, automatic layout adjustments, real-time collaboration | Yes | Starts at $7.95/user/month |
Visme | Branded content and presentations | All-in-one content creation, rich media integration | Yes | Starts at $12.25/user/month |
Great for: Real-time engagement
Price: Free to start, with paid plans starting at $11.99/presenter/month
Presentations can feel one-sided — you talk, they (hopefully) listen. But what if you could transform your slideshow into a two-way street? Enter Mentimeter, the engagement rockstar of presentation tools.
Mentimeter transforms boring lectures with real-time audience participation. Interactive features like live polls, quizzes, and word clouds help capture your audience's thoughts in the moment. From engaging student lectures to productive town hall meetings, Mentimeter ensures everyone feels part of the conversation.
Top features:
Great for: Pre-built templates and designs
Price: Free to start, with paid plans starting at $120/user/year
Ever feel like building a presentation from scratch takes longer than, well, presenting it? Say goodbye to design anxiety and hello to Canva’s library of stunning, pre-made templates. Canva boasts templates for nearly any presentation scenario, from business pitches to educational lectures, letting you focus on crafting your content and ditch the time-consuming design process.
Canva isn't just about pre-built options, though. It empowers you to customize these templates to your brand or style with ease. Whether you need to swap out colors, fonts, or images, Canva's intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes personalization a breeze.
Top features:
Great for: AI-powered design
Price: Plans start at $12/user/month
Imagine a tool that takes your content and weaves it into a visually magnetic presentation all on its own. Beautiful.ai uses artificial intelligence to analyze your text and suggest layouts, fonts, and images that will grab your audience's attention and leave a lasting impression.
This AI magic is perfect for anyone who wants to create professional-looking presentations without graphic design expertise. Stuck on color schemes or visual hierarchy? Beautiful.ai takes care of it. Need the perfect pic to match your message? This AI presentation tool’s got your back. Beautiful.ai empowers you to focus on crafting killer content while it does the design heavy lifting for you.
Top features:
Great for: Non-linear presentations
Price: Free 14-day trial available, with paid plans starting at $7/user/month
Feeling confined by the traditional slide-by-slide format? Prezi lets you break free with its unique, non-linear approach. This presentation platform acts as a giant canvas where you can connect your ideas in a more natural, fluid way. This makes it perfect for presentations that are more like a mind map than a lecture.
Unlike rigid slide structures, Prezi lets you zoom in and out of different topics, emphasizing the connections between them. So, next time you're wrestling with a complex topic or cramming too much onto one slide, give Prezi a try.
Top features:
5. Powtoon Great for: Animated presentations and explainer videos
Price: Free to join, with paid plans starting at $15/user/month
If you’re looking for an alternative to a text-heavy lecture, Powtoon is here to inject some emotion and personality into your next presentation. This tool makes it easy to create dynamic presentations with engaging characters, props, and animations. It’s a game-changer for anyone who wants to explain complex topics or training in a clear and visually appealing way.
Powtoon is perfect for presentations that need a little extra oomph, like product demos, explainer videos, or educational lectures. If you're looking to boost audience engagement and make your message truly memorable, Powtoon is your secret weapon.
Top features:
Great for: Sales proposals and pitches
Price: Free to join, with paid plans starting at $25/user/month
Wrangling feedback on a pitch deck can feel a lot like wrangling cats. Pitch allows real-time collaboration, so your team can work together on perfecting your content, adding comments and suggestions directly on slides.
But it goes beyond that. Pitch offers built-in coaching features that analyze your pacing, filler words, and overall delivery, providing actionable tips to make your presentation even more impactful. So lose the version control headaches, collaborate seamlessly, and get presentation coaching all in one place with Pitch.
Top features:
Great for: Easy-to-use AI
Price: Free to join, with paid plans starting at $8/user/month
Gamma is here to be your AI-powered presentation wingman. This presentation software lets you ditch the endless slide clutter and present information using interactive cards. Its AI features help you structure your content effectively, making it easy to create presentations that engage and inform your audience.
Gamma is a great choice for anyone looking for a user-friendly entry to AI presentation tools. It's perfect for presentations that need to be clear, concise, and easy to follow, like project updates or team briefings.
Top features:
Great for: Cloud-based collaboration
Price: Free
Need a presentation tool that's easy on the wallet and easy on your team? Look no further than Google Slides, a cloud-based collaboration powerhouse for 2024. Forget the days of emailing presentations back and forth — Google Slides lets your team work together on the same presentation in real time from anywhere with an internet connection.
Plus, it's completely free with a Google account! This makes it a perfect choice for students, startups, or anyone who needs a collaborative and budget-friendly presentation solution.
Top features:
Great for: Intelligent diagramming
Price: Free to start, with paid plans starting at $7.95/user/month
Presentations aren't all about text and bullet points. Sometimes you have to hit your audience with a visual that breaks things down. Lucidchart helps you create killer flowcharts, mind maps, and other visual aids that'll leave your audience saying, "Wow, I get it!"
Lucidchart isn't your average diagramming tool — it's got fancy features like automatic layout to keep things tidy and real-time collaboration so your team can brainstorm visually together. If your presentation relies on visuals to explain a process, system, or some mind-bending data, Lucidchart is your go-to.
Top features:
Great for: Branded content and presentations
Price: Free to join, with paid plans starting at $12.25/user/month
Imagine a tool that lets you craft killer presentations, infographics that pop, and even social media graphics — all while maintaining your brand identity. Visme aces branded content creation, offering a trove of customizable templates and design assets that match your brand colors and fonts.
It’s a breeze to make sure your presentations have a consistent and professional look and feel, no matter the content. So whether you're a social media manager crafting a captivating infographic or a designer building a killer presentation, Visme empowers you to create cohesive branded content that strengthens your message.
Top features:
So you've got a presentation brewing, but with a sea of presentation tools available, choosing the right one can feel like finding a unicorn. From user-friendliness to design capabilities, this section maps the essential features to consider when selecting the best presentation tool.
Crafting stellar presentations is hard enough. The last thing you need is to learn complex software before you can bring your ideas to life.
Ease of use should be at the top of your feature checklist. An intuitive interface that lets you focus on crafting your content — not wrestling with complex functionalities — is key. Look for drag-and-drop features, clear navigation, and readily available templates to get your creative juices flowing without a tech headache.
We all know the struggle of staring at a blank canvas — that's where pre-designed templates come in. These handy templates give you a solid foundation and professional layouts to jump-start your creativity.
While templates are great for a quick start, look for a tool with strong customization features, too. This way, you can swap out elements, tweak colors, and add your own personal touch to make sure your presentation reflects your unique style and brand. It's the best of both worlds: pre-designed efficiency meets customizable flair.
Presentations are rarely solo endeavors. In today's collaborative world, working alongside colleagues is the norm. That's why collaboration features are essential when choosing a presentation tool.
Collaboration tools let your team work on the same presentation simultaneously, streamlining the revision process. This keeps projects moving smoothly and fosters a more efficient workflow, especially for presentations with multiple contributors.
Boring text slides? Yawn. Audiences crave variety and engagement. A presentation tool that allows you to seamlessly integrate text, images, videos, audio, and infographics unlocks limitless possibilities.
Imagine captivating your audience with a powerful image alongside your key point or using a short explainer video to break down a complex concept. By incorporating different elements, you cater to various learning styles and keep your audience hooked.
Picture trying to hammer a nail with a screwdriver — not ideal, right? The same goes for presentations. A tool perfect for a quick sales pitch might not be the best fit for a complex academic lecture. That's why it's important to consider your presentation style and situation.
Are you a data whiz who needs killer charts? Look for a tool with strong data visualization features. Are you a team player working on a collaborative project? Collaboration features become key. By understanding your specific needs and the context of your presentation, you can choose a tool that empowers you to shine, not struggle.
Consider how easy the presentation software is for you and your audience to use. On your end, look for a tool that allows you to access and edit your presentation on any device, whether it’s a beat-up laptop or a fancy new phone. This flexibility ensures you can make last-minute tweaks on the fly.
But it's not just about you — think about your audience, too. Ideally, your chosen tool should let them follow along with your presentation even if the Wi-Fi drops. This covers all your bases, from that conference room with spotty internet to that client who prefers to take their meetings from their Sprinter van. Everyone can stay in the presentation loop no matter what.
Budget woes shouldn't keep you from creating a stellar presentation! The beauty of the presentation tool world is the variety of free and paid options available. This means you can find a powerful tool that fits your needs without breaking the bank.
For students, casual users, or those on a tight budget, free presentation tools offer a solid feature set. But if you need advanced features like real-time collaboration or offline access, some paid tools offer those functionalities for a subscription fee. The key is to consider your needs and budget — there's a presentation tool out there waiting to be your perfect (and affordable) fit.
It's time to forget the text overload and embrace a world of engaging interactive presentations. We explored features like user-friendly interfaces, collaboration tools, and multimedia capabilities, all helping you craft presentations that inform and truly captivate your audience.
If you're ready to level up your presentations, look no further than Mentimeter. With interactive features, real-time polling, and visually appealing templates, Mentimeter empowers you to transform your meetings, lectures, town halls, and more into dynamic experiences. Ditch the one-way communication and ignite participation — try Mentimeter and see the difference an interactive presentation can make!