Finding good presentation software doesn’t mean you always have to resort to premium options. Whether you’re looking for something web-based or a desktop app, it’s easy to find a program to create slideshows for any occasion and for free. Let’s look at several options, including some that are open-source.
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OpenOffice
OpenOffice is a suite of productivity tools similar to Microsoft Office—only that it’s completely free. You will find tools for creating text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. While the user interface is not the best, the learning curve is gentle. You can quickly get up and running, especially if you’re familiar with Microsoft Office.
As for presentations, OpenOffice allows you to create professional slideshows with the same elements and effects you’d find in premium software. Also, being one of the most downloaded free pieces of software in the world, you’re bound to find dozens of templates created by the community to quickly get you started. It’s also compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint, meaning you can open PPT and PPTX files with minimal formatting issues.
It’s also worth noting that OpenOffice is open-source software. In a nutshell, this means you’re free to view and modify its source code, which you can find on its official OpenOffice GitHub page. You can even use the page to report bugs and request new features for the community to look into.
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Reveal.js
Reveal.js is a free and open-source presentation tool for creating browser-based presentations with web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Before you shrug it off as complicated, you don’t need to be a web programmer to use it. You can get by with the basics of HTML, which are extremely easy to learn. Also, although not necessary, you should also familiarize yourself with CSS.
If you don’t want to bother with setting up build tools and installing packages, you can just download the basic setup of Reveal.js. It’s a zip file with all the necessary files to create and run your presentation. You just need to edit the HTML in the index.html file using a text editor, and then open it in a web browser to view your presentation. You can do all of this offline.
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Canva
Canva is primarily known as a free-to-use graphic design platform. You will most commonly see people use it to create graphics for websites, social media, logos, posts, business cards, and posters. They also use it to make videos, infographics, resumes, invitations, mood boards, greeting cards, and presentations.
The best part about using Canva is that you can take advantage of its drag-and-drop functionality to add engaging elements to your presentation. It has a vast library of free visual assets, including stock images, videos, icons, audio clips, and sound effects that you can use. You will also find plenty of customizable templates for various scenarios, from personal to school to business.
You also get free access to Canva’s AI assistant, Magic Write. This is a generative AI for editing text in your presentation by, for instance, rewriting it, changing the tone, or shortening it. As a free user, you can only use it 50 times throughout your lifetime. So this works best if you only need to use it for a few projects.
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Keynote
Apple has its own presentation software called Keynote. It’s part of the iWork suite of productivity tools and available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad for free. Unlike many options on this list, Keynote is minimalistic in design, with a simple and clean interface.
However, it’s no slouch when it comes to creating visually appealing presentations. It’s perfect for those minimalist presentations that emphasize clean lines, white space, and subtle color palettes. You can also get fancy with hundreds of animations and shapes, as well as engaging elements like dynamic backgrounds and themes.
You can remove backgrounds, present via FaceTime, and use Rehearse Mode to practice your presentations. Once you explore the program, you will find that Keynote has plenty of great features that can bring your presentations to life.
Don’t have an Apple device? No problem. You can use Keynote on iCloud.com—you just need to create a free Apple account. You can even share and collaborate with others, whether you’re using the app or the web version.
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PowerPoint Online
When it comes to presentation software, the desktop version of Microsoft PowerPoint is the most widely used. It’s probably one of the first presentation programs many people worldwide started creating slideshows with. However, you need a Microsoft 365 subscription to use it. If you don’t have one, all hope is not lost, as you can use the web version instead—PowerPoint Online.
The web version is built around accessibility and convenience, so do not expect it to have the robust features of the desktop version. You also need to have a Microsoft account and always be connected to the internet. Even so, you can get by with the basic formatting options, animations, and transitions that PowerPoint Online provides.
You also have access to thousands of templates and add-ins that the PowerPoint community has built over the years. Even with this free version, Designer, a feature that suggests professional-looking layouts, is available to you. PowerPoint Online also features a coaching tool for practicing your presentations, which provides feedback and suggestions after your practice session to help you improve.
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Google Slides
Google Slides is presentation software with a big focus on easy slide creation. It has a user-friendly interface and everything you can expect from a premium program, such as animations, transitions, and the ability to add media. I especially love the toolbar on the right that allows you to insert templates, building blocks (e.g., agendas, lists, and statistics), and stock images without navigating many menus or leaving Slides.
Being completely free, Slides is highly accessible. As long as your device has an internet connection, you can create and edit presentations. It also has real-time collaboration, allowing multiple people to make edits and leave comments. Since Google accounts are highly ubiquitous, you can expect that pretty much anyone you want to collaborate with will be able to access your presentation.
Slides is also well integrated within Google Workspace and seamlessly works with other apps like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Drive. If you’re looking for a cost-free solution, and you’re ingrained in the Google ecosystem, Slides is perfect for you.
Some of the options here even come with their very own mobile apps—not just Keynote. You can even design presentations on the go for free with the Google Slides, PowerPoint, and Canva mobile apps. But, as you can see, there is presentation software for almost any situation you can think of.
