Compared · checked 2026-10-24

The best free presentation software, compared

Making and presenting slides costs nothing in several apps. They differ in accounts and storage, how well they open and save PowerPoint files, whether you get a presenter view with your notes, and whether you can work together.

We make Presentations, one of the tools on this page. Every fact about the other tools comes from their own pages, linked under each one, as they read on 2026-10-24. Prices and features change: check each site before you choose.

How we compared them

• Free to use for making and presenting slides
• Opening and saving PowerPoint (PPTX), plus PDF export
• Presenting: transitions, animations and a presenter view with notes
• Whether you need an account, and where the files are kept
• Working together and working offline

At a glance

1. Presentations (ours)

Best for: A private deck with a presenter view and PPTX in and out, no account

A presentation editor in the browser: themes, layouts, transitions and animations, a presenter view, and PowerPoint import and export. Early version.

Good

• No account and nothing uploaded: decks are kept in Files in your browser
• Presenter view with the current and next slide, notes, a timer and the slide count
• Imports PowerPoint files and says what it left out; exports PPTX, PDF and PNG
• Themes, layouts, transitions, animations and templates
• The AI button can make a deck from your outline, with layouts, a theme and speaker notes, using a model on your device or your own key
• Works on your phone, tablet and computer in the browser, even offline

Not so good

• No co-editing or comments
• Video, audio, charts and SmartArt in a PowerPoint file are not imported, and video cannot be added
• Does not open ODP files

Open Presentations

2. Google Slides

Best for: Decks that a team builds together

Good

• Co-editing, sharing settings and revision history
• Templates, videos, animations and transitions
• Edit PowerPoint files directly without making a copy
• Offline in Chrome or Edge with the Docs Offline extension

Not so good

• Needs a Google Account, and files live in your Google storage
• Slides recording and speaker spotlight are only on Workspace plans
• Offline use has to be turned on first

Google Slides website · Sources: Google Slides, Google: use Docs, Sheets and Slides offline, Google: manage your storage

3. Microsoft PowerPoint for the web

Best for: PowerPoint files that must stay PowerPoint, with co-authoring

Good

• Opens and edits .pptx, .ppsx and .odp
• Downloads as .pptx, .pdf, .odp or JPEG images
• Co-authoring, animation effects and slide shows in the browser
• Opens files up to 2 GB

Not so good

• Needs a Microsoft account; files are saved in OneDrive
• Presenter View needs desktop PowerPoint
• Only a limited gallery of transitions

Microsoft PowerPoint for the web website · Sources: Microsoft 365 for the web, free, Microsoft: subscription vs free web apps, Microsoft 365 plans and prices, PowerPoint for the web: how features behave

4. LibreOffice Impress

Best for: Presenting from your own computer, free and open source

Good

• Free and open source, with no paid tier
• Presenter Console with the next slide and your notes
• Slide transitions and PDF export
• Loads and saves PPTX; ODP is its own format

Not so good

• A program to install, not a website
• Its help says complex Office files may need manual reformatting
• No real-time co-editing is described on its pages

LibreOffice Impress website · Sources: LibreOffice home, LibreOffice FAQ, LibreOffice system requirements, LibreOffice Technology (file formats), LibreOffice Help: Microsoft Office documents, LibreOffice Help: export as PDF, LibreOffice Help: Presenter Console, LibreOffice Help: slide transitions

5. Zoho Show

Best for: A free web presentation app with many formats and real-time teamwork

Good

• Free plan with 100+ templates, unlimited cloud storage and files up to 500 MB
• Real-time collaboration, comments and unlimited file versions
• Imports PPTX, PPT, ODP and more; exports PPTX, PPSX, HTML, ODP and PDF
• Offline mode, audio, video, animations and transitions

Not so good

• Needs a Zoho account
• More storage and larger uploads are on the paid Professional plan
• Its pages do not mention a presenter view with notes

Zoho Show website · Sources: Zoho Show, Zoho Show pricing and FAQ

Which one to choose

Presentations is our pick for a private deck: no account, nothing uploaded, a presenter view with your notes, the next slide and a timer, and PPTX in and out. It installs from the browser and works offline, so you can present without a connection. It has no co-editing or comments yet, and video cannot be added.

Choose Google Slides to build a deck with other people, or PowerPoint for the web to keep files in PowerPoint's own format, though its Presenter View needs the desktop app. Both need an account and keep files in their cloud.

Choose LibreOffice Impress to present from your own computer with its Presenter Console, or Zoho Show for a generous free web app with many import and export formats.

Questions

Which free presentation software has a presenter view?

LibreOffice Impress has the Presenter Console, and Presentations opens a presenter view with your notes, the next slide and a timer. Microsoft says PowerPoint for the web needs desktop PowerPoint for Presenter View.

Can I open a PowerPoint file without PowerPoint?

Yes. Google Slides, PowerPoint for the web, LibreOffice Impress, Zoho Show and Presentations all open PPTX. Presentations imports it in your browser and lists anything it could not bring across.

Which one needs no account?

Presentations needs no account. Google Slides, PowerPoint for the web and Zoho Show ask you to sign in; LibreOffice Impress is a program you install.

Can I present offline?

Yes. Presentations works offline after the first visit, in the browser or installed from it as an app. LibreOffice Impress is a desktop app, Zoho Show lists an offline mode, and Google Slides works offline in Chrome or Edge once turned on.

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