10 best presentation tools of 2024

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:

• Best tools at a glance
• 1. Mentimeter
• 2. Canva
• 3. Beautiful.ai
• 4. Prezi
• 5. Powtoon
• 6. Pitch
• 7. Gamma
• 8. Google Slides
• 9. Lucidchart
• 10. Visme
• How to choose the best presentation software

Best presentation tools at a glance

1. Mentimeter

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:

• Interactive polls, quizzes, and word clouds: These features go beyond simple yes/no questions. Craft polls with multiple-choice answers, ranking options, or even open-ended text prompts to gather in-depth insights. Design engaging quizzes to test knowledge or spark friendly competition. Let your audience contribute their thoughts and ideas through word clouds, visualizing the room's collective ideas in real time.
• Live Q&A sessions: Mentimeter facilitates live Q&A sessions, allowing your audience to submit questions anonymously or publicly so no voice goes unheard.
• Real-time results: Keep everyone on the same page. Mentimeter displays poll and quiz results instantly, creating a dynamic experience and sparking further discussion based on collective insights.
• Join from any device: No need for downloads or logins. Your audience can simply join the presentation using any web browser on their smartphones, laptops, or tablets, making participation seamless and inclusive.

2. Canva

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:

• ​​Vast library of pre-designed presentation templates: No more starting with a blank canvas. Find a template that perfectly suits your needs, saving you precious time.
• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface: Canva prioritizes user-friendliness. Customize pre-made templates or create your own design with a simple drag-and-drop approach.
• Millions of free stock photos, illustrations, and icons: No need to scour the web for visuals. Canva offers a treasure trove of free stock photos, illustrations, and icons to elevate your presentations.

3. Beautiful.ai

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:

• AI design suggestions: Say goodbye to design anxiety! Beautiful.ai analyzes your content and recommends layouts, fonts, and images to create a visually appealing presentation.
• Smart slide templates: Get a head start with customizable slide templates designed for different presentation styles.
• Real-time design updates: As you add content, Beautiful.ai automatically adjusts the layout for optimal visual impact.

4. Prezi

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:

• Non-linear canvas: Break free of the same boring slide structure! Prezi lets you arrange your content freely, creating a more dynamic and engaging presentation.
• Zooming and panning: Emphasis on specific points is easy. Prezi allows you to zoom in on key details and zoom out to reveal the bigger picture.
• Conversational flow: Present your ideas in a more natural, narrative way, mimicking a conversation rather than a rigid script.

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:

• Easy-to-use animation tools: Create eye-catching animations and explainer videos without needing any fancy design skills.
• Large library of characters, props, and templates: Powtoon provides plenty of pre-made assets to get you started quickly.
• Import your own media: Want to add a personal touch? Powtoon lets you seamlessly integrate your own images, videos, and audio into your presentations.

6. Pitch

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:

• Real-time collaboration: Work on your presentation with your team simultaneously, adding comments and suggestions directly on slides.
• Version control: Never lose track of edits again. Pitch keeps track of all version changes, making it easy to revert to previous iterations.
• Stunning pre-designed templates: Make a strong first impression with professional-looking templates designed specifically for sales pitches.
• Built-in coaching features: Receive actionable feedback on your delivery style, including pacing, filler words, and overall effectiveness.

7. Gamma

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:

• AI-powered content structuring: Gamma's AI helps you organize your content into clear and concise slides, avoiding information overload.
• Interactive card format: Ditch the traditional slide deck and present information using interactive cards, making your presentation more dynamic and engaging.
• Easy to use and learn: Gamma's user-friendly interface makes it easy for anyone to create presentations, regardless of design experience.

8. Google Slides

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:

• Real-time collaboration: Work on presentations with your team simultaneously, no matter the location.
• Free with a Google account: It’s budget-friendly and accessible for anyone.
• Seamless integration with Google Workspace: Easily add Docs, Sheets, and Forms content to your presentations.
• Cloud-based access: Reach your presentations from any device with an internet connection.

9. Lucidchart

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:

• Intelligent diagramming tools: Create professional-looking flowcharts, mind maps, org charts, and more with ease.
• Automatic layout: Lucidchart helps maintain a clean and organized visual hierarchy, even with complex diagrams.
• Real-time collaboration: Work on diagrams with your team simultaneously so everyone is on the same page.
• Seamless integration with other presentation tools: Easily export your diagrams into your favorite presentation software.

10. Visme

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:

• Branded content creation: Easily design presentations, infographics, and other visuals that are always on-brand.
• All-in-one toolkit: Visme goes beyond presentations, offering features for infographics, social media graphics, and more.
• Data visualization tools: Bring your data to life with interactive charts and graphs.
• Seamless integration with design tools: Import your own fonts, colors, and logos to maintain brand consistency.

How to choose the best presentation software

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.

Ease of use

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.

Automation can also save you a lot of time. For example, a sales-focused software with AI can automatically create time-consuming slides so you can focus on rehearsing your pitch instead of making it.

Templates and design features

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.

Collaboration features

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.

Content types

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.

Presentation style

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. 

Accessibility

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.

Price

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.

Create powerful presentations with Mentimeter

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!