PowerPoint Vs Google Slides: Which one is right for you?
When deciding which presentation software to use, each person’s requirements and preferences differ. In this article we compare Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides.
Background
While both presentation platforms are used worldwide and have excellent user reviews, PowerPoint has been around for many more years than its competitors. Following is a brief history;
PowerPoint: Microsoft (launched in 1975) introduced the first version of PowerPoint within their Microsoft Office Suite in 1989. Since then Microsoft has continued to evolve and grow with time, thus making it the most known, popular and used presentation software around the world.
Google Slides: Since Google’s creation in 1998, it has gone on to create and expand its own web-based office suite which includes Google Slides (introduced in 2006). Google Slides, therefore, has not been around as long as PowerPoint but it is proving to be a reliable presentation app for creating slide decks.
Features
For many users, the features are what matter the most, and some attributes are more important than others. Below is a selection of key features from both programs that we have chosen to highlight.
PowerPoint:
- Comes with 19 pre-made templates
- Has hundreds of fonts to choose from
- Pre-built themes that can be used or customised
- Automated spell check and proofreading
- Ability to include videos, hyperlinks and excel charts
- Ability to incorporate custom animations and 3D models
Google Slides:
- Comes with 26 templates
- Is web based so is easily accessible from anywhere
- Ability to embed videos and animations
- Ability to restore a previous or older version
- You never have to press the save button. It has an automatic save feature
- Ability to generate a unique URL
Price
While some users are happy to pay for advanced features, others are happy to find a free app that does a good job. When it comes to price point, this is where PowerPoint and Google Slides significantly differ.
PowerPoint: The most common way to get PowerPoint is to subscribe to Microsoft Office 365 where there is a yearly fee. The price depends on what subscription you choose. However, you can also pay a one-off fee and purchase PowerPoint as a stand-alone downloadable program.
Google Slides: There is no fee for Google Slides, it is totally free and you can access it through your Google account.
Conclusion
It is important to think about your ultimate goal and what it is that you want from your presentation software when making a decision on which to use. PowerPoint is clearly the winner when it comes to versatility and tools. If you are looking for a presentation program that can do it all, then PowerPoint is a clear choice. If on the other hand, you are happy with something that has basic functions, then you might opt for Google Slides.
At Slidesho, our presentation designers cater to all our client’s requests. While the majority of our work is for PowerPoint presentations, we also work on projects using Google Slides.
Not sure what to do? Contact the PowerPoint presentation
design experts at Slidesho today!
