Are PowerPoint and Google Slides the Same?

Presentations. Those pesky slides never seem to die out and if anything, seem to be thriving more than ever. With the first introduction of PowerPoint, it has dominated as the go-to presentation tool. That’s expected considering how it’s packaged into every Microsoft sale there ever was. Naturally with the rise in popularity of the internet with Google as the leading search engine, Google’s own suite of tools are gaining visibility to the public eye. For those that are unsavvy, it’s easy to assume that PowerPoint and Google Slides are the same.

TL:DR – They are not.

While these aren’t the only tools available in the market, they are the biggest ones that are readily available to anyone with access to a computer and the internet.

Here’s a comparison between the 2 presentation tools and how they’re alike yet different. They’ll be pitted against each other with these important criteria to decide which is the best presentation tool of them all.

Price

Let every tool available in the market, price plays a pivotal role in making the choice.

Google Slides is free to use for anyone with a Google account. No pesky subscription fees or even one-time payments.

PowerPoint is part of the Microsoft Office 360 suite. You’ll need to subscribe to It to gain access to the license for use. Depending on where you are, prices may start from $70 annually with OneDrive or $160 as a one-time fee without access to OneDrive.

Accessibility

Google Slides is a cloud-based tool that is totally online. No app or software downloads required. Access Google Slides from any device or platform. Totally cross compatibility between iOs and Windows.

PowerPoint will require software to be locally installed on your computer. While it supports both iOs and Windows, things like formatting and fonts might get a little wonky when it means between different platforms. All updates and changes are saved locally and can only be accessed from your computer. There is a collaborative online version of PowerPoint tool, but this comes with limited features that doesn’t compare to the original desktop tool.

Collaboration

Google Slides can be accessed by multiple people at the same time, making collaboration easy. Chat and edit slides simultaneously. Made an error? Revert to older versions quickly.

PowerPoint lacks this type of flexibility due to the files being saved locally. This may not always be a bad thing because now you can have version control and you aren’t required to track down errors when reverting to older versions. You can also use PowerPoint online for collaboration but again, the lack of some features makes this a tedious endeavor.

Animation & Transitions

Google Slides provides basic animations and transitions with even future customizations. In terms of functionality in this area, PowerPoint takes the cake.

PowerPoint enables your creative side to shine with advance special effects that you can use to manipulate your slides to give it a uniqueness of its own. Show your points and imagery the way you want to with total control.

Templates

Both tools come with their own set of templates and can be customized to your liking. There’s flexibility in creating layouts you need to convey your message. Need some ready-made templates? Take a peek at our collection of free templates here.

Fonts

Google Slides allows you to use all Google Fonts on your slides. While there are many to choose from, you won’t be able to install fonts that aren’t available on Google Fonts.

PowerPoint allows you to use any font you have installed on your computer. Thinking of editing the files on another computer that might not have your fonts? You can opt to embed the fonts into your presentation. Beware though as this will bloat your file and make it bigger than it has to be. Only embed fonts when necessary. Take a peek at our collection of recommended Google Fonts here. You can download them for use locally on your presentations.

In Conclusion

Both Google Slides and PowerPoint are specialized tools that offer unique advantages depending on your needs. Google Slides is extremely user-friendly, multifunctional, and offers super easy collaboration with team members. PowerPoint also offer very diverse set of functions that allows people with greater creative and customized needs to develop amazing presentations. In the end, the choice is up to you. Do you need the collaboration provided by Google Slides or the functionality by PowerPoint? Whichever the choice, that is your personal winner.

Need help picking the right software for your presentations? Let Mad Creative Beanstalk help you with that. We’re slide design professionals that can help you get the best designs you deserve.


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