Apple Keynote vs. Google Slides

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Apple Keynote
Score 8.3 out of 10
N/A
Keynote, from Apple is a presentation software with tools and effects, designed to make it easy to create memorable presentations, and comes included with most Apple devices. Use Apple Pencil on an iPad to create diagrams or illustrations that bring slides to life. With its real‑time collaboration features, teams can work together, whether they’re on Mac, iPad, iPhone, or using a PC.N/A
Google Slides
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
Google Slides is a presentation tool that enables users to create, edit, collaborate, and present. It is free for personal use, and available to businesses via a Google Workspaces subscription.N/A
Pricing
Apple KeynoteGoogle Slides
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Apple KeynoteGoogle Slides
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Apple KeynoteGoogle Slides
Considered Both Products
Apple Keynote
Chose Apple Keynote
Even though Google Slides makes it easier to share presentations and allow the team to work on one file simultaneously, you just cannot compare it to Keynote. Keynote just makes it so much easier to build beautiful presentations with endless possibilities. From a design …
Chose Apple Keynote
I use Microsoft Powerpoint, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides. Of these three slideshow programs, I find PowerPoint to be the most robust in features and capabilities and in integrations with other programs. It also can be easily used across various devices, platforms, and …
Chose Apple Keynote
Apple Keynote is superior to all except Figma in terms of design functionality. Figma has even more precise alignment with their auto layout features, layers and frame grouping. The only downside of Figma is that we do not purchase licenses for every person at our company, so …
Chose Apple Keynote
Simpler than PPT, more Powerful than Slides, better graphics and more pagination friendly than Miro, Simpler to use (and cheaper) than illustrator.
Chose Apple Keynote
While I don't use Keynote for every slide deck project need (software preference often is dictated by what the client has access to), I will promote KeyNote as the preferred format if the client is software-agnostic. The drag and drop feature is incomparable with other software …
Chose Apple Keynote
Apple Keynote is preinstalled and free to use on any Apple device which makes it very accessible. The ease of use of this tool is much better than the competitive one. The time needed to prepare the nice-looking and high-quality slides in this tool is much lower than in other …
Chose Apple Keynote
Keynote is a better visual aid and generally runs better for us since we use MacBooks (less errors when presenting which really matters in a remote context). It takes more effort to get to a finished product though, since we have to neuter what we present (less slides and …
Google Slides
Chose Google Slides
PowerPoint has the most features but doesn’t sync as well as Google Slides. Keynote is not compatible for many people. Google Slides is by far the best option for collaboration and ease of use.
Best Alternatives
Apple KeynoteGoogle Slides
Small Businesses
Canva
Canva
Score 9.1 out of 10
Canva
Canva
Score 9.1 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Mentimeter
Mentimeter
Score 8.2 out of 10
Mentimeter
Mentimeter
Score 8.2 out of 10
Enterprises
Mentimeter
Mentimeter
Score 8.2 out of 10
Mentimeter
Mentimeter
Score 8.2 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Apple KeynoteGoogle Slides
Likelihood to Recommend
8.2
(14 ratings)
6.5
(8 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
7.0
(1 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Usability
8.4
(5 ratings)
7.0
(4 ratings)
User Testimonials
Apple KeynoteGoogle Slides
Likelihood to Recommend
Apple
The best case scenario for Apple Keynote is that you get it built-in with any MacBook, so you don't have to download anything and you're good to go for any sort of presentation. One more thing which I really admire about Keynote is that it has really cool animation style, You can literally create some basic video content using Keynote. Animations are also very easy to use, so If you want to have more animations you can just use Keynote instead of Powerpoint. Keynote has never been less appropriate until you have Windows as your Operating System. Another time where Powerpoint takes an edge is when you have to use a lot of features.
Read full review
Google
If I am unsure of how technology-friendly the coworker is, I am more likely to recommend Google Slides, as it is very intuitive for making normal to basic presentations. However, the more advanced the user, or the more specific the need, the more likely I am to point the coworker in a different direction.
Read full review
Pros
Apple
  • Enables the integration text, images and graphics extremely seamlessly
  • Allows realtime collaboration across teams
  • Allows fine tuned control over graphic elements, images and text to achieve superior design (relative to PPT or Slides)
  • Enables for presentation or for print equally well
Read full review
Google
  • Easy to create and manage (lecturer side).
  • Intuitive and easy to use (students side).
  • Various sharing options, well integrated in most web browsers.
Read full review
Cons
Apple
  • The way you adjust timings for builds and transitions was a bit counterintuitive for me. Once I got the hang of it, it was fine. The timings don't work the same as they do in PowerPoint. So if you are a PowerPoint user, that may be something you have to adjust to when you switch to Keynote.
  • I feel that adding images can be clunky when working with image placeholders. Apple Keynote forces you to use the Photo app to replace image placeholders.
Read full review
Google
  • Sometimes bugs in changing fonts or other formatting
  • Edit tracking, while good, could still be improved
  • Better basic flow-charting
  • Better UI navigation, specifically around zooming instead of 'enlarging everything in browser'
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Apple
It is already included with my Macbook and the design functionality is pretty advanced so I can upload my custom brand fonts and it is easy to create templates where you can drag and drop different images while keeping overall alignment and placement the same
Read full review
Google
The popularity for Google Slides among the casual technology tool users is so great that we are not in a position to replace this tool with anything else. Every other tool either doesn't have the popularity, or doesn't match the ease of sharing level of Slides. The training needed to learn a different tool is too great. Google Slides is very easy to pick up and master.
Read full review
Usability
Apple
Apple Keynote is incredibly user-friendly and largely intuitive. In the rare areas that Apple Keynote is not intuitive, there is a robust online community of fellow Apple Keynote users that can answer most questions I have about the program. I would encourage any of my coworkers - and anyone else in my same line of work - to adopt Apple Keynote because of its user-friendliness.
Read full review
Google
Google Slides is super easy to use and it just makes sense. There isn’t much of a learning curve to just get in and use it. However, once you start to dig into it a bit more. There is so much customization you can do and so many tools that offer you almost unlimited options.
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Apple
While I don't use Keynote for every slide deck project need (software preference often is dictated by what the client has access to), I will promote KeyNote as the preferred format if the client is software-agnostic. The drag and drop feature is incomparable with other software options — a feature I've come to love and miss when I am required to use another program. As previously mentioned, the smooth interface and master template user-friendliness also helps raise Keynote above their competition.
Read full review
Google
Skids is so much easier to use than PowerPoint and the design is much, much simpler. You can be more creative with Slides because it is flexible enough to use unlike PowerPoint. The downside is there is a learning curve because it isn’t the same old crappy software everyone else uses.
Read full review
Return on Investment
Apple
  • Improved efficiency since my presentations are quick to update
  • Improved efficacy since the UI makes creating attractive presentations easy to create
  • There have been a few occasions when I need to convert my files to PowerPoint when using virtual conference platforms since Keynote is not as ubiquitous
Read full review
Google
  • We're switching from microsoft to google and it has had a decently positive ROI due to reduced friction of figuring out and managing sharepoint
  • The negative impact is that it does not do everything we need for product and design so we do have to supplement it with more specific software
  • Another positive is that it has reduced the friction in easily creating and sharing PPTs during client-facing meetings making it easier for our bd, sales and product teams to make a positive impact on potential + current clients
Read full review
ScreenShots