Google Slides vs. Microsoft Powerpoint Online

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
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
Microsoft Powerpoint Online
Score 6.9 out of 10
N/A
PowerPoint for the web, or Powerpoint Online (formerly PowerPoint Web App) is similar to the installed version, however it allows users to create presentations directly from a browser, with no need for an installation.N/A
Pricing
Google SlidesMicrosoft Powerpoint Online
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Google SlidesMicrosoft Powerpoint Online
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Google SlidesMicrosoft Powerpoint Online
Considered Both Products
Google Slides
Chose Google Slides
Google Slides works both online and offline, they are free to use if you have a Google account. Easy to share and are supported by most web browsers. A great addition to your arsenal of interactive educational online platforms.
Microsoft Powerpoint Online
Chose Microsoft Powerpoint Online
In terms of overall performance (drive integration, media management, speed, collaboration) I think Microsoft Powerpoint Online is way behind Google Sheets or even Figma. General productiveness fell greatly after our company forced the usage of Microsoft Powerpoint Online, …
Best Alternatives
Google SlidesMicrosoft Powerpoint Online
Small Businesses
Canva
Canva
Score 9.1 out of 10
Canva
Canva
Score 9.1 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Mentimeter
Mentimeter
Score 8.3 out of 10
Mentimeter
Mentimeter
Score 8.3 out of 10
Enterprises
Mentimeter
Mentimeter
Score 8.3 out of 10
Mentimeter
Mentimeter
Score 8.3 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Google SlidesMicrosoft Powerpoint Online
Likelihood to Recommend
6.6
(8 ratings)
6.3
(14 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
2.0
(1 ratings)
Usability
7.0
(4 ratings)
7.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Google SlidesMicrosoft Powerpoint Online
Likelihood to Recommend
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
Microsoft
Some specifications of the web version are - It can open files of up to 2 Gb in size. Earlier this was called as PowerPoint web app[which has less features than the current web version]. You can edit files such as PowerPoint Presentation [.pptx], PowerPoint show [.ppsx], .odp files. But it does not support editing for PowerPoint Template [.potx], PowerPoint 1997-2003 template .pot, .pps, .pptm,.potm [only view feature is supported]. Here the online version will convert them to latest version for editing. Also, the save feature of PowerPoint online saves changes automatically, unlike desktop version where you need to go File> Save as initially, and then click Save after every change. Also password protected or digital signature based documents cannot be edited in web version.
Read full review
Pros
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
Microsoft
  • Since I work in technical support, we use this tool everyday at the end of the shift to make the reports.
  • This is one of the best tool and very simple to use.
  • Since we received so many different severity tickets in my shift and we have to report it to the management and so this tool help a lot and show things clearly.
  • This tool have so many templates and themes available which makes it very suitable as per the requirement.
  • I love this tool and amazing to work on it. So many things to explore.
Read full review
Cons
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
Microsoft
  • Running a presentation from PowerPoint online has been a disappointing experience. Things just don't react as smoothly as they do in the offline version because we're relying on sometimes iffy internet connections.
  • Video does not play well when it's embedded and played through the online version.
  • Downloading a PPT file that was created online creates almost no inconsistencies, but in my experience uploading a PPT to the online version that was created offline sometimes does create issues with fonts and formatting.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
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
Microsoft
I would rather change to other tool if I could. Microsoft Powerpoint Online was top-down forced without a real technical (maybe financial only) reason, and I think the product itself looks like a poor adaptation of the offline version. In my experience, it cannot be properly used in real time collaboration, can't handle large media (images/videos), has low performance even for a single user, it is a nightmare.
Read full review
Usability
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
Microsoft
It works mostly well, but I usually run into a formatting glitch while using Microsoft PPT Online.
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
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
Microsoft
Powerpoint's ease of use makes it stand out. You can build custom presentations easily, and even those without extensive skills can do this. It makes it a good tool for a whole organization, rather than each team having its own tool. This means you can have templates for the whole organization to use for better branding and consistency
Read full review
Return on Investment
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
Microsoft
  • It has made it easier for the training to be well handled and transitioned to the work-at-home life faster.
  • a lot of people is used to the installed version of PowerPoint, the online version is a familiar look and feels to the times when we were working from the office, which made the transition faster and easier for everyone.
Read full review
ScreenShots