Deckset vs iA Presenter

Deckset

• People who already write notes in Markdown and want slides from them
• Technical talks with code, formulas and diagrams
• Mac users who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription

iA Presenter

• Speakers who would rather write a script than arrange slides
• Markdown users who want slides and a readable handout from one text file
• Teachers and lecturers who keep detailed notes behind sparse slides

Deckset

• Deckset is for Apple devices only: the site lists Mac, iPhone and iPad apps and no Windows, Android or web version.
• The Mac license does not cover the iPhone and iPad app, which is a separate App Store download with its own in-app purchases.
• A Mac license includes free updates only within the Deckset 2.x release line.
• On Mac the notes are written in a separate text editor, and the iOS app cannot yet edit every theme setting.

iA Presenter

• There is no free plan: after the 7-day Mac trial it needs a subscription or a one-time purchase, and one-time purchases are charged per platform.
• The pricing page lists Mac, iPad and iPhone only; there is no Windows, Android or web version on it.
• Web Sharing runs from the Mac app and is not included with App Store purchases; one-time Mac licenses get a short trial of it.
• iA says a one-time payment covers the current version and major updates may cost extra. PowerPoint export is labeled beta.

Deckset

Slides from a Markdown file

Headings, paragraphs and lists in a plain-text file become slides. The Mac app watches the file and refreshes the slides on save, so the source works with any editor and with version control.

Themes

More than 25 built-in themes set fonts, colors and layouts. Custom themes adjust fonts, colors, text styles and backgrounds and can be moved between Mac, iPhone and iPad.

Code, formulas and diagrams

Code blocks get syntax highlighting with line highlights, formulas are written in TeX, and Mermaid or Pikchr text is drawn as flowcharts and other diagrams.

Presenter tools

Presenter notes stay off the audience screen alongside a preview of the next slide. There are build steps, timers, a rehearsal mode with a target time and a windowed presentation mode.

Export

Decks export to PDF, optionally with presenter notes or as an accessible PDF, and to PNG or JPEG images. Deckset 2.1 for Mac adds a beta HTML export for sharing in a browser.

Skill for coding agents

An authoring skill lets Codex, Claude Code or another coding agent draft or revise the Markdown file from notes, an outline or a transcript, for review in Deckset.

iA Presenter

Text-first editor

A talk is written in a Markdown editor. Titles and visuals show on the slide, while regular paragraphs stay as speaker notes that only the presenter sees.

Automatic layouts

The app analyzes each slide's content and chooses a layout that adapts to the display. Fixed aspect ratios are also available, including 16:9, 4:3, 9:16 and square.

Themes and custom themes

Built-in themes can be adjusted for fonts, colors, headers and footers, and every slide updates to match. Custom themes can be written from scratch in HTML and CSS.

Teleprompter

Presentation mode shows the script on a teleprompter beside the slides the audience sees, with a timer. On iPhone and iPad, speaker notes appear as subtitles instead.

Tables and charts

Tables are written in Markdown, and adding a line of metadata turns a table into a chart that stays in sync with its data. CSV blocks handle larger datasets.

Export and Web Sharing

Exports to PDF, PowerPoint (beta), HTML, images and Markdown. Web Sharing, in the Mac app, publishes a deck as a link that stays available for one year by default.

Deckset

• iPhone and iPad: Monthly$2.99

  per month, in-app purchase on the App Store

  Monthly in-app purchase for the iPhone and iPad app, which is a free download and separate from the Mac license.

• iPhone and iPad: Yearly$19.99

  per year, in-app purchase on the App Store

  Yearly in-app purchase for the iPhone and iPad app, as listed on the US App Store.

• Mac: Individual$35

  one-time payment

  One Mac license that can be activated on up to four personal devices, with free updates throughout the Deckset 2.x release line.

• iPhone and iPad: Lifetime$44.99

  one-time in-app purchase on the App Store

  One-time in-app purchase for the iPhone and iPad app, as listed on the US App Store.

• Mac: Team of five$140

  one-time payment for five licenses

  Five Mac licenses, one per team member, at 20% less than five individual licenses. Larger teams get a custom quote.

iA Presenter

• Yearly$3.95

  per month, billed yearly ($47.40)

  Subscription bought from iA that covers Mac, iPad and iPhone and includes 1 GB of Web Sharing.

• Quarterly$8

  per month, billed $24 every 3 months

  The same subscription billed every 3 months: Mac, iPad and iPhone with 1 GB of Web Sharing.

• One-Time Payment: iPad and iPhone$19.99

  one-time payment on the App Store

  The iPad and iPhone app, sold on the App Store only. App Store copies do not currently include Web Sharing.

• One-Time Payment: Mac$89

  one-time payment, bought from iA

  The current Mac version for one user, with a one-month Web Sharing trial. Web Sharing after that is a separate add-on at $9.99 a year per GB.

Deckset

• Education

  50% educational discount

  Students, teachers and staff at educational institutions get 50% off Deckset for Mac after applying through a form. The iOS app has an educational discount on request.

• Other savings

  Team of five saves 20%

  Five Mac licenses bought together cost $140 instead of $175, and teams needing more than five licenses can ask for a custom quote.

iA Presenter

• Annual discount

  Yearly plan marked as 50% off

  The pricing page labels the Yearly plan "SAVE 50%": $47.40 a year ($3.95 a month) against $24 every 3 months ($8 a month) on the Quarterly plan.

• Education

  Student and faculty discount

  Students and faculty get a discount on non-renewing yearly subscriptions bought from iA, on request. App Store purchases are not eligible, and schools can buy multiple licenses.