Deckset vs Keynote

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

Keynote

• People who work mainly on Mac, iPad and iPhone
• Presenters who want animated decks without paying for software
• Exchanging decks with PowerPoint users through import and export

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.

Keynote

• The apps are for Apple devices only; on a Windows PC, Keynote is available just in a browser through iCloud.com.
• Generating slides from an outline, generated presenter notes and slide clean-up need Apple Creator Studio, at $12.99 per month or $129 per year, and are labeled beta.
• Apple's compatibility list marks PowerPoint WordArt, text effects, image effects and OLE objects as not supported on import; SmartArt is imported as a shape.

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.

Keynote

Themes and slide layouts

Every presentation begins with an Apple-designed theme, a set of slide layouts whose placeholder text and images are replaced with your own. Layouts and backgrounds can be changed slide by slide.

Animations and Magic Move

Slide transitions, emphasis builds and Magic Move animate objects within and between slides, with a live preview on the canvas while editing.

Presenter tools

A customizable presenter display for rehearsing, remote control from an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch, multi-presenter slideshows, and a separate window for notes and controls during video calls on a Mac.

Real-time collaboration

Share a presentation publicly or with specific people through iCloud or Box and see a list of their changes as they happen. Collaborators can also join from a browser on a Mac or Windows computer.

PowerPoint import and export

Imports and edits Microsoft PowerPoint files and exports to PowerPoint, PDF, HTML, movies and images. Apple publishes a feature-by-feature list of what carries over from PowerPoint.

Creator Studio slide tools

For Apple Creator Studio subscribers, Keynote can turn an outline into a slide deck with presenter notes and correct layout, typography and alignment issues. Apple labels these features beta.

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.

Keynote

• Keynote$0

  Create, edit and present on Mac, iPad, iPhone and iCloud.com, with real-time collaboration, Apple-designed themes and PowerPoint import and export.

• Apple Creator Studio$12.99

  per month, or $129 per year

  Adds premium templates and themes, the Content Hub media library and beta tools that generate slides and presenter notes, plus Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro.

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.

Keynote

• Annual discount

  About 17% less on the yearly plan

  Apple Creator Studio is $129 per year or $12.99 per month. Twelve monthly payments come to $155.88, so the yearly plan costs about 17% less.

• Education

  Students and educators: $2.99 a month

  Verified college students and educators pay $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year for Apple Creator Studio. Apple calls it a limited-time offer, and it cannot be shared through Family Sharing.

• Other savings

  3 months free with a new Mac or iPad

  Buyers of an eligible new Mac or iPad can try Apple Creator Studio free for 3 months, claimed within 3 months of activating the device.