Deckset vs Marp (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Deckset if

• Fits if your notes are already in Markdown and you want slides without redoing them
• Works for talks full of code, formulas or diagrams, on a Mac for $35 once

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you're on Windows or Android, as it's Apple devices only
• Not for you if you like dragging boxes around a slide, because here you type and the theme decides
• Pricey if you want it on a Mac and an iPad, since the iOS app is a second purchase at $19.99 a year or $44.99 once
• Too light for teams editing a deck together, as no collaboration is on record
• Watch out: free updates stop at the 2.x line, and the iOS app can't yet edit every theme setting

Pick Marp if

• Fits if you already write in Markdown and want slides from the same text file
• Works for developers who keep decks in Git

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you want to drag boxes around, as there is no visual editor
• Skip it if you do not use a command line or VS Code
• Watch out: HTML, PDF and PowerPoint export needs Google Chrome or Chromium installed
• Watch out: the site does not say which operating systems it supports

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.

Marp

• There is no standalone visual editor; you write Markdown in VS Code or any text editor and convert with the CLI.
• HTML, PDF and PowerPoint export is powered by Google Chrome or Chromium, which has to be present.
• The site does not list operating systems, so supported platforms were not confirmed beyond the VS Code extension and the command line.

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.

Marp

Markdown based on CommonMark

Slides are ordinary CommonMark Markdown, with a horizontal rule separating pages.

Directives and extended syntax

Directives and extra syntax cover image placement, math typesetting and auto-scaling text.

Themes in CSS

Three themes ship with the core engine (default, gaia and uncover), and you can write your own theme in plain CSS.

Export to HTML, PDF and PowerPoint

Markdown converts directly to HTML, PDF and PowerPoint files, using Google Chrome or Chromium.

Marp for VS Code

An extension that previews slide Markdown and custom themes inside the editor's Markdown preview pane.

Marp CLI

A command-line tool that converts Markdown into the supported formats, watches for changes and can run a server for on-demand conversion.

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.

Marp

• Open source$0

  Marp for VS Code, Marp CLI, Marp Core and Marpit, all MIT-licensed and free to use.

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.

Marp

No public discounts listed.