Google Slides vs Speaker Deck (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Google Slides: it is second in our ranking of presentation tools, and it grades higher too, 3.2 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Google Slides grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Google Slides
Browser-based presentation builder, free with a Google Account
Speaker Deck
Host and share presentations online with embeds
Which one is for you
Pick Google Slides if
- Fits if a few of you need to build and review the same deck at the same time
- Works for companies already paying for Google Workspace, since it's part of every plan
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to record yourself presenting for free, as recording is kept for some Workspace plans
- Skip it if you build slides on an iPhone or iPad, as reviewers say the app leaves out much of the web version
- Pricey if you only want Gemini's help, because that starts on Business Standard at $14 a user a month
- Watch out: each recording stops at 30 minutes and can only be made in Chrome or Edge
- Tight if you work offline on a computer, as there's no desktop app and you need Chrome or Edge with an extension
Pick Speaker Deck if
- Fits if you publish finished talks and embed them in a page
- Works for people who want a link to share slides
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to build slides, as it is not an editor
- Tight if you need private links or passwords, which are Pro
- Tight if you upload a lot, with 100 uploads in total on Free
- Watch out: uploads are limited to 150 MB on Free and 250 MB on Pro
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAGoogle SlidesVery good | 2.6GPASpeaker DeckGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree for personal use, full stop, where presentation tools here start at $5.83 a month in the lower quarter and $9.99 in the middle. For a business it arrives inside Google Workspace from $7 a user a month on a 1-year commitment, with Gmail, Drive and Meet in the box. Gemini in Slides waits for the $14 plan. | BPro is $8 a month or $80 a year, which is $6.67 a month, inside the cheaper quarter of $7.95 for presentation tools. |
| Free plan and trial | AA personal Google Account can create, edit, present, co-edit, comment, use templates and work offline, with no deck limit. The only things held back are Slides recording and speaker spotlight, which Google keeps for some Workspace plans. | BFree gives public sharing, standard embeds and 150 MB uploads, with caps of 10 a day and 100 in total that most people will not reach. |
| Features | CIt's the plain one: co-editing, comments, revision history and editing PowerPoint files without making a copy. The gaps are on Google's own pages. Recording stops at 30 minutes and works only in Chrome or Edge, and Gemini in Slides needs a Workspace plan. | CIt hosts, shares and embeds decks but does not build them. It does that fully, which is a smaller job than the category. |
| Ease of use | B4.68 from about 413,000 App Store ratings, a whisker under the 4.7 we want for an A. There's nothing to install and nothing to set up if you have a Google Account, and people who make simple decks say it covers what they need. | BNo store rating on record. You upload a PDF and share the link. |
| Platforms and integrations | BAny browser, iPhone, iPad and Android, with Google Meet and Drive wired in and an API for developers. No Windows or Mac desktop app is listed, which is what keeps it off an A, and offline on a computer needs Chrome or Edge with an extension. | CWeb only, with no apps or integrations list. |
| Best for | free decks a whole team edits together | hosting and embedding finished decks |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Google Slides and Speaker Deck. How we grade
Price against what you get
Google Slides starts at $7 a month for each person and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Speaker Deck starts at $8 a month and scores 2.3.
Google Slides scores higher and starts $1 a month lower. Of the other presentation tools on the chart, 3 score higher than Google Slides for less, and 7 score higher than Speaker Deck for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Google Slides also covers templates.
- Speaker Deck also covers file sharing.
At a glance
| Google Slides | Speaker Deck | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter) | $8 per month, billed monthly ($80 billed yearly) |
| Free plan | Free with a personal Google Account: anyone signed in can create, edit and share presentations. Slides recording and speaker spotlight are available only on Google Workspace plans. | Public sharing, standard embeds and 150MB uploads, limited to 10 per day and 100 lifetime. |
| Free trial | 14-day Google Workspace trial | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Speaker Deck, LLC | |
| Price read from | workspace.google.com | speakerdeck.com |
| Checked | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Google Slides
- There is no standalone paid Slides plan; the business version comes only as part of Google Workspace, with Gmail, Drive and Meet.
- Gemini in Slides is not in Business Starter; it starts at Business Standard, $14 per user / month on a 1-year commitment.
- Slides recording and speaker spotlight are not available with a free personal account; Google limits them to some Workspace plans.
- Google's help lists Slides for computer browsers, Android, iPhone and iPad; no Windows or Mac desktop app is listed.
Speaker Deck
- It hosts finished decks; it is not an editor for building slides.
- Free accounts are limited to 10 uploads a day and 100 in total.
- Private URLs and password protection require the Pro plan.
- Uploads are limited to 150MB on Free and 250MB on Pro.
Key features
Google Slides
- Co-editing and revision history
- Several people can work on the same slide at the same time. Sharing settings control who can view, comment or edit, and revision history restores earlier versions.
- Gemini in Slides
- Generates new slides and images from a prompt, summarizes a presentation, rewrites text and can draw on files in Drive. It requires an eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan.
- Slides recording
- Records a presenter talking through a deck and saves the video to Drive for sharing. Each recording is limited to 30 minutes and can only be made in Chrome or Edge.
- Presenting in Google Meet
- Slides and Meet controls appear in one place during a call, and speaker spotlight places the presenter's video inside the slide. Both are limited to some Workspace Business and Enterprise plans.
- PowerPoint and Canva files
- PowerPoint presentations can be edited directly without making a copy, or converted to Slides format. Canva presentations can also be imported.
- Offline editing
- Presentations can be opened, created and edited without a connection. On a computer this requires Chrome or Microsoft Edge with the Google Docs Offline extension.
Speaker Deck
- Public hosting and embeds
- Upload a deck and share it by URL or embed it with the standard Speaker Deck player.
- Private links and passwords
- Pro accounts can keep decks private behind an unlisted URL or a password.
- Unbranded embeds
- Pro removes Speaker Deck branding from the embedded player.
- Scheduled publishing and notes
- Pro can schedule when a deck goes live and attach slide notes.
- Student pricing
- Eligible students can apply for Pro at a reduced rate.
Plans
Google Slides
Personal Google Account$0
Create, edit and present slides in a browser or the mobile apps, with co-editing, comments, templates and offline access.
Business Starter$7
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($8.40 flexible)
Google Workspace with Slides and 30 GB of pooled storage per user. Gemini in Slides is not included.
Business Standard$14
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($16.80 flexible)
2 TB of pooled storage per user. The lowest Business edition that includes Gemini in Slides.
Business Plus$22
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($26.40 flexible)
Everything in Standard with 5 TB of pooled storage per user, plus Vault, eDiscovery and advanced endpoint management.
EnterpriseCustom
No minimum or maximum user count, with data loss prevention, context-aware access and data regions; priced through Google sales.
Speaker Deck
Free$0
Public sharing, standard embeds, 150MB uploads, 10 a day and 100 over the account's life.
Pro$8
per month, billed monthly ($80 billed yearly)
Unlimited uploads up to 250MB, private links, passwords, unbranded embeds and scheduled publishing.
Ways to pay less
Google Slides
- Annual discount
Save 16% with a 1-year commitment
Business Starter is $7 per user per month on the Annual/Fixed-Term Plan against $8.40 on the Flexible Plan. Standard drops from $16.80 to $14 and Plus from $26.40 to $22.
- Nonprofit
Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0
Eligible nonprofits get Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0, or Business Standard at $3.50 and Business Plus at $6.16 per user per month on a 1-year commitment.
- Education
Education Fundamentals at no charge
Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals, which includes Slides, is available at no charge to qualifying institutions.
Speaker Deck
- Annual discount
Save 17% with yearly billing
The Pro page shows $80 a year against $8 a month, advertised as a 17% saving.
- Education
Student pricing for Pro
Eligible students can pay $4 a month or $40 a year after applying; approval is required.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Google Slides or Speaker Deck?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Google Slides starts at $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter), and Speaker Deck starts at $8 per month, billed monthly ($80 billed yearly). One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, Google Slides or Speaker Deck?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Google Slides and Speaker Deck have a free plan.
Which platforms do Google Slides and Speaker Deck run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Google Slides lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.