Mekko Graphics vs Microsoft PowerPoint (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Microsoft PowerPoint: it is first in our ranking of presentation tools, and it grades higher too, 3.4 against 1.6.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Microsoft PowerPoint grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Mekko Graphics
Marimekko, waterfall and Gantt charts inside PowerPoint and Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint
Slide presentation app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser
Which one is for you
Pick Mekko Graphics if
- Fits if you make market-share and consulting charts in PowerPoint every week
- Works for teams of 4 or more, as volume prices start at $249 a user
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you are one person: $399 in the first year and $299 to renew
- Skip it if you use Google Slides or Keynote, as it needs PowerPoint
- Too light for a general slide tool, as it only makes charts
- Watch out: the Excel integration is Windows only
- Watch out: the system requirements page names older Windows and macOS versions, so check before buying
Pick Microsoft PowerPoint if
- Fits if you need the Windows or Mac app and already pay for Microsoft 365
- Works for teams that share files through OneDrive or SharePoint and edit together
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if slides are all you need: the desktop apps need Microsoft 365 at $9.99 a month or Office Home 2024 at $179.99
- Skip it if you want AI help without paying, as Copilot needs a subscription, has usage limits and on shared plans works only for the owner
- Not for you if you stay on the free web version and need macros or password-protected files, which open only on the desktop
- Watch out: Business Basic at $7.00 a user a month gets only the web and mobile apps, and business trials need a credit card
- Not for you if you rehearse in another language, because Speaker Coach understands English only
How we grade them
| 1.6GPAMekko GraphicsWeak | 3.4GPAMicrosoft PowerPointVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$399 a user for the first year works out near $33 a month, against a category whose dearest tenth starts at $20. Renewal is $299, and volume rates start at $249. | CMicrosoft 365 Personal is $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year, which is exactly the middle figure for this category, and it brings Word, Excel, Outlook and 1 TB of storage with it. Office Home 2024 is $179.99 once, about eighteen months of that middle, with no upgrade to the next release. |
| Free plan and trial | CA fully working licence is free for 30 days. The listing does not mention a card, and after that you pay. | BPowerPoint for the web is free for one person, with sharing, live co-editing, basic templates and 5 GB of storage, and an occasional user could live on it. It isn't the whole app, though: macros don't run and password-protected files only open on the desktop. |
| Features | DCharts for PowerPoint and Excel only. It needs PowerPoint to be useful at all, and it does one narrow job. | ACovers the whole job and adds two things: Speaker Coach listens to a rehearsal and reports your pacing and filler words, and Cameo puts your live camera on a slide to be styled and animated like a picture. Neither is offered by Google Slides, Keynote or Canva. Designer, co-authoring and Copilot are included too. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It installs into Office, and free online training is included, which suggests there is a learning curve. | A4.73 from about 582,000 App Store ratings, one of the two highest marks in this category. Designer offers a finished layout for whatever you drop on a slide, and there are thousands of templates to start from. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and Mac, inside Office. The Excel integration is Windows only, and there is no web or phone version. | AWindows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the web, tied into OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams, which is everything this grade asks for. The web version has holes, mind: password-protected files only open in the desktop app and macros don't run. |
| Best for | Marimekko and consulting-style charts in PowerPoint | slides on every device, tied to Microsoft 365 |
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: Mekko Graphics and Microsoft PowerPoint. How we grade
Price against what you get
Mekko Graphics starts at $33.25 a month when paid by the year for each person and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Microsoft PowerPoint starts at $8.33 a month when paid by the year and scores 4.0.
Microsoft PowerPoint scores higher and starts $24.92 a month lower. Of the other presentation tools on the chart, 36 score higher than Mekko Graphics for less, and none scores higher than Microsoft PowerPoint 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
- Mekko Graphics also covers Gantt & timelines, diagrams and reports.
- Microsoft PowerPoint also covers templates.
At a glance
| Mekko Graphics | Microsoft PowerPoint | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $399 per user / year (renews at $299) | $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal) |
| Free plan | None | PowerPoint for the web is free for 1 person, with sharing, real-time collaboration, basic templates and 5 GB of cloud storage. Microsoft lists the free plan as working on web, iOS and Android. |
| Free trial | Fully functioning license free for 30 days. | 1-month free trial of the Microsoft 365 home and business plans; business trials need a credit card. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | insightsoftware | Microsoft |
| Price read from | mekkographics.com | microsoft.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Mekko Graphics
- Licenses are annual: a single user pays $399 the first year and the page lists a $299 renewal.
- Excel integration is described as Windows only.
- The system requirements page lists Windows 10 and macOS Monterey-era versions, so check the current Office and OS support before buying.
- Volume and Enterprise rates are starting prices; the Enterprise plan is bought by contacting sales.
Microsoft PowerPoint
- The Windows and Mac apps need a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time Office purchase; Microsoft lists the free plan for web, iOS and Android.
- PowerPoint for the web lacks some desktop features: password-protected and digitally signed files open only in the desktop app, and macros do not run.
- Copilot needs a paid subscription, has usage limits, and on shared plans works for the subscription owner only.
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($7.00 per user / month paid yearly, or $5.40 without Teams) includes only the web and mobile versions of PowerPoint.
Key features
Mekko Graphics
- Marimekko and bar Mekko charts
- Variable-width charts that show two dimensions at once, alongside cascade, bubble, scatter, bar, line, area and Gantt types.
- PowerPoint integration
- Charts are created and edited inside PowerPoint, so they stay editable on the slide.
- Excel integration
- Charts can draw on Excel data, though the vendor says this integration is on the Windows version only.
- Chart automation
- The documentation menu lists chart automation, and the site says preferences can be set once for consistent charts.
- Free training and support
- Every plan includes free online training, upgrades and support, and the Enterprise plan adds custom corporate training.
Microsoft PowerPoint
- Copilot in PowerPoint
- Rewrites, reorganizes and adds slides from a written request, leaving the changes for review. It needs a Microsoft 365 subscription, and usage limits apply.
- Designer
- Suggests finished layouts for the content placed on a slide. In the desktop apps only Microsoft 365 subscribers get the suggestions; in PowerPoint for the web they are open to everyone.
- Speaker Coach
- Listens to a rehearsal and reports on pacing, pitch, filler words and reading straight from the slide, then shows a summary with recommendations. It currently understands English only.
- Cameo
- Places a live camera feed on a slide, where it can be styled, resized and animated like a picture. It is for Microsoft 365 subscribers on Windows, macOS and the web.
- Co-authoring
- Several people can edit a presentation saved to OneDrive or SharePoint at once. Indicators show which slide each person is on, and changes that do not conflict are merged automatically.
- Templates
- Microsoft offers thousands of customizable templates as starting points for a slide show. The free plan includes a basic set of templates, fonts, icons and stickers.
Plans
Mekko Graphics
Single$399
per user / year, renews at $299
One user. All chart types, PowerPoint integration, free online training, upgrades and support.
Volume$249
per user / year, for 4 to 100 users
Starting price for 4 to 100 users, with easy multiple-user administration. Pricing details are linked on the page.
Enterprise$149
per user / year, for 101 or more users
Adds custom branding and custom corporate training. Sold through the contact form or by phone.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Free$0
PowerPoint for the web for 1 person, with sharing, real-time collaboration, basic templates and 5 GB of cloud storage. Works on web, iOS and Android.
Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99
per month, or $99.99 per year
1 person on up to 5 devices at once, 1 TB of cloud storage, and the PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook desktop apps with Copilot.
Microsoft 365 Apps for business$10.00
per user / month, paid yearly
Desktop versions of PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook for up to 300 employees, with 1 TB of cloud storage per user.
Microsoft 365 Family$12.99
per month, or $129.99 per year
Everything in Personal for 1 to 6 people, with 1 TB of storage per person. AI features are for the subscription owner only.
Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99
per month, or $199.99 per year
Everything in Family, plus extensive Copilot usage and agentic AI features such as advanced research and analytics.
Office Home 2024$179.99
one-time purchase for 1 PC or Mac
Classic 2024 desktop versions of PowerPoint, Word, Excel and OneNote, with no upgrade path to the next major release.
Ways to pay less
Mekko Graphics
No public discounts listed.
Microsoft PowerPoint
- Annual discount
Save up to 17% by paying yearly
Microsoft 365 Personal is $99.99 a year against $9.99 a month, Family $129.99 against $12.99 and Premium $199.99 against $19.99.
- Education
Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal
Verified college and university students get Microsoft 365 Personal at half price. Student status has to be re-verified each year to keep the discount.
- Education
Office 365 A1 free for eligible schools
Educators and students with an eligible education email address get Office 365 A1 at no cost, which includes the web versions of PowerPoint and the other core apps.
- Nonprofit
Nonprofit staff pricing on Microsoft 365 E3
Eligible nonprofits can buy Microsoft 365 E3, with desktop, web and mobile versions of PowerPoint, for $9.75 per user / month paid yearly.
- Lifetime license
Office Home 2024 one-time purchase
$179.99 buys the classic 2024 desktop versions of PowerPoint, Word, Excel and OneNote for 1 PC or Mac, with no subscription.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Mekko Graphics or Microsoft PowerPoint?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Mekko Graphics starts at $399 per user / year (renews at $299), and Microsoft PowerPoint starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal). 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, Mekko Graphics or Microsoft PowerPoint?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Microsoft PowerPoint has a free plan. Mekko Graphics does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Mekko Graphics and Microsoft PowerPoint run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Microsoft PowerPoint lists a web app and iOS and Android apps. Both list macOS and Windows apps. 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.