Mekko Graphics vs think-cell (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Mekko Graphics grades higher than think-cell: 1.6 against 1.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Mekko Graphics grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
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
think-cell
PowerPoint add-in for data-linked charts, layout tools and AI slides
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 think-cell if
- Fits if you build waterfall and Gantt charts in PowerPoint every week
- Works for firms that can buy volume licences, as the price falls with more users
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you want charts: Suite is $28.60 a user a month for one user
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Google Slides, as the pages name only Windows and PowerPoint
- Tight if you lean on AI: AI Suite is $46.54, usage is capped, and you are told at 80%
- Watch out: the billing term and the trial length are not stated on the pages read
How we grade them
| 1.6GPAMekko GraphicsWeak | 1.2GPAthink-cellWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | DThe chart tools sit on Suite at $28.60 a user a month, nearly three times the category's $10 middle. Essentials at $8.90 covers layout tools only, and the billing term is not shown. |
| 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. | DA free trial of the full product is offered, but the pages do not say how long it lasts or whether a card is needed. |
| Features | DCharts for PowerPoint and Excel only. It needs PowerPoint to be useful at all, and it does one narrow job. | D40+ chart types, alignment tools, Excel linking and AI slide building, all inside PowerPoint. It does not work without it. |
| 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. | CNo store rating on record. It installs into Office, then charts link to Excel data. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and Mac, inside Office. The Excel integration is Windows only, and there is no web or phone version. | DWindows only, as the pages name Windows and list no web version. |
| Best for | Marimekko and consulting-style charts in PowerPoint | waterfall and Gantt charts inside PowerPoint |
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 think-cell. 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. think-cell starts at $8.90 a month and scores 1.3.
Mekko Graphics scores higher, and starts $24.35 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other presentation tools on the chart, 36 score higher than Mekko Graphics for less, and 19 score higher than think-cell 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.
- think-cell also covers templates.
At a glance
| Mekko Graphics | think-cell | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $399 per user / year (renews at $299) | $8.90 per user / month for 1 user (Essentials) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Fully functioning license free for 30 days. | Free trial of the full functionality; its length is not stated on the pages read. |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | insightsoftware | think-cell Software GmbH |
| Price read from | mekkographics.com | thinkcell.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 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.
think-cell
- It runs inside PowerPoint, so a PowerPoint license is needed; the pages read name Windows and list no web version.
- Charts and Excel linking need the Suite plan; AI features need AI Suite at $46.54 per user / month for one user.
- Prices shown are for one user and fall as the user count grows; the page did not state the billing term.
- AI usage is capped by volume, and users are notified at 80% of it.
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.
think-cell
- 40+ chart types
- Suite and above include waterfall, Gantt and Mekko charts, linked to Excel so charts update when the data changes.
- Layout and alignment tools
- Essentials and up add automatic alignment, sizing and scaling tools for objects on a slide.
- Team slide and image library
- A shared library of slides, templates and images is included from the Essentials plan.
- AI slide building
- AI Suite adds slide building and precision editing through an AI chat, plus Excel data analysis and chart creation.
- Deck translation
- AI Suite lists AI translation of whole decks in 70+ languages, and 20 template updates a month from Excel or JSON data.
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.
think-cell
Essentials$8.90
per user / month for 1 user; billing term not shown
Team slide, template and image library plus tools for automatic alignment, sizing and scaling. Price drops with more users.
Suite$28.60
per user / month for 1 user; billing term not shown
Adds 40+ chart types including waterfalls, Gantts and Mekkos, Excel data linking and auto-updating annotations.
AI Suite$46.54
per user / month for 1 user; billing term not shown
Adds AI chat slide building, AI Excel analysis, summaries, translation in 70+ languages and 20 template updates a month.
AI Suite Plus$97.60
per user / month for 1 user; billing term not shown
Everything in AI Suite with 5x the usage volume for complex AI tasks.
Ways to pay less
Mekko Graphics
No public discounts listed.
think-cell
- Education
Student, professor and staff licenses
The order page lists a Students program and a Professor & staff program, with their terms on separate pages.
- Startups
Startup program
A startup program is listed on the order page; the terms are on its own application page.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Mekko Graphics or think-cell?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Mekko Graphics starts at $399 per user / year (renews at $299), and think-cell starts at $8.90 per user / month for 1 user (Essentials). 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 think-cell?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Mekko Graphics nor think-cell has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Mekko Graphics and think-cell run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Mekko Graphics lists a macOS app. Both list a Windows 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.