Microsoft PowerPoint vs Microsoft Sway

Microsoft PowerPoint

• People who need a full desktop presentation app on Windows or Mac
• Teams that already share files through OneDrive or SharePoint
• Presenters who want to rehearse with feedback on pace and filler words
• Occasional users who only need the free browser version

Microsoft Sway

• Newsletters, reports and visual stories shared as a web link
• People who want the layout handled for them rather than designing slides
• Organizations that already pay for Microsoft 365

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.

Microsoft Sway

• Sway runs only in a web browser and needs an internet connection; support for the Windows app ended on June 1, 2026.
• Free accounts are limited to 200 content items per Sway, against 1,500 with Microsoft 365; password protection and autoplay also need a subscription.
• Video and audio files can no longer be uploaded: since June 2024 they can only be embedded.
• Sway is not sold on its own. Its paid features come with Microsoft 365 subscriptions that cover the whole suite.

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.

Microsoft Sway

Storyline of cards

Content is typed or dropped into a sequence of cards, each holding text, images, videos or Office documents. Cards can be reordered at any time.

Built-in design engine

Sway handles formatting and layout itself. A different design can be applied in a click through Remix, or the layout can be customized by hand.

Start from a topic or document

A new Sway can be started from a topic or an existing document rather than a blank canvas, and featured templates are offered on the My Sways page.

Sharing by link and embed

View or edit links are sent to others, and viewers need no account or download. A Sway can be embedded in a web page, and work accounts can limit access to the organization or named people.

Export and accessibility

A Sway can be exported to Word or PDF and printed. An accessibility view, an accessibility checker and closed captioning support are available on every plan.

Microsoft 365 extras

A Microsoft 365 subscription adds password protection, removal of the Sway branding overlay, logo support, autoplay, reader analytics and higher content limits.

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.

Microsoft Sway

• Free$0

  Sway with a personal Microsoft account: up to 200 content items per Sway, with sharing by link, export and the accessibility tools.

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic$7.00

  per user / month, paid yearly

  Suite plan with web and mobile Office apps that includes Sway, as the Business Standard and Premium plans do, with sharing limited to specific people or groups.

• Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99

  per month, or $99.99 per year

  Suite plan for 1 person. In Sway it adds password protection, removal of Sway branding, autoplay, analytics and up to 1,500 items per Sway.

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.

Microsoft Sway

• Annual discount

  Save $19.89 a year on Microsoft 365 Personal

  Microsoft 365 Personal is $99.99 a year against $9.99 a month, which Microsoft's plan page shows as a $19.89 saving with a yearly plan.