Slides vs Slidev (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Slides if

• Fits if you're a developer or speaker who puts code or math on slides
• Works for talks you'd publish anyway, since free decks are public

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you want private decks without paying, as free ones are public and carry ads
• Skip it if you hand decks to people who edit in PowerPoint, since those exports are flattened
• Tight if you work on decks with a group on Lite, which allows 1 collaborator per deck and 1 GB of storage
• Pricey if you need custom CSS, the API, private links or Dropbox sync, which start at Pro, $10 a month billed annually
• Watch out: editing needs a browser and a connection, there's no phone or desktop app, and offline presenting is paid

Pick Slidev if

• Fits if you give talks with code on screen and write slides in a text editor
• Works for developers who want slides as a web page with live components

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you do not use a command line, as it needs Node.js 22.12 or later
• Skip it if you want drag-and-drop, as there is no visual editor
• Watch out: the default PPTX export turns slides into pictures, so text is not selectable
• Watch out: interactive features may not survive export, so the web build is the safe way to share

Slides

• Free accounts can create only public decks, and those decks show ads.
• PDF, PowerPoint and HTML export need Lite or Pro, and PowerPoint exports are flattened, so text and images cannot be edited separately.
• Lite allows 1 collaborator per deck and 1 GB of storage; private links, Dropbox sync, custom CSS and API access start at Pro.
• Editing happens in a web browser with an internet connection; presenting offline relies on a paid plan.

Slidev

• It is a command-line tool that needs Node.js 22.12 or later, with no visual drag-and-drop editor.
• Exporting to PDF, PPTX or PNG through the CLI needs the playwright-chromium package installed.
• The default PPTX export turns slides into images, so text is not selectable. Editable PPTX is CLI-only, and some elements such as SVG and videos stay as pictures.
• Interactive features may not survive export, so interactive decks are best shared as a hosted web build.

Slides

HTML-based editor

Decks are HTML documents edited in a visual editor. Developer mode exposes each slide's markup, code blocks get syntax highlighting with line-by-line steps, and Pro adds a CSS editor.

Slides Agent

An AI agent in the editor sidebar, in beta, builds and redesigns slides, writes speaker notes, researches topics and adds charts. AI use draws on monthly credits: 50 on Lite and 400 on Pro.

Live presenting

A deck can be streamed so viewers follow along in their own browsers, with a speaker view for notes and timing, a phone remote control, a live cursor and freehand annotation.

Sharing and embedding

Public decks are shared by link or embedded on other sites. Pro and Team add named private links with passwords and expiry dates. Scroll and kiosk modes change how a deck plays.

Import and export

PDF, PowerPoint, Markdown and reveal.js content can be imported. Lite and Pro export to PDF, PPTX and a self-contained HTML package that keeps animations and works offline.

API and MCP server

A REST API works with decks and account data, a Define API creates prefilled presentations, and an MCP server connects Claude, ChatGPT and other AI tools to a Slides account.

Slidev

One Markdown file

The whole deck lives in a single plain-text file in an extended Markdown format, so it works with Git and any editor.

Code-first slides

Code snippets use Shiki highlighting, and the Monaco editor is built in for live coding during a talk.

Vue components and interactivity

Slides can include Vue components and anything else a web app can do, such as iframes or API requests.

Themes and addons

Themes and addons are shared as npm packages and applied with a line of configuration. The site keeps a gallery of both.

Recording and camera view

Built-in recording and a camera view let you record the screen and camera, or show yourself in the corner while presenting.

Export and hosting

Decks export to PDF, PPTX (as images, or as editable shapes through the CLI), PNG and Markdown, or build into a static single-page app.

Slides

• Free$0

  Public decks only, displayed with ads. Private decks and exports need a paid plan.

• Lite$5

  per month, billed annually ($7 billed monthly)

  Unlimited private decks, no ads, 1 GB of storage, 1 collaborator per deck, 50 AI credits a month, PDF export, offline presenting and video uploads.

• Pro$10

  per month, billed annually ($14 billed monthly)

  Unlimited storage, 3 collaborators per deck, 400 AI credits a month, private sharing, Dropbox sync, custom CSS, API and MCP access, and Google Analytics.

• Team$20

  per month for 2 users, billed annually ($28 billed monthly)

  Everything in Pro for 2 users, with more at $10 each ($14 monthly). Adds SSO, custom branding and subdomain, a theme editor, and shared media and slide templates.

• Custom planCustom

  A tailored plan or quote on request for organizations whose needs do not fit the listed plans.

Slidev

• Open source$0

  The full project, released under the MIT license. Run it locally with Node.js or start in the browser through StackBlitz.

Slides

• Annual discount

  Save over 25% with annual billing

  The pricing page advertises a saving of over 25% on annual billing: Lite is $5 instead of $7 a month, Pro $10 instead of $14 and Team $20 instead of $28.

Slidev

No public discounts listed.