The Microsoft Sway Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Microsoft Sway in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Microsoft Sway
The Insider’s Guide
Web app for interactive reports, newsletters and presentations
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among presentation tools, read from Microsoft Sway’s own pages.
Made by Microsoft · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Microsoft Sway’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Microsoft Sway’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 6 of the 24 other presentation tools we grade
Microsoft Sway is a web app for building interactive reports, presentations, newsletters and personal stories on a web-based canvas. Content is added as a sequence of cards, and a built-in design engine arranges the layout, which can then be remixed or customized. A finished Sway is shared as a link that people can open without signing in. Sway is free with a Microsoft account, and Microsoft 365 subscriptions raise its content limits and add password protection.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Microsoft Sway, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You add text and pictures as cards and it does the layout.
- 1
Best for newsletters and reports shared as a link
Sway is Microsoft's free web app for newsletters, reports and stories shared as a link.
- 2
Paid plans start at $7 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $7.00 per user / month, paid yearly (Microsoft 365 Business Basic).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free with a personal Microsoft account: up to 200 content items per Sway, including 20 headings, 150 paragraphs, 150 images and 10 embeds. Password protection needs Microsoft 365.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 6 of 24
That is against the other presentation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Microsoft Sway you could make: documents and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Microsoft Sway at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $7.00 per user / month, paid yearly (Microsoft 365 Business Basic)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 Personal and the business plans; business trials need a credit card
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Microsoft
- Category
- Presentations
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for newsletters and reports shared as a link
Sway is Microsoft's free web app for newsletters, reports and stories shared as a link. You add text and pictures as cards and it does the layout. It runs only in a browser and needs a connection, the Windows app lost support on June 1, 2026, video and audio can only be embedded, and free Sways stop at 200 items. If you want classic slides, look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | You can't buy Sway on its own. Its extras arrive inside Microsoft 365, from $7.00 a user a month paid yearly for Business Basic or $9.99 a month for Personal, which is the ordinary middle band for this category. That's a whole office suite, though, if all you wanted was a password on a Sway. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free with a personal Microsoft account, and one person can really live on it: 200 content items a Sway, 150 of them images, sharing by link and export. The walls are there, mind. Password protection, autoplay, analytics and the 1,500-item limit all need Microsoft 365. |
| Features | C | Cards for text and pictures, a design engine that lays them out, Remix for a new look in a click, export to Word or PDF and accessibility tools. The listing's own gaps: video and audio can't be uploaded at all since June 2024, only embedded, and Windows app support ended on 1 June 2026. |
| Ease of use | C | No App Store rating on record, and you're still writing and arranging the thing yourself. Sway does take the formatting off your hands, and you can start from a topic or an existing document rather than an empty page. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | A browser is the only place it runs, and it needs a connection, with Windows app support finished on 1 June 2026. No integrations are listed at all. You can embed a Sway in a web page, and that's about the extent of it. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Microsoft Sway is for
- Fits if you want a newsletter or report laid out for you from text and pictures
- Works for readers without an account, since a Sway opens from a link
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want classic slides you can show offline, as Sway needs a browser and a connection
- Skip it if you need to upload video or audio files, which can only be embedded since June 2024
- Tight if you stay free: 200 items a Sway, and password protection, autoplay and analytics need Microsoft 365
- Pricey if you only want Sway's extras, as it isn't sold alone and Microsoft 365 starts at $7.00 a user a month, paid yearly
- Watch out: Windows app support ended on June 1, 2026, and the listing names no integrations
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$7
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Microsoft Sway has a free plan. Paid plans start at $7.00 per user / month, paid yearly (Microsoft 365 Business Basic).
That's a whole office suite, though, if all you wanted was a password on a 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.
The free plan
Free with a personal Microsoft account: up to 200 content items per Sway, including 20 headings, 150 paragraphs, 150 images and 10 embeds. Password protection needs Microsoft 365.
Trying it first
1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 Personal and the business plans; business trials need a credit card
Read from microsoft.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on microsoft.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Web app for interactive reports, newsletters and presentations. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: templates, documents, presentations.
You can embed a Sway in a web page, and that's about the extent of it.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Microsoft Sway is made by Microsoft.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/24
Other presentation tools it is graded above
Microsoft Sway's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 6 of the 24 other presentation tools we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 15 of 24) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $7 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.66 for the category: 6 of the 21 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 25 presentation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Microsoft Sway’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 9 of 24
- BFree plan and trialAbove 15 of 24
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 24
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 24
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 24
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 23 presentation tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Microsoft Sway is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Microsoft Sway you could make: documents and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 15 of the 24 other presentation tools grade higher. It costs $84 a year.
What you could make
- Documents and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A slide editor.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
What this rests on. Microsoft Sway’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Microsoft PowerPoint, Canva, Gamma, Google Slides and Genially
The 5 tools Microsoft Sway is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.4GPA
Microsoft PowerPoint
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Slide presentation app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser.
- Only Microsoft PowerPoint lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Microsoft Sway also covers documents.
- 3.2GPA
Canva
Free plan · from $14.99/mo
Template-based design platform for slides, graphics and video.
- Only Canva lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Microsoft Sway also covers documents.
- Canva also covers video editing.
- 2.8GPA
Gamma
Free plan
AI generator for presentations, documents and websites.
- Only Gamma lists iOS and Android apps.
- 3.2GPA
Google Slides
Free plan · from $7/mo
Browser-based presentation builder, free with a Google Account.
- Only Google Slides lists iOS and Android apps.
- Microsoft Sway also covers documents.
- 2.4GPA
Genially
Free plan · from €6/mo
Interactive presentations, quizzes, games and learning content.
- Microsoft Sway also covers documents.
- Genially also covers surveys.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Microsoft Sway free?
Microsoft Sway has a free plan. Free with a personal Microsoft account: up to 200 content items per Sway, including 20 headings, 150 paragraphs, 150 images and 10 embeds.
How much does Microsoft Sway cost?
Microsoft Sway lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Microsoft Sway work on?
Microsoft Sway is available on Web.
Does Microsoft Sway offer any discounts?
Microsoft Sway publicly lists the following: Save $19.89 a year on Microsoft 365 Personal.
Does Microsoft Sway have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Microsoft Sway is listed for Web.
Does Microsoft Sway have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Microsoft Sway is listed for Web.
Is Microsoft Sway open source?
Microsoft Sway is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does Microsoft Sway have a free trial?
Yes. 1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 Personal and the business plans; business trials need a credit card.
Who makes Microsoft Sway?
Microsoft Sway is made by Microsoft.
What are the alternatives to Microsoft Sway?
The closest alternatives to Microsoft Sway in our directory are Microsoft PowerPoint, Canva, Gamma, Google Slides and Genially.
How does Microsoft Sway compare with other presentation tools?
Microsoft Sway's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 6 of the 24 other presentation tools we grade, and level with 3.
Is Microsoft Sway good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Microsoft Sway C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $7 a month for each person, against a middle price of $8.66 for the category: 6 of the 21 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Microsoft Sway?
The plain part of Microsoft Sway you could make: documents and templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Microsoft Sway’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Microsoft's own pages on 6 October 2026. Its business pricing page would not load when we went back to check it. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-02.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Microsoft. Prices change, so check sway.cloud.microsoft before you buy.
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/microsoft-365-plans-and-pricing
- microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/buy/compare-all-microsoft-365-products
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/servicedescriptions/microsoft-sway-service-description
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sway/getting-started-with-sway
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sway/add-more-content-to-your-sways-with-microsoft-365
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sway/frequently-asked-questions-about-sway
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/sway/share-your-sway
- sway.cloud.microsoft
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Microsoft Sway, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-sway
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Microsoft Sway: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-sway
Know someone choosing between presentation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-sway/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded presentation tools after Microsoft Sway, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Presentations Insider's GuideEvery one of the 25 presentation tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft PowerPoint Insider's GuideSlide presentation app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
- Zoho Show Insider's GuideOnline presentation software, free for individuals3.4 GPA
- Canva Insider's GuideTemplate-based design platform for slides, graphics and video3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Microsoft Sway’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Microsoft Sway is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Microsoft. Prices and plans change: check sway.cloud.microsoft before you buy.