reveal.js review (2026): is it any good?
Open source HTML framework for building slide decks
reveal.js report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for HTML slide decks written as code
reveal.js is an open-source framework for building slide decks as web pages, with nested slides, Markdown, speaker view and PDF export. It is free and MIT licensed. It is code, not an app, and the vendor points non-coders to Slides.com, a separate product.
Who reveal.js is for
- Fits if you write HTML and want full control over how slides look and move
- Works for developers who keep decks in Git and show code on screen
Who reveal.js is not for
- Not for you if you do not write code, as the vendor sends non-coders to a different product
- Skip it if you want a drag-and-drop editor, as there is none
- Watch out: PDF export is only confirmed to work in Google Chrome and Chromium
- Watch out: loading external Markdown files needs a local web server
Why reveal.js gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree under the MIT licence. You download it, clone it or install it from npm, and there is no paid tier.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright with no account. The hosted visual editor is a separate product, Slides.com.
- CFeaturesNested slides, Auto-Animate, Markdown and code, speaker view and PDF export. It covers the job, but it is a framework you code, not a visual editor.
- DEase of useNo store rating on record. You write HTML and need a local web server for external Markdown files.
- CPlatforms and integrationsRuns in any browser, with touch support. That is one family of device, and PDF export is only confirmed in Chrome and Chromium.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from reveal.js's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make reveal.js? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/revealjs#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/revealjs.svg" alt="reveal.js: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where reveal.js stands among presentation tools
reveal.js's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 37 of the 51 other presentation tools we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 44 of 51) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
reveal.js has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 52 presentation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. reveal.js’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 42 of 51, level with 9
- AFree plan and trialAbove 44 of 51, level with 7
- CFeaturesAbove 6 of 51, level with 33
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 51, level with 2
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 51, level with 17
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 42 presentation tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep reveal.js, or make your own?
Keep it
reveal.js is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.6 is higher than 37 of the 51 other presentation tools we grade.
What you could make
- Markdown: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A slide editor.
- It plugs into other products, highlight.js, Slides.com and npm among them.
What this rests on. reveal.js’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.
What is reveal.js?
reveal.js is a framework for making interactive slide decks in HTML, created by Hakim El Hattab and contributors. It supports nested slides, Markdown content, code highlighting, auto-animation, a speaker view and PDF export. It is MIT-licensed and can run from a downloaded folder with just a browser.
Worth knowing
- It is a code framework, not a visual app. The vendor points non-coders to Slides.com, which is a separate product.
- PDF export is confirmed to work only in Google Chrome and Chromium.
- Loading external Markdown files requires running the deck from a local web server, which the full setup includes.
Key features
- Vertical and nested slides
- Slides can be nested inside one another, so a high-level slide can have detail beneath it.
- Auto-Animate
- Matching elements are animated automatically between consecutive slides.
- Markdown and code
- Slide content can be written in Markdown, and code is highlighted with highlight.js.
- Speaker view
- A separate notes window shows speaker notes, elapsed time, the clock and an optional pacing timer.
- PDF export
- A print stylesheet exports a deck to PDF through the browser's print dialog.
- Touch support
- Decks work on phones and tablets, where you swipe between slides.
reveal.js pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, reveal.js is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free and open source under the MIT license. The hosted visual editor is a separate product, Slides.com.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | $0 | The framework itself, released under the MIT license. Download it, clone the repository or install it from npm. |
Read from revealjs.com on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with reveal.js before you buy.
Works with
- highlight.js
- Slides.com
- npm
- zoom.js
- Markdown
reveal.js alternatives
- reveal.js vs Slides
Free plan · from $5/mo
- reveal.js vs Deckset
Free trial · from $35 one-time
- reveal.js vs iA Presenter
Free trial · from $39.99/yr
Common questions
Does reveal.js have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. reveal.js is listed for Web.
Does reveal.js have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. reveal.js is listed for Web.
Is reveal.js open source?
Yes. reveal.js is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.