The Slides Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Slides 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.
Slides
The Insider’s Guide
Browser-based presentation editor with HTML, CSS and code support
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among presentation tools, read from Slides’s own pages.
Made by Slides, Inc. · 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 Slides’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Slides’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
2.4
GPA, above 10 of the 24 other presentation tools we grade
Slides is a web-based presentation editor from the creators of the open source reveal.js framework. Decks are stored as HTML, so alongside the visual editor they can hold syntax-highlighted code, math formulas, custom CSS and embedded pages. A built-in AI agent drafts and redesigns slides, and decks can be streamed live to viewers, shared by link, embedded or exported.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Slides, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No App Store rating on record, and building the deck is the work, in a browser that needs a connection.
- 1
Best for decks with code, maths or your own CSS
Editing needs a browser and a connection.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $5 per month, billed annually (Lite).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free accounts can create and share public decks only, and those decks show ads. Private decks and PDF, PowerPoint and HTML exports need a paid plan.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 10 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 Slides you could make: templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Slides at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $5 per month, billed annually (Lite)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day trial of the Team plan
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Slides, Inc., since 2013
- Category
- Presentations
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for decks with code, maths or your own CSS
Slides is a browser deck editor from the people behind reveal.js, made for slides with code or math on them, with HTML underneath you can style yourself. Free decks are public and carry ads, every export needs a paid plan, PowerPoint exports come out flattened, and Lite at $5 a month allows 1 collaborator per deck. Editing needs a browser and a connection.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Lite is $5 a month billed annually, or $7 monthly, inside the cheapest quarter for this category, which starts at $5.83. That buys unlimited private decks, no ads, PDF export and offline presenting. Pro at $10 is the middle price and adds custom CSS, the API and unlimited storage. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free accounts can only make public decks, and those carry ads. Private decks and every export, PDF, PowerPoint or HTML, need a paid plan. Fine for a conference talk you'd publish anyway, a wall for anything else. |
| Features | C | For code and math on slides it covers the job: syntax highlighting you can step through line by line, formulas, real HTML underneath, custom CSS on Pro, live streaming to viewers' browsers and an API with an MCP server. Narrower than the category's usual job, and its own docs say PowerPoint exports come out flattened. |
| Ease of use | C | No App Store rating on record, and building the deck is the work, in a browser that needs a connection. The visual editor means you only open the HTML if you want to. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | A browser and nowhere else, with no phone or desktop app. It connects through a REST API, an MCP server for Claude and ChatGPT, Dropbox sync and Google Analytics on Pro, and Okta or Microsoft Entra sign-in on Team. |
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 Slides is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Developers and technical speakers who show code or math on slides
- People who want to fine-tune a deck with their own HTML and CSS
- Teams that want shared themes, slide templates and media on a branded subdomain
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Slides has a free plan. Paid plans start at $5 per month, billed annually (Lite).
That buys unlimited private decks, no ads, PDF export and offline presenting.
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 plan
Custom
A tailored plan or quote on request for organizations whose needs do not fit the listed plans.
The free plan
Free accounts can create and share public decks only, and those decks show ads. Private decks and PDF, PowerPoint and HTML exports need a paid plan.
Trying it first
14-day trial of the Team plan
Read from slides.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on slides.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
Browser-based presentation editor with HTML, CSS and code support. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, templates, presentations.
Narrower than the category's usual job, and its own docs say PowerPoint exports come out flattened.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Claude
- ChatGPT
- Dropbox
- Google Analytics
- Unsplash
- GIPHY
- Okta
- Microsoft Entra
Slides is made by Slides, Inc., and has been around since 2013.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
10/24
Other presentation tools it is graded above
Slides's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 10 of the 24 other presentation tools we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 16 of 24) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $5 a month, against a middle price of $8.66 for the category: 3 of the 21 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 25 presentation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Slides’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 16 of 24
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 24
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 24
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 24
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 7 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. Slides 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 Slides you could make: templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $60 a year.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A slide editor.
- It plugs into other products, Claude, ChatGPT and Dropbox among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Slides’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
Google Slides, Pitch, Deckset, iA Presenter and Keynote
The 5 tools Slides is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 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.
- 2.6GPA
Pitch
Free plan · from $13/mo
Collaborative presentation workspace with tracked share links.
- Only Pitch lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- 2.4GPA
Deckset
Free trial · from $35 one-time
Turns Markdown notes into themed slides on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- Slides has a free plan. Deckset does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Slides lists a web app.
- Only Deckset lists macOS and iOS apps.
- 2.4GPA
iA Presenter
Free trial · from $3.95/mo
Markdown presentation app that builds slides from your script.
- Slides has a free plan. iA Presenter does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Slides lists a web app.
- Only iA Presenter lists macOS and iOS apps.
- 3.2GPA
Keynote
Free plan · from $12.99/mo
Apple's free presentation app for Mac, iPad and iPhone.
- Only Keynote lists macOS and iOS apps.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 Slides free?
Slides has a free plan. Free accounts can create and share public decks only, and those decks show ads.
How much does Slides cost?
Slides lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Slides work on?
Slides is available on Web.
Does Slides offer any discounts?
Slides publicly lists the following: Save over 25% with annual billing.
Does Slides have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Slides is listed for Web.
Does Slides have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Slides is listed for Web.
Is Slides open source?
Slides is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does Slides have an API?
Yes. Slides offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Slides integrate with?
Slides's listing names Claude, ChatGPT, Dropbox, Google Analytics, Unsplash, GIPHY, Okta and Microsoft Entra.
Does Slides have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day trial of the Team plan.
Who makes Slides?
Slides is made by Slides, Inc. It dates from 2013.
What are the alternatives to Slides?
The closest alternatives to Slides in our directory are Google Slides, Pitch, Deckset, iA Presenter and Keynote.
How does Slides compare with other presentation tools?
Slides's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 10 of the 24 other presentation tools we grade, and level with 4.
Is Slides good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Slides B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5 a month, against a middle price of $8.66 for the category: 3 of the 21 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Slides?
The plain part of Slides you could make: templates. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Slides’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 Slides' own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-07.
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 Slides, Inc. Prices change, so check slides.com before you buy.
- slides.com/pricing
- slides.com/
- slides.com/features
- slides.com/about
- slides.com/for-teams
- slides.com/developers
- slides.com/docs/privacy.md
- slides.com/docs/downgrading.md
- slides.com/docs/agent.md
- slides.com/docs/export-to-pdf.md
- slides.com/docs/export-to-powerpoint.md
- slides.com/docs/export-to-html.md
- slides.com/docs/connect-ai-tools.md
- slides.com/docs/team-overview.md
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
- Slides, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/slides
- 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, "Slides: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/slides
Know someone choosing between presentation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/slides/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded presentation tools after Slides, 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 Slides’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. Slides is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Slides, Inc. Prices and plans change: check slides.com before you buy.