Slidev review (2026): is it any good?
Markdown slides for developers, built on Vue and Vite
Slidev report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for developer slide decks in Markdown with Vue
Slidev makes slides from one Markdown file, with code highlighting, Vue components and live coding. It is free and MIT licensed. It is a command-line tool that needs Node.js 22.12 or later, has no visual editor, and its PPTX export turns slides into pictures by default.
Who Slidev is for
- 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
Who Slidev is not for
- 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
Why Slidev 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, with no paid plan. You can run it locally with Node.js or start in the browser through StackBlitz.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with no account and nothing to buy.
- CFeaturesOne Markdown file, code-first slides, Vue components, recording and export. It does that job fully, but it is a smaller one, with no visual editor.
- DEase of useNo store rating on record. It needs Node.js 22.12 or later and a command line, and export needs the playwright-chromium package.
- CPlatforms and integrationsRuns on a computer through Node, with a hosted web build for sharing. One kind of device, and no phone or app version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Slidev's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/slidev#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/slidev.svg" alt="Slidev: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Slidev stands among presentation tools
Slidev'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).
Slidev 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. Slidev’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 Slidev, or make your own?
Keep it
Slidev 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, Vue, Vite and Shiki among them.
What this rests on. Slidev’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 Slidev?
Slidev is a web-based slide maker and presenter in which a whole deck is written in one extended Markdown file. Because slides are a web app, they can hold Vue components, live code editing with the Monaco editor and interactive demos. It is released under the MIT license and run from the command line with Node.js.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
Slidev pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Slidev is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free and open source under the MIT license. There is no paid plan.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | $0 | The full project, released under the MIT license. Run it locally with Node.js or start in the browser through StackBlitz. |
Read from sli.dev on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Slidev before you buy.
Works with
- Vue
- Vite
- Shiki
- Monaco Editor
- Mermaid
- KaTeX
- UnoCSS
- StackBlitz
Slidev alternatives
- Slidev vs Marp
Free
- Slidev vs Slides
Free plan · from $5/mo
- Slidev vs Deckset
Free trial · from $35 one-time
- Slidev vs iA Presenter
Free trial · from $39.99/yr
Common questions
Does Slidev have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Slidev is listed for Web.
Does Slidev have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Slidev is listed for Web.
Is Slidev open source?
Yes. Slidev 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.