Which Is Better – Microsoft Powerpoint Or Google Slides?

Whether you're already in the corporate world, or someone who's looking to break into business, at some point you'll likely become familiar with digital presentations.

But with a fine line between making a great first impression and falling short of expectations, how can you be sure to hit the mark with yours?

The first step is to explore which solutions will serve your needs best. And while Microsoft PowerPoint was the original digital-slide tool, it’s no secret that the market has since diversified – with numerous solutions emerging to compete. In particular, Google Slides is climbing the ranks.

But which offers the most bang for their buck? Here, Systemwork founder, Jamie Durham, offers a useful evaluation…

Price offerings cut close

The productivity suites that host each tool are priced per user, per month – each offering different tiers of cost, storage, and features. And although not largely different – with Microsoft 365 ranging from £7.90 to £9.40, and Google Workspace spanning £4.60 to £13.60 – it’s certainly wise to evaluate the benefits of each plan.
What’s important to note in addition, however, is that Google Slides is actually available for free – although the no-cost version does have limited features and reduced storage capacity.

Differences in application base

The most apparent difference between the two applications is that Microsoft’s runs on the desktop, whereas Google’s is a web-based offering.

While this may not be the factor at the top decision-making agenda, it’s worth considering that desktop software runs locally on a computer device, whereas a web tool requires an internet or network connection to operate.

But what does this mean? As well as requiring installation and manual updates, Google Slides is lighter on resources than Microsoft. However, its dependence on internet access means it’s potentially less reliable, and the location of data on remote servers opens up opportunity for cyber attacks too. Not having access to as much processing power also means Google Slides is naturally slower than its desktop equivalent.

Varied storage capacity

Files for Microsoft PowerPoint can be up to a maximum of 100MB in size, meaning 1TB of space on the technology leader’s least expensive offering would provide ample space to house your presentations.
Google Slides, on the other hand, offers just 30GB on its starter plan – meaning users may need to spend slightly more to be covered. Ultimately, it depends on how much you rely on digital slides within your situation.

Delving into the features

If you’re still unsure which application would best suit your needs, a closer look at the features offered by the Microsoft and Google productivity suites could help break the tie once and for all.

It goes without saying that slide-based presentations are pretty straightforward to use. And while the content itself must be carefully curated to suit the right purpose, the general style of your digital document is key to enhancing your message.

Both platforms support custom fonts, videos, images, pie charts, graphs, hyperlinks, and more, but Microsoft PowerPoint certainly has a deeper library when it comes to things like presentation templates – including customisable animations and transitions. Plus, the application intuitively suggests themes based on your title text.

But this is not all that sets the two apart in terms of features. As well as being able to broadcast presentations live via link sharing, Microsoft’s desktop-based tool integrates seamlessly with other apps within the productivity suite – boosting your ROI no end. If you want the same versatility with Google Slides, you’ll need to purchase some Workspace add-ons.

Google Slides does have a variety of benefits too though, including the ability to export to PowerPoint, ease-of-access to reference guides, and enhanced collaboration.

The importance of collaboration

There’s no denying Google Slides was built with collaboration in mind – whereas the same capability was added at a later date for Microsoft PowerPoint. As a result, the former definitely boasts a smoother performance when working online with others.

When multiple people are editing a document simultaneously, updates appear closer to real time and permissions are also able to be tweaked more easily. However, as we have explored, Microsoft definitely comes out on top when it comes to the ability to work offline.

Closing thoughts

It’s clear that both digital slide applications have their own pros and cons. While Google’s real-time collaboration capabilities, plus the ability to utilise the tool for free, presents obvious benefits, Microsoft’s deeper library of assets and features, as well as larger storage capacity and increased security, are equally great.

As such, both can vary in value from one organisation to the next. Google’s basic functionality will get professionals where they need to go, providing revenue isn’t solely reliant on presentations, whereas Microsoft’s offering will offer more visual appeal and versatility.

The question is, which will you choose?