Five Apps: Make Better PowerPoint Presentations

Creating an effective PowerPoint presentation takes time and effort. You need to organize your content, design appealing slides, and ensure a smooth flow from one slide to the next. Fortunately, there are apps available that can help streamline the process and take your PowerPoint skills to the next level. Whether you want to create diagrams, infographics, or just find inspiration, these five apps have got you covered.

1. Visme

Visme is an easy-to-use graphic design and presentation tool perfect for non-designers. With Visme, you can create stunning infographics, presentations, banners, flyers, and more in just a few simple steps.

Key Features:

  • Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
  • Tons of professionally designed templates
  • Animated elements and effects
  • Collaborative editing in real-time
  • Export presentations in various formats

I love using Visme to create custom infographics to make my presentations more visual and memorable. The templates provide a quick starting point, while the editing tools allow me to customize each design to match my brand and messaging.

2. Noun Project

Finding relevant, eye-catching icons to use in your PowerPoint presentations can be a challenge. Noun Project makes it easy. This site contains over 2 million curated icons created by designers from around the world.

What I Like About It:

  • Largest collection of icons available
  • Variety of styles to choose from
  • Icons can be downloaded in PNG, SVG, EPS, and other formats
  • Affordable subscription plans
  • New icons added daily

With intuitive search and filtering tools, I can quickly find the perfect icon for any presentation. It saves me so much time compared to creating icons from scratch.

3. Slidebean

If you want a presentation tool focused solely on creating sleek, modern slides, Slidebean is an excellent choice.

Why Slidebean Stands Out:

  • Gorgeous slide templates crafted by professional designers
  • Custom branding capabilities
  • Animations and transitions options
  • Presentation analytics and lead capture tools
  • Easy collaboration with team members
  • Intuitive editing right within your web browser

I rely on Slidebean when I need to put together executive presentations, sales decks, or marketing slides. The templates help me look polished and professional, even on short notice.

4. Haiku Deck

For times when I want to create a quick, simple presentation, Haiku Deck is my go-to app. Designed specifically for iPads and iPhones, Haiku Deck makes it easy to combine text and images into an elegant slideshow.

Key Advantages:

  • Modern, magazine-style templates
  • Photo search to find free images
  • Drag-and-drop tools for easy editing
  • Animation effects to add visual interest
  • Option to record audio narration
  • Share via web link, PDF, PowerPoint, or video

I often use Haiku Deck to showcase photos from recent trips or events. Thanks to the polished templates, my images instantly become more impactful.

5. Prezi

If you want a presentation with more visual impact than a traditional PowerPoint slideshow, try out Prezi. This web-based tool creates animated presentations on an infinite canvas that zoom from point to point, rather than slide to slide.

Why Give Prezi a Spin:

  • Dynamic “zooming” effect grabs attention
  • Fun and easy to navigate the canvas
  • Great for storytelling presentations
  • Real-time collaboration features
  • Present directly from your browser
  • Tons of templates, graphics, and tools

For my most important presentations, I design them in Prezi to make sure they stand out and get remembered. The nonlinear approach helps me emphasize key points more creatively.