Best Remote Presentation Software Tools

Digital presentations are integral to modern businesses, with 47% of presenters putting in over 8 hours of work per presentation according to a study. It makes sense to use the best tools for the job, whether that’s updating the local team on the new sales target, or holding a company town hall meeting with your global team in over a dozen locations.

But what does the best tool for remote presentations look like for your business? Is it the most convenient software around? Or are you looking for an option that can keep up with your organization’s needs and empower your employees, anywhere in the world?

Chances are, you're leaning towards the latter. Well, so are we. So, let’s dive into:

• Which software programs are best for remote presentations
• Which ones enable remote use
• Helpful tips to crush your next remote digital presentation

Which is the best software for presenting remotely

If you’ve used more than one software for presentations, you’ll know that there’s no single best option. The thing is, some presentation tools stand out for their versatility, ease of use, and feature set. So let’s check those out, explore why they are such great options, and what you should look for if you’re seeking even greater performance.

1. PowerPoint

For many people, PowerPoint is a household name for presentations, and for good reason. It has been the go-to software for years, offering a range of comprehensive features, wide template options, and flexibility.

Some of the biggest pros of using PowerPoint are familiarity and integration with other tools. Practically every professional is familiar with PowerPoint, making it easier to use for presenters, and the slides easier to follow for the audience.

PowerPoint also integrates with other Microsoft Office applications, Google Drive and Adobe Creative Cloud, allowing you to incorporate data and charts, and graphics pretty easily. And what's more, it's also simple to display your slide deck on a digital screen using ScreenCloud for seamless presentations.

Cost: From $7.99 per month for Microsoft 365, or $159.99 to buy.

2. Google Slides

Google Slides is part of the Google Workplace Suite and it offers unique collaboration features that let team members edit presentations in real-time, collaborate on slides or overall presentations, and share feedback effortlessly.

The cloud-based features and ease of integration are two of Google Slides’ biggest advantages. You can present to anyone in any location worldwide, automatically save and access your presentations, and quickly work in other Google Workspace apps like Docs and Sheets.

You can also easily integrate Slides with your ScreenCloud dashboard for a smooth presentation.

On the flip side, a Google Slides presentation will have less advanced features when compared to software like PowerPoint; you’re bound to notice this if you’re gunning for an elaborate and visually stunning slide deck.

Price: Free - or as part of a Google Workspace plan, which starts from $6 per person per month.

3. Google Meet

While Google has changed the name of their video conferencing software several times in the past few years (anyone remember Duo? Or Hangouts?), the current iteration has become a solid favorite. Google Meet is one of the best and most popular presentation tools, with easy screen sharing making it simple to present live videos, documents and much more.

All you need to get started is a Gmail account or Google Workplace subscription and then up to 100 people can join your presentation.

While it's possible to add more people and enjoy a longer meeting with paid plans, the free package is great.

Price: Free, or get longer meetings and more attendees with a Google Workspace plan.

4. Apple Keynote

Exclusive to macOS and iOS devices, Keynote is another great presentation software, and, depending on who you ask, an excellent alternative to PowerPoint. The design is sleek with an intuitive interface and it gives you a wide range of aesthetic options for your slide deck. Apple Keynote also integrates perfectly with other apps and products in the Apple Ecosystem.

From an extensive multimedia capability to sleek design options, the tool allows you to design slides with more flexibility and customization features than many other software available.

The biggest con of Keynote is that it’s exclusive to Apple devices. So while it is a great piece of software, you'll find it hard to collaborate with non-Apple users.

Price: Free on Mac OS and Apple devices only

5. Zoom

Zoom became widely popular during the pandemic and hasn’t slowed since. Like PowerPoint, it’s something of a household name now, and most people can navigate it pretty easily. It is user-friendly, supports remote presentations, and even offers collaborative features like whiteboarding. Combined with a slide deck software, Zoom is an excellent option for your digital presentations.

The biggest benefit of using Zoom is accessibility and remote presentation. Anybody can join your calls and presentations from most devices, and it lets you do screen sharing, breakout rooms, and even meeting recording.

One of the drawbacks for Zoom vs other platforms for video conferencing is that Zoom requires all users to download the app to login. While this is probably not a problem for most people, it can be fiddly if someone needs to join who doesn't already have Zoom installed. By contrast, Google Meet and Teams can be accessed from an internet browser with no additional download.

Free: Freemium - or $13.32 per user/month for premium package.

6. Microsoft Teams

In a way, you can think of Teams as the Microsoft alternative to Zoom. It integrates well with other products in the ecosystem, including, of course, PowerPoint. It also makes giving remote presentations a breeze.

Like Zoom, you’ll need to design your presentations elsewhere, and then bring them onto Teams to share with team members regardless of their location. But, this is where we get into the biggest pros and cons. 

On the one hand, Teams integrates well with Office 365 and allows you to access other Microsoft productivity tools, collaborate with people in real time, and access file storage and sharing features.

On the other hand, there’s a steep learning curve for new users. Plus when compared to stand alone presentation software, Teams has limited customization options. 

7. Prezi 

In many ways, you could say Prezi revolutionized presentations with its unique approach to storytelling and visual engagement. Unlike the other tools on this list, Prezi doesn’t use slides where you go back and forth. Instead, it is based on a zooming user interface where all the information is on a single canvas. Presenters then zoom in and out to focus on various frames.

This kind of dynamic, non-linear presentation can capture the audience's attention and facilitate interactive storytelling. And that’s really one of the biggest strengths of Prezi – fluid, cinematic presentations that guide viewers through a journey. It also allows the presenter to hold everyone’s attention and really drive the point home.

Other benefits of Prezi include its cloud-based system that allows easy access and collaboration from anywhere with an internet connection. You can also present pretty easily with Prezi from anywhere, and make your presentation interactive. And like many tools these days, Prezi also uses artificial intelligence to help you create a truly great presentation.

One big downside of Prezi is that it requires some expertise to use. So you will need to take some time to learn how to use it. If you treat it like a regular slide show, you could jumble up the story or lose listeners in the actual presentation.

Price: Free trial - pricing starts from $7 per month

8. Canva

Canva has become wildly popular as a free online graphic design tool, but it has a ton of features for dynamic presentations as well. For example, its intuitive drag-and-drop interface lets you design pretty much anything. Add to that its extensive library of templates, design elements, and creative inspiration sources, and you can pretty much create professional-looking presentations in minutes.

Canva is a go-to tool when you need to create a visually engaging presentation quickly, either alone or in collaboration with a team, without having to deal with the overwhelming options with other tools.

On the other hand, some of Canva's basic features can be finicky, like simple layer management, alignment and text editing, and even font options. These are all features that can really make an entire presentation pop. This means Canva is great for a quick TV slideshow, but may not be the answer if you’re putting together an elaborate presentation with high stakes and many moving parts.

Pricing: Freemium. Many great features are 100% free - but to get the best out of Canva, the pro plan costs $12.95 per month.

9. Zoho Show & Meeting

For many presenters, the appeal of Zoho Show is being able to streamline the creation and delivery of engaging presentations. The software is part of the broader Zoho Office Suite, which means it integrates seamlessly with other Zoho applications and provides a great platform for remote collaboration and productivity.

One standout feature of Zoho Show is the extensive library of templates and themes, which essentially help you quickly create professional-looking presentations with minimal effort. So whether you're presenting to clients, colleagues, or stakeholders, you could quickly pop in to Zoho Show, pick an appropriate template, and create an impactful presentation.

Zoho also offers Zoho Meeting, which, like Zoom, Google Meet and Teams, offers a free tier allowing up to 100 people to connect for a live chat. This also obviously integrates perfectly with Zoho Show, as well as other slide deck software.

One of the major cons of Zoho Show is that it could be considered lacking when you put it next to established names like PowerPoint and Keynote. The problem isn’t in the name either; it’s how limiting its cloud feature can be; lose internet connectivity and the whole program grinds to a halt.

Price: Free for individual use. Just $3 per month/user for the pro plan.

10. Haiku Deck

Even if you’ve never heard of Haiku Deck, the name alone points towards simplicity and minimalism, and that’s exactly what the software delivers. Haiku Deck is a remote presentation software that emphasizes visual storytelling with simple features and a collection of impactful, high-quality images.

The extensive library of royalty-free images are such a big part of Haiku Deck’s appeal because they help you improve your visual storytelling by seamlessly working them into your presentations. 

Haiku Deck also offers intuitive design tools and templates, with collaboration options, making it an absolute contender on this list. Whether you're a seasoned presenter or a novice, Haiku Deck will guide you toward a visually impressive presentation in no time at all.

On the flip side, the software’s simplistic approach may be too limiting for some users, especially if you’re gunning for a detailed and information-rich presentation. It also lacks features like image captions and a truly useful free version. Plus, you may not find some interactive elements we've come to expect of remote presentation software.

Price: From $9.99 per month, free trial available.

11. Emaze

Emaze is a cloud-based presentation software that offers a wide range of templates and multimedia features to create engaging presentations. Like many other tools in its category, Emaze really shines with visual storytelling and interactive content through its expansive library of professional templates. You can usually find something to use, whether you’re creating a business proposal, educational lecture, or a creative portfolio.

One great benefit of Emaze for businesses is that several people can collaborate on a slide deck. This really comes in handy with elaborate presentations where you have many moving parts and several key contributors. 

Unfortunately, you’ll have to navigate cons like the unique user interface. It has a bit of a learning curve for new users, compared to other software you might be familiar with. As a result, some time and experimentation is needed before you can truly harness its power.

Price: Free for the basic plan, or from $9 per user/month for pro plan.

12. LibreOffice - Impress

This totally free office package is a great option for budget conscious business owners who want a professional grade document editing suite.

Impress is the slide deck editing tool, which while not as feature packed as most other tools on this list, is still a good free option. The LibreOffice package also includes a nifty design package called Draw, which can be useful for diagrams, technical drawings and professional documents.

While LibreOffice is 100% free, it isn't cloud based, meaning you'll need to download and install the software on the devices you want to use it on.

Price: Free.

Factors to consider when choosing software for digital presentations

Ease of use and accessibility

According to The US National Institute of Mental Health, 74% of people have some form of speech anxiety, and that can spill over into digital presentations. The last thing people in this situation need is convoluted software that doubles the difficulty of making a presentation. 

So, the software should have an intuitive interface and user-friendly design that makes it easy for presenters of all skill levels to create and deliver presentations. Accessibility features like screen reader compatibility and keyboard shortcuts can also be essential, especially for diverse users.

Design capabilities

Some presentations call for simple, straightforward slides, while with others, a little pizazz goes a long way. You want your presentation software to offer a range of design tools and customization options that allow you to create visually appealing and engaging slides. 

Some of these features may include:

• Beautiful templates
• Themes
• Fonts
• Colors
• Multimedia integration (e.g., images, videos, audio)

Collaboration and sharing features

Collaboration is pretty much all we do in today’s world of remote work, whether it’s pooling ideas in a Google doc or tracking deliverables in a spreadsheet. So you definitely need software that can match your team’s needs, and ideally, should support seamless sharing and distribution of presentations across different devices and platforms.

Integration with other tools

Integration with other productivity tools and software platforms is also important because it can enhance workflow, efficiency, and overall output. You can also create more stunning presentations and seamlessly incorporate content from other sources into your presentations.

Cost 

Many tools on this list offer a freemium price point, that is, they're mostly free with paid plans for certain features. Others offer a free trial to work out if it's the right fit.

Of course, every business has a different budget, so you'll just need to weigh up the options and price plans that fit your business demands.

Platform compatibility

Nowadays almost all software is operating system agnostic and usually accessible via an internet browser, so compatibility tends to be less of a problem than it used to be.

With that being said, some tools on this list do have some cross platform constraints. An obvious one being Apple Keynote, which isn't available for non-Apple devices. However, in terms of presenting remotely it still works fine.

Why is digital signage software the best for presenting remotely?

Sometimes, you have to think outside the box, and in the case of remote presentations, that means looking for alternatives to Zoom and Teams that give you more freedom. For many businesses, that alternative is digital signage software like ScreenCloud, and here’s why.

Scalability

When it comes to presentation, nothing beats the scalability of digital signage software. It lets you narrowcast presentations onto multiple displays across various locations, making it perfect for large or dispersed audiences. It also allows you to manage and control multiple displays from a single centralized dashboard, streamlining the presentation process.

Flexibility and adaptability

Digital signage software offers flexibility in terms of content scheduling and playback. Before your presentation, you can schedule specific content to display at predetermined times or in response to certain triggers. That creates a pretty dynamic and adaptable presentation tailored for remote audiences.

Centralized content management

With digital signage software, you can manage and update your content remotely from any location with internet access. This feature can be used to upload new slides, videos, announcements, or other content without physical connection; a huge win for remote presentations.

Interactivity

The physical separation of the presenter and audience doesn’t mean there’s no interactivity. In fact, digital signage software can offer new interactivity options that bring a new dimension to your presentations.

For example, some software allows remote audiences to engage through touchscreens, QR codes, or mobile devices. This enhances audience participation and enables presenters to gather feedback or data in real-time.

Integration

ScreenCloud is much more than just an online slideshow player; it can integrate perfectly with apps like Google Slides, Microsoft Teams, Canva, and many other great design tools and presentation software.

Whether giving virtual or in person presentations, or collaborating with your team, using digital signage is an effective way to present your slides and keep the audience engaged.

And because ScreenCloud is simple to set up and easy to manage, there's no need to get the IT team involved because a connection isn't working.

Connecting with your team using ScreenCloud

Many businesses and organizations operate different locations, or feature team members in different cities or around the world. And so, connecting efficiently with your team can sometimes be a challenge.

Digital signage software such as ScreenCloud makes it simple to bring your disparate workers into the office, wherever they are. Simply connect popular presentation tools to your ScreenCloud connected devices to easily share remote meetings and webinars, data and other presentations.

Whether running a weekly team meeting, a monthly town hall or brown bag session, or presenting to shareholders or board members, ScreenCloud is made for video meetings and sharing important information.

Sign up for a free trial today, or schedule a demo to find out how ScreenCloud can be your perfect presentation partner.