What is Google Slides used for?

Google Slides is a browser-based presentation editor from Google with real-time collaboration, part of the Google Workspace suite. It is a good fit for team presentations edited together and quick decks without installing software.

Is Google Slides free?

Yes. Google Slides is free to use.

Is Google Slides open source?

No. Google Slides is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Google Slides include Univer and CryptPad.

What are some alternatives to Google Slides?

Google Slides competes with Apple Keynote, Pitch and Prezi. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Google Slides alternatives.

Google Slides: features, pricing and alternatives

About Google Slides

Google Slides is a presentation editor that runs in the web browser. Several people can edit the same deck at the same time, add comments and share it with a link, and the deck is stored in the user's Google Drive.

It is a hosted Google service that is available free with a personal Google account and as part of the Google Workspace subscription for businesses. It is not self-hosted, and it is a common choice for teams that want a collaborative alternative to desktop presentation software such as PowerPoint and Keynote.

Key features

Browser-based presentation editor
Real-time collaboration on decks
Comments and link sharing
Storage in Google Drive

Good fit for

→Team presentations edited together
→Quick decks without installing software

Tags: presentations; slides; google; collaboration; browser-based; productivity

Google Slides: questions and answers

What is Google Slides used for?: Google Slides is a browser-based presentation editor from Google with real-time collaboration, part of the Google Workspace suite. It is a good fit for team presentations edited together and quick decks without installing software.
Is Google Slides free?: Yes. Google Slides is free to use.
Is Google Slides open source?: No. Google Slides is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Google Slides include Univer and CryptPad.
What are some alternatives to Google Slides?: Google Slides competes with Apple Keynote, Pitch and Prezi. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Google Slides alternatives.