Joe Hindy / Android Authority
Presentation software is a powerful tool in the workplace. It’s especially true for PowerPoint, the most popular presentation software. It helps freshen up lectures, organize information in an easily deliverable way, and it’s generally easy to use for most people. There are a lot of options as well. You can find presentation software on computers and smartphones. Additionally, there are tools that make each platform easier. We have a bit of everything on this list. Here are the best PowerPoint apps and tools for Android.
The best PowerPoint apps and tools:
AndrOpen Office
Price: Free / $7.99
AndrOpen Office is likely the best bet for Linux users. It has full support for OpenOffice file formats and includes Writer, Calc, and Impress. Impress is the presentation software. It can also read PowerPoint files as well. In terms of PowerPoint apps, it does pretty well. You can create a slideshow, add graphics, add text, and the basic stuff like that. The free version is more usable than the first free version of most paid software. The app also works perfectly with niche functions like Samsung DeX. It’s not quite as powerful as Microsoft PowerPoint, but it’s definitely close enough for most people.
Clicker
Price: Free / $2.99-$5.99
Joe Hindy / Android Authority
Clicker works a lot like ASUS Remote Link. It lets you connect to your computer and use your phone as a presentation clicker. It also seems to work on Mac, Linux, and Windows along with iOS and Android. That should cover just about everybody. In any case, the workflow for this one is pretty obvious. You create your PowerPoint on your computer where you have full access to all of the tools. Then, you use this app to present the PowerPoint at your meeting. There is also remote trackpad functionality, Samsung S-Pen support, and space where you can keep notes for your speech. There aren’t a ton of presentation clicker apps like this one, so it’s nice to see that at least one is really good.
Google Home is an out-of-the-box idea. Basically, you use it along with a Chromecast to mirror your phone screen to a display. You can then use your phone to present your PowerPoint. This lets you work on your PowerPoint either on desktop or mobile. You simply need to put the project on your mobile phone, use Google Home to mirror it, and then begin your presentation. Chromecasts are small, easy to carry with you, and are very easy to use. It lets you use the presentation space’s existing resources without needing to cart in a bunch of extra equipment. Plus, the app is free.
Google Slides is the presentation app from the Google Drive office suite. It’s largely considered the top or at least second-best option in terms of PowerPoint apps. You can mess with your presentation on your phone or your desktop via the web. Plus, Google Drive has live collaboration tools along with a lot of other features. Your presentation is stored in the cloud so you can access and download it whenever you want. Plus, it can read, edit, and save PowerPoint files for some nice cross-product functionality. It’s also, far and away, the best free option available. That makes it great for students without access to a Microsoft Office account.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Price: Free / $6.99-$9.99 per month
Microsoft PowerPoint is the top one or two PowerPoint apps in the world. It’s so good that people refer to presentation apps as PowerPoint apps. The mobile version is very functional compared to its desktop equivalent, even if the desktop variant is more powerful. On top of the usual presentation features, the app also includes a Presenter Coach function to help you prepare for your speech. Luckily, Microsoft has adapted nicely to the times. You can start fresh or edit existing PowerPoint presentations that you started on your computer. The full functionality is available with an Office 365 subscription. The good news is the subscription unlocks both the desktop and mobile versions of PowerPoint with just a single subscription. You also get Microsoft OneDrive space to store and transport your PowerPoints.
Remote Desktop apps
Price: Free / Varies
Joe Hindy / Android Authority
Remote desktop apps are a slightly archaic, but very functional method of presenting stuff. These apps basically let you connect directly to your desktop computer, mirroring everything on it to your mobile phone. There are usually tools to let you navigate around. Thus, you can connect to your computer and give a presentation straight from your phone without needing to move any files. You can also use these to work on your PowerPoints straight from your computer so you don’t lose any functionality by being on a smartphone or tablet. We have Microsoft Remote Desktop linked since it covers the majority of use cases, but there are others available too.
Unified Remote is another app that lets you control your computer remotely. It works a lot like ASUS Remote Link. You connect to your computer and you can use the app to navigate the UI, as a mouse and keyboard, and there is a built-in presentation setup as well. This one is different because it has dedicated “remotes” for tons of specific apps, like Google Chrome, Spotify, Winamp, and, you guessed it, Microsoft PowerPoint. There are downloads available for Windows, Mac, Linux (Debian and RPM distros), Raspberry Pi (ARMv6 and MIPS), and others. That makes it good for just about everybody.
WPS Office
Price: Free / $3.99 per month / $29.99 per year
WPS Office is just one of many alternative office apps that double as PowerPoint apps. WPS Office has a writer, a spreadsheet function, and a presentation function. The presentation function lets you read and edit PowerPoint files so it’s a good start there. The app includes various layouts, animations, transitions, and other effects. Additionally, it lets you draw on slides or use a built-in digital laser pointer during your presentation which is a nice little feature. WPS Office is free to use as long as you don’t mind the occasion annoying advertisement. We have a list of other office apps in case you’re interested in other alternatives linked just below.
Zoho Show is one of the few reasonably good standalone PowerPoint apps. It’s not connected to an entire office suite and it’s not a clicker or a remote desktop app. It’s an app dedicated to making presentations. The includes a bunch of stuff, including various types of charts, over 100 shapes, various formatting options, filters, animations, and other stuff. There are also templates to help you get started. It’s not quite as powerful as some competitors. At the time of this writing, the developers are still working on getting stuff like music incorporated into the app. However, this is a good alternative to Google Slides if you need a quick, free option.
If we missed any great presentation or PowerPoint apps and tools, tell us about them in the comments! You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists.
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