Smart presentations: Gamma vs Pitch vs Genially.
The definitive (and honest) guide you’ve been waiting for.
Many of you have been asking what I think about the new AI-powered presentation platforms. It was time to test three of them and finally share my opinion.
Over the past few days, I tried three tools that are often described as “the future of presentations”: Gamma, Pitch and Genially.
And I keep thinking about the same questions: “Are they better than PowerPoint? Should I use them with clients? Can they replace a presentation designer?”
To find an answer, I started with three simple, practical questions:
Do they actually help me work better, or do they impose their own idea of what a presentation should look like?
Can they replace PowerPoint, which 90% of my clients still use?
Are they a realistic alternative for freelancers and small businesses who can’t afford a presentation designer?
The answer, as always, is: it depends! And it depends on what you need. Gamma: the platform that doesn’t feel like a presentation tool
Gamma: the platform that doesn’t feel like a presentation tool
Gamma works in a completely different way:
It doesn’t use slides: it uses cards;
It doesn’t have a master slide: it uses themes and adaptive layouts;
It doesn’t constrain your content: it lets it breathe.
This is a completely different way of thinking about presentations compared to PowerPoint (not necessarily a wrong one). It’s an approach closer to web design and branding guidelines, where structure is modular, fluid and narrative-driven.
What I discovered by actually using it
1. Cards, not slides. You can nest cards inside other cards, create levels and hide content. Perfect for multi-layered storytelling, toolkits, processes and frameworks.
2. Real AI and you choose the model (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc). Gamma is already a “multi-AI” platform.
3. Intelligent layouts. They reorganise themselves when you change the structure or move content.
4. Exports to PPTX, PDF, Google Slides and PNG. You can even publish your presentation as a website.
5. A solid Present Mode. Notes, next-slide preview, keyboard navigation.
6. Built-in analytics + password protection. You know exactly how people interact with your content.
7. It can rebuild your existing files. PPT, PDF or raw text and Gamma restructures everything.
Cons
When you import content, Gamma reinterprets it;
Smart layouts are sometimes too smart;
Advanced visual effects don’t export correctly to PDF/PPT (BIG PROBLEM);
When importing a PPT file, Gamma does not preserve animations or transitions: everything becomes static (BIG PROBLEM);
Not ideal for brands with rigid guidelines;
No true master slide means less global control.
Pitch: The workspace for teams who live on presentations
Pitch is extremely solid, professional and built for teams who update and share decks constantly.
It’s less creative than Gamma, but much more enterprise-focused: focused on workflow, governance, consistency, collaboration and version control, not on visual experimentation.
And unlike Gamma, Pitch is exclusively focused on presentations: no microsites, no long-form documents, no hybrid content.
What stands out from the research and testing
1. Real-time collaboration. It’s basically Google Docs for presentations.
2. Business-focused templates. Investor decks, board reports, sales updates and KPI dashboards.
3. Strong analytics. You can track who opened the deck and how long they stayed on each slide.
4. AI that helps with structure and wording. Not creative, but useful.
5. No real master slide. There’s a “Style Builder”, but it’s not a full Master system like PowerPoint.
Cons
When importing PPT files, Pitch loses all transitions (BIG PROBLEM);
Animations are extremely limited (BIG PROBLEM);
Style Builder ≠ true master slide;
Layouts break easily if you modify them too deeply;
AI is basic, not an ecosystem of agents;
Very business-oriented, not narrative or expressive.
Genially: The playground of interactivity
Genially is the most different of the three. It’s not just a presentation tool but more an interactive experience platform. Great for workshops, learning, gamification and non-linear content.
What it can do
1. Real interactivity. Hotspots, clicks, hover effects, branching paths, games, maps, nonlinear flows.
2. Huge widget library. Timers, progress bars, tabs, quizzes, scoreboards.
3. AI built for learning. It generates quizzes, suggests activities, and reformats content into interactive learning experiences.
4. Ideal for education and workshops. SCORM, LMS integration and tracking.
Cons
No export to PowerPoint, a big limitation in corporate contexts.
AI doesn’t create storytelling — it relies heavily on templates.
Imported content is reformatted with little control.
Aesthetic can feel “playful” unless refined manually.
Animations must be carefully managed.
Not suitable for executive or linear presentations.
So… will these platforms replace PowerPoint?
For now? No. PowerPoint will remain the standard for most companies for years. But for many types of presentations (especially for independent professionals and small businesses without a corporate template), these platforms can become powerful allies.
Gamma goes far beyond presentations. It looks like a powerful tool that can offer you a lot of different things, but somehow it feels like for presentations is not accurate enough.
Pitch excels at structured, collaborative decks. To me, this is the best one if I have to pick one, maybe because it is focused on presentations more than the other two and I feel I can almost integrate it with PowerPoint.
Genially enables experiences that PowerPoint could never offer, but I am not sure I would recommend it. I don't know what it is about this platform, but I didn't like the experience.
The question is no longer “Which one is the best?” but “Which one is the best for the story you need to tell?”
I’m also working on an article dedicated to Google Slides, its integration with Gemini and the new AI workflows emerging with NotebookLM.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you already use Gamma, Pitch or Genially? Would you like me to go deeper into one of them? Or explore other tools you’re curious about?
Your feedback will guide the next deep-dive.
I’m Angela. I help people and companies bring their ideas to life through storytelling and presentation design. Every day, I work to give shape to messages, not just to inform, but to move.
Because a presentation should never be just a sequence of slides, it should be a shared experience that engages the senses and creates lasting memories.
This post is part of my ongoing exploration of how we can rethink presentations: not as static tools, but as living experiences that connect with people on a deeper level.
Curious to bring more clarity, emotion
and intention into your communication?
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