9 Best Pitch Deck Software for Founders in 2025: Complete Guide to Creation & Sharing

If you’re searching for pitch deck software in 2025, you’re probably feeling one of these things:

• Time pressure (“I need something good this week.”)
• Taste pressure (“I don’t want it to look like a template.”)
• Outcome pressure (“I just need this deck to convert.”)

So I’m going to be very direct: in 2025, “pitch deck software” is usually two jobs, not one.

1. Create the deck (story + slides + visuals)
2. Send the deck (sharing, analytics, access control, updates without link chaos)

The best founders I see pick one tool for creation, and one tool for distribution—because the requirements are different.

Below are the 10 options that clear the "founder-grade" bar (fast, clean output, collaboration, and investor-friendly exporting). I used Peony's 2025 shortlist as a starting reference, then filtered hard for tools that reliably produce investor-ready decks.

Quick comparison table

How to choose (the founder filter)

Before tools, a small truth: investors are not grading your deck design. They are grading clarity. Design is just the vehicle.

Pick based on your real constraint:

• If you need speed: Canva / Google Slides / Gamma
• If you need control: PowerPoint / Figma
• If you need tasteful minimalism: Keynote / Pitch
• If you need the deck to perform after you send it: Peony (secure data rooms, access control, page-level analytics, versioning)

And if you're raising seriously: assume you will send your deck dozens of times. Sending it well matters.

The 10 best tools (with honest guidance)

1) Peony — best for sending a pitch deck like it's a deal

Peony is what you use when the deck becomes an asset you need to control: who can view with identity-bound access, whether they can download, whether you can revoke access, and whether you can update the content without breaking the link. It's also where page-level analytics and security features like dynamic watermarking and screenshot protection live in a way typical slide editors don't.

If you're fundraising, this "distribution layer" is usually the difference between spraying PDFs and running a clean process. Peony provides secure data rooms that show exactly which slides investors read, how long they spent on each section, and when they return—helping you follow up intelligently.

2) Microsoft PowerPoint — best for maximum control and compatibility

If you want the most control over layout, spacing, charts, animations, and investor-standard exports, PowerPoint still wins. It's also deeply embedded in Microsoft 365, which continues to bundle Word/Excel/PowerPoint under subscription plans.

PowerPoint is the "high ceiling" option: great decks are absolutely possible—just don't let it pull you into over-designing. For secure external sharing with tracking, pair PowerPoint with Peony as your distribution layer.

3) Google Slides — best for fast iteration with a team

Google Slides remains the simplest way to collaborate quickly: comments, sharing, and lightweight edits are frictionless. If your deck is changing daily (it usually is), Slides is often the "keep momentum" choice.

The main limitation is polish: you can absolutely make a beautiful Slides deck, but it takes intention. For secure external sharing with page-level analytics, export to PDF and share via Peony.

4) Apple Keynote — best for clean, modern minimalism

Keynote is a quiet cheat code if you’re on a Mac and you want a deck that looks calm and confident with less effort. The defaults are tasteful, and it’s harder to make something ugly by accident.

The tradeoff is workflow: Keynote plays best in Apple-land, and some teams still live in PPT.

5) Pitch — best for modern collaborative deck building

Pitch is designed around teams building decks together, with a cleaner “presentation-first” product feel than traditional office suites. If you want modern UI + collaborative workflows without the heaviness, it’s a strong pick.

6) Canva — best for speed when design isn’t your job

Canva is unmatched for speed: templates, icons, brand kits, and quick exporting. If you are not a designer and you need something clean quickly, Canva will get you there.

The one thing to watch: Canva can “look like Canva” if you don’t customize typography and spacing. Use templates as scaffolding, not as the final answer.

7) Beautiful.ai — best for decks that look polished with less effort

Beautiful.ai is built around auto-layout and design rules, which makes it easy to produce consistent, professional-looking slides quickly. If you tend to fight alignment, this helps.

The tradeoff is creative control: you’re buying speed and consistency more than total freedom.

8) Slidebean — best for founder-style structure and narrative flow

Slidebean is popular because it nudges you toward a recognizable startup structure (problem, solution, market, traction, etc.). It’s helpful when you’re unsure what belongs in a deck, not just how it should look.

The risk: decks can start to feel “same template, different logo” unless you personalize the story and visuals.

9) Gamma — best for turning a doc into a deck fast

Gamma is excellent for getting from “notes” to “slides” quickly. It’s not a replacement for taste—but it’s a powerful accelerator for a first draft, especially if you’re starting from a written narrative.

Plan for one human polishing pass. Always.

10) Figma — best for pixel-perfect brand-level decks

If your product and brand are design-led, Figma is where you can create truly custom decks with precise visual language. It is the highest ceiling for uniqueness.

It's also the highest effort. If you need speed more than perfection, pick something else. For secure sharing with tracking, export to PDF and use Peony as your distribution layer.

The "best" workflow for most founders (simple, effective)

If you want a clean, modern setup without overthinking it:

1. Build slides in Google Slides / Keynote / PowerPoint (pick your comfort zone)
2. Export to PDF (or keep native, depending on your workflow)
3. Share via Peony so you can control access with identity-bound access, track engagement with page-level analytics, and update without link chaos

That combo is very hard to beat in real fundraising.

Q&A Section

What's the best way to track pitch deck engagement with investors?

Peony provides page-level analytics that show exactly which slides investors read, how long they spent on each section, and when they return. This visibility helps you follow up intelligently and identify hot prospects. Unlike email attachments, Peony gives you real-time insights into investor engagement.

How do I securely share my pitch deck with multiple investors?

Use Peony as your secure sharing layer. With identity-bound access, you control who can view your deck. Dynamic watermarking and screenshot protection prevent leaks, while link expiry ensures access doesn't last forever. You can also update your deck without breaking the link, keeping all investors on the latest version.

Should I use an AI tool to generate my pitch deck?

Use AI to accelerate drafts and structure, but do not outsource taste and truth. The best decks still read like a human who understands the business wrote them. Once your deck is ready, share it via Peony to track engagement and maintain control over who sees it.

Related Resources

• AI Pitch Deck Creation
• How to Share Pitch Decks
• Tracking Engagement
• Greatest Pitch Decks Analysis
• Pitch Deck Design Complete Guide
• Document Analytics Complete Guide
• Document Security Complete Guide
• Secure Data Rooms
• Page-Level Analytics Feature
• Identity-Bound Access Feature