How far free goes
Two clear routes: Gamma turns an outline into a full deck with AI, while Canva is a design tool with AI added. Their free tiers work in opposite ways.
Gamma free gives a one-time 400 credits that do not refill; Traditional Chinese output is rated good and a deck takes minutes. It suits “I need a first draft this week”, not weekly use.
Canva free has unlimited layout, templates and images; only AI features are capped: 200 Standard or 20 Premium AI actions a month, 5GB storage, one brand kit. For presentations it is rated “enough”.
Also worth a look. NotebookLM free can generate slides from your material, but its official usage table says no plan removes the watermark on slide output. Microsoft 365 includes Copilot in PowerPoint (US$9.99/month personal plan in our records), but that is a subscription, not free.
When to pay
- Gamma’s 400 credits are used up and you keep going: Plus US$12/month, Pro US$25/month. If you make more than two or three decks a month, Plus pays off; if only once a quarter, finish in Canva free.
- Canva’s AI quota is not enough or you need brand kits: Pro US$18/month, Business US$25/month. The trigger is usually Premium AI use, such as generating 20 images.
- To remove the NotebookLM slide watermark: its official page says no plan (free, Plus or Pro) removes it, and we found no paid fix.
Common pitfalls
- Gamma’s credits are one-time, not monthly: 400 is a sign-up gift, so spend it on the deck you really need to hand in.
- Gamma cancellation needs 30 days’ notice before the renewal date, and refunds apply only within 3 days of subscribing and below a credit-use threshold (Plus under 200 credits, Pro under 600), by contacting support (official help page, read 2026-09-04). Annual subscribers should count the dates. See the cancellation guide.
- Canva’s free AI quota has two kinds: 200 Standard AI actions and 20 Premium AI actions, not 220 of anything. Image generation and magic expand are usually Premium.
Quick answers
Best free tool to make slides fast? Gamma for a quick draft; Canva for repeatable free layout work.
Do I need to pay for a one-off deck? Usually not.
Each tool page lists current limits and the date we last checked them; see the productivity category page.
