Prezi Review: The AI Upgrade I Never Saw Coming

I still remember sitting in my elementary school classroom years ago, zooming around my Prezi deck as if it were the coolest thing ever. It felt playful and different at a time when everything else looked like a standard slideshow.

So when I found out that Prezi (now used by more than 160 million people globally) had entered the world of AI, I had to see how far it had come.

It turns out that the jump is huge. Prezi takes the same zooming style I once had fun experimenting with, but now uses AI to generate entire editable presentations. It still has that signature motion that keeps attention high, but now it’s paired with features that save real time.

In this Prezi review, I’ll discuss the pros and cons, what it is, who it’s best for, and its key features. Then, I’ll show you how I used Prezi to generate an editable presentation in seconds.

I’ll finish the article by comparing it with my top three alternatives (Plus AI, Slides AI, and Fotor AI Presentation Maker). By the end, you’ll know if Prezi is right for you!

Verdict

Prezi stands out with fast AI presentation generation, smooth storytelling, strong integrations, and user-friendly tools that keep engagement high. However, the zooming style can distract from the presentation itself, and it might take some time to adjust if you’re accustomed to PowerPoint.

What is Prezi?

Prezi was launched in 2009 with a bold mission: to reimagine how we present. The founders were frustrated with PowerPoint’s linear, slide-by-slide approach.

Prezi’s Zooming User Interface (ZUI)

The primary feature that sets Prezi apart is its “Zooming User Interface” (ZUI). Instead of clicking through slides, you’re navigating around this large canvas by zooming in to see details and zooming out to see the big picture.

3 Main Prezi products: Prezi Present, Prezi Video, and Prezi Design

Over time, Prezi has evolved into three main products:

1. Prezi Present: The original presentation tool (zooming canvas for creating dynamic presentations).
2. Prezi Video: Put your content right next to you on video calls.
3. Prezi Design: Create infographics, reports, and other visual content that isn’t necessarily a presentation.

Most recently. Prezi introduced Prezi AI. It lets you generate Prezi presentations in seconds with text prompts.

Prezi vs. PowerPoint & Google Slides

The primary difference between PowerPoint and Google Slides is their linear approach. It’s like reading a book one page at a time.

Meanwhile, Prezi makes presentations more dynamic and engaging with its zooming canvas. You can seamlessly zoom in on details, pan between sections, or jump back to previous points. This creates a sense of motion that keeps the audience’s attention.

Cloud-Based vs. Desktop App

Prezi is primarily cloud-based, allowing you to access it through your browser. All your presentations are stored online.

This is great for collaboration. Multiple people can work on the same Prezi simultaneously.

However, Prezi also offers a desktop app you can download if you need to present offline or prefer working with installed software. This is great if you know the Wifi will be spotty and need the certainty that you’ll be able to access your Prezi.

The cloud-based approach also means you can present from any device with an Internet connection. For example, you can pull up Prezi on your phone to show clients during unexpected meetings.

Who is Prezi Best For?

Here’s who Prezi is best for:

• Teachers can use Prezi to create interactive lessons and tell stories that captivate students in both the classroom and online settings.
• Students can use Prezi to make dynamic presentations that engage viewers more than static slides.
• Business professionals can use Prezi to deliver compelling sales pitches, marketing reports, and meeting presentations.
• Marketing teams can use Prezi to create compelling client presentations and visual stories that drive conversions.
• Designers can use Prezi to showcase their portfolios, design infographics, and present non-linear narratives.
• Event organizers can use Prezi to create impactful visuals, conduct workshops, and keep audiences engaged.

Prezi Key Features

Here are Prezi’s key features:

• Give Prezi a text prompt and use AI to create engaging, editable presentations in seconds.
• A zoomable canvas that navigates between topics rather than flipping slides.​
• 210+ professionally designed templates to build presentations quickly.​
• An abundant library of media, including images, video, audio, and effects.​
• Prezi Video to show the presenter and content together on screen for remote talks.​​
• Real‑time collaboration with co‑editing and commenting for teams.​
• Easy sharing via links with options to present live or record as a video.​
• Presenter view with notes and timing tools on a separate screen.​
• Export to PDF or PPTX so presentations work without Internet access.

How to Use Prezi

Here is how I used Prezi AI to generate an editable presentation in seconds:

1. Create a Prezi Account
2. Choose Your Role
3. Create a Presentation
4. Start with an Idea
5. Describe Your Idea
6. Adjust Your Outline
7. Change the Colors & Design
8. View the Presentation
9. Go to the Editor
10. Rearrange & Edit Frames
11. Use the Editing Tools
12. Edit the Elements
13. Preview, Present, & Share

Step 1: Create a Prezi Account

I started by going to prezi.com and selecting “Get Started” on the top right.

Step 2: Choose Your Role

After creating an account and starting my 14-day free trial, Prezi asked me to specify my current role:

• Student
• Educator
• Business
• Other

Step 3: Create a Presentation

Next, Prezi asked how I would like to get started:

• Create a presentation
• Record a video
• Create an infographic
• Explore examples

Since I wanted to try Prezi AI, I selected “Create a presentation.”

Step 4: Start with an Idea

Prezi gave me two options:

• Start with an idea (create from a prompt in a few seconds)
• Start from a file (transform or enhance existing documents and presentations)

I chose “Start with an idea” to see what Prezi’s AI was capable of.

Step 5: Describe Your Idea

Next, Prezi gave me an empty prompt field to describe my idea and generate a presentation outline. Here’s what I came up with:

“Tell the story of how everyday people use AI to think faster and work smarter.”

Step 6: Adjust Your Outline

Seconds later, Prezi generated an outline of talking points I could directly edit and reorder. I was happy with everything, so I hit “Create presentation.”

Immediately, Prezi got to work. About a minute later, the presentation was finished.

Step 7: Change the Colors & Design

On the right panel were different color palettes and designs I could apply with a single click.

Step 8: View the Presentation

At the bottom were some arrows I could click to view my presentation slides.

Step 9: Go to the Editor

Navigating through the presentation was effortless. I selected “Go to the editor” at the bottom of the panel to edit the slides.

Step 10: Rearrange & Edit Frames

Within the editor, the left panel gave me an overview of the frames in my presentation. I could rearrange these frames or view the menu for each to see more options (e.g., editing the sound, setting the frame as a starting point, or viewing presenter notes).

Step 11: Use the Editing Tools

At the top were my editing tools:

• Style
• Text
• Media
• Shape
• Story block
• Animation
• Planet topic
• Page topic
• Presenter notes
• My library
• AI images

Step 12: Edit the Elements

Every element in each frame was clickable, allowing me to easily tweak colors, swap visuals, or move things around effortlessly.

Overall, I found the editor easy to navigate. I could easily build and adjust each section without slowing down.

Step 13: Preview, Present, & Share

Once I was happy with everything, I could preview, present, and share my presentation via links. I could also download it as PPTX or PDF. These options were available to me on the top right.

Overall, Prezi made creating a presentation quick and easy, generating an outline with AI and allowing for customization of each frame. Once generated, I could easily tweak the visuals, adjust layouts, and share my work without any technical hurdles.

Top 3 Prezi Alternatives

Here are the best Prezi alternatives:

Plus AI

The first Prezi alternative I’d recommend is Plus AI. With it, you can create and edit professional presentations directly in PowerPoint or Google Slides.

Both tools make presentations more engaging, but in different ways. Prezi uses zooming, motion, and a non-linear structure. Meanwhile, Plus AI focuses on AI-assisted slide creation, editing, and formatting within familiar apps.

Plus AI offers features such as one-click “Remix” to transform slide layouts, AI layouts, automatic images and icons, and the ability to convert PDFs or Word files into PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations. It also supports team collaboration with custom templates and branding. Meanwhile, Prezi stands out for its interactive canvas and visual storytelling.

Choose Plus AI for AI slide creation in Google Slides or PowerPoint. Otherwise, choose Prezi for dynamic presentations that are non-linear.

Read my Plus AI review or visit Plus AI!

Slides AI

The next Prezi alternative I’d recommend is Slides AI. It uses ChatGPT to turn text, notes, or documents into slides in Google Slides or PowerPoint.

Both Prezi and Slides AI make presentations easier and more engaging. Prezi uses a zooming canvas to illustrate connections between ideas. Meanwhile, Slides AI automates slide creation, formatting, and visuals.

Slides AI stands out for its seamless integration with Google Slides and PowerPoint, support for 100+ languages, and AI tools that shorten, rephrase, and remix content. Meanwhile, Prezi emphasizes dynamic zooming presentations that make storytelling interactive.

Choose Slides AI for AI-assisted slide creation. Otherwise, choose Prezi for engaging, non-linear presentations.

Read my Slides AI review or visit Slides AI!

Fotor AI Presentation Maker

The final Prezi alternative I’d recommend is Fotor AI Presentation Maker. Fotor uses AI to turn your ideas into professional presentations. These presentations come complete with automatically generated text, visuals, and layouts.

On the one hand, Fotor stands out for its AI draft generation, smart layouts, templates, data visualization, animations, and support on multiple devices. Meanwhile, Prezi stands out with its non-linear storytelling and zooming canvas that highlights connections between ideas.

Choose Fotor for AI-assisted slides and templates. Otherwise, choose Prezi for dynamic presentations that focus on idea connections.

Read my Fotor review or visit Fotor!

Prezi Review: The Right Tool For You?

Overall, Prezi made creating presentations with AI quick and enjoyable. All I had to do was describe my presentation, and Prezi generated everything for me in minutes. The AI-generated outlines saved me time, while the zooming canvas allowed me to build an engaging story effortlessly.

For me, Prezi works best when I want presentations to feel dynamic and engaging. But if that’s not what you’re going for, you might want to try one of these alternatives:

• Plus AI is best for creating slides with AI in PowerPoint or Google Slides.
• Slides AI is best for quickly turning text or notes into slides.
• Fotor AI Presentation Maker is best for AI-generated presentations with automatic layouts and visuals.

Thanks for reading my Prezi review! I hope you found it helpful.

Prezi offers a 14-day free trial. Try it for yourself and see how you like it!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Prezi still free?

Yes, Prezi still offers a free version, called Prezi Basic. It allows you to create up to five presentations.

Is Prezi like Canva?

Canva is better than Prezi for general design needs. It offers significantly more templates and strong collaboration features. Meanwhile, Prezi is better suited for non-linear storytelling, thanks to its unique zooming interface.

What is the difference between Prezi and PowerPoint?

Prezi uses a non-linear canvas with zooming for dynamic presentations. Meanwhile, PowerPoint uses a traditional slide-based format for professional content.

What is Prezi used for?

Prezi is used for creating visually engaging presentations, videos, and designs through a large canvas rather than traditional slides.

Are people still using Prezi?

Yes, people are still using Prezi. They have over 160 million users worldwide as of 2025. While its popularity has shifted since its peak in the early 2010s, it remains a relevant tool.