Softwr

Productivity · head to head

FigJam vs Google Slides

FigJam logo

FigJam

Productivity

Free online whiteboard for teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Google Slides logo

Google Slides

Productivity

Google's browser presentation editor, free with a Google account and included in every Workspace edition

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: FigJam organization and Enterprise tiers are billed annually only, with no monthly billing option; Google Slides fonts are limited to what Google hosts, so a brand's licensed typeface cannot be installed, and decks built to a corporate template either substitute a lookalike or lose the visual identity the template exists to enforce.
  • They diverge on capability: FigJam covers Infinite whiteboard, Google Slides covers Simultaneous editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FigJam and Google Slides actually diverge.

Attributes where FigJam and Google Slides differ
AttributeFigJamGoogle Slides
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in FigJam

  • Infinite whiteboard
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Sticky notes
  • Drawing tools
  • Shapes
  • Widgets
  • Templates
  • Voting

Only in Google Slides

  • Simultaneous editing
  • Version history
  • Comments and suggestions
  • PowerPoint import and export
  • Linked charts from Sheets
  • Presenter view
  • Offline editing
  • Apps Script and add-ons

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

FigJam

  • Teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing Figma plannot Google Slides

Google Slides

  • A deck several people must build at once before a deadline, where merging emailed versions would be the actual failure mode.not FigJam
  • Recurring reports where the charts should update from a spreadsheet rather than being pasted in again each time.not FigJam
  • Teaching and classroom use, where the tool is free and runs on inexpensive hardware.not FigJam
  • Sharing a deck with people outside the organisation by link rather than as an attachment that immediately goes stale.not FigJam

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

FigJam

  • Organization and Enterprise tiers are billed annually only, with no monthly billing option
  • Free Starter plan caps AI credit usage at 150 credits per day and 500 per month, well below the 3,000 monthly AI credits on a Professional full seat

Google Slides

  • Fonts are limited to what Google hosts, so a brand's licensed typeface cannot be installed, and decks built to a corporate template either substitute a lookalike or lose the visual identity the template exists to enforce.
  • PowerPoint conversion is lossy in both directions, with animations, transitions, embedded video, diagrams and precise positioning all liable to shift, so a deck that must end up in a client's PowerPoint needs checking slide by slide and is often rebuilt.
  • Offline access has to be arranged before the connection is lost, so a deck not marked for offline use in advance is simply unavailable, which is a recurring failure on the way to present at a customer site.
  • Animation, master slide control, image editing and typographic precision sit behind PowerPoint and Keynote, so design-led work meets a ceiling that no add-on removes and the designers work elsewhere.
  • The governance features an organisation eventually needs, including retention and legal hold, data loss prevention and data residency controls, belong to higher Workspace editions, so a tool adopted because it was free carries an upgrade cost that surfaces only when compliance asks.

Pricing, plan by plan

FigJam

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited editable boards
    • Basic tools
    • Unlimited viewers
  • Paid$5/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced templates
    • Moderation tools

Google Slides

Free
  • Starter$6.8/month
    • Google Slides access
    • 30 GB storage
    • Custom business email
  • Standard$13.6/month
    • Google Slides with enhanced features
    • 2 TB storage
    • Advanced email and Gemini capabilities
  • Plus$21.1/month
    • Google Slides with advanced features
    • 5 TB storage
    • Advanced security features

Which should you pick?

Choose FigJam if

  • You need infinite whiteboard.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.

Choose Google Slides if

  • You need simultaneous editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want version history.

Questions people ask

Is FigJam or Google Slides better?
Neither clearly leads. FigJam starts at Free and Google Slides at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FigJam or Google Slides?
FigJam starts at Free and Google Slides at Free.
Does FigJam or Google Slides run on more platforms?
FigJam runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Google Slides runs on Web.
Can I use FigJam for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is FigJam best used for?
FigJam is most often used for teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing figma plan. Of those, teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing figma plan is not what Google Slides is typically brought in for.
What can FigJam do that Google Slides cannot?
FigJam covers Infinite whiteboard, Real-time collaboration, Sticky notes, Drawing tools. Google Slides covers Simultaneous editing, Version history, Comments and suggestions, PowerPoint import and export.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FigJam: Is FigJam included with Figma or sold separately?

FigJam is included at no additional cost with all Figma plans, from the free Starter plan through Enterprise.

Source
Google Slides: Is Google Slides free?

Yes, with a personal Google account and no time limit or feature gate on the editor. What costs money is Workspace, which adds storage, administration and the governance controls.

FigJam: How many AI credits does each Figma plan include for FigJam?

The Professional plan includes 3,000 AI credits per month, Organization plan includes 3,500 AI credits per month, and Enterprise plan includes 4,250 AI credits per month. Starter (free) does not include AI features.

Source
Google Slides: Can I open and edit PowerPoint files?

Yes, and .pptx files can be edited directly in Drive. Complex decks lose animations, effects and exact positioning in the conversion, so check anything that came from a designer.

FigJam: What can I do with FigJam's open sessions feature?

FigJam allows anyone to join open sessions for 24 hours without needing a Figma account, and you can create unlimited open sessions across your team.

Source
Google Slides: Does it work offline?

Yes in Chrome, but only if the file was made available offline beforehand. It cannot be arranged after you have lost the connection, which is when people usually try.

FigJam: What diagramming capabilities does FigJam include?

FigJam includes advanced shapes for technical diagramming such as AWS, GCP, Azure, and Kubernetes components, plus standard diagramming tools and connectors. All these features are available on every paid plan.

Source
Google Slides: Is it good enough for a client-facing deck?

For a standard business deck, yes. For a design-led deck using brand typefaces and animation it will hold you back, and the export to PowerPoint will not be clean.

Share

Related pages

Other head to heads