Free alternative to Gamma

Home › Guides · Last checked 2026-10-26 · Facts verified from each project's docs unless marked tested

The closest free alternative to Gamma is Presenton, an open-source (Apache 2.0) AI presentation generator. Give it a prompt, a document or your own PowerPoint design and it builds a deck you can drag-edit and export as a fully editable PPTX or a PDF. The desktop app (Mac, Windows and Linux) and the Docker version are free with no usage limits; you bring the model, either your own API key or a local one through Ollama or LM Studio. The catch: releases are still labeled beta, and deck quality depends on the model you connect.

	Gamma	Presenton
Cost	Free start; paid plans with monthly credits (Gamma Help Center: how credits work)	Free desktop and self-hosted; optional paid Cloud
Free limits	400 credits once, no refresh	None set by the desktop app
AI model	Gamma's built-in models	Your choice: local (Ollama, LM Studio) or your own API key
Output	Decks in Gamma's editor	Editable PPTX and PDF
Runs where	Gamma's servers	Your computer or your own server (Docker)
License	Commercial service	Apache 2.0
Catch	Credits run out on Free	Beta software; you set up the model

Make a deck in 5 steps

Download the desktop app from the Presenton download page and FAQ, or run it with Docker: docker run -it --name presenton -p 5001:80 -v "./app_data:/app_data" ghcr.io/presenton/presenton:latest and open http://localhost:5001.
Pick a text provider in settings: a local model in Ollama or LM Studio, an API key or Sign in with ChatGPT.
Pick an image source, such as Pexels or Pixabay stock photos or an image model.
Type a prompt or upload a document, choose a built-in template and generate.
Drag-edit the slides, then export to PPTX or PDF.

Tips

Upload your company's PowerPoint to create a matching template, so every generated deck uses your fonts and layouts.
For air-gapped or strictly private setups, the README says to set PRESENTON_COMMUNITY_ENABLED=false so the app stops calling the community gallery service.
A small local model can produce thin slides; check what your GPU can handle before downloading a bigger one.

The catches

Beta: every recent desktop release is tagged beta.
Bring a model: you either pay an API provider or run a local model on capable hardware.
Platform gaps: the latest desktop release lists only Mac and Linux files; Windows users may need Docker.

When Gamma is still worth paying for

If you want to make decks in a browser with no install or don't want to manage AI keys and models, Gamma does that out of the box. Presenton wins when you need real PowerPoint files, make lots of decks or want your content to stay on your own machine.

Sources: Presenton README and GitHub license (Apache-2.0), Presenton releases (0.9.11-beta, September 21, 2026), Presenton download page and FAQ, Presenton pricing page, Gamma Help Center: how credits work (all checked 2026-10-26). We have no affiliate link with either. See all free writing tools or read free ChatPDF alternative.

FAQ

How does Gamma charge?

Gamma's Help Center (checked 2026-10-26) says AI features use credits, metered per slide and per image. New Free users get 400 credits once; on the Free plan credits don't refresh, so you earn more through referrals (200 each, up to 2,000 held) or upgrade. Paid plans refill monthly; its example is the Plus plan with 1,000 monthly credits. Gamma's pricing page blocked our fetch today, so we don't quote a price.

Is Presenton really free?

The desktop app and self-hosted version are. The README says it's fully open source under Apache 2.0, and the download page FAQ says the desktop app has no hidden fees, subscriptions or usage limits. If you connect a paid API such as OpenAI or Anthropic, that provider bills you. Presenton also sells a hosted Cloud plan, where one generated slide uses one credit, per its pricing page.

Can it run without sending my content to the cloud?

Yes, with a local model. The download FAQ says that with local models and local media services, presentation content can stay in your environment, while a cloud text, image or search provider receives the relevant prompts and content.

Which AI models does it work with?

The README lists Ollama, LM Studio, OpenAI, Gemini, Vertex AI, Azure OpenAI, Amazon Bedrock, Fireworks, Together AI, Anthropic and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint. It also offers Sign in with ChatGPT using a free or paid ChatGPT account. For images it lists GPT Image 2, Gemini Flash, Pexels or Pixabay.

Can I export to PowerPoint?

Yes. Presenton exports editable PPTX and PDF, and the download FAQ says the PPTX files are fully editable in PowerPoint, Google Slides or compatible software. You can also generate a reusable template from an existing PowerPoint file.

Which platforms are supported?

The latest desktop release, 0.9.11-beta (September 21, 2026), lists macOS (.dmg) and Linux (.deb and AppImage) files. The README also lists a Windows x64 installer, and the Docker image runs on any system with Docker.