The short answer: Gamma turns a prompt — or a pasted document — into a finished-looking presentation in about a minute, and its free plan hands you 400 one-time AI credits, enough to build several real decks. The free tier caps you at 10 cards per prompt and stamps a “Made with Gamma” badge on shared and exported decks. If you only make presentations occasionally, that’s plenty. If you build decks weekly, you’ll burn through the credits fast, and Plus (around $9–12 a month) is the natural upgrade.
What Gamma does
Gamma is an AI presentation maker. You give it a topic plus a few details — audience, tone, length — and it generates a complete deck. Instead of rigid slides, Gamma uses “cards”: flexible layouts that hold text, images, charts, and embedded media, and reflow cleanly on desktop and mobile. You can also paste existing text or a document and have Gamma structure it into a deck.
Once generated, you can edit anything inline, regenerate sections you don’t like, restyle the whole deck with one-click themes, and either share it as a web link or export it as a PDF or PowerPoint file. It supports markdown for fast formatting and integrates with tools like Figma and Airtable.
What’s actually free vs. what costs money
| Feature | Free ($0) | Plus (~$12/mo, ~$9 annual) | Pro (~$25/mo, ~$18 annual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI credits | 400 one-time (don’t refresh; earn more via referrals) | 1,000/month | 4,000/month |
| Cards per prompt | Up to 10 | Up to 20 | Up to 50 |
| Branding | Gamma badge on shared/exported decks | Badge removed | Badge removed + custom branding |
| PDF & PowerPoint export | Included | Included | Included |
| Change history | 7 days | 30 days | Unlimited |
| Advanced AI image models, API, custom domains | No | Advanced images | Yes |
There’s also an Ultra tier at $100 a month for power users, but most people will never need it.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Produces a readable, well-structured first draft in under a minute
- Clean, modern default themes that are hard to make ugly
- Cards reflow responsively — decks look right on phones too
- Markdown support for fast text formatting
- The 400 free credits are enough to properly test the product, and PDF/PowerPoint export works on every plan
Cons
- 400 credits don’t refresh and can disappear in a couple of weeks of regular use
- No offline editing — you need an internet connection
- No pixel-exact positioning; you can’t drag elements to precise coordinates
- PowerPoint export can break complex layouts and interactive embeds
- AI-generated text can sound generic and usually needs a rewrite pass in your own voice
- Reviewers flag that free users grant Gamma broad rights to use content for AI training — check the terms before uploading anything proprietary
Who Gamma is best for
Students, freelancers, founders, and anyone who needs a decent-looking deck fast without fighting PowerPoint formatting. It’s not for design perfectionists who want pixel-level control, or for confidential corporate strategy decks (review the content terms first).
Frequently asked questions
Is Gamma free?
Yes. The free plan includes 400 one-time AI credits — enough for several complete presentations. Once they’re used up, you earn more through referrals or upgrade.
Can I export a Gamma deck to PowerPoint for free?
Yes. PPTX and PDF export are available on every plan, including Free. Free exports carry the Gamma badge, and some interactive elements flatten to static content in PowerPoint.
How many presentations can I make on the free plan?
Community estimates put it around 10–20 decks from 400 credits, but it varies — every regeneration or AI rewrite consumes credits, so heavy editing burns through them faster.
Does Gamma work offline?
No. It’s fully browser-based and needs an active internet connection.
The verdict
Gamma’s free tier is a genuine trial with real output — several complete, exportable decks for nothing. It won’t replace a designer or survive a pixel-perfect brand review, but for “I need a solid deck by tomorrow,” it’s one of the best free options available.