7 interactive presentation tools for workshops, trainings and talks

An interactive presentation tool lets your audience answer while you present: vote in a poll, take a quiz, ask a question or add a word to a cloud. The results show up live, so a talk becomes a conversation. The big difference between tools is where people answer: on their phone at a website, in the meeting chat, or in an app.

We make Claryoo, so it's on this list. We've tried to be fair about where others fit better.

Quick picks

1. Claryoo

Claryoo is an AI co-host for live sessions. On Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams, it joins the call and runs polls, quizzes and volunteer picks that people answer by typing in the meeting chat, with no code or second screen. In a room, people scan a QR code and answer on their phones. Put your slides and questions in one deck and press Next as you go; on your side only, you see who's with you and who has gone quiet. When the session ends, you get the decisions, follow-ups by name and the results.

Best for: facilitators, trainers and speakers running sessions on a video call. The catch: no word clouds, and it isn't a slide-design tool. Pricing: free plan with 2 session hours a month; Starter $19 a month; Pro $39 a month. Start free.

2. Mentimeter

Mentimeter is built around the presentation: you build slides with polls, word clouds, quizzes and Q&A, and results build on the big screen. People join at menti.com with a code.

Best for: keynotes, lectures and talks where the visuals carry the session. The catch: on a video call, people switch to a second screen to answer. Pricing: free plan; Basic from $11.99 a month billed yearly. See Mentimeter alternatives.

3. Slido

Slido, part of Webex by Cisco, is strongest at audience Q&A: people ask anonymously and upvote each other's questions, and hosts can review them first. It also runs polls, quizzes and word clouds, and works inside PowerPoint and Google Slides.

Best for: town halls, all-hands and conferences. The catch: for a small workshop, it gives you results rather than a read on the room. Pricing: free Basic plan. See Slido alternatives.

4. AhaSlides

AhaSlides is a slide-based tool like Mentimeter, with more game moments: quizzes with a leaderboard, a spinner wheel, word clouds, Q&A and an idea board. People join by QR code or link.

Best for: trainers and teachers who want lots of activity types. The catch: people follow along on their own device. Pricing: free plan for up to 50 participants.

5. Poll Everywhere

Poll Everywhere puts live polls inside PowerPoint, Google Slides and Canva. People respond at the presenter's link, such as PollEv.com/yourname, with word clouds, Q&A and clickable images.

Best for: presenters who want polls inside the deck they already use. The catch: the free plan caps the audience at 40 people.

6. Kahoot!

Kahoot! is a quiz game: players join with a game PIN and race the clock for points and a spot on the podium. It has apps for Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

Best for: team events, kickoffs and classroom review. The catch: less suited to opinions or discussion. See Kahoot alternatives.

7. Wooclap

Wooclap is built for active learning, with more than 20 question types, including quizzes, word clouds, matching and brainstorming. People join with a code.

Best for: teachers and L&D teams. The catch: the free plan is limited to 5 questions a month.

How to choose an interactive presentation tool

1. Where is your audience? On a video call, pick a tool that works where people already are, the meeting chat, so nobody leaves the call. In a room, a QR code on phones works well.
2. What's the session for? Q&A-led events suit Slido; visual talks suit Mentimeter; games suit Kahoot! or AhaSlides; workshops and trainings where you need to know who's following suit Claryoo.
3. What happens after? Some tools give you a results export; others give you the decisions and follow-ups.
4. Check the free plan limits against your audience size before the day.

FAQ

What is an interactive presentation tool?

Software that lets your audience take part while you present: polls, quizzes, Q&A, word clouds or games, with results shown live.

What is the best free interactive presentation tool?

It depends on your audience. Mentimeter, Slido and AhaSlides all have free plans for slide-led sessions. For sessions on Zoom, Google Meet or Teams, Claryoo's free plan gives you 2 session hours a month, and people answer in the meeting chat.

How do I make a presentation interactive on Zoom?

Add a poll or quiz every 10 to 15 minutes, ask questions people can answer in the chat, and leave time for Q&A. See how to make a Zoom meeting interactive.

Can I use my own PowerPoint slides?

Slido and Poll Everywhere work inside PowerPoint. Mentimeter can import slides. In Claryoo, you upload your slides as a PDF and put polls and quizzes between them.