Deckcell vs Efficient Elements
Deckcell and Efficient Elements for presentations both offer layout tools, smart elements such as Harvey balls, agenda slides and presentation checks for PowerPoint. Deckcell adds data-driven charts with Excel links, 200 slide templates, and runs in PowerPoint on the web and Google Slides. Efficient Elements has more checks and a few desktop-only tools.
Last updated 24 October 2026
At a glance
| As of 24 October 2026 | Deckcell | Efficient Elements |
|---|---|---|
| PowerPoint for Windows | Yes | YesPowerPoint 2021, 2024 or Microsoft 365; Windows 10/11 |
| PowerPoint for Mac | Yes | YesmacOS 13+; feature set and interface differ from Windows |
| PowerPoint on the web | Yes | NoNot listed in requirements |
| Google Slides | Yes | NoNot listed in requirements |
| Layout tools (align, dock, stretch, fill, Magic Resizer) | Yes | Yes |
| Harvey balls, traffic lights, percent bars, evaluation, thermometers | Yes | Yes |
| Agenda wizard | Yes | Yes |
| Presentation checks | 17 rules | 25+ rules |
| Data-driven charts with a datasheet and Excel links | 16 types | Gantt and diagramsVia its Element Wizard |
Where Deckcell is different
Charts
16 data-driven chart types, from waterfalls and Mekkos to scatter and Gantt, with CAGR arrows and Excel links.
Runs in more places
PowerPoint on the web and Google Slides as well as Windows and Mac desktop.
200 templates
16 categories of frameworks and layouts, plus role packs.
One add-in everywhere
The same add-in runs on Windows, Mac and the web; differences come only from which PowerPoint API version a platform supports.
Where Efficient Elements is ahead
More checks
Efficient Elements lists 25 or more presentation-check rules; Deckcell has 17.
Master Wizard and template management
Stamps on the slide master and managing your own or clients’ templates. Add-in APIs can’t edit the master, so Deckcell can’t do this.
E-mail and export
E-mailing slides and saving selected slides as PDF. Add-ins can’t open a mail message, and PowerPoint exports PDF only for the whole deck.
Hide and unhide objects
Temporarily hiding shapes, which add-ins can do only on some PowerPoint versions.
Interface settings
Efficient Elements has expert tools and language settings; Deckcell’s pane is in English only for now.
Frequently asked questions
Does Efficient Elements work on Mac?
Yes. Its requirements list PowerPoint 2021, 2024 or Microsoft 365 on macOS 13 or later, and note that the Mac version’s features and interface differ from Windows.
Does Efficient Elements work in Google Slides or PowerPoint on the web?
Its published requirements list desktop PowerPoint on Windows and Mac only. Deckcell runs in both.
Can Deckcell replace Efficient Elements and think-cell together?
For most teams, yes. See what maps to what.
Spend the evening on the story, not the formatting
Deckcell is in early access. Join the list and we’ll set you and your team up.
Join early access