The best PowerPoint to PDF converters make it simple and easy to convert PowerPoint files to PDF documents.
PowerPoint remains the best presentation software, but it's not the best file type for distributing documents to multiple people. Everyone sees a PDF document exactly the same way, so for example, you don't need to worry about whether the recipients have your preferred fonts installed, as they will be embedded within the file.
If you have Microsoft Office 2013 or newer, you can convert Microsoft PowerPoint files to PDF by simply choosing Export as PDF in the File menu. But if you want to perform batch PowerPoint conversions, merge PDFs, or edit PDF files after you've converted the document, you'll be better served by dedicated PDF converter software.
In this article, we look at the best PowerPoint to PDF converters and outline their pros and cons.
We've also featured the best PDF to PowerPoint converters .
1. Soda PDF
An intuitive PDF converter
Reasons to buy
+Intuitive PDF editing tools +Online and desktop versions +Support for many document formats +Speedy conversions
Reasons to avoid
-Free trial has intrusive ads -Features like eSignatures cost extra
Soda PDF is an intuitive PDF converter and editor that you can use to convert PowerPoint documents to PDFs, as well as many other file types. Conversion features are available on the cheapest paid tier, and available throughout all of the other plans.
Soda PDF has both desktop and online versions, but if you don't need access to the online app, you can get the Home version as required.
The software has support for PowerPoint conversion, merging multiple Microsoft Office files into a single PDF, and batch creation of PDFs from multiple PowerPoint files. You can even choose particular page ranges to convert.
An excellent all-in-one PDF conversion and editing tool, Soda PDF is a superb choice if you need to batch convert PowerPoint files to PDFs.
2. Foxit PDF Editor
An outstanding converter for presentations
Reasons to buy
+Video tutorials +Range of import settings +Spell check and re-flow editing +Edit your PDFs after conversion
Reasons to avoid
-Requires a license for each device
Foxit PDF Editor (previously called Phantom PDF) is an excellent candidate for the best PowerPoint to PDF converter available today. With Foxit PDF Editor, you can create templates for your conversions with details such as user permissions, PDFA standards, watermarks, and compression rate.
You can use these templates to greatly speed up your batch PowerPoint to PDF conversions and decrease how much post-conversion editing you need to do. Features include the a range of import settings, such as for headers and footers, as well as spelling and flow checks.
There is an online version called Foxit PDF Editor Online, but this is a much more basic tool.
Overall, we recommend Foxit PDF Editor for PowerPoint-PDF conversions if you enjoy having fine-grained control over the PDFs you generate.
3. PDFElement
Robust PPT to PDF conversion tools
Reasons to buy
+Converts files quickly +Supports many file formats +Excellent PDF editing tools +Integrated support for cloud sharing services
Reasons to avoid
-Expensive license -License doesn't include software updates
Wondershare PDFElement is a PDF editor for Windows and Mac OS with a robust set of conversion tools. You can use it to convert between PowerPoint and PDF, and it also supports a lengthy list of other Microsoft Office document formats and image files.
A license is available by way of an annual subscription or a one-time fee, but PDFElement is one of the more expensive converters featured here.
We found the editing tools to be some of the most intuitive and powerful available, so if you want to change your documents extensively after converting them from PowerPoint to PDF, then Wondershare PDFElement is just the ticket.
- Read our full PDFElement Pro review.
4. Nitro Pro
Best for batch processing
Reasons to buy
+Fast and accurate conversions from PPT to PDF +Transparent, simple pricing plan +14-day trial doesn't require payment details +Support for PDF forms
Reasons to avoid
-No Mac OS app -Minimal product documentation
Nitro Pro is another desktop PDF editing tool with support for PowerPoint-PDF conversions. In fact, around 20 file formats, including Corel Wordperfect (WPD), HTML, and Windows Metafile (WMF), can be converted to PDF. Nitro Pro also has custom options that you can set when importing to PDF, such as the page size of the generated PDF and how compressed any images should be.
Nitro Pro has a 14-day trial. The full version of the software is priced per user, with special pricing for 20 users and above.
Nitro Pro lacks the more advanced PDF editing tools of Soda PDF, and there's no online version, but it's a wonderful choice if you're principally looking for a batch PowerPoint to PDF converter that gives you a great deal of control over the conversion process.
- Read our full Nitro PDF Reader review.
5. Smallpdf
Fast and simple to use converter
Reasons to buy
+256-bit file encryption +Free DOC-PDF conversions online +14-day trial of desktop version available +Good after-sales support
Reasons to avoid
-Requires Pro account for many features -Post-conversion PDF editing tools are basic
Smallpdf is an online-focused PowerPoint to PDF converter, and like most of its competition, it also supports conversion from Word, Excel, and JPG formats. It's free to use for single file conversions, but you'll need a Pro plan to perform batch conversions and use the tool offline. You can check this out using the 14-day free trial, though you need to hand over your payment details first.
Smallpdf is simpler than our other choices and is more of a PDF conversion toolkit than a full-fledged PDF editing tool. Besides converting to and from PDF format, you can split, compress, password protect, eSign, and merge PDFs.
If you're looking for an online PowerPoint to PDF conversion tool that's fast and simple to use, Smallpdf fits the bill.
Read our full Smallpdf review .
We've also featured the best free PDF readers and the best free presentation software .