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How We Are Different
This table compares MediaGun with its main competitors across 10 crucial criteria.
Media Player | Non‑Multimedia Formats | Contents‑Only Display | PDF/MS‑Office Fullscreen | Seamless Mixed Playback | Standalone Ability | Speed (6 images + 3 videos) | Kiosk Mode | Transitions | User Safety — Validation of Missing File | Supported OSs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MediaGun | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | 🟢 Instant | ✅ | ✅ | 🟢 Full pre-play validation; Run disabled until all items valid | Windows, macOS, Linux |
MediaMonkey | ❌ No [3] | ❌ | ⚠️ (video only [3]) | ⚠️[3] | ✅ | 🟠 Medium | ⚠️ | ⚠️ Limited | 🔴 Not documented | Windows |
Canva | ⚠️(PDF only [6]) | ⚠️ | ⚠️ Limited [6] | ⚠️ | ❌ | 🟠 Medium | ❌ | ✅ | 🔴 Cloud-based (no local validation) | Web, Windows, macOS |
SlideDog | ✅ *Needs external app [1]* | ✅ | ⚠️ Limited [1][2] | ✅ | ❌ | 🟢 Instant | ❌ | ✅ | 🔴 No pre-validation [1] | Windows |
Screen Monkey | ❌[4] | ✅[4] | ✅ (plugins [4]) | ✅[4] | ✅ | 🟠 Medium | ✅ | ⚠️ Limited [4] | 🔴 Not documented | Windows |
APS | ❌[5] | ⚠️[5] | ✅ (PDF slides [5]) | ✅[5] | ✅ | 🟠 Medium | ✅ | ⚠️ Limited (inherited [5]) | 🔴 Not documented | Windows |
PowerPoint | ✅[7] | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | 🔴 Slow | ✅ | ✅[7] | ⚠️ Limited (warns at open time) | Windows, macOS |
Prezi | ⚠️ (PDF import only [9]) | ✅ | ⚠️ Limited [9] | ✅ | ❌ | 🟠 Medium | ❌ | ✅ | 🔴 Cloud-only (no local file validation [9]) | Web, Windows, macOS |
🟢 Excellent 🟠 Average 🔴 Weak / Absent ⚠️ Partial / Limited ✅ Yes ❌ No
Sources
1. SlideDog — Features & format support, use of installed Office: slidedog.com/features and FAQ.
2. SlideDog support article (“What files can I use in SlideDog?”).
3. MediaMonkey official wiki and product page (audio/video scope): mediamonkey.com.
4. Screen Monkey documentation and overview pages (show control signage focus): screenmonkey.co.uk.
5. APS (Auto Presentation Switcher) official manual and vendor site — limited to presentation control.
6. Canva Help Centre (“Offline presenting,” “Supported file types”): canva.com/help.
7. Microsoft PowerPoint documentation (“Transitions,” “Supported file types”).
8. Microsoft support / community articles (“Kiosk mode and self-running presentations”).
9. Prezi Support Centre (“Supported files in Prezi Present,” “PowerPoint converter,” “Add PDFs to Present”): support.prezi.com.
Credibility Footnotes
- Cells marked “Not documented” indicate no verifiable statement found in official sources.
- “Speed” values are comparative (user-experience-based), not benchmarked.
- “User Safety” column: verified only for MediaGun- For others, documentation lacks equivalent mechanisms.
Data accurate to October 2025; third-party features may evolve.
Why MediaGun Is Different
Many people think of PowerPoint or Keynote when they hear “presentation software.” But these tools are built for slide creation, not fast playback of mixed file types. That’s where MediaGun stands apart.
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Instant playback of multiple formats – MediaGun supports MS Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), PDF documents, images, audio, and video. No conversions or extra apps required.
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Seven times faster than PowerPoint – Importing external files into PowerPoint is slow. MediaGun was designed to be up to seven times quicker for this task. Extra bonus: PowerPoint is supported by MediaGun. (see video)
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Seamless user experience – Only the content appears on screen. No menus, toolbars, or clutter to distract your audience.
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Cross-platform support – MediaGun runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it flexible for any setup.
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Works online and offline – Office files can be displayed through SharePoint online, or silently converted to PDF or video for offline playback.
Why Not Just Stick With PowerPoint?
Fair question. But here’s the thing: MediaGun and PowerPoint don’t even play on the same field. In fact, MediaGun supports PowerPoint — so it’s not either/or.
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7x faster setup. Drop in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDFs, images, video, audio — you’ve got a playlist in seconds. (see video)
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No embed headaches. PowerPoint can embed, but it’s slow and fragile. MediaGun plays everything natively, no file bloat or broken links.
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Offline = stress-free. Once built, your playlist runs without Wi-Fi. Zero surprises on stage.
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One player for all formats. PowerPoint was built for slides. MediaGun was built to unite all formats — and yes, that includes your PPTX.
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Complement, don’t replace. Need custom animations? Use PowerPoint. Need to present mixed formats fast and reliably? Use MediaGun. Together, they cover it all.
✅ Try it free for 14 days and see how well they work side by side.