How Clikr compares to other presentation clickers
This is Clikr’s own, honest comparison of the main ways to use your phone as a presentation clicker. Rather than rank named products whose features and prices change often, it weighs Clikr against the broad categories of tools people choose between, and states plainly where each one fits.
What to look for in a phone clicker:
- Which presentation tools it can control
- Whether it can point at the screen, not just click to the next slide
- What you have to install or carry: a phone app, a browser extension, or a separate device
- How private the connection between phone and computer is
- How you pay: a one-time price, a subscription, or a hardware purchase
Free to start. Installs in your desktop browser, open this on your computer to add it.
Phone clickers, apps, and hardware compared
Categories of tools, not specific products. A check means it does the job well, a dash means it does not, and a tilde means it depends on the tool. The Clikr column is exact.
| What to look for | Clikr | Browser-extension clicker (single deck) | Native phone app (Bluetooth) | Hardware clicker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works with many decks | ✓ Google Slides, PowerPoint for the web, Keynote, Reveal.js, Slides.com, Mentimeter | – Usually one deck, often Google Slides | ~ Varies by app | ✓ Any deck on the screen |
| Point at the screen (laser, spotlight) | ✓ Laser pointer free; spotlight, magnifier, and draw with Pro | – Often advance only | – Usually next and previous only | ~ Some have a built-in physical laser |
| No phone app to install | ✓ Open a link or scan a QR code | ~ A browser extension plus a phone app or page | – Install the companion app | ✓ No phone app |
| No extra hardware | ✓ Your phone is the remote | ✓ Your phone is the remote | ✓ Your phone is the remote | – A separate device to buy and charge |
| Private, direct connection | ✓ Peer to peer over WebRTC | ~ Varies by tool | ~ Bluetooth pairing | ✓ Local Bluetooth or USB receiver |
| One-time price, no subscription | ✓ One-time payment, 14-day trial | ~ Some free, some subscription | ~ Some free, some paid | ✓ One-time hardware purchase |
When a hardware clicker still makes sense
A dedicated remote is genuinely the right call in a few situations.
- Your deck runs from a native desktop app with no browser version, so there is no browser tab for Clikr to control.
- You are on a locked-down presenting computer where you cannot install a browser extension.
- You want one physical button with no phone, no link, and no setup at all.
If your slides live in a web-based tool, though, your phone can do the same job, and it can point at the screen too.
Why people pick Clikr
Each reason maps to a real feature, not a marketing claim.
- One tool for many decks. Google Slides, PowerPoint for the web, Keynote for the web, Reveal.js, Slides.com, and Mentimeter. See the Google Slides clicker guide and the PowerPoint clicker guide for platform details.
- It points, not just clicks. A laser pointer on the free tier, plus spotlight, magnifier, and draw mode on Pro.
- Nothing to install on your phone, no extra hardware. Open a link or scan a QR code, and your phone is the remote.
- Private by design. Your phone and computer talk directly over an encrypted peer-to-peer WebRTC connection, and Firestore only handles the brief pairing handshake.
- One-time payment, no subscription. The free tier covers the laser pointer, swiping slides, scrolling, and reload, and there is a 14-day Pro trial.
Ready to try it? Add Clikr to Chrome or Firefox and pair your phone in seconds.
Common questions about phone clickers
Short answers to what people ask when they are deciding between a phone clicker, an app, and a hardware remote.
No clicker. No app. Just your phone and a link.
Add Clikr to your desktop browser and your next talk has a laser pointer, spotlight, and pen built in.
Free to start. Installs in your desktop browser, open this on your computer to add it.