Designing the Pros and Cons Slide [Compare & Clarify]

We were working on a presentation for a client recently, and in the middle of the project, our client, Sarah, asked us:

"Why does the pros and cons slide always end up being so... boring? Is there a better way to use it?"

Our Creative Director answered:

“Because people treat it like a checklist instead of an opportunity to actually engage the audience.”

Here’s the thing: the pros and cons slide is often misunderstood. It’s one of those slides that’s either used as a crutch or avoided entirely. But when done right, it can actually help you make your point in a way that’s both clear and impactful.

So, in this blog, we’re going to break down how to make a pros and cons slide that doesn’t fail, and when it actually works (and when it doesn’t).

In case you didn't know, we specialize in only one thing: making presentations. We can help you by designing your slides and writing your content too.

The Problem with How Everyone Builds the Pros & Cons Slide

Here's what typically happens: Someone opens PowerPoint, creates two columns, slaps "Pros" on the left and "Cons" on the right, dumps in some bullet points, maybe adds green and red colors because apparently, we're all traffic lights now, and calls it done.

The result? A slide that doesn't actually help anyone think.

We worked with a healthcare startup last year that was pitching a major strategic pivot to their investors. Their original pros and cons slide had eight pros and seven cons, all given equal visual weight, no hierarchy, no context. Just fifteen things fighting for attention.

When we asked them which points actually mattered most to their decision, they pointed to three items. Three out of fifteen.

So why were the other twelve even there?

Because somewhere along the way, we all got it in our heads that thoroughness equals helpfulness. It doesn't. Thoroughness without prioritization is just noise with better documentation.

Designing a Pros and Cons Slide Actually Work

1. Clarity: No One Wants to Read a Novel

We’re in the era of information overload. People don’t have time to read a dense list of bullet points, especially in a presentation. So, why would you make them? The first rule of a good pros and cons slide is clarity. You don’t need to include every possible point. Pick the most important, impactful pros and cons that directly relate to your argument or decision-making process.

This is where most people get it wrong. They think the more they list, the more convincing they’ll sound. They don’t stop to think about whether each point is truly valuable to the audience. Here's the thing: no one cares about minor details. Sure, it’s nice to show that the product or idea you’re presenting is well-rounded, but cluttering your pros and cons slide with every nit-picky advantage and disadvantage will just confuse people.

Instead, focus on the big stuff, highlight the most significant pros and cons. For example, if you’re comparing two products, don’t just say, “Product A is faster.” Say something like, “Product A saves you 5 hours a week in work time.” Now you’ve got their attention.

2. Balance: Don’t Make It One-Sided

Let’s talk about balance. When done right, a pros and cons slide gives both sides a fair shot. It’s tempting to pile on the positives and downplay the negatives, but that’s not how you build credibility. If you’re presenting a solution or an idea to an audience, you want to give them a complete view. And that means honestly addressing the cons, even if it’s uncomfortable.

Think of it this way: nobody trusts a pitch that’s all rainbows and unicorns. If all you show are the benefits and ignore the potential drawbacks, you’re setting yourself up for failure. People are smart. They know every decision comes with trade-offs, and they’ll see right through your attempt to gloss over the bad stuff.

On the flip side, don’t go overboard on the cons either. You’re not there to drag the idea through the mud. Your goal isn’t to tear it apart, it’s to help your audience see both the upsides and the downsides in a way that feels fair and thoughtful. Overloading the cons section will make the whole idea seem unappealing, and you’ll lose your audience’s trust.

A balanced pros and cons slide should let your audience know exactly what they’re getting into. And it should do that in a way that feels objective, not like you’re trying to sell them something, but rather like you’re giving them the facts to make their own decision.

3. Purpose: Use the Slide to Drive Your Narrative

The best pros and cons slides aren’t random. They don’t just show up in your presentation because “they’re supposed to be there.” They serve a specific purpose. Your pros and cons slide should actively support your argument. It’s not a filler slide; it’s a strategic tool that drives your message forward.

This means you need to tie your pros and cons back to the bigger narrative of the presentation. Whether you’re making a sales pitch or presenting a project proposal, the pros and cons slide should act as a reinforcement of your key message. The pros should highlight the things that make your idea or product valuable, and the cons should acknowledge the risks or limitations without undermining the core argument.

For example, if you’re pitching a new product, your pros might include things like efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and innovation. Your cons might mention implementation time or training costs. But even in the cons, you can frame them in a way that makes the drawbacks seem manageable or addressable.

Let’s be clear: the cons shouldn’t distract from the core benefits of your idea or product. If they do, you’ve failed at balancing your slide. The purpose of this slide is to allow your audience to see the full picture but still leave them feeling like the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

4. Structure: Less is More

One of the most effective ways to make a pros and cons slide work is through smart, minimal design. The simpler, the better. You don’t need to create a wall of text to communicate your points. Stick to short, sharp sentences or phrases that drive home the point quickly.

The layout should also be easy to follow. If you’re using a two-column format, make sure the pros and cons are clearly separated, visually and contextually. But don’t stop there. Play with the design to add emphasis where it’s needed. For example, you might highlight the most critical pros in bold or use color coding to indicate which points are deal-breakers versus just minor inconveniences.

Also, consider using visuals to complement your points. A simple icon can go a long way in making a point stand out. If you’re listing a pro like “saves time,” a clock icon next to it adds meaning instantly. If your con is “high initial cost,” you could pair it with a dollar sign. Simple images or symbols can make your slide more engaging and easier to digest.

But above all, remember that less is more. People won’t remember every single bullet point on your slide, so make the ones that matter the most count.

5. Prioritization: What Really Matters?

Now, here's the real secret: prioritize your points. What’s the most important thing for your audience to know? Focus on that. And if you’re comparing multiple options, make sure you’re presenting the pros and cons in a way that clearly shows which option is better and why.

This means you don’t need to go into exhaustive detail about every single point. Instead, you should be laser-focused on the few aspects that really make or break the decision. Is one pro more powerful than the rest? Highlight it. Is one con a deal-breaker? Emphasize it. Don’t bury the key points under a sea of less important ones.

Think about your audience’s decision-making process. They’re not looking for a thesis, they’re looking for clarity. And the way you present that clarity is through prioritization.

When to Skip the Pros and Cons Slide

We’re not saying you need to use a pros and cons slide in every presentation. There are times when it just doesn’t fit the narrative. If your presentation is about convincing someone of the value of something, then a pros and cons slide might not be the best option. Instead, you could present the benefits and disadvantages through storytelling or by addressing potential concerns more organically.

Sometimes, forcing a pros and cons slide into your deck will just make it feel like you’re trying too hard to be “fair.” You don’t need a pros and cons slide just for the sake of it. If the benefits of your solution are obvious and outweigh the cons by a landslide, just skip the slide altogether.

What a Pros and Cons Slide Needs to Do (Goals to Map)

Let's get clear on the job here. A pros and cons slide isn't a comprehensive archive of every possible consideration. It's a decision-making tool. Big difference.

Your slide needs to do three things...

First, it needs to make the critical factors immediately visible.

Not all pros and cons are created equal. Some are deal-breakers. Some are nice-to-haves. Some are theoretical concerns that sound scary but won't actually matter in practice. Your design should make these distinctions obvious at a glance.

Second, it needs to provide context.

A "con" that says "High upfront cost" means nothing without knowing whether we're talking about $5,000 or $5,000,000, or whether that cost pays for itself in six months or six years. Raw points without context don't help people decide, they just give them ammunition to argue.

Third, and this is the one everyone forgets, it needs to guide people toward a conclusion.

Yes, even a pros and cons slide has a point of view. You're not a court stenographer neutrally transcribing both sides. You presumably have a recommendation. Your slide should support that recommendation while still being honest about the trade-offs.

Design Mistakes Most People Make With this Slide

We need to talk about color because apparently this is where everyone's design sense goes to die.

Stop using red and green for cons and pros.

Just stop. Not only is it visually aggressive and hard for colorblind people to distinguish, it triggers this weird psychological response where people start treating the slide like a scoreboard. "Well, there are more items in green, so I guess that means we should do it?" No. That's not how decisions work.

We typically use neutral tones, subtle shading, or even the same color for both sides. The point isn't to make pros look good and cons look scary. The point is to lay out the reality of the situation so people can think clearly about it.

Then there's the two-column trap.

Not every comparison needs to be side-by-side. Sometimes a different structure makes way more sense. We designed a pros and cons slide for a SaaS company that was evaluating whether to build or buy a particular feature.

Instead of two columns, we created a decision matrix that plotted each consideration against two axes: impact on users and implementation complexity. Suddenly, the decision wasn't about counting points. It was about understanding which quadrant contained the factors that mattered most to their specific situation.

---

Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?

If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.

How To Get Started?

If you want to hire us for your presentation design project, the process is extremely easy.

Just click on the "Start a Project" button on our website, calculate the price, make payment, and we'll take it from there.

---

Explore Case Studies    | Start A Project    | Join Our Newsletter