Think-Cell is the gold standard for PowerPoint chart creation in consulting and finance. Used by all top-10 consulting firms and over 1.3 million professionals, it has dominated the “serious charts in PowerPoint” category for years. At ~€189/user/year, it is an enterprise investment.
Chartissimo takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of building charts inside PowerPoint, it takes charts you have already made — in any tool — and transforms them into presentation-grade visuals with professional styling applied automatically.
Both tools care deeply about chart quality. The difference is where they sit in your workflow and what they ask you to learn.
The Core Difference
Think-Cell is a PowerPoint add-in. It gives you advanced chart types (waterfalls, Marimekko, Gantt) and precise control over every element — directly inside PowerPoint. It replaces PowerPoint’s native charting with something far more capable.
Chartissimo is a standalone web tool. You upload an existing chart (screenshot, export, or any image), specify your brand color, and it rebuilds the chart with professional styling. The output goes into any presentation tool you use.
Think-Cell extends PowerPoint. Chartissimo works alongside whatever tools you already have.
Chart Types and Capabilities
Think-Cell
Think-Cell’s chart library is unmatched for consulting-style visualizations. Over 40 chart types including:
- Waterfall charts with automatic subtotals
- Marimekko (market share) charts
- Gantt charts with calendar integration
- CAGR arrows, difference arrows, and break indicators
- Harvey balls and checkboxes for qualitative comparisons
These are purpose-built for the kind of analytical storytelling consultants and analysts do daily. No other tool offers this depth in PowerPoint.
Chartissimo
Chartissimo focuses on the most common chart types — bar, line, pie, area, scatter — and makes them look exceptional. It does not try to replicate Think-Cell’s specialty chart types.
What it does instead is take a chart that already exists and apply professional-grade styling: typography, color harmony, spacing, label placement, gridlines. The output looks like a designer polished it by hand.
Verdict: Think-Cell has a wider and more specialized chart library. Chartissimo produces higher visual quality on common chart types with zero manual effort.
Workflow
Think-Cell
Think-Cell’s workflow is data-in, chart-out inside PowerPoint. You build charts directly, link them to Excel for live data updates, and style them using Think-Cell’s controls. The learning curve is significant — most companies run training sessions for new hires.
The payoff is precision. Once you know the tool, you can build complex analytical charts faster than any other method. But you are locked into PowerPoint, and every chart requires intentional construction.
Chartissimo
Chartissimo’s workflow is image-in, styled-chart-out. Upload a chart you made anywhere — Excel, Sheets, Tableau, a screenshot from a report — pick your brand color, and get a polished version in seconds. No training required.
The tradeoff is that you do not get Think-Cell’s data-linked precision. If the underlying data changes, you re-upload rather than clicking “refresh.” But for the common scenario of “I have a chart and it needs to look professional for tomorrow’s presentation,” the speed is unmatched.
Verdict: Think-Cell is better for data-heavy, iterative chart workflows. Chartissimo is faster for one-shot chart styling.
Learning Curve
Think-Cell is powerful but complex. New users typically need 2–4 hours of guided training, and proficiency develops over weeks. The interface is dense — there are controls for nearly everything, which is both the strength and the barrier.
Chartissimo requires no training. Upload, pick a color, download. The entire workflow takes under 60 seconds the first time.
Verdict: Chartissimo wins on accessibility. Think-Cell wins on depth once mastered.
Platform and Compatibility
| Think-Cell | Chartissimo | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | PowerPoint add-in (Windows, Mac) | Web app (any browser) |
| Works with | PowerPoint only | Any presentation tool (Slides, PowerPoint, Keynote, Figma) |
| Data source | Excel live link | Any chart image |
| Installation | Desktop software install | None (browser-based) |
| IT approval needed | Usually yes | No |
Think-Cell’s PowerPoint lock-in is a feature for PowerPoint-centric teams and a limitation for everyone else. Chartissimo’s platform independence means it works regardless of what tools your team or clients use.
Pricing
| Plan | Think-Cell | Chartissimo |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | 30 days | Yes (preset styles) |
| Entry | ~€189/user/yr (~$205) | $9 one-time Pilot |
| Monthly | Volume discounts | $19–$49/mo (Lite/Solo/Max) |
| Annual | Custom | ~20% off monthly |
Think-Cell’s per-user pricing is typical for enterprise software. For a 10-person team, that is roughly $2,000/year. Chartissimo’s flat pricing does not scale with headcount.
When to Use Each
Choose Think-Cell if:
- You live in PowerPoint and need it to be more powerful
- You build waterfall, Marimekko, or Gantt charts regularly
- Your charts are data-linked to Excel and update frequently
- You are in consulting, banking, or enterprise finance where Think-Cell is standard
- Your company already has a Think-Cell license
Choose Chartissimo if:
- You need charts styled fast without learning a new tool
- You work across multiple presentation platforms (not just PowerPoint)
- Your charts come from various sources (Sheets, Excel, Tableau, screenshots)
- You care most about visual polish and brand consistency
- You need a quick solution without IT approval or desktop installs
- Your team includes non-PowerPoint users who still need professional charts
Can You Use Both?
Yes, and many teams should. Think-Cell builds the analytical chart. Chartissimo polishes the visual output. A consultant might construct a waterfall chart in Think-Cell, export it, and run it through Chartissimo to apply brand-perfect styling before the client presentation.
They solve different parts of the chart workflow: Think-Cell handles data and structure, Chartissimo handles visual presentation.
The Bottom Line
Think-Cell is an indispensable power tool for PowerPoint-centric analytical teams. If you are already using it and happy with the output quality, you may not need Chartissimo.
But if you find yourself spending time manually adjusting chart colors, fonts, and spacing after building in Think-Cell — or if you work outside PowerPoint — Chartissimo fills that gap. It turns any chart into a presentation-ready visual in seconds, regardless of where the chart came from.
Related Resources
- How to Make Charts Look Professional — design principles for chart quality
- Best Chart Design Tools in 2026 — the full landscape comparison
- Chartissimo vs Canva Charts — how we compare to the most popular design tool
- Chartissimo for Consultants — how consulting teams upgrade their chart game
- Pricing — Studio Time plans starting at $9
See the Difference
Upload your chart to Chartissimo and see professional styling applied in under 60 seconds. No data re-entry, no templates to browse.
Try Chartissimo Now