The short version
A bonding curve is instant and open-ended: it trades immediately, anyone can buy any amount at any time, and it graduates when it fills. A presale is a defined fundraise: a window, a target, and a decision at the end.
Curves suit tokens where momentum is the point. Presales suit projects that need a known amount of money before they can do anything.
What a presale gives you that a curve does not
A soft cap and a refund. You set the minimum you need; if the presale does not reach it, every contributor can claim their money back in full and nothing proceeds. That is a real promise enforced by the contract, not a policy.
You also get a known price. Everyone in a presale pays the same rate, rather than the escalating price of a curve, which matters if you are asking a community to fund something rather than trade it.
What a curve gives you that a presale does not
Immediacy. There is no window to wait out and no minimum to hit. The token is tradable the second it exists, and interest either shows up or it does not.
It is also far less work. A presale needs caps, a duration, a rate and a liquidity percentage decided up front, and every one of those is a decision you can get wrong. A curve needs a name and a ticker.
A rough rule
If you are launching a memecoin or anything where the launch itself is the event, use a curve. If you are raising a specific amount for a specific purpose and it would be irresponsible to keep the money without reaching it, use a presale.