Teleprompter vs Cue Cards: Which Should You Use?

There are two main ways to keep your words in view while speaking. A teleprompter shows the full script, which you read. Cue cards show short prompts, which you speak from. Each suits different situations, and choosing well makes a big difference to how you sound.

Teleprompter: the full script

A teleprompter displays your complete script near the camera lens, so you can read it while looking at the viewer.

Best for:

• Recorded videos with precise wording
• Ad reads, announcements and scripted explainers
• Content with numbers, names or legal wording
• Anyone who freezes without exact words

Watch out for: sounding like you are reading. Writing for speech and a steady pace help. See how to use a teleprompter without sounding robotic.

Cue cards: short prompts

Cue cards show a few words per idea. You know what to say, and the card reminds you of what comes next.

Best for:

• Live talks and presentations
• Conversations, panels and interviews
• Podcasts and unscripted videos
• Speakers who know their material well

Watch out for: rambling between prompts. Knowing your structure keeps you on track.

What a good cue card looks like

One idea per card. A short phrase or the first words of the sentence you want to say.

Card 1: Most updates are too long.
Card 2: Three-line format: done, doing, blocked.
Card 3: Example from last week.
Card 4: Try it on Friday.

Combining the two

Many speakers use both. They script the opening and closing word for word on a teleprompter, then use short prompts for the middle. This gives a confident start and finish with a natural middle. Our guide to memorising a speech fast explains a similar hybrid.

Cue cards on a phone or tablet

You do not need paper. A prompter app with a card mode shows one prompt at a time, which you can advance as you speak. Cue Cards mode in Cue works this way: each card is one prompt, so you speak naturally rather than reading.

How to choose

Ask two questions:

1. Does the exact wording matter? If yes, use a teleprompter.
2. Is it live or recorded? Live talks favour cue cards; recorded videos favour a teleprompter.

Practise with your choice

Whichever you use, rehearse with it. Reading from a teleprompter and speaking from prompts are both skills that improve quickly with a few practice sessions. See our teleprompter practice drills.