The best teleprompters are indispensable for anyone who needs to talk while facing a camera. That's because they enable you to read your script while maintaining direct eye contact with the lens. That means you'll make an engaging and natural connection with your audience, without the risk of stumbling over your words or glancing down at your notes.
Over the years, I've done a lot of work in TV, commercials, and YouTube using teleprompters, including the industry standard Autocue system. So I've used a lot of different models, both good and bad, and I've drawn on this experience to curate this list of the very best teleprompters around today.
Whether you're a professional, semi-professional, or an enthusiast, shooting with a dedicated camera or relying on your smartphone, this article will guide you through my top choices, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your needs.
My pick for the all-round best teleprompter is the one I use most of all. It's big enough to fit a full-frame camera (I routinely use mine with a Canon EOS R5 and a chunky lens), comes with a well-protected travel case and is easy to set up and use. Read more below
Most of the prompters on this list work by pairing the device up with your iPad or phone and reflecting a script. The Elgato Prompter takes a different tack and uses a built-in screen. Saving you money on additional tech, and lets you keep a hold of your phone.
Being able to look straight down the barrel of the lens while talking fluently and confidently enables you to engage more effectively with your audience.
Only shooting the occasional video? It may not be worth going all out with the TMP 100, but the T3 Teleprompter delivers good quality and good value. It's suitable for devices up to 11 inches and it's pretty user friendly to get to grips with. Read more below
It doesn't work with tablets, but if you're looking for the most budget-friendly way to use your phone or camera then look no further. The build quality is definitely on the plasticky side, but this does make it a very lightweight option. Read more below
If you don't use a camera, and just want something for a smartphone, then Glide Gear's smaller TMP 50 is exactly what you need, offering the same excellent quality and performance of its bigger brother in a phone-friendly form factor. Read more below
The best teleprompters in 2024
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Compatibility: Any smartphone or tablet up to 10.5 x 9.5 inches
Glass size: 245 x 190mm (9.6 x 7.5 inches)
Dimensions: 371 x 361 x 11.9mm (14.6 x 14.2 x 4.7 inches)
Weight: 2.25kg (5lbs)
Reasons to buy
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High build quality
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Easy to set up
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10-feet reading range
Reasons to avoid
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Doesn't fit iPad Pro
If you create video content that involves someone presenting to camera, the Glide Gear TMP100 is the teleprompter I recommend – it's the one I use every time I'm making a YouTube video or filming a presentation. It's easy to set up and mount to a tripod, it accommodates all kinds of cameras (even DSLRs with long lenses), and the tray that holds your text device can take phones and tablets up to 10.5 x 9.5 inches. In practice, we found it's even okay with slightly larger tablets than that, although admittedly it’s not big enough for the iPad Pro.
The screen is nice and large, enabling you to read the text from up to 10 feet away, and the beam splitter glass is very high quality. It can be easily set up or packed away, and comes with a convenient travel bag that offers good protection for the glass (note though, that it is not a hard shell). In short, this has everything you need to read from a script or notes – and look good doing so.
Compatibility: Windows 10 (64-bit) or newer, Intel or AMD CPU / macOS 11 or newer, Intel or Apple CPU / USB 3.0 Type A Android 11 or newer
Dimensions: 224 x 219 x 282mm (8.88 x 8.62 x 11.10 inches)
Weight: 690g (1.52 lb) without accessories
Reasons to buy
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No smartphone or tablet needed
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Easy to set up
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Works with Stream Deck
Reasons to avoid
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Expensive
The Elgato Prompter is a great tool for anyone who makes videos and wants to sound natural and professional on camera. It's really easy to set up and use, and it works with almost any camera. The special app it uses is made just for this teleprompter, so you don't have to worry about finding and downloading weird apps. You just plug it in and start using it! It's customizable too, so you can make it fit your video style.
The way it attaches to the camera is a bit complicated, but it works really well. It would have been nice if they included an attachment for more common lenses, but the way it attaches to the camera works great.
It's not the cheapest option out there, but if you're serious about making videos, it's worth the investment. If you're just starting out, you might want to go for a less expensive option or wait until you're more into making videos before getting this one.
Dimensions: 18.7 x 12.4 x 10 in / 475 x 315 x 250 mm
Reasons to buy
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Easy to set up
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Remote control adjusts text size and speed
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Free supporting app
Reasons to avoid
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Relatively expensive
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Requires tablet or smartphone
If you’re not confident enough to talk to the camera without notes or a full script, then you could prop up a smartphone near your camera’s screen and read the scrolling script from a free teleprompter app. However, you’ll not be making eye contact with your audience as you’ll be looking at the offset smartphone’s screen and not directly into the camera’s lens. By purchasing a device such as the Neewer Teleprompter X14 iii you can place your camera behind an angled mirror. You can then pop your smartphone on a flat tray in front of the mirror. The scrolling text from the teleprompter app will reflect in the 45º angled mirror (or beam-splitter), so you can look directly into the camera’s lens as you read the reflected scrolling text. This enables you to make a more engaging video as you’ll appear to be making eye contact with your viewers.
Some teleprompters, such as the Elgato Prompter take a little time to set up. The aluminum alloy body of the Neewer Teleprompter X14 iii unfolds from its sturdy storage case as an easy-to-deploy one unit. Simply attach the Teleprompter to a camera tripod using the 1/4” or 3/8” threads and then attach a DSLR or mirrorless camera to the supplied quick-release (QR) plate and pop it onto the rear of the Teleprompter. You can then tuck the DSLR’s lens into the device’s blackout hood. This makes the lens almost invisible as you read the text that scrolls in front of it.
The X14 iii ships with a remote control unit that uses Bluetooth to control the free Teleprompter app that runs on the smartphone or tablet that is reflected on the Teleprompter’s screen. The controller enables you to slow down or speed up the scrolling text as you speak, so you can have the right words on the screen at all times.
Compatibility: Smartphone or tablets under 11 inches
Glass size: 186 x 144.5mm (7.3 x 5.7 inches)
Dimensions: 200 x 104.6 x 202.6mm (7.8 x 4.1 x 7.9 inches)
Weight: 440g (15.5oz)
Reasons to buy
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Cheap
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Includes remote control
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Customised shading rings
Reasons to avoid
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Remote a little confusing
If you only do the odd video, you may want something a bit cheaper than number one on our list. In this case, check out the Desview T3. You can use any tablet or smartphone up to 11 inches in diameter. There’s a Bluetooth remote to turn the page, pause, and speed up or down, although this can be a bit confusing at first. You also get customized shading rings for phones and DSLRs to prevent light from sneaking around the lens and flaring the beamsplitter glass. Plus it's pretty easy to set up and use in practice.
Dimensions: 190 x 95 x 190mm (7.5 x 3.4 x 7.5 inches)
Weight: 350g (12.3 oz)
Reasons to buy
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Very cheap
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Lightweight
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Does the job
Reasons to avoid
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Cheap-feeling
On a tight budget, and looking for a small and cheap teleprompter? This one won't work with tablets, but does connect to DSLRs (everything from a Canon EOS M to a Sony FS5) and smartphones, including the iPhone, via a flexible lens mount. It comes with a Bluetooth remote control and an iOS or Android app and does the job well.
This model is cheap for a reason: it's made of plastic and not exactly sturdy. But on the plus side that makes it lightweight, and at this low price, you won't find finer. Note: it's titled 'Ambitful Teleprompter Kit' in most places but also (for reasons that are beyond us) appears as 'Keayisofine Teleprompter' or 'Pronstoor Teleprompter' elsewhere.
Compatibility: Any smartphone or mini tablet up to 7 x 6 inches
Glass size: 177mm x 203mm (7 x 8 inches)
Dimensions: 696 x 279 x 76mm (27.4 x 11 x 3 inches)
Weight: 2lbs (0.9kg)
Reasons to buy
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Small and portable
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Cheap
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Collapsible
Reasons to avoid
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Not great for DSLRs
If you never use a camera or tablet for your shooting, just a phone, this is the model for you. This cheap and compact device allows you to film on your phone while using another phone or tablet to project your script onto the glass, with a reading range of up to 10 feet.
It can also work with a camera with a small lens, although you shouldn't really buy it with this in mind as there’s not a lot of space at the back. More broadly, this teleprompter is well-made, with a metal frame. It's collapsible, making it great for travel. And you get a carry bag and protective hood, too.
Compatibility: Smartphones, tablets, laptops with webcam
Dimensions: 348 x 203 x 195 mm (13.7 x 8 x 7.7 inches)
Weight: 900g (2lbs)
Reasons to buy
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Works with many laptops
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Easy to set up
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Robust build quality
Reasons to avoid
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Doesn't fit all laptops
What sets this final teleprompter apart is that it can be used with "most computers with built-in webcams", as well as external webcams, cameras, and smartphones. It requires minimal assembly. With tough, all-metal construction, it's nice and rugged, too. However, be aware that the hooks that attach it to the top of your screen require a display that's not much greater than one-inch thick.
If you present content to camera, whether you work from a script or you refer to prompts and notes, a teleprompter makes the single biggest difference between scrappy amateur video and a slick, professional-looking production. Whether you make vlogs for YouTube, stream live on Twitch or perform presentations for your business, teleprompters instantly up your game.
How do teleprompters work?
Teleprompters work by displaying your script as scrolling text, like the crawl at the start of a Star Wars film. These words are reflected on a sheet of special glass, in front of your camera or phone, so you can read them while looking straight at the lens (rather than your eyes darting off-camera).
This glass is known as a beam splitter, and it literally splits the text away from the camera so that it's invisible to the viewer. And that means you'll look confident, informed, and knowledgeable about your subject.
What's the difference between teleprompter and autocue?
A teleprompter is a piece of equipment that enables you to display text on a screen in front of a camera. Autocue refers to the process – manual or automated – that makes the text scroll as you read it. (Historically, Autocue is the company that developed the original teleprompter system in 1955, originally to help actors with their lines on the TV show I Love Lucy).
Typically you download autocue software to your phone or tablet, which you then mount on the teleprompter. Some apps are automated, and scroll the text as you speak the words, while others enable you to scroll the text manually at your own pace.
Selecting the ideal teleprompter requires balancing several factors. On the one hand, the screen size should be large enough for your script while allowing comfortable eye contact with the camera to avoid straining. On the other hand, the larger the screen, the bigger the teleprompter will be overall, which will make it clunkier to carry from place to place.
More generally, the beamsplitter glass, responsible for reflecting the script while allowing the camera to see through, should be high-quality for clear visibility. Finally, teleprompters vary in price, so choose one that aligns with your needs and budget.
We evaluate the best teleprompters based on a number of factors – primarily, how effective they are at at their job. We're looking for good quality beam-splitting glass that renders text invisible while not impeding image quality, with a screen that's a usable size so that the words can actually be read. It's also important that a variety of cameras, phones and tablets can physically fit.
We test the equipment in real-world shooting environments, from filming for personal video content and YouTube channels to recording professional work. Build quality is of particular importance, given that expensive camera kit and expensive tablets are typically both mounted. Portability and the ease of setup and breakdown are also crucial factors that we test.
James has 22 years experience as a journalist, serving as editor of Digital Camera World for 6 of them. He started working in the photography industry in 2014, product testing and shooting ad campaigns for Olympus, as well as clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal. An Olympus / OM System, Canon and Hasselblad shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and he loves instant cameras, too.
