We make one of the tools on this list, so read our section with that in mind. We have tried to be fair: each competitor fact comes from that company’s own website or support pages, the date is at the bottom, and we say plainly when another option is the better fit.
What makes a good speech note card
Before picking a tool, it helps to know what you are aiming for. A note card for a speech is not a page of your script shrunk down. It is something you can read in a glance while you look up at the room.
- Large, clear type. You will hold the card at waist height or rest it on a lectern. Small text is the most common reason people lose their place.
- One idea per card. A card should end where a thought ends, not in the middle of a sentence.
- The right paper. Index cards (3×5 or 4×6 inches) in the US and Canada, A6 or A7 elsewhere. Card stock is easier to hold steady than paper.
- Numbers and timing. Numbered cards survive being dropped, and knowing how long each card takes keeps the talk inside its slot.
- Easy to change. You will edit the speech after every rehearsal. A tool that makes you rebuild the cards each time costs you practice time.
The options at a glance
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| EasyPalmCards | Pasting a speech and printing cards that fit; rehearsing | Text only, no images on cards; the free plan shows ads beside the editor (Gold has none) |
| Canva | Decorative cards and picture cards | Every card laid out by hand |
| Word or Google Docs | People who already live in a word processor | You place every card break and re-do it after edits |
| PowerPoint speaker notes | Talks with slides and a presenter screen | Notes are on a screen, not in your hand |
| Quizlet or Anki | Memorising facts as questions and answers | Not designed for speech cards |
| Pen and index cards | Short talks, and writing to remember | Slow to redo, hard to read when rushed |
EasyPalmCards
Paste your speech or import a Word, Google Docs or PowerPoint file, and Smart Reflow splits it across cards between sentences. Edit a card and the text flows on to the next one, so the layout never needs redoing. Each card shows how long it takes to say at about 130 words a minute, and you can set a time limit for the whole talk.
Printing is free from the browser: several cards per A4 or Letter page with cut lines, or one card per sheet on 3×5, 4×6, A7 or A6 card stock. Rehearsal mode runs a timer and, where the browser can listen on the device, follows along as you speak. Present mode shows one card at a time on your phone. The interface is available in eight languages.
Where it falls short: cards are text, so there is no place for photos or illustrations, and the design options are themes rather than free layout. Saving sets to an account library needs the optional Gold plan; on Free the current set is kept on your device.
Canva
Canva is a design tool with a large gallery of flashcard templates. Its template page says the designs are free to edit, save and print, and some templates are marked Pro. You can print at home, at a print shop, or resize a design for Canva Print products. For cards where looks matter, such as a wedding toast on cards that match the invitations, it is the strongest choice here.
Where it falls short: you lay out each card yourself. Filling many cards from a spreadsheet (“Design in bulk”) is a Pro feature on Canva’s pricing page, not part of Free. If you change a paragraph, you move text between cards by hand. Our Canva comparison goes into more detail.
Word or Google Docs
A word processor works if you are comfortable with page settings. The usual approach is a small page size (Google Docs has page size settings under File, then Page setup) or a table with one cell per card on a normal page. You type or paste each part of the speech into its own card.
Where it falls short: you decide every break, and every edit pushes text across the card boundaries. Printing on index cards means getting the printer’s paper settings right. Our guide to cue cards in Word or Docs walks through it, or you can import the document into EasyPalmCards and let it split the cards for you.
PowerPoint speaker notes
If you are presenting slides, you may not need paper at all. Microsoft says PowerPoint’s Presenter View shows you the current slide, the next slide and your speaker notes, along with a timer. For a conference talk with a laptop on the lectern, that is often the best setup.
Where it falls short: notes are tied to slides and to a screen you have to look down at. Many speakers still want cards in hand, for a wedding, a debate or a room with no presenter screen. EasyPalmCards can import a PowerPoint file’s text and turn it into cards.
Flashcard apps (Quizlet, Anki)
Quizlet and Anki are built for memorising facts as questions and answers. Quizlet can print a set from a computer, and Anki is built for review on a screen. They are excellent for revision. They are not designed to hold a speech, keep sentences together or time a talk. See Quizlet vs Anki if that is what you need.
Pen and index cards
Writing cards by hand is free, needs no device, and writing helps some people remember. For a two-minute toast with five prompts, it is hard to beat.
Where it falls short: every change means a new card, handwriting gets smaller when you are rushed, and there is no timing. A middle path is to write your speech in a card maker, print it, then add handwritten marks for pauses and emphasis.
Which one to choose
- You have a written speech and a deadline: a card maker that splits and times the text.
- The cards must look beautiful: Canva.
- You present slides with a presenter screen: PowerPoint speaker notes, with a few printed cards as a backup.
- You need to memorise facts, not deliver a talk: a flashcard app, or flash card mode in EasyPalmCards if you also want to print.
- It is short and you like paper: a pen and a pack of index cards.
Whichever you pick, rehearse from the cards themselves at least twice before the day. For what to put on each card, read note cards for a speech.
Sources
Checked on 28 October 2026: canva.com/flashcards/templates and canva.com/pricing; Google Docs Editors Help, “Change page settings on Google Docs”; Microsoft Support, “Use Presenter view in PowerPoint”; Quizlet Help Center, “Printing sets”; Anki manual (docs.ankiweb.net), “Exporting”. Product names are trademarks of their owners, and this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.