The 5 Best Apps for Memorizing Lines Fast (2024)

By the end of this article, you'll know which apps are the best for quick & easy line memorization, plus some steps you can take to get even better results out of these apps for memorizing lines.

No fluff in this guide, just real, actionable advice. Ready to get started?

Apps for Memorizing Lines

As you go through this guide, my recommendation is to test each of the apps to see which helps you most. Many offer free trials, but even for the ones that cost money, it's still less than one dinner out to buy all of them ($47 for all 5 apps below).

​Since these apps could potentially help you TREMENDOUSLY in your acting career, I think testing them all is a worthwhile investment – booking just one job because you were fully prepared for your audition with your lines memorized will pay for all these apps many times over.

​At the bottom of this list I also include my "5 Steps to Effectively Memorize Lines With Apps" quick guide.

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The 5 Best Apps for Memorizing Lines

​#1: ColdRead

ColdRead is one of my top-recommended apps for memorizing lines because it uses technology to sense when you finish speaking, and then it reads your "partner's" line back to you. Here are a few top features:

• The app triggers your partner's line whenever you finish speaking.
• You can change the pace of the reading however you like.
• You can use it to self-tape auditions and send to casting directors/producers.
• It includes a "teleprompter" feature where you can see your lines as you record your self-tape.

Cost: First week is free as a trial, and then it offers yearly ($83.99), tri-monthly ($26.99), or monthly ($10.99) subscriptions.

My Take: Even though the recurring subscription cost of this app might make you rethink it, in my opinion it's absolutely worth it – this app is probably the best of all memorization apps out there. Remember, booking just one acting job using this app will pay for an entire year's worth of this app (and more), so don't focus on cost – focus on value!

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Top Reviews:​

• "This is a genius invention that has made learning lines such a seamless process for me. It allows for hands-free line learning experience, through which my voice triggers the “reader” lines via a “cue word” feature. If I mess up the line, and don’t say the final cue word, the reader’s line is not triggered. This causes me to learn lines with more accuracy! One user mentioned that sometimes the cue word feature glitches (e.g. you have to repeat the cue word sometimes). I would say that having to occasionally repeat a cue word is a much simpler thing to do than having to break character to press a button or do something manual on my phone. Also, because of the cue word feature, I am not constrained to a pre-determined interval of silence within which to say my line. I can take as long as I need with the line as long as I finish with the cue word! This genius app developer has somehow managed to replicate the experience of a live rehearsal with a scene partner digitally — it’s not always going to be perfect, obviously, because it’s an app. I’ve been acting professionally for 8 years and have been involved in film/theatre for 16 years. It’s the best line learning tool I’ve ever used. Highly recommend!"
• "I’ve just gotten back in the acting business after retiring from a company I started back in the nineties. Things have really changed since I last trod the boards. The onus to provide video auditions now falls on the actor as self-taping has now become the norm. Couple this requirement while trying to cope with new technology just about overwhelmed your humble correspondent until I discovered the coldRead app. Having the ability to pre-record reader lines along with a neat algorithm to spit them back at you once you’ve finished yours is a godsend. There is a bit of a learning curve getting used to the app, but once you figure it out, it flows remarkably well. User tip: set Auto-Lock on your iPhone to “Never” to avoid interruptions. Finally, the only way this old actor (I joined SAG in 1972) can remember lines is by constant repetition and coldRead will repeat your scene over and over again until you hit the stop button. Brilliant!"

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​#2: LineLearner

This app is similar to the standard memorization trick experienced actors use (recording their lines into their smartphone and playing them back), but on steroids. Here are some of its features:

• You can upload the PDF or Word document of the script and it will track where you are as you perform your lines.
• It allows you to listen to your recorded lines over and over again.
• You can share your recorded lines with other members of the cast so you can all hear one another's voices for the prompt lines, which makes it feel like you're actually rehearsing with the other actors.
• If you forget your next line, you can tap the "Prompt" button at any time to remind yourself.
• If you're not using your scene partner's voice for the other lines, you can change the pitch of your own voice so it differentiates and you don't get distracted by hearing your own voice for the other character's lines.

Cost: $3.99

My Take: The price is a bargain for what you get in this app – I highly recommend purchasing it and trying it out for a few weeks. Although it offers less than ColdRead, it's significantly cheaper (less than the cost of a latte) and will provide you with a lifetime's worth of memorization help!

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Top Reviews:​

• "There’s a small learning curve, but watching the video tutorials helps thru that part. Entering in my lines was easy - I loaded up the entire play in about 2 hours - and once that’s done, you have so much power. it’s like they thought of every possible adjustment to assist you through every single stage of memorization. Unlike Rehearsal Pro, you are not seeing the script scroll in front of you as you memorize, and that threw me at first, only for like a minute though. Because it ended up with me learning the lines aurally - only through listening - and not visually (by seeing the lines), which usually happens for me at a letter stage of the process."
• "This app has everything I need to memorize lines quickly by listening. I love how easy it is to record the script and how I can change pitches to distinguish my lines from other characters. I use it for every project I’m in and it’s very worth the price, especially since it’s just a flat fee with no subscriptions or ads involved. It’s just a simple tool that works if you memorize by listening. I can now run lines acting everywhere I go without seeming like a total nut talking to myself. I also really like how you can choose where to gap the lines so you can start to test yourself more and more. Overall I’m super pleased with this app and it’s a must for actors in my opinion."

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​#3: ​Memorize Lines by Heart – Memy

This app is a gamifying app, meaning it turns the process of memorizing lines into a game. You're meant to memorize your lines by trying to solve a puzzle. Here are the features:

• You can upload a PDF or HTML file and the app will automatically find all the words.
• The app then progressively hides more and more words over time, and you're meant to figure out what the missing words are.
• You can set how many words are hidden and the pace at which the app scrolls through the scene.

Cost: Free, but some in-app purchases will unlock additional features.

My Take: Since the app is free to download, try it out. The concept of a puzzle to memorize your lines might work for you or might not – it just depends on how your brain is wired (and whether or not you like solving puzzles!).

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Top Reviews:​

• "I really love this app! It has been so helpful to me in memorizing many things including scripture, song lyrics, and lines for plays. The different games that you can play to help memorize make it fun and easy to get things in your head. If you have the free version, you can't scan text (which would make things faster to input into the app), and you can only memorize two things at a time. All-in-all, I've so enjoyed and benefited from downloading this app, it's simple and does what is says."
• "Helpful and easy! I have been trying to memorize a text for weeks with moderate success. I would often miss the little things. Within minutes, this app helped me clean up my mistakes. As a teacher, I would definitely like to see this developed for classroom use. Memorization helps with so many aspects of learning!"

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​#4: Rehearsal Pro

This is one of the most well-known apps for memorizing lines, and also one of the first to ever come out. It a number of memorization options as outlined below:

• Highlighting, blackout, and teleprompter features will help you memorize your lines.
• You can adjust the scene's pacing, mark specific beats, and repeat or rewind playback.
• You can upload any script, mark it up however you like, and record only the portions you'd like.

​Cost: $19.99

My Take: I feel that compared to some of the newer software (and cheaper prices), this app might not be worth it anymore. However, since it's just a one-time flat fee of $20, I still recommend testing it if it works within your budget. It offers a number of the features that ColdRead offers for a fraction of the price.

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Top Reviews:​

• "I love this app, the only thing is that my Apple Pencil lags when I’m trying to take notes. I don’t have this issue when using any other app and my pencil. Kind of stinks because I try to go paperless for auditions and such but it’s such a bad lag it’s hard for me to make up my script like I’d like. Otherwise great app."
• "I have had this app for like 10 years now. It is by far the best one out there and is a must for all actors. I have used it for auditions, tv/film and stage. It has literally saved me when I’ve had multiple projects going. It offers multiple ways to learn lines and organize scripts. I have no idea why any professional would give this app a bad review. If I could give it 10 stars I would."

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​#5: Scene Study

This is a great, affordable line memorization app to help you not only memorize your own lines, but also your cue lines so you know when you're meant to come in. Here are its main features:

• You will record your lines AND your partner's lines (or just their cue words), and the app will separate them.
• As you study your lines, you can turn off your own lines and have it only read back your cues.

​​Cost: $2.99

My Take: Some of the other apps in this list offer this functionality plus a lot more (even if they're a bit more expensive). That said, since it's one of the cheapest apps of the list, it's still worth trying out.

​
Top Reviews:​

• "I have used this app to memorize lines for a play and a feature film, on top of countless auditions. Some features I wanted actually ended up being there already but weren’t super intuitive to me at first, but if you use it a bit you’ll figure it out just fine. All I can say is it has been super useful to me."
• "I love this app. Best way to learn lines at home without having to drive your wife crazy by asking her to play the other parts. Please develop a way for us to record scenes on one device and then share it with the other actors who also have Scene Study on their devices. You would sell a lot more apps that way."

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​Popular Apps I Do NOT Recommend:

I did a lot of research in order to write this article, and here are the popular memorization apps I do NOT recommend, primarily because they don't offer many features (or the apps I've outlined in this article do a better job at a better price point):

• MemoryPie
• ​Run Lines With Me
• ​Learn Your Lines!
• Script Rehearser
• Speechify
• My Lines
• Tableread
• Line
• Natural Reader
• Read Aloud
• Memorize Anything App

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5 Steps to Effectively Memorize Lines With Apps

So how do you memorize lines for an audition effectively? Well, here are 5 key steps you should take to make the line memorization process as effective and simple as possible:

1. Before using a memorization app, read every line of the script and ask yourself, "What does this mean?" Make sure the meaning of each line is clear. If you don't understand the phrase or what someone is saying, try Googling it.
2. Next, figure out why each line is being said. Once you understand what each line means, go through and figure out, 'Why would this person be saying this?" The more you understand the meaning and intention behind each line, the easier it will be to make clear choices and memorize your lines with an app later on. If there's no clear reason why someone is saying something, make up your own reason! Learn more about this concept in Natural Acting: The Ultimate Guide.
3. As you go through the script, you might have to go back and revise your answers from earlier. Occasionally, as you read the script, you'll realize a choice you made earlier doesn't fit with a line that's said later. If that's the case, go back and revise the choice you made originally so every line makes sense!
4. Use an app to start memorizing your lines. Note how this should only take place at Step 4, once you fully understand the scene and have made clear choices. Most actors try to memorize their lines too soon, but it's so much easier after you fully understand what's happening in the scene.
5. Once you've got your lines memorized with apps, begin performing in wildly different ways. Try one version where you perform your lines extremely fast, and then another version really slow. Then, yell at the top of your lungs – try screaming your lines as though you're enraged! Then change it up even more! Do it multiple times, any way you can (except the normal way you'd probably perform it during the audition). You can even try singing your lines! This is what I call The Variance Method, and it will help cement the lines in your mind even better than just using apps alone.

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I hope this guide was helpful! Remember – it's not just about the apps you use, but about how you use them that will determine your success with line memorization.

Want to dive deeper on line memorization? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Memorizing Lines.

3 Numbers All Actors Should Know

Knowing how to quickly memorize lines is important, but it's just one small part of growing your acting career.

If your goal is to act full-time, you should know these 3 numbers:

• 40-60 Submissions – This is how often full-time, working actors submit themselves (whether they have an agent or not) each month.
• 10-20 Auditions – This is how many times full-time working actors audition (or at least record and submit self-tapes) each month.
• 3-5 Bookings  – This is how often full-time working actors book real, paid acting jobs each and every month.

If your numbers aren't there yet, that's OK! It's certainly not easy to audition and book that much.

But those are actual, real numbers from busy, working actors who didn't just get lucky.

Those busy, working actors started at the beginning – for them, the biggest question swirling in their minds at the time was:

How do I get taken seriously by casting directors when I don't have good credits or footage? And how do I get credits/footage without being taken seriously by casting directors?

It's the classic actor's catch 22.

When we're struggling to get our careers off the ground, our minds can slip into "desperation mode" and start looking for quick-fix solutions. We'll ask ourselves questions like:

• "Should I take another acting class?"
• "Do I need better headshots or should I pay to shoot a reel?"
• "What's the fastest way to get an agent?"

But questions like those mean you're focused on Tactics, instead of Strategy.

Think about it this way: Would you bake a cake by randomly sliding a pile of flour, eggs, and chocolate into the oven? Of course not! How you combine the ingredients, the temperature you cook it at, and for how long are all just as important.

Similarly, the long-term, well thought-out strategy you follow as you grow your acting career matters. A LOT.

That's why "strategic thinking" is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself as an actor.

So today I'd like to give you a gift: 3 tools specifically designed to help you start thinking and operating strategically.

These tools have helped over 14,000 actors so far, many of whom have gone on to:

• Book Broadway roles
• Land network television and Netflix shows
• Sign with agents and managers
• And much more – faster than you'd expect (you can see some success stories here).

My free Actor's Toolkit will help you BLAST through the actor's catch 22 so you start getting WAY more auditions and bookings every month:

​The Actor's Toolkit

• ​​The Top 6 Casting Websites to Find Auditions, plus 3 specific submissions strategies to get higher-quality auditions from them
• 3 Pro Actor Resume Templates, professionally formatted (they work on any device – just add your info)
• Contact info of over 140 Top Talent Agencies & Submissions Techniques to save you the hassle of trying to find legitimate (non-scam) agents

Get Instant Access

​​​​Martin Bentsen (author of this guide) is an actor marketing coach who uses strategic thinking to help actors book more work. He’s helped over 14,000 actors with their careers and actor headshots since 2009 and his photography studio City Headshots is ranked #1 on Yelp. He’s spoken at NYU, The New England Theater Conference, The Actor’s Green Room, and other venues.
​
Want to book more acting work by thinking strategically? Start with his free Actor’s Toolkit to create new opportunities right away, or visit his website at www.martinbentsen.com.

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Some Additional Q&A

Is There an App to Help Memorize Lines?

There are plenty of apps for memorizing lines, but I recommend ColdRead for around $10/month. If that's out of your budget, another great option is LineLearner. Try typing "line learner free online" or "line learner app free" into Google and you should find a link to download it.

Which is the Best Line Learning App?

The best line learning app is ColdRead, but I'm not sure if it's available on Android. You should try googling "​best line learning apps Android" or "​run lines app" if you want to find more apps beyond what we've covered in this article.

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​Further Reading:

​If you enjoyed this article (Apps for Memorizing Lines), you might be interested in some of these:​
​​

• A Guide to the Different Types of Acting Techniques
• How to Learn Acting Skills at Home
• How Can I Memorize Lines Quickly?​
• The 7 Best Websites for Actors to Find Auditions