TEDx & TED-style event timer
Keep every TEDx speaker inside the time limit.
Put a clean countdown on the speaker's confidence monitor while the organizer runs the clock and sends a private cue before time runs out — the same room advances to the next talk on schedule.
Product Demo
RunCue
Built for organizers holding every speaker to TED's own time limit.
TED's own TEDx Rules state talks are typically under 18 minutes and warn that anything longer "may not be published on the TEDx YouTube channel" — RunCue keeps that limit visible to the organizer with a private cue, not a countdown in the recorded shot.
Compare timers
Choose the setup that matches who needs to see and control the timer.
| Timer | Price | Speaker visibility | Producer control | Cue context | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stagetimer.io (Starter, free) | Free — Pro is $210/yr (~$17.50/mo), Premium $420/yr | Free plan caps you at 3 live connections and 3 timers per room | Full controller, but no private producer cue board | Color-coded on-screen messages, no dedicated cue card | A single TEDx stage under the free connection cap |
| Ontime (free, open-source) | Free if self-hosted — Cloud PRO is $20/mo, Studio $80/mo | No connection limit, but you run and maintain the server, or pay for Cloud | Full rundown control once it's set up | Rundown notes and checkpoints, not a private producer cue board | Teams with the time to self-host, or budget for Cloud plans |
| RunCue | $19/mo Pro, $49/mo Team | Separate confidence-monitor link, hosted for you | Separate control link for the organizer, nothing to install | Private cue cards for time warnings and handoffs on every plan | Organizers who need every speaker held to a hard time limit, without hardware or self-hosting |
Sources: TEDx Rules (ted.com) and Stagetimer.io pricing and Ontime (getontime.no).
How it works
Set up the schedule before the first speaker takes the stage.
Built for
TEDx organizers, licensee event teams, and AV volunteers running a speaker schedule that has to hold to TED's own time guideline.
Pricing
Try the live workflow for 15 minutes.
Keep the room active with every template and custom branding
$19/moPro plus white-label displays
$49/moMonth-to-month, no minimum term — cancel anytime from your secure purchase library, so subscribing for a single event is a normal way to use RunCue. Review the Terms, Privacy Policy, and Refund Policy.
Weighing it against a free stage timer? See the full price and feature comparison.
FAQ
Choosing a timer for TEDx and TED-style events
Does TEDx really enforce an 18-minute limit?
TED's own TEDx Rules state talks are typically under 18 minutes, with 3-9 minutes preferred for a single focused idea, and that videos submitted outside these formats "may not be published on the TEDx YouTube channel." A private organizer cue helps you catch a speaker approaching that limit before it becomes a publishing problem.
Isn't stagetimer.io free for TEDx events?
Its Starter plan is free, but it caps you at 3 live connections and 3 timers per room and does not include a private producer cue board. Its Pro plan is $210/yr (about $17.50/mo), and Premium is $420/yr.
Isn't Ontime free and open-source?
Yes — Ontime is free if you self-host it, which means running and maintaining your own server for the event. Its Cloud PRO option starts at $20/mo, and Cloud Studio is $80/mo.
Can the speaker or the recording see the organizer's cues?
No. The stage link only shows a clean countdown, suitable for a confidence monitor kept out of the recorded frame. Cue cards and controls stay on the organizer's control link.
Does the schedule auto-advance between speakers?
Yes. The control view moves to the next segment on schedule so the organizer isn't manually resetting a timer for every speaker slot.
Is RunCue free?
No. There's no permanent free plan. A 15-minute, no-card trial runs the full timer, then Pro is $19/mo and Team is $49/mo — Team also removes RunCue branding from display links, useful for a stage screen the audience or recording can see.
Is there a trial?
Yes — and there's no rush to set it up. You get up to 7 days to build the run of show before any clock starts; the 15-minute live trial begins only once you press Start, and it includes the live timer, separate role links, cues, Reset, and segment editing before the room locks — no card required.
Get started