What is Toastmasters?

Toastmasters is a worldwide organisation of speaking clubs where members practise speeches, run meetings and give each other feedback.

What is Toastmasters?

Toastmasters, or Toastmasters International, is a membership organisation built around local clubs. Its how-to-join page says there are over 14,000 clubs worldwide. Clubs can be in person, online or hybrid. Each club is run by its own members, with elected officers, and there is no instructor leading the session. See toastmasters.org.

How does Toastmasters work?

Toastmasters works by having members take turns at speaking and at running the meeting. A typical meeting lasts one to two hours, according to its first-meeting page. Members deliver prepared speeches, answer unplanned questions and receive spoken and written feedback.

Members also follow Pathways, the Toastmasters education programme. It has six current learning paths and lets members build more than 300 competencies. See our Pathways guide.

What roles do members take at a meeting?

Members rotate through named roles, and each role trains a different skill. Toastmasters describes these roles on its club meeting roles page:

Role	What it does
Toastmaster	Directs and hosts the meeting
Speaker	Gives a prepared speech
Table Topics speaker	Speaks on an unplanned topic
Evaluator	Gives verbal and written feedback to a speaker
General Evaluator	Assesses everything that happens at the meeting
Ah-Counter	Notes overused words and filler sounds
Grammarian	Helps members improve grammar and vocabulary
Timer	Keeps time

Toastmasters adds that roles and duties may vary slightly from club to club.

What does Toastmasters cost?

Toastmasters charges two fees. As of September 2026, its how-to-join page states a $72 USD international dues payment every six months and a one-time $25 USD new member fee. Visiting is free. Clubs may set their own charges as well, so ask the club you visit. For a fuller view, read is Toastmasters worth it.

What is a first meeting like?

A first meeting is low pressure, and you can simply watch. Toastmasters says visitors are not obligated to speak, and it suggests contacting the club ahead of time to confirm the details. Club officers usually greet visitors. You can visit more than one club before you join.

Who is Toastmasters for?

Toastmasters suits adults who want regular practice in front of real people and who will keep turning up. It suits people who like a fixed schedule, who want to practise leading a meeting, and who learn well from peer feedback. Members must be at least 18.

Who might find it a poor fit?

It is a weaker fit if you need a talk fixed within days, if meeting times will not fit your week, or if you want private practice first. Feedback comes from fellow members at the meeting, and quality varies by club. Your progress depends on how often you get a slot to speak.

How do you join?

Toastmasters lists four steps: find a club, contact a club leader to apply, pay the dues, and begin taking part in speeches, evaluations and roles. See how to find a Toastmasters club near you for the first step.

Where does Volo fit?

Volo fits as private daily practice alongside a club or before you visit one. It is an iPhone app with 7 skill tracks, 79 lessons of 2 to 4 minutes, 25 AI roleplay scenarios you can type or speak, and Announcer Studio, which has 15 read-aloud scenes that measure words per minute, filler words and longest pause. The Gate Announcer scene is free.

Volo is for everyday conversation and short speaking drills. It is not a live audience, it is not a course with a curriculum like Pathways, and it is not on Android. See public speaking with Volo, Toastmasters alternatives or Volo on the App Store.