Eulogy vs. Obituary: What's the Difference?

The short answer

An obituary is written; a eulogy is spoken. An obituary is a published notice that announces a death, shares the key facts of someone's life, and tells people about the service. A eulogy is a personal tribute delivered aloud at the funeral or memorial, meant to capture who the person truly was.

Put simply: the obituary informs, the eulogy honors. Most families need both, and they complement each other.

What an obituary does

An obituary is a factual, public-facing notice, usually printed in a newspaper or posted online before the service.

• —Announces the death, often with the date and cause if the family chooses.
• —Lists key biographical facts — birth, family, career, accomplishments.
• —Names surviving and predeceased relatives.
• —Provides service details: date, time, location, and any donation requests.
• —Runs short and informational — typically 200 to 500 words.

What a eulogy does

A eulogy is a spoken tribute, delivered by someone close to the person during the service.

• —Captures personality, character, and spirit rather than facts.
• —Tells specific stories and shares personal memories.
• —Is emotional and reflective, written to be heard, not read silently.
• —Usually runs 3 to 5 minutes — roughly 500 to 750 words.
• —Helps the room feel, for a moment, like the person is there with them.

Who writes each one

Obituaries are often written by a family member and may be edited by the funeral home or newspaper, which can also help with formatting and submission. They follow a fairly standard template.

A eulogy is written and delivered by someone who knew the person well — a child, sibling, close friend, or partner. There's no template that matters; what matters is honesty and specific detail. More than one person can give a eulogy, and the family usually decides who speaks.

How they work together

The obituary gets the word out and brings people to the service. The eulogy is what those people remember after they leave. You can borrow facts from the obituary as a foundation, but resist the urge to simply read it aloud — a list of dates and accomplishments won't move anyone. Build the eulogy around stories instead.

If you're facing the eulogy and don't know where to start, our eulogy builder turns a few honest memories into a finished speech you can read aloud. It's the part people carry home, so it's worth getting right.