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I used 1/4" tape.  Using the tile scribe is a bit stressful (you screw-up a line and you've got some painful / costly remedies to fix the problem).

If you screw-up a line while taping - you just pull the tape and re-tape it!  Make sure you've got everything the way you want, then start troweling.

I think that it takes the same amount of time to tape as it does to scribe it.  The only difference is that you're taping before you start your trowel-down coats instead of after. 

Another benefit with the tape is that it will save the "pain & suffering" of your hands.  If you've been scribing a while on your trowel down (and you're in the hot sun), by the time you get a couple of hours into it - the TF is starting to get hard and scribing becomes "not so fun" anymore.

I think the main benefit is this:  It looks better - the wider grout line looks more realistic and when you pull the tape, you'll pull bits of edges off giving the square or rectangle tile a rustic look.  This will give it more of a "Tuscan" look (a look that you'll just have to charge more for!).

The only downside I see with tape is that it wouldn't be good if you had a storm come through and soak the tape (I've had that happen six years ago - after taping a brick border on either side of a long-curved driveway for five + hours, I got caught in a downpour and it ruined all my work).