Best Screenwriting Software: Free and Paid Options Compared

Quick answer: the best screenwriting software depends on your budget, your computer and whether you write with a partner. Final Draft is the long-standing industry standard, WriterDuet and Arc Studio are built around online collaboration, Fade In is a full-featured desktop program sold as a one-time purchase, Highland is a Fountain-based app for Apple devices, and Trelby and KIT Scenarist are free, open-source desktop options. Any of them can produce a correctly formatted PDF.

Screenwriting software does one job that a word processor does badly: it applies screenplay format as you type. Press Tab or Enter and the program jumps from a scene heading to action, to a character name, to dialogue, with the right margins every time. It also handles page breaks, (MORE) and (CONT’D) labels, and the title page. Several programs, including Final Draft and Highland Pro, also offer revision tracking or a revision mode.

This guide compares the main free and paid options, with what each is known for, which platforms it runs on, how it handles collaboration and which file formats it supports. It is part of the Movie Squirrel series on how to become a screenwriter. If you are still learning what the elements are, start with the guide on how to format a screenplay, because software applies format but does not explain it.

Product details here were checked on each company’s official website in October 2026. Prices and plans change often, so any price below is labeled “as of October 2026,” and you should confirm it on the official page before buying.

The File Formats Worth Knowing

Before comparing programs, it helps to know the three formats that matter most, because they decide how easily you can switch tools or share a script.

• PDF is what you send to readers, contests, managers and producers. Every program on this list can export one, though some free plans add a watermark.
• .fdx is Final Draft’s file format. Because Final Draft is so widely used, many other programs can import or export .fdx files, which makes it the common exchange format between writers and production teams.
• .fountain is a plain-text format for screenplays. Fountain is a simple markup syntax, inspired by John Gruber’s Markdown, that lets you write a script in any text editor. The official Fountain site credits its origins to work by John August, Nima Yousefi and Stu Maschwitz, among others. Because it is plain text, a Fountain file stays readable even if the app that made it disappears.

If a program can import and export .fdx and Fountain and export a clean PDF, you are unlikely to get locked in.

Final Draft

Final Draft is the program most associated with Hollywood, and its maker calls it “the industry standard,” saying it is used by 95 percent of film and television professionals. That is the company’s own claim, but the .fdx format’s wide support across other programs shows how central it has become. Its reputation among Hollywood professionals and on Hollywood productions comes from long use.

Final Draft 13 runs on macOS 12 (Monterey) or later and Windows 11 or later, and the company says it is not available on Chromebook. A separate iOS app, Final Draft Go, is sold through the App Store. Planning tools include the Beat Board, an Outline Editor and Structure Lines, and the program supports tracked revisions, comments and automatic version saving. One license can be installed on many computers but signed in on two at once. The Outline Editor and Structure Lines help you plan scene structure.

As of October 2026, Final Draft’s official site lists Final Draft 13 at $249.99 for a one-time purchase (a promotional price of $199.99 was showing when checked), plus a subscription option at $99.99 per year or $16.99 per month, each with a free 5-day trial. Discounts are offered for students, teachers, military members and first responders.

Best for: writers who want the format most production offices expect and do not mind paying for it.

WriterDuet

WriterDuet is built around real-time co-writing. It runs in a web browser and also offers a desktop application and mobile editing, with automatic cloud saving and optional backups to Dropbox or Google Drive. Its collaboration tools, available on paid plans, let writing partners work together, and its cloud storage saves your work automatically as you type.

Its free plan is limited to three projects. Free users can share projects with readers and co-write on a script owned by a paid user, while paid plans let you invite others to write on your own scripts. WriterDuet says it can import and export PDF, Final Draft, Fountain, Celtx, .docx, .rtf and other formats.

Best for: writing partners and teams who want to work in the same script at the same time.

Celtx

Celtx is a cloud-based platform that combines script writing with story development and production planning. Alongside script editors for film, TV, theater and other formats, it offers a beat sheet, storyboarding and pre-production tools such as shot lists, script breakdowns, scheduling, call sheets and budgeting. As cloud-based software it also supports story development, with story beats in a beat sheet, and project management for a shoot. Its production workflows run from shot lists to script breakdowns and pre-production management.

New accounts start with a 7-day trial of paid features, after which users can upgrade or stay on a free plan, which allows up to three projects. Collaboration features include inviting others to read, edit or approve a script, with text-anchored comments and revision history. Its cloud-based collaboration includes notes tied to the text.

Best for: students and indie filmmakers who want writing and production planning in one place.

Fade In

Fade In Professional Screenwriting Software is a desktop program for Mac, Windows and Linux, with its Fade In Access service and mobile apps covering iPhone, iPad and Android. Its official site lists writers such as Rian Johnson and Craig Mazin among its users.

Fade In opens, edits and saves Final Draft (.fdx) files, and imports or exports Word (.docx), Rich Text Format, Fountain, Celtx and several other formats. The free demo version includes nearly all features but places a watermark on printed and PDF output and leaves out online real-time collaboration.

As of October 2026, the official purchase page lists Fade In at $79.95, shown against a regular price of $99.95, as a one-time purchase. The company says updates are free.

Best for: writers who want a professional desktop program without a subscription, including Linux users.

Highland and Fountain

Highland Pro comes from Quote-Unquote Apps, the company of screenwriter John August, who is also one of the people behind Fountain. It is built natively for Mac, iPad and iPhone, with iCloud syncing, and it works in Fountain-style plain text, so you can write prose and dialogue without clicking through element menus. Features include a navigator of scenes and notes, a title page builder, cast and location lists, writing sprints and a revision mode.

As of October 2026, Highland Pro’s official page lists a 30-day trial and plans at $59.99 per year or $9.99 per month.

Fountain itself is free and open source, and many apps support it. You can draft a script in a plain text editor, then open the .fountain file in a program that formats and exports it.

Best for: Mac and iPhone users who like clean, distraction-free writing and plain-text files.

Arc Studio

Arc Studio is a newer program that runs on Mac, Windows, iPad, iPhone and in any web browser, with real-time collaboration and offline support. A subscription covers one person across unlimited devices. Arc Studio Pro is the only plan that lets you invite collaborators (people you invite can collaborate on the Free plan), and this screenwriting app also works in a web browser.

As of October 2026, Arc Studio’s official pricing page lists a Free plan at $0, an Essentials plan at $69 per year and a Pro plan at $99 per year, with a 7-day Pro trial for new accounts. The Free plan allows two scripts, adds a watermark to PDF exports and does not include the desktop or mobile apps. All plans include Fountain and Final Draft export. Inviting collaborators requires Pro, though collaborating on someone else’s script works on the Free plan. Some features, such as Table Read, use paid credits.

Best for: writers who want a modern interface and collaboration with a low-cost entry plan.

Trelby (Free, Open Source)

Trelby is a free screenwriting program licensed under the GPL, so anyone can use it and developers can contribute. Its site describes it as multiplatform and says it behaves identically on each platform.

Trelby enforces script format and pagination, and includes auto-completion, spell checking, a character name database with over 200,000 names, reports on scenes, locations and characters, and a tool to compare two versions of a script. It imports formatted text, .fdx, Celtx, Fountain, Adobe Story and Fade In files, and exports PDF, .fdx, Fountain, HTML, RTF and formatted text. Its PDF generator can embed fonts and add watermarks.

Best for: writers who want a capable free desktop program with no account or subscription.

KIT Scenarist (Free, Open Source)

KIT Scenarist’s desktop version is free and open-source software, with versions for Windows, macOS and Linux. Mobile versions for iOS and Android are paid. The program combines a script editor with a research module for loglines, synopses, characters and locations, a card board for structure and a statistics module that estimates running time. Its export options make it easier to move a formatted script into another program.

It exports PDF, .fdx, Fountain and .docx, and imports .fdx, Fountain, .docx, .odt, Trelby and Celtx files. It also supports writing in many languages.

Best for: writers who want free outlining, index cards and script statistics in one program.

Google Docs and Word Templates

You can write a script in Microsoft Word or Google Docs using a screenplay template or a third-party add-on that sets the margins and styles. This works for short scenes or class exercises, and it costs nothing if you already use those tools.

The drawbacks show up in longer scripts. Word processors do not natively handle (MORE) and (CONT’D) at page breaks, keep scene headings from being stranded at the bottom of a page, or switch between elements as smoothly. Fade In’s own site makes the same point, noting that some things “only proper screenwriting software can do.” For a feature-length script, a free option like Trelby, KIT Scenarist or a free tier of a cloud app is usually easier. Dedicated screenwriting software, by contrast, handles script formatting automatically. Slug lines, also called scene headings, can be stranded at the bottom of a page, a page-break constraint dedicated software handles.

How to Choose Screenwriting Software

Start with a few practical questions.

1. What do you write on? Highland Pro is Apple-only, Final Draft does not run on Chromebook, and Fade In, Trelby and KIT Scenarist cover Linux. Browser-based tools like WriterDuet, Celtx and Arc Studio work on most computers.
2. Do you co-write? If so, look first at WriterDuet, Arc Studio or Celtx, and check what the free plan allows.
3. Do you prefer to pay once or pay monthly? Final Draft and Fade In sell one-time licenses; Highland and Arc Studio are subscriptions; Trelby and KIT Scenarist’s desktop version are free.
4. Can you get your files out? Favor tools that export .fdx, Fountain and an unwatermarked PDF.
5. Do you need production tools? Celtx stands out if you will also schedule and break down a shoot.

Try before you buy. Nearly every paid program here offers a free trial, a demo or a free plan, so write a few real pages in two or three tools before you decide.

Tools That Help

Software is only part of a comfortable writing setup. These physical tools and books help with long writing sessions and with learning the format your software applies.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Screenwriter’s Bible by David Trottier (paid link): Explains the format conventions your software applies on the page.

Nulaxy Ergonomic Adjustable Laptop Stand for Desk, Dual Foldable Computer Stand (paid link): Raises the screen closer to eye level for long writing sessions.

Perixx PERIBOARD-512B Wired Ergonomic Split Keyboard (paid link): A separate keyboard is useful when the laptop is raised on a stand.

Sandisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD, Up to 1050MB/s Read Speeds (paid link): For regular local backups of every draft, alongside any cloud saving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What screenwriting software do professionals use?

Final Draft is the most widely associated with the U.S. industry, and its .fdx format is the common exchange format. Many professionals also use Fade In, Highland, WriterDuet or Arc Studio, and the official sites of those programs list working writers among their users.

Is there free screenwriting software?

Yes. Trelby is free and open source, and KIT Scenarist’s desktop version is free and open source. WriterDuet, Celtx and Arc Studio have free plans with limits, such as a cap on projects or watermarked PDFs.

Can I use Google Docs to write a screenplay?

Yes, with a template or add-on, but it does not handle screenplay page breaks and element switching as well as dedicated software. It is fine for short pieces and practice.

Do contests require Final Draft files?

Contests usually ask for a PDF. Check each contest’s rules, but you rarely need a specific program to enter.

Can I switch programs later?

Usually, yes. Export your script as .fdx or Fountain and import it into the new program, then check the formatting before sending it out.

What is a .fountain file?

It is a plain-text screenplay written in Fountain markup. You can open it in any text editor, and apps that support Fountain turn it into a formatted script.

Sources and Further Reading

• Final Draft 13, official product and pricing page.
• WriterDuet plans and pricing.
• Celtx, official site.
• Fade In Professional Screenwriting Software.
• Highland Pro from Quote-Unquote Apps.
• Fountain, the plain-text screenplay format.
• Arc Studio pricing.
• Trelby, free open-source screenwriting software.
• KIT Scenarist, official site.