Export your current script before you look at anything else, because format surviving the move matters more than any feature. Then match the app to what you're writing and who with: desktop screenwriting apps for strict industry format, focused Mac apps, free open-source editors for the basics, or an online tool built for sharing if you co-write.
Leaving WriterDuet, or wondering whether to, usually comes down to one script and one deadline. You need the pages to look right, the app to stay out of the way, and your co-writer, if you have one, to be able to work with you. Ten apps follow, grouped by the kind of writer each one serves.
Start with the script on your desk
Before comparing apps, be clear about the project you'll finish in the next few months. A feature screenplay, a TV pilot, a stage play and a documentary outline all lean on different features. Stage plays and musicals need their own formats. TV writers often care about revision tracking. Writers who mix prose treatments with screenplays want both in one place.
Then think about who touches the file. If you write alone on one laptop, almost any app here will do the basics. If you share pages with a co-writer, a producer or a script supervisor, the way the app shares, comments and exports matters far more than how pretty the editor looks.
Three traps when you change screenwriting apps
Trusting a feature list over your own script
Feature lists make every screenwriting app look like it does everything, and the only test that counts is your own pages. Open a script you know well in each candidate before you trust the list. Trelby, Beat and Slugline all state on their own pages that they're free, which makes them easy to test without commitment.
Assuming format survives the move
Screenplay formatting looks simple until a scene heading, a dual dialogue block or a page break lands in the wrong place. Export a full draft from your current app, open it in the new one, and read it page by page before you trust it for a submission.
Picking for features rather than for the stage you're at
Production tools are useful when a script is heading for a shoot and a distraction when you're on draft one. Choose for the work in front of you, and move up when the project needs it.
Ten apps in one table
| Tool | Kind of app | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Arc Studio | Screenwriting app | First scripts and co-written projects |
| Beat | Open-source screenwriting app | Mac and iOS writers wanting a free, focused app |
| Celtx | Script writing and production suite | Writers who also plan the shoot |
| Fade In | Desktop screenwriting app | Long rewrites and revision drafts |
| Final Draft | Desktop screenwriting app | Scripts that must meet industry format |
| Highland Pro | Mac screenwriting app | Mac writers mixing screenplays and prose |
| Movie Magic Screenwriter | Desktop screenwriting app | Stage plays, musicals and teleplays |
| Slugline | Mac and iOS screenwriting app | Writing on a Mac, iPhone or iPad |
| StudioBinder | Online script and production tool | Teams moving from script to shoot |
| Trelby | Free screenwriting program | Writers wanting a free desktop editor |
Screenwriting apps from A to Z
In no particular order beyond the alphabet. Each line is a short description based on what the maker says about its own app.
Arc Studio
Best for: Developing an idea, building the story and writing the script alone or with others; the vendor says it's simple enough for a first script.
Beat
Best for: Mac and iOS writers wanting an open-source app made by a screenwriter, with the stated aim of no distractions.
Celtx
Best for: Writers who also plan production, with script writing, story development and production tools for film, TV and interactive media.
Fade In
Best for: Long rewrites, with outlining, navigation, formatting and revision management tools; the vendor says it's made by humans for human writers.
Final Draft
Best for: Scripts that need entertainment industry formatting for film, TV, theatre and documentary work, applied automatically as you write.
Highland Pro
Best for: Mac users writing screenplays and prose in one app, developed by screenwriter John August and his team.
Movie Magic Screenwriter
Best for: Writers of stage plays, teleplays and musicals as well as screenplays, using download software sold through the Screenplay.com store.
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Slugline
Best for: Typing without thinking about format on a Mac, iPhone or iPad, with an outline, timeline and notes alongside the pages.
StudioBinder
Best for: Drafting, sharing and formatting scripts online as part of a wider production platform.
Trelby
Best for: A free, open screenplay editor that enforces script format and pagination and checks spelling, with settings the project calls infinitely configurable.
A three-page scene as your test
- Choose a scene of three or four pages with dialogue, action and at least one transition.
- Pick two apps of the same kind from the table and open or install both.
- Export the scene from your current app and import it into each, or retype it if import isn't offered.
- Compare page breaks, scene headings and character names against your original.
- Write one new page in each app, then export a PDF and read both side by side.
An afternoon with one scene will show you which app feels natural. Writers tend to stay with the editor that disappears while they work.
Deadline coming? Advice on staying put
Don't switch apps in the middle of a rewrite with a deadline, or the week before a competition deadline. Finish the draft, then move. If you're not ready to commit, start with the free options and only upgrade when a feature solves a problem you've hit. My list of free screenwriting software covers more no-charge choices, and if you're curious about AI help with outlines and dialogue, see my guide to AI tools for script writing.
Do you make screenwriting software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open my existing script in another app?
Usually, if you export it in a format the new app says it imports. Always read the result page by page, because page breaks and dual dialogue are where moves go wrong.
Is there a free screenwriting app that formats correctly?
Yes. Several apps here state a free plan or a free version, and one free editor says it enforces script format and pagination.
Do I need industry-standard software to submit a script?
Readers judge the pages, not the app. What matters is that your exported file looks correctly formatted and opens cleanly for whoever receives it.
Can I co-write in real time with these?
Some describe writing with others or collaborating online. Test it with your co-writer on a live scene before you move a whole project.
Which apps work best on a Mac?
Several here are Mac-first, and a couple also run on iPhone and iPad. Check each maker's site for the devices it supports.
Will switching apps change my page count?
It can, because each app paginates slightly differently. Compare page counts on a full export before you rely on the new app for a submission.
