9 Best Screenwriting Software

Advantages:

Screenplay writing in StudioBinder is automatically formatted to industry standards, so you won’t have to worry about writing outside the expected lines. Once your script is finished, you or anyone on your production team can access your script, track all script revisions and easily integrate the script into the app’s wealth of production features. 

KEY features:

Features include industry-standard screenplay formatting with automatic margins, dialogue formatting, and scene structure. You can revise and create new versions of scripts with change tracking, making it easier to manage drafts as you develop your project along. 

The main appeal with StudioBinder is that you don’t have to switch platforms to connect and integrate your screenplay with other production tools, it’s all under one roof!

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

Final Draft automatically formats screenplay elements like scene headings, dialogue, action and more to industry expectations, which is what agents and production offices are well-known for wanting to see. 

Beyond formatting, Final Draft provides professional features like revision tracking to help you plan and refine your story from the inception of your idea to your final draft. It also supports collaboration, making it useful for writers working in teams.

KEY features:

Final Draft’s features are professional scriptwriter-friendly. These are just a few of the features you can expect to benefit from:

• Automatic industry-standard formatting to help handle margins, page breaks, dialogue spacing, etc.
• Story planning tools with features that help visualize and shape narrative arcs.
• Revision tracking and commenting: to support smooth and reliable editing.

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Advantages:

Arc Studio Pro is great for newcomers looking to avoid learning curves. It can format your script to industry standards so you don’t have to overly concern yourself with spacing or margins, and it lets you import or export into a variety of formats. It also allows you to write offline, this way you can bring your digital writing anywhere on the go. 

KEY features:

With Arc Studio Pro’s real-time collaboration, writing partners can work together on the same document without the interruption of file swapping. You also get outlining boards, revision history, feedback links, and clean export options, which are all useful when sharing drafts with your production team.

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Advantages:

Celtx offers a cloud-intuitive environment that combines screenplay writing and pre-production planning. Its editor automatically formats to industry standards, so you don’t have to set up the layout manually. 

It also comes with built-in tools like storyboards and scene organization. Project sharing and commenting features allow collaborators to work together on draft scripts and production plans. This one’s particularly useful for smaller creative teams that want to make writing and pre-production more tightly bound. 

KEY features:

Celtx provides automatic screenplay formatting and real-time collaboration features. Beyond writing, Celtx’s production planning modules let you break down your script into essential elements, organize shot lists, and create schedules within the same platform. 

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

WriterDuet focuses on both writing and team collaboration. Its editing software automatically formats scripts to industry standard so you don’t have to worry about margins or dialogue layout. Changes also sync in real time across all connected devices with other writers, even if they’re in completely different locations..

KEY features:

WriterDuet is useful for reliable industry-standard formatting and real-time co-writing. It also offers outlining views that help you plan your screenplay before and during drafting, making it easier to adjust your structure throughout your story’s development.

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Advantages:

Fade In comes with automatic industry-standard screenplay formatting and a streamlined interface focused solely on writing. It’s particularly useful when you need scripts ready for review, production use, or competition submissions.

KEY features:

Fade In includes automatic script formatting, outlining tools, revision management, and support for industry script standards. Its features help you plan scenes, organize narrative structure, and track multiple drafts. 

It also comes with a revision mode, which tracks edits and can manage various versions of your draft. 

Pros and Cons:

Advantages:

Highland Pro helps the scripting process with a simple interface that keeps you focused on your writing. It automatically formats what you write into a proper screenplay layout without making you manually adjust margins or spacing. Since Highland focuses on writing first, it’s most appealing for those still learning the script writing ropes, as well as professionals who want uninterrupted focus on text. 

KEY features:

Highland Pro uses a text-first system that converts simple typing cues into screenplay formatting as you write. It includes tools like Gender Analysis that helps view and balance character dialogue.

Because Highland Pro centers on the writing experience itself rather than production planning, it’s a solid option for writers focused on drafting and refining their screenplay.

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Advantages:

Trelby provides the typical features you expect from screenwriting software, such as automatic screenplay formatting and export options.  Trelby is open-source, meaning the online community maintains it with updates and tweaks.

Unlike some cloud-based programs, Trelby is a desktop application. This means you can work offline on your script without relying on internet access. However, it also lacks built-in collaboration tools and planners that you would find in other subscription-based platforms.

KEY features:

Trelby includes automatic industry-standard formatting, character and scene navigation, and script statistics. Because it focuses on just the essentials, Trelby is straightforward and easy to pick up for anyone at any writing level, making it one of the best screenwriting software free of requiring any advanced skills.

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Advantages:

Movie Magic Screenwriter provides reliable, industry-standard formatting for screenplays and television scripts. The interface is more traditional than your average advanced cloud-based tools, which some writers prefer for long-form drafting. 

Movie Magic’s software runs locally on your computer, so you’re not dependent on an internet connection to write or edit. This can be helpful for writers who prefer offline work or who are operating in production environments with limited connectivity.

KEY features:

Movie Magic Screenwriter includes automatic screenplay formatting, revision tracking, and support for multiple script types. It allows you to manage drafts, track changes, and export scripts in formats suitable for production teams.

A key distinction with Movie Magic is its compatibility with other Movie Magic tools, which helps streamline the transition from script to scheduling.

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