Best screenwriting programs

Best screenwriting programs

When you’re first getting started as a screenwriter, the formatting can feel overwhelming. How big do the margins need to be? What font is considered industry standard? While you can learn all the rules, it’s ultimately much easier to find a screenwriting software that works for you. I’ve put together a list of the best screenwriting programs on the market today that will make formatting your screenplay a breeze.

These screenwriting programs are not in any particular order; all of them have pros and cons and you should consider them before deciding which to use.

Final Draft

Pros:

• Final Draft is considered industry standard
• Can be used on your computer or phone
• Includes options for prewriting/story planning
• Automatic formatting
• You can set goals and collect data
• It’s a one time payment
• There are discounts for students and educators
• 30 day free trial
• There is volume licensing for schools and studios

Cons:

• Final Draft is expensive (starting at $249.99 for individuals, although it sometimes goes on sale)
• You have to pay to upgrade
• The app is not available on Android phones
• The software is not compatible with Chromebooks

Scrivener 

Pros:

• Scrivener can be used as a word processor for novels and short stories, not just screenplays
• Can be used on your computer or phone
• Includes options for prewriting/story planning
• Automatic formatting
• You can set goals and track progress
• It’s a one time payment
• 30 day free trial
• You can write offline
• Minor updates are free
• Relatively cheap ($59 for an individual pricing, $50 for educational pricing)
• Can be used on multiple devices in one household

Cons:

• Not considered industry standard (although the screenplay formatting IS industry standard)
• No bulk pricing for schools and studios
• It saves automatically but your work is not saved to the cloud so can be lost; you can circumvent this by having your saved files stored in Dropbox or a similar software
• Major updates must be purchased

Celx

Pros:

• Available for individuals or teams
• Pre production and production tools including alongside screenwriting software
• Includes options for pre-writing/story planning
• Set goals and track progress
• Share scripts with read only access
• Automatic formatting

Cons:

• Billed monthly (between $14.99 and $59.95 depending on the tier you subscribe too, with discounts for yearly purchases)
• You must get a team subscription to access production tools
• Entry-level subscription only allows for up to three projects
• Entry-level subscription doesn’t have story planning tools
• Free trial is only seven days

Writer Duet

Pros:

• You can create up to three free projects without putting in your credit card information
• Automatic formatting
• Collaborative writing features
• Includes options for pre-writing/story planning
• You can write offline (and once you’re back online, changes sync automatically)
• Customizable workspace
• 50% off for students and educators

Cons:

• Billed monthly (between $9.99 and $13.99 a month, with a discount for yearly pricing)
• Lower priced subscriptions have fewer features