For a solo screenplay, start with a tool that produces a correctly formatted PDF and an editable file you can keep. Pay for collaboration or production controls when the project needs them, after checking the actual plan limits and export behavior.
Compare usable workflows
| Tool | Free / paid distinction | Platform / offline scope | Export and collaboration |
|---|---|---|---|
| WriterSolo | Anonymous browser editing and PDF/FDX export exercised without payment | Browser tested on macOS; offline recovery not tested | File-based workflow; save files yourself. Do not treat it as WriterDuet cloud collaboration |
| WriterDuet | Published free plan: three projects, one document per project; paid tiers expand features | Web workflow; offline and desktop features depend on plan | Free reader sharing and co-writing in an upgraded user’s project differ from owning unrestricted collaboration |
| Trelby | Free, open-source software | Check official downloads against your OS; no install test here | Vendor lists PDF, FDX and Fountain export; no real-time cloud workflow demonstrated here |
| Final Draft | Commercial products and a trial; distinguish Suite subscription from Final Draft 13 offers | Check the purchased product’s desktop/mobile and OS support | Confirm production revisions, collaboration seats and delivery requirements for the actual edition |
| Celtx | Current page describes a seven-day paid-feature trial and a continuing free option | Account-based workflow; verify the selected plan and offline needs | Do not infer permanent trial features or unlimited projects from “free account” |
Checked October 30, 2026. A trial is not a permanent free tier. Prices and promotional terms depend on billing period, region and eligibility; compare the total renewal cost and cancellation terms before purchase. No paid subscription was bought for this comparison.
A real sample export you can inspect
We entered an original two-scene sample, The Last Frame, in an anonymous WriterSolo session in Chrome on macOS. The final PDF and FDX contain two scene headings, action, two character cues, dialogue and a transition. We checked the exported text and FDX element types, then rendered the PDF to inspect its layout.
Download the sample PDF, FDX and Fountain source (ZIP). The untouched placeholder title page was removed from the PDF and FDX locally; the screenplay body is the exported layout. The Fountain file was authored separately and its import was not completed because browser file access was unavailable.
This was a limited export exercise, not a benchmark of all products. An automated attempt to revise a line left misplaced/stale text, so the final version was re-entered in a clean project and checked again. The files establish a readable output and typed FDX structure; they do not establish production revision handling, reliable offline recovery or cross-application round-trip fidelity.
Run the same check before committing a feature script
- Create a short scene containing a heading, action, character, dialogue and any special element you actually need.
- Make a deliberate revision and export a PDF. Read it outside the editor for missing text, bad page breaks or an unwanted title page.
- Export the required editable format, such as FDX or Fountain. Import it into the receiving application and compare formatting, notes and scene numbers.
- If collaboration matters, test two users with the intended account tiers and permissions. A view-only link is not co-writing.
- If offline work matters, test opening, editing, saving and recovery without a network, using a disposable sample before trusting a production script.
- Keep dated local backups and record which version was sent to production.
Which option fits the reader?
Solo beginner: the tested WriterSolo browser route provides a concrete way to evaluate basic formatting and exports. Offline-focused writer: inspect a compatible local tool such as Trelby, then test it on your OS. Co-writing team: compare actual WriterDuet or other collaboration tiers. Production or school: ask the receiving team which file, revision and license requirements matter before choosing a paid product.
Fountain is human-readable text with screenplay conventions; FDX is structured interchange data; PDF is a reading/printing deliverable. Keeping all three can be useful, but none replaces a tested editable project backup. Copying text into a word processor does not automatically reproduce the original script’s page breaks.
Choose with a one-page delivery brief
Before comparing plans, write down who will receive the script and what they need. A solo writer sending a PDF to a reader has different requirements from two writers editing together or a production issuing revised pages. “Professional formatting” alone does not tell you whether an app handles your actual handoff.
| Workflow | Minimum useful check | Reason to pay, if verified |
|---|---|---|
| Solo first draft | Write comfortably, export a readable PDF and retain an editable file. | A development or organization feature you use enough to justify its cost. |
| Writing partnership | Test two accounts, simultaneous edits, comments and recovery from a conflict. | Reliable shared editing and permissions for the actual participants. |
| Production script | Test scene numbering, locked pages and the required revision process with production. | Verified controls that preserve the team’s issued-page workflow. |
| Travel or unreliable network | Open, edit, save and reopen a disposable project without internet. | Offline behavior that works on your operating system and license. |
Check the plan from the account that will own the project. WriterDuet’s plan explanation, for example, distinguishes its free project limits from participation in an upgraded user’s shared project. An invitation to collaborate is not proof that your own free account can create an unlimited number of equivalent projects.
A migration checklist for an existing screenplay
Keep the original project untouched while evaluating another editor. Export a PDF reference and the best supported editable format, then import a copy into the candidate application. Compare the beginning, middle and end of the script, plus any unusual elements. A screenplay that opens successfully can still contain damaged formatting.
- Check scene headings, character names, dialogue and parentheticals as element types, not just visually aligned text.
- Inspect accents, special characters, italics, dual dialogue and forced page breaks if the script uses them.
- Compare title-page details, scene numbers, notes and revision marks separately. An exchange format may not preserve every application-specific feature.
- Export back out and reopen the file in the receiving application. Do not replace the production master until that round trip is acceptable.
- Keep a dated copy of the exact PDF sent to readers so later edits do not change the record of what they reviewed.
Fountain is useful as portable text, but it is not a promise to preserve every production feature. PDF preserves a reading layout but is not equivalent to an editable screenplay. FDX supports structured screenplay exchange; different applications may still interpret details differently. Choose the format for the handoff, and retain the original project as well.
What if the PDF pagination changes?
First compare paper size, font, margins and the application’s screenplay template. Next inspect manually inserted breaks and special elements. Do not shorten dialogue merely to force a migrated file back to the old page count. If production needs locked page references, agree a revision process before issuing the new file.
Does a paid application improve the writing?
It may remove formatting friction or provide useful outlining tools. It cannot establish that a scene works. Read the scene aloud, inspect its actions and decisions, and separate story revision from software evaluation. The sample above demonstrates a narrow export workflow; it does not rank the dramatic quality or production reliability of every app listed.
Beyond the writing app
Use the filmmaking app workflow for the handoff into scouting, capture and delivery. Once production begins, keep the script-supervisor continuity resources aligned with the approved script version. The movie-credit resources serve a different delivery task; they are not a substitute for screenplay formatting.
Related next steps
Before choosing software, develop the scene itself with indirect characterization through action and dialogue.
For payment terms beyond the initial writing fee, read the residuals overview.
