Final Draft
Long-running desktop screenwriting app that formats film, TV and stage scripts to industry standard.
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 2
- Approved reviews
- 0
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About Final Draft
Final Draft is the screenwriting program many film and TV productions expect scripts to arrive in. You type and it handles the layout: scene headings, action, character names, dialogue and transitions snap into standard screenplay format, with templates for TV, stage plays and other forms. Beyond formatting it has outlining and story-planning tools, revision tracking, collaboration, and production reports that list scenes, characters and locations for scheduling. Final Draft 13 is a desktop app for Mac and Windows sold as a one-time purchase, with discounted licences for students, educators and studios. There is also Final Draft Suite, a subscription that bundles the desktop app with Final Draft Cloud, a simpler browser-based editor with online storage and sharing. Its main appeal is compatibility: the .fdx file is what agents, producers and writers' rooms commonly exchange. The trade-off is price, since it costs far more than newer rivals, and its interface feels older than lighter apps such as Highland or WriterDuet.
Best for: Screenwriters and production teams who need the file format most of the film and TV industry uses.
Pros and cons
What works
- Automatic industry-standard screenplay formatting
- Production reports for scenes, characters and locations
- One-time purchase option for the desktop app
- Widely used .fdx format eases sharing with studios
Why people leave
- Costs far more than most screenwriting rivals
- Cloud editor needs the Suite subscription, not the one-time licence
- No Linux or Chromebook version
Top Final Draft alternatives
See all 2- 1
Trelby62.6Free and open source, with standard screenplay formatting and basic reports, for writers on a budget.
- 2
Story Architect (STARC)59.6Free open-source app that adds outlining, cards and research tools around script writing.
Why people left Final Draft
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Final Draft: common questions
Is Final Draft free?
No, Final Draft is a paid product. Desktop price: $249.99 one-time (Final Draft 13) (checked on Final Draft's own site).
Is Final Draft open source?
No, Final Draft is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Story Architect (STARC).
What platforms does Final Draft run on?
Final Draft is available for macOS, Windows and Web.
What are the best alternatives to Final Draft?
The highest-ranked Final Draft alternatives right now are Trelby and Story Architect (STARC). See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.