What Is the Best Free Screenwriting Software?
If you’re an aspiring or beginner screenwriter, you probably want to know what the best screenwriting programs on the market are. If you’re living on a budget or simply aren’t ready to financially invest in a program, there are also free options available.
This approach lets you try out different programs, free of charge, while also seeing whether screenwriting is something you truly enjoy. If you discover that you like writing screenplays and want to invest further in it, you’ll be in a better position to choose the right program to purchase if you’ve tried out a free version of screenwriting software.
When choosing which program to download, consider what will work with your operating system and your specific needs as a writer. For example, if you want to outline beforehand, go with a program that also has outlining tools. Also whether you’re writing alone or with a collaborator might be a factor. Even if you're going with a free program or a free trial, it’s still an investment of your time, so read the details and choose wisely. That being said, there’s one program that is the industry standard and it does offer a free trial.
Aspiring to Professional Screenwriting
I’ve been a professional screenwriter for 17 years, but before I broke into the film business, I didn’t have much money to spend on screenwriting software. At the time, a buddy of mine hooked me up with a free copy of Scriptware (a subpar program that’s no longer on the marketplace). I wrote my first two scripts on this software, and even though I was an amateur, I knew there had to be a better program out there.
Eventually, I would buy Final Draft and this was the moment I truly felt like a professional screenwriter. I felt this way because I learned Final Draft was the industry standard screenwriting software, used by the majority of people working in the film and television business. I imported my second script into Final Draft and using its superior formatting and editing tools, I was able to create a more professional-looking screenplay (which I ended up selling for 7 figures and it was the script that broke me into the business).
If you’re still at the decision stage of whether to buy screenwriting software, there are various reasons to consider Final Draft. Below I expand on this and the benefits of the free trial available.
Final Draft Free Trial
When looking for screenplay software free downloads, there are a handful of programs that might be sufficient if you’re only looking for the basics (i.e. standard industry formatting). However, not using a more established software can potentially hold you back.
Not just because a program like Final Draft has more features and advanced screenwriting tools, but — as stated above — it’s what most people in the film and television industry use. So when using Final Draft, you’re using the same program and the same file type the pros use: FDX (Final Draft Document File). This makes your life far easier as a screenwriter, and there is a free option for Final Draft.
Final Draft offers a 30-day free trial (available at any time to download via the website) During your trial, you’ll have all the features and tools available in the paid version, but absolutely free. This includes automatic formatting to industry standards: the text in your script easily changed into scene headings, action, dialogue, and other screenplay elements in a simple and user-friendly interface.
There are even more advanced tools like storing alternate lines for dialogue, the Navigator window for script organization, and Beat Board™ and Outline Editor for mapping out your story before “going to script.” Final Draft also offers features like Track Changes, Real-time Collaboration, and you can even Insert Images into your screenplay. There are also templates available that allow you to build your script from a file that already has all of the specific formatting for various media (e.g. feature film screenplay, television pilots, graphic novels, etc.). Because of this, you can use the program to do anything from writing a screenplay to creating a pitch deck.
You’ll be downloading the latest version of Final Draft when taking part in the free trial. This means that in addition to the above time-tested features, you’ll also have some of the latest tools, including Writing Goals and Productivity Stats, Emojis, Structure Lines and Typewriter Mode (for improved ergonomics). The latest version of Final Draft is also the most customizable yet, allowing you to change everything from your page view to how you import and export files. And the more you tailor the software to your specific needs, the more productive you’ll be when writing.
Once you’re finished your trial, you can decide if screenwriting is for you and whether Final Draft is worth the financial investment (from my experience, it definitely is worth it). If you become serious about screenwriting, the software you use will become part of your daily life, and it’s the foundation of your work routine and writing process. This is another reason why choosing the right program is an important decision and it’s beneficial to have a free trial.
So if you’re looking for the best free screenwriting software, the Final Draft 30-day free trial is a great option to have. Not only will you be using the same software the pros use, you’ll be taking your first big step into screenwriting and seeing for yourself how it’s done.