Final Draft costs $249.99. ScriptDraft is free forever. If you’re a screenwriter deciding between them, that price gap is the starting point — but not the whole story.
This comparison covers what each app actually does, where each wins, and when paying $250 makes sense versus when free is genuinely the right answer.
The core difference
Final Draft is desktop software (Mac and Windows) built for production environments. It has been the industry standard since the 1990s and is deeply integrated into Hollywood production workflows — revision pages, locked pages, production notes, and collaboration features are built around the way film and TV productions actually operate.
ScriptDraft is a mobile app (iOS and Android) built for writers who work on their phone. Its primary mode is voice-to-screenplay: you speak a scene in your language, the AI formats it as Fountain. It is free forever for core features.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Final Draft | ScriptDraft |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249.99 one-time | Free forever |
| Platform | Mac / Windows | iOS / Android |
| Fountain format | Yes | Yes |
| PDF export | Yes | Yes (watermark-free on Pro) |
| FDX export | Yes (native) | Yes (free with watermark, Pro = clean) |
| Fountain file export | Yes | Yes (always watermark-free) |
| Voice-to-screenplay | No | Yes — 100+ languages, on-device |
| Indian language support | No | Yes — Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi + more |
| Mobile app | No | Primary platform |
| Offline writing | Yes | Yes |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes | No (cross-device sync on Pro) |
| Revision pages (coloured) | Yes | No |
| Script coverage | No | Yes (Pro) |
| Named revisions | No | Yes (Pro) |
| Free tier | 30-day trial | Free forever, no trial |
| Account required | Yes | No |
Where Final Draft wins
Production environments. If you’re staffed on a TV show or working in a production office, Final Draft is still the tool the room uses. Revision pages in standard colours (White, Blue, Pink, Yellow), locked page numbers, and production notes are built for the specific way professional productions operate. ScriptDraft doesn’t have these features.
Desktop writing sessions. A large monitor, full keyboard, and mouse give you a different writing experience than a phone screen. If you do most of your writing at a desk, Final Draft’s desktop interface is genuinely better.
Industry networking. Submitting a script to a production company using Final Draft makes importing into their system effortless. FDX from ScriptDraft opens correctly, but the workflow assumption in many US production offices is Final Draft.
Where ScriptDraft wins
Cost. $0 vs. $249.99. For a writer working on their first few projects, that gap is real. ScriptDraft produces industry-standard FDX and PDF output — a reader or development executive cannot tell which tool generated your script.
Mobile. Final Draft has no mobile app. If you write on your commute, during lunch, or anywhere that isn’t a desk, ScriptDraft is the only professional-grade option.
Voice input. Speaking a scene and watching it format in real time is faster than typing on any keyboard. Final Draft has no voice-to-screenplay feature. ScriptDraft’s voice input works in 100+ languages and processes audio on-device — your audio never leaves your phone.
Indian and regional languages. Final Draft was built for English. Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and other regional language scripts either don’t display correctly or require workarounds. ScriptDraft handles them natively with bundled Noto Sans fonts.
The cost math over three years
A writer who produces 3 short screenplays a year:
- Final Draft: $249.99 upfront (plus upgrade costs for major versions, historically every 2-3 years — approximately $99 per upgrade).
- ScriptDraft free: $0. Export to FDX and share. No cost.
- ScriptDraft Pro: $29.99/year = $89.97 over three years — still 60% cheaper than Final Draft alone, and includes voice takes and AI credits.
If you occasionally need a clean PDF or FDX without a watermark, a single Pro month at $3.99 covers an unlimited number of exports.
The honest verdict
Buy Final Draft if you are writing for television and need production-grade revision management, or if your production office requires it and you’re billing it to a budget.
Use ScriptDraft if you write on mobile, work in an Indian language, want voice-to-screenplay, or simply want to write professionally without a $250 purchase. The FDX and PDF output is industry-standard. Nobody looking at your script can tell it cost you nothing to produce.
Quick answers
Is ScriptDraft’s free tier actually unlimited? Yes — unlimited scripts, unlimited editing, unlimited Fountain export. PDF and FDX export on free include a small watermark; Pro removes it.
Can I open a ScriptDraft FDX in Final Draft? Yes. FDX is Final Draft’s own format. Any FDX from ScriptDraft opens natively in Final Draft.
Does ScriptDraft work offline? Yes. Writing, editing, and formatting work fully offline. Voice transcription uses on-device speech recognition (also offline for supported languages). AI scene improvement requires an internet connection.
What’s the cheapest way to get clean PDF export from ScriptDraft? Upgrade to Pro for one month ($3.99), export everything you need, then cancel. Your scripts remain in the app and Fountain export stays free.