Fade In vs OpenDraft

Fade In8.4Visit OpenDraft7.9Visit

Higher score Fade In #4 in Screenwriting Software 8.4/10 Paid ✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Fade In

vs

OpenDraft #6 in Screenwriting Software 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit OpenDraft

• Fade In fits best

  Serious writers wanting a strong one-time purchase

• OpenDraft fits best

  Free, full-platform collaborative screenwriting

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Side by side

Feature	Fade In 8.4/10 Visit ↗	OpenDraft 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.4	7.9
Ranking	#4 in Screenwriting Software	#6 in Screenwriting Software
Best for	Serious writers wanting a strong one-time purchase	Free, full-platform collaborative screenwriting
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	$79.95 one-time	Free
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop	Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Integrations	1 integrations	3 integrations
Features Fade In 1/4 · OpenDraft 4/4
Real-time collaboration	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Offline mode	✓	✓
Revision tracking	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Production breakdown tools	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS/iPadOS, Android, browser
Export formats	extensive	PDF, Microsoft Word (.docx), Final Draft (.fdx), Fountain (.fountain), Fade In (.fadein), Open Screenplay Format (.osf), OpenDraft (.odraft)
Our review
Pros	$79.95 one-time license with free updates Extensive import and export formats, including FDX and DOCX Outlining, revisions, breakdowns, reports, and collaboration tools	Professional screenplay formatting with beat boards and index cards Real-time collaboration, permissions, version history, and track changes Broad platform support with imports, exports, and production tagging
Cons	Fade In Access is separate from the desktop application Mobile access is browser-based rather than through mobile apps No free plan is offered	Its broad feature set may exceed the needs of simple drafting Production tagging is geared toward workflows beyond writing alone Self-hosting requires managing the deployment environment
Our verdict	Fade In is screenwriting software for producing screenplays, teleplays, stage plays, radio scripts, and other scripted formats. Its desktop application supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, while Fade In Access provides browser-based editing… Read the review →	OpenDraft is a free, open-source screenwriting application for writers, collaborators, and production-focused teams. It combines an industry-standard screenplay editor with beat boards, drag-and-drop index cards, character profiles,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Fade In — where it wins

  • $79.95 one-time license with free updates
  • Extensive import and export formats, including FDX and DOCX
  • Outlining, revisions, breakdowns, reports, and collaboration tools

  Where it doesn't

  • Fade In Access is separate from the desktop application
  • Mobile access is browser-based rather than through mobile apps
  • No free plan is offered

• OpenDraft — where it wins

  • Professional screenplay formatting with beat boards and index cards
  • Real-time collaboration, permissions, version history, and track changes
  • Broad platform support with imports, exports, and production tagging

  Where it doesn't

  • Its broad feature set may exceed the needs of simple drafting
  • Production tagging is geared toward workflows beyond writing alone
  • Self-hosting requires managing the deployment environment

• Fade In8.4/10 · Paid

  A deep screenwriting tool with broad production features and a $79.95 one-time desktop license.

  Visit Fade InFull verdict →
• OpenDraft7.9/10 · Free plan

  A broad, no-cost screenwriting suite for writing, collaboration, revisions, and production planning.

  Visit OpenDraftFull verdict →