Final Draft vs StackEdit

Final Draft8.8Visit StackEdit8.4Visit

Higher score Final Draft #4 in Text App 8.8/10 5-day trial Free trial✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Final Draft

vs

StackEdit #7 in Text App 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit StackEdit

• Final Draft fits best

  Screenwriters needing production-ready tools

• StackEdit fits best

  Markdown users wanting publishing and collaboration

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Final Draft 8.8/10 Visit ↗	StackEdit 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.4
Ranking	#4 in Text App	#7 in Text App
Best for	Screenwriters needing production-ready tools	Markdown users wanting publishing and collaboration
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	$99.99/yr	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	5 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Self-hosted, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS	Web, Chrome extension
Integrations	5 integrations	6 integrations
Features Final Draft 2/4 · StackEdit 1/4
Markdown support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Real-time collaboration	✓	✓
Offline access	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Version history	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Platforms	Not checked yet	web, chrome_extension, self_hosted
Our review
Pros	Automatically formats and paginates scripts, with PDF and other exports Combines outlining, revisions, comments, and real-time collaboration Adds production reports, scheduling, budgeting, and breakdown tools	Live preview, synchronized scrolling, and WYSIWYG formatting controls Offline writing plus sync with Google Drive, Dropbox, and GitHub Collaborative workspaces, inline comments, and CMS publishing
Cons	The desktop application is a USD 249.99 one-time purchase The one-time desktop purchase does not include Final Draft Cloud Its screenplay focus may not suit broader writing needs	Use is limited to web, Chrome extension, or self-hosted deployments Support channels are community-based Its Markdown flavor is custom
Our verdict	Final Draft is screenwriting software for professional and aspiring screenwriters, filmmakers, producers, playwrights, and production teams. Its workflow spans script formatting and story planning through revisions and production… Read the review →	StackEdit is an open-source Markdown editor for individuals and teams who want to write, collaborate, and publish documents in a browser. It combines Markdown syntax highlighting with WYSIWYG formatting controls and a live preview that… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Final Draft — where it wins

  • Automatically formats and paginates scripts, with PDF and other exports
  • Combines outlining, revisions, comments, and real-time collaboration
  • Adds production reports, scheduling, budgeting, and breakdown tools

  Where it doesn't

  • The desktop application is a USD 249.99 one-time purchase
  • The one-time desktop purchase does not include Final Draft Cloud
  • Its screenplay focus may not suit broader writing needs

• StackEdit — where it wins

  • Live preview, synchronized scrolling, and WYSIWYG formatting controls
  • Offline writing plus sync with Google Drive, Dropbox, and GitHub
  • Collaborative workspaces, inline comments, and CMS publishing

  Where it doesn't

  • Use is limited to web, Chrome extension, or self-hosted deployments
  • Support channels are community-based
  • Its Markdown flavor is custom

• Final Draft8.8/10 · 5-day trial

  A specialist screenwriting suite with formatting, collaboration, and production tools.

  Visit Final DraftFull verdict →
• StackEdit8.4/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source Markdown editor with offline writing, cloud sync, and CMS publishing.

  Visit StackEditFull verdict →