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Head-to-head · Screenwriting Software

OpenDraft vs Scriptum

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score OpenDraft #6 in Screenwriting Software 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit OpenDraft
Scriptum #9 in Screenwriting Software 7.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Scriptum

OpenDraft leads on 1 check, Scriptum on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreOpenDraft · 7.9/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresOpenDraft · 4 of 4

OpenDraft scores higher on our rubric for screenwriting software: 7.9 against 7.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #9.

OpenDraft offers real-time collaboration; Scriptum doesn't.

OpenDraft is the better fit for free, full-platform collaborative screenwriting. Scriptum is the better fit for free offline writers needing revisions and breakdowns.

  • OpenDraft fits best

    Free, full-platform collaborative screenwriting

  • Scriptum fits best

    Free offline writers needing revisions and breakdowns

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Side by side

Feature OpenDraft 7.9/10 Visit ↗ Scriptum 7.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 7.9 7.6
Ranking #6 in Screenwriting Software #9 in Screenwriting Software
Best for Free, full-platform collaborative screenwriting Free offline writers needing revisions and breakdowns
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile Cloud, Desktop
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features OpenDraft 4/4 · Scriptum 3/4
Real-time collaboration ✓ (best) —
Offline mode ✓ ✓
Revision tracking ✓ ✓
Production breakdown tools ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported platforms macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS/iPadOS, Android, browser web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Export formats PDF, Microsoft Word (.docx), Final Draft (.fdx), Fountain (.fountain), Fade In (.fadein), Open Screenplay Format (.osf), OpenDraft (.odraft) Scriptum (.scriptum), Final Draft (.fdx), Fountain (.fountain, .spmd), plain text (.txt), PDF
Our review
Pros
  • 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
  • Industry-standard formatting with autocomplete and screenplay pagination
  • Revision snapshots, comparisons, restoration, and revision sets
  • Production tagging, breakdown reports, and local PDF export
Cons
  • 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
  • No real-time collaboration for shared writing workflows
  • No cloud synchronization, accounts, or online screenplay storage
  • On-device table reads use system or browser voices
Our verdict

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 →

Scriptum is free, open-source screenwriting software for writers who want industry-standard formatting without a subscription. It supports browser use and downloadable desktop software for macOS, Windows, and Linux, with offline mode and…

Read the review →
  1. OpenDraftScreenwriting Software 7.9Free plan
  2. ScriptumScreenwriting Software 7.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • 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
  • Scriptum — where it wins

    • Industry-standard formatting with autocomplete and screenplay pagination
    • Revision snapshots, comparisons, restoration, and revision sets
    • Production tagging, breakdown reports, and local PDF export

    Where it doesn't

    • No real-time collaboration for shared writing workflows
    • No cloud synchronization, accounts, or online screenplay storage
    • On-device table reads use system or browser voices

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update