Scriptum review
A capable offline screenwriting workspace for writers who do not need collaboration.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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 local file storage. Its core workspace covers screenplay editing, autocomplete for common script elements, screenplay pagination, PDF export, and focused writing tools such as Focus Mode and writing sprints. That combination suits individual writers working across major desktop platforms, particularly those who want control over their files and a structured drafting environment.
Its strongest depth is in revision and story organization. Writers can create revision snapshots, compare changes, restore earlier versions, and group work into revision sets. An Index Card board and Story Timeline provide planning views, while reports cover scenes, characters, locations, statistics, and revision changes. Production tagging adds breakdown reports for screenplay elements, giving Scriptum a wider role than a basic formatting editor. Import and export support Scriptum, Final Draft, Fountain, plain text, and PDF, which helps it fit workflows that exchange scripts in common formats.
Scriptum is a strong choice for solo writers who value offline access, revision control, breakdown tools, and cross-platform desktop coverage. Its on-device table read can use system or browser voices, adding a practical way to review a script without online screenplay storage. The main boundary is collaboration: Scriptum does not provide real-time co-writing, cloud synchronization, accounts, or online storage. Writers working with shared live documents or cloud-based screenplay access should choose a different tool, while independent writers focused on drafting, revising, organizing, and exporting can find the feature set well aligned with that workflow.
Scriptum pros and cons
- 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
Scriptum fact sheet, pricing and score →
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.
Last updated · How we research and update