Celtx Alternatives for Screenwriting and Production Planning

Celtx is still running. It is a browser-based scriptwriting and production planning service from Backlight, and the Celtx pricing page lists a free plan with one project, then Writer and Writer Pro plans, plus Team plans for groups. Writer starts at US$14.99 a month. Breakdowns, schedules, budgets and call sheets are an optional add-on, even on Writer Pro.

The offline app is gone for good. Celtx's article on the desktop software says development and distribution of version 2.9.7 and older ended in 2013, the 32-bit app stopped working with macOS Catalina in 2019, and since July 21, 2021 legacy desktop users cannot open projects stored in their celtx.com account from the app.

So the usual reasons to look elsewhere are the one-project free plan, paying extra for production tools, and wanting a program that works without an internet connection. The seven picks start with cloud editors, then a production suite, then desktop apps you own or run for free.

Prices below are as of November 8, 2026. Our method is on How we review tools.

Quick comparison

WriterDuet

WriterDuet is the nearest like-for-like swap for a Celtx writer. It is a cloud screenwriting editor built around real-time co-writing, so on paid plans two people can type in the same scene at once. Its free plan allows 3 projects where Celtx allows one, but collaborators on it can only read.

Paid plans can be billed monthly or yearly. Plus costs US$9.99 a month and adds the desktop app; Premium adds history, AutoTranslate, MultiColumn and ReadAloud, per the WriterDuet plan guide. Even Premium at US$13.99 a month costs less than Celtx Writer.

Best for: Celtx writers who want more free projects and cheaper paid plans, with live co-writing on paid plans.

Pricing:

• Free: 3 projects, one document each
• Plus: US$9.99 a month, or US$89.88 a year
• Pro: US$11.99 a month, or US$107.88 a year
• Premium: US$13.99 a month, or US$125.88 a year

Watch out for:

• Each free project holds a single document, so an outline and a draft use two of the three slots.
• There are no breakdowns, schedules or call sheets. The production half of Celtx needs another tool.

Official site: WriterDuet.

StudioBinder

If you used Celtx for more than the script, look at StudioBinder first. It is a web production platform with a screenwriting editor, shot lists, storyboards, script breakdowns, stripboard schedules and call sheets under one login.

StudioBinder's pricing page lists Starter at US$29 a month for one user and 10 projects, Indie at US$49 for two users and 25 projects, and Professional at US$99 for four users and unlimited projects, all billed monthly. The StudioBinder plan guide puts storage at 50 GB, 75 GB and 100 GB on those tiers. Our StudioBinder alternatives page compares it with other production suites.

Best for: Indie producers who want the script and the shoot plan in the same account.

Pricing:

• Free: 1 project with one screenplay document
• Starter: US$29 a month, 1 user, 10 projects
• Indie: US$49 a month, 2 users, 25 projects
• Professional: US$99 a month, 4 users, unlimited projects
• Agency US$199 and Studio US$299 a month; Enterprise custom

Watch out for:

• Free call sheets can only be sent to yourself, so the free plan is a trial more than a working tool.
• For a writer who never schedules a shoot, Starter costs about twice as much as Celtx Writer.

Official site: StudioBinder.

Fade In

Fade In is the pick for anyone who misses the old Celtx desktop app. It runs offline on Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.10 or later and 64-bit Linux, the current release is 5.0.15, and you pay for it once.

The Fade In purchase page sells an individual licence for US$79.95 one-time, converted to your local currency at checkout. Updates to that version are free. Fade In Access, an optional cloud service, adds iPhone, iPad and Android apps if you want to write away from the desk.

Best for: Writers who want to own their software and work without an internet connection.

Pricing:

• US$79.95 one-time for an individual licence
• Free demo with every feature except realtime collaboration
• Site and multiuser licences: contact sales

Watch out for:

• The demo watermarks printed and PDF scripts, so you cannot hand in a draft before paying.
• It is a writing app only, with no breakdown, scheduling or budgeting.

Official site: Fade In.

Final Draft

Final Draft 13 is the file format many studios, agencies and contests expect. It runs on macOS 12 or later and Windows 11, one licence can be signed in on two computers at a time, and Beat Board and the Outline Editor cover the planning Celtx does in its story development tools.

The Final Draft product page lists US$249.99 to buy outright, or US$99.99 a year or US$16.99 a month for the Final Draft Suite subscription, which includes Final Draft Cloud. Subscriptions start with a 5-day trial, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Best for: Working screenwriters who send drafts to producers and agents.

Pricing:

• One-time: US$249.99
• Subscription: US$99.99 a year or US$16.99 a month
• 5-day trial; 30-day money-back

Watch out for:

• There is no Chromebook, Linux or browser version, which rules it out for students who used Celtx on a school Chromebook.

Official site: Final Draft.

Story Architect

Story Architect, usually called STARC, is a free desktop writer for Windows, macOS and Linux from the developer of KIT Scenarist. The free plan has unlimited projects and covers screenplays, stageplays, audio dramas, comics and novels, plus character, location and world notes.

Production help costs little. Creator, at US$8.34 a month billed yearly, adds screenplay breakdown, real-time collaboration, sync across up to 5 desktop devices and 5 GB of cloud storage, per the STARC pricing page. Students and university staff get 50% off. Its GitHub releases page lists version 0.8.3, dated September 22, 2026. Our KIT Scenarist alternatives page has more on its history.

Best for: Writers on a tight budget who want offline writing and a basic breakdown.

Pricing:

• Free: unlimited projects, all writing formats, no AI credits
• Pro: US$4.17 a month billed yearly, or US$150 lifetime
• Creator: US$8.34 a month billed yearly
• AI credits: 50 for US$10, 200 for US$30

Watch out for:

• Phones and tablets do not sync yet; the FAQ says mobile sync is planned for 2027, so until then you move .starc files by hand.
• Breakdown is the only production feature listed. Schedules, budgets and call sheets are not part of any plan.

Official site: Story Architect.

Arc Studio

Arc Studio fits between a plain editor and Celtx's story development features. Its Pro plan puts outlining, season outlines, history, revision management and collaborator invites beside the script, and the paid plans add desktop and iPhone and iPad apps.

Billing is yearly only: US$69 for Essentials and US$99 for Pro, on the Arc Studio pricing page. Every account starts with a 7-day Pro trial, and students with an .edu address get US$70 off Pro.

Best for: TV writers who outline whole seasons and want cloud sync without a monthly bill.

Pricing:

• Free: 2 scripts, watermarked PDF, no desktop or iOS apps
• Essentials: US$69 a year
• Pro: US$99 a year
• Students with an .edu email: US$70 off Pro

Watch out for:

• Essentials leaves out outlining, history and custom formats, so most Celtx users who want story tools need Pro.
• Table Read, Character Images and the Research Assistant run on credits bought on top of the plan.

Official site: Arc Studio.

Highland Pro

Highland Pro suits Mac, iPad and iPhone writers who want a quiet editor and no production features at all. It writes in plain-text Fountain, syncs through iCloud, and includes Revision Mode with coloured change tracking, writing sprints and a gender analysis of speaking parts.

It costs US$9.99 a month or US$59.99 a year in the US, with a 30-day trial. It replaced Highland 2 in March 2025, which our Highland 2 alternatives page covers in detail.

Best for: Apple users who want a focused writing app on every device they own.

Pricing:

• Monthly: US$9.99
• Yearly: US$59.99 (US$4.99 a month)
• 30-day free trial

Watch out for:

• Apple only. In an April 2026 post, Highland creator John August called iCloud syncing frustrating and unreliable.

Official site: Highland Pro.

How to choose

When to stay with Celtx

Stay on Celtx if your team already plans shoots in it with the production add-on. Few tools join script, breakdown, schedule, budget and call sheets in one browser account, and the Celtx pricing page offers Team plans for groups as well as single-writer plans. If you only write, the free plans above give you more room.

Frequently asked questions