Afterwriting vs Fade In (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Afterwriting grades higher than Fade In: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Afterwriting grades higher on the free plan and platforms. Fade In grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Fade In
One-time-purchase screenwriting software for Windows, Mac and Linux
Free trial · from $79.95 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Afterwriting if
- Fits if you already write in Fountain and want a clean PDF
- Works for people who want a no-cost script tool with a command line
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a full screenwriting editor, because the editor is basic
- Not for you if you want Fountain explained, since there are no lessons listed
- Watch out: cloud sync with Google Drive and Dropbox works in the online version only
- Watch out: one person maintains it, and the copyright notice reads 2015 to 2020
Pick Fade In if
- Fits if you want to pay for screenwriting software once and get the updates free
- Works for scripts going into production, with revision colors, locked pages and breakdown reports
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you write on a phone or tablet, as the mobile apps have been discontinued
- Not for you if you want cloud saving in the price, because that's a separate subscription with no price on the purchase page
- Tight if you plan to stay on the demo, which nags after 10 pages and watermarks every printed script
- Watch out: the $79.95 covers one user, and site or multiuser licenses are arranged by email
- Not for you if you want it linked to other tools, as no integrations are listed
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAAfterwritingVery good | 2.8GPAFade InGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$0 under the MIT licence, for the online, offline and command-line versions. | A$79.95 once for the full desktop app on Windows, Mac and Linux, with free updates, against a category middle of $8.33 a month: under a year of a typical rival for something you keep. Students pay $59.95. Cloud saving is extra, and that price isn't on the purchase page. |
| Free plan and trial | AEverything is free, with no paid plans listed. | CNo free version, but the demo is a free download with no stated time limit and no card: it nags you to register after 10 pages, watermarks anything printed or exported to PDF, and leaves out online realtime collaboration. |
| Features | CFountain to PDF, script stats, Final Draft import and a basic editor. It does that job fully, but it's a smaller job than a whole screenwriting suite. | BFormatting as you type, a Navigator for reordering scenes, revision colors, page and scene locking, breakdowns and cast and location reports, a Dialogue Tuner, and Final Draft, Fountain and Celtx files all opening. The screenwriting job covered, though live collaboration needs the paid Access service. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You need to know Fountain, and the command line is another route in. | BNo store rating on record, but it's a plain download with nothing to set up: start typing and it moves from scene heading to action to dialogue by itself, with autocomplete for character names and locations. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, an offline version and a command line, with Google Drive, Dropbox and Final Draft. | CA program for computers alone: Windows, Mac and Linux from one purchase, which is a C however many systems that is. The iOS and Android apps are discontinued, browser editing needs the paid Fade In Access, and no integrations are listed. |
| Best for | turning Fountain scripts into PDFs | screenwriting software you buy once |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Afterwriting and Fade In. How we grade
Where they differ
- Afterwriting is open source, according to its own site.
- Fade In can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Afterwriting also covers documents.
- Fade In also covers templates and long-form writing.
In commonWeb
At a glance
| Afterwriting | Fade In | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $79.95 one-time |
| Free plan | The online version, the downloadable offline version and the node.js command line tool are all free; the code is under the MIT license. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free demo with no stated time limit: registration reminder after 10 pages and a watermark on printed and PDF output |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Piotr Jamróz | GCC Productions Inc. |
| Price read from | github.com | fadeinpro.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Afterwriting
- It post-processes Fountain text; the editor is basic compared with full screenwriting software.
- Cloud syncing with Google Drive and Dropbox works only in the online version.
- The project is maintained by an individual; its copyright notice reads 2015-2020.
Fade In
- Cloud saving and browser editing need Fade In Access, a separate subscription whose price is not shown on the purchase page.
- The Fade In Mobile apps for iOS and Android have been discontinued; phones and tablets use Fade In Access in a browser.
- The demo shows a registration reminder after 10 pages, watermarks printed scripts and leaves out online realtime collaboration.
- The price covers one individual user; site and multiuser licenses are arranged by email.
Key features
Afterwriting
- Fountain to PDF
- Converts Fountain screenplays into formatted PDF files.
- Screenplay information
- Extracts basic details such as the number of pages, action and dialogue time, and locations.
- Script statistics
- Charts location distribution, page balance and dialogue; experimental views include script pulse and primary and secondary characters.
- Final Draft import
- Imports .fdx files from Final Draft so existing scripts can be converted to Fountain.
- Basic editor
- A simple editor with auto-complete for writing Fountain text in the app.
- Google Drive and Dropbox sync
- The online version loads and syncs files with Google Drive and Dropbox.
Fade In
- Automatic script formatting
- Moves from scene heading to action to dialogue as you type, with standard screenplay styles that can be customized and autocomplete for character names and locations.
- Navigator and organization
- The Navigator reorders scenes and builds nested sequences. Scenes can be color-coded by plot point, theme or character, and bookmarks and links jump around the script.
- Revisions and production tools
- Manages revisions, page and scene locking and omitted scenes, shows changed pages in standard revision colors, and generates breakdowns and scene, cast and location reports.
- File format support
- Opens, edits and saves Final Draft .fdx files, imports and exports Word .docx and RTF, and works with Fountain, Scrivener, Celtx and StudioBinder files. Its own format is the XML-based Open Screenplay Format.
- Rewriting tools
- The Dialogue Tuner gathers one character's dialogue in one place for editing, and other tools check word-use frequency and compare versions of a script.
- Fade In Access
- An optional monthly or annual subscription for cloud storage, backup, version history, online editing in a browser, collaboration, sharing and publishing.
Plans
Afterwriting
Afterwriting$0
Online and offline versions plus a command line tool, with no paid plans listed.
Fade In
Fade In$79.95
one-time purchase, individual license
The full desktop version for Windows, Mac and Linux with free updates. Shown against a crossed-out regular price of $99.95.
Ways to pay less
Afterwriting
No public discounts listed.
Fade In
- Education
Student price of $59.95
Current students of accredited post-secondary institutions can buy the full desktop version for $59.95 after emailing proof of student status from a school address.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Afterwriting or Fade In?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Afterwriting is free, and Fade In starts at $79.95 one-time.
Which has a free plan, Afterwriting or Fade In?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Afterwriting has a free plan. Fade In does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Afterwriting and Fade In run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Fade In lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.