Arc Studio vs Final Draft

Arc Studio

• New screenwriters who want to draft a first script on a free plan
• Writing partners and writers' rooms working on episodic scripts
• Writers moving from Final Draft who need to import and export its files

Final Draft

• Screenwriters who need scripts in industry-standard format
• Productions that rely on tracked revisions and production reports
• Writers who would rather buy a desktop license once than subscribe

Arc Studio

• Free accounts are limited to 2 scripts, get watermarked PDF exports and cannot use the desktop, iPhone or iPad apps.
• Inviting collaborators, outlining tools, draft history and revision management are Pro-only.
• There is no Android app; Arc Studio runs in Chrome on Android without long-term offline support.
• Table Read, Character Images and Research Assistant are not part of the subscription price and need separately bought credits.

Final Draft

• The one-time Final Draft 13 license does not include Final Draft Cloud, which comes only with the Suite subscription.
• Final Draft 13 needs macOS 12 or later or Windows 11 or later, and is not available on Chromebook.
• The iPhone and iPad app, Final Draft Go, is a separate subscription at $3.99 a month or $19.99 a year.
• A license can be signed in on two computers at once; a third sign-in requires signing out of another.

Arc Studio

Script editor

Formats sluglines and margins to industry standards as you write, with a Focus mode and timed writing sprints. Scripts export to PDF, Final Draft and Fountain.

Plot board and outlining

Drag-and-drop story beat cards, color-coded tags for storylines and characters, and outlining templates. The outline can sit beside the script. Pro only.

Real-time co-writing

Co-writers edit the same script live, leave comments with custom tags and @mentions, and chat beside the script. Inviting collaborators needs Pro; those invited can be on Free.

Draft history and revisions

An automatic draft history keeps deleted text so it can be brought back. History and revision management are both listed under the Pro plan.

Sync and offline writing

Writing continues without a connection and syncs when back online. One subscription covers unlimited devices across Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad and any browser.

Credit-based add-ons

Table Read voices a script aloud, Character Images generates pictures from descriptions, and Research Assistant answers questions beside the script. Each is paid for with credits.

Final Draft

Automatic script formatting

Paginates and formats a script to entertainment-industry standards for film, TV, theater and other media, so layout does not have to be set by hand.

Story planning tools

The Beat Board, Outline Editor and Structure Lines are used to brainstorm and outline a story inside the script file, alone or with writing partners in real time.

Revisions and production reports

Tracked revisions, built-in commenting and automatic version saving support rewrites, and production reports can be run from the script.

Final Draft Cloud

Part of the Suite: an online editor called Final Draft Writer, a Vault for storing and sharing files, ScriptNotes comments and asynchronous collaboration.

Reader Mode

People invited to a script in Final Draft Cloud can view and comment on it free of charge, with no credit card, but cannot edit it.

Writing goals and focus modes

Final Draft 13 includes Writing Goals and Productivity Stats along with Midnight and Typewriter modes.

Arc Studio

• Free$0

  2 scripts, cloud sync, automatic backups, comments, and Fountain and Final Draft export; PDF export carries a watermark.

• Essentials$69

  per year

  Unlimited scripts, PDF export without a watermark, and the desktop, iPhone and iPad apps.

• Pro$99

  per year

  Adds inviting collaborators, outlining tools, custom formats, draft history, revision management, feedback links and The Stash.

Final Draft

• Final Draft Go$3.99

  per month, or $19.99 per year, in the App Store

  A separate subscription app for writing, editing and reading Final Draft scripts on iPhone and iPad.

• Final Draft Suite$99.99

  per year, or $16.99 per month

  Final Draft 13 for desktop plus Final Draft Cloud, the online workspace with cloud storage, sharing and collaboration.

• Final Draft 13 Educational$129.99

  one-time purchase

  All the features of Final Draft 13 for students and teachers. Verification is required to buy.

• Final Draft 13 Upgrade$129.99

  one-time purchase

  For owners of any previous desktop version, who must give a registered customer number or email.

• Final Draft 13$249.99

  one-time purchase

  The desktop app for Mac and Windows, with activation on two computers. Does not include Final Draft Cloud.

• Volume licensingCustom

  Multi-user licenses for studios, production companies, schools and nonprofits, arranged with the sales team.

Arc Studio

• Education

  $70 off Pro for students

  The pricing page offers students $70 off the Pro plan with an .edu address, and advertises a separate classroom discount for educators.

Final Draft

• Other savings

  Sale price of $199.99 on Final Draft 13

  The US store listed Final Draft 13 at $199.99 against its regular $249.99 when the page was captured on 2026-09-29.

• Annual discount

  Annual Suite plan costs about half of monthly

  Final Draft Suite is $99.99 a year, against $203.88 for twelve payments on the $16.99 monthly plan.

• Education

  Educational edition for students and teachers

  Final Draft 13 Educational has a regular price of $129.99, against $249.99 for the standard license, and was on sale at $99.99 on 2026-08-30. Verification is required.

• Other savings

  Military and first responder price of $129.99

  Members of the military, veterans and first responders can buy Final Draft 13 for $129.99 instead of the regular $249.99.

• Other savings

  Upgrade pricing for existing owners

  Owners of any earlier desktop version can move to Final Draft 13 for a regular price of $129.99; the upgrade was on sale at $99.99 on 2026-09-22.