Arc Studio vs Scriptation (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Arc Studio grades higher than Scriptation: 2.6 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Arc Studio grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Arc Studio
Screenwriting app with outlining and real-time co-writing
Scriptation
Script annotation app for iPad, iPhone and Mac
Which one is for you
Pick Arc Studio if
- Fits if you're writing your first script and 2 scripts on the free plan will do
- Works for people leaving Final Draft, since it imports and exports those files
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free, with 2 scripts, a watermark on every PDF and no desktop or iOS apps
- Skip it if you write on an Android phone or tablet, as there's no app and Chrome has no long-term offline support
- Pricey if you write with a partner, since inviting co-writers, outlining and draft history are Pro at $99 a year
- Watch out: Table Read, Character Images and Research Assistant need credits bought on top of your plan
- Not for you if you want integrations or an API, as none are listed
Pick Scriptation if
- Fits if you work on film sets and need script notes on an iPad
- Works for script supervisors who carry revisions between drafts
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as the listing names Apple devices only
- Tight if you stay free, because the production tools sit behind Industry Pro
- Pricey if you add AI, a separate subscription from $19.99
- Watch out: the App Store shows ten in-app prices and doesn't say what each period is
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAArc StudioGood | 2.0GPAScriptationFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CEssentials is $69 a year, which is $5.75 a month, just past the cheaper quarter of this category at $5.00 and short of the dearer quarter at $12.00. So: middling. Pro, which is the one with the plot board, draft history and co-writers, is $99 a year. | CIndustry Pro starts at $14.99, but the App Store gives no billing period across ten in-app prices, so cost can't be compared with the category. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree covers 2 scripts with industry-standard formatting, cloud sync, comments and Fountain and Final Draft export. But 2 scripts is a cap you'll hit, every PDF comes out watermarked, and the desktop and iOS apps aren't included. There's a 7-day Pro trial with no card. | CA free download with annotation; the advanced tools sit behind Industry Pro, and a 14-day trial may be offered. |
| Features | BSluglines and margins formatted to industry standard as you type, a plot board of beat cards, live co-writing with comments and chat, draft history and revision management, and export to PDF, Final Draft and Fountain. The screenwriting job covered, with no gap in it the listing admits to. | CAnnotation, note transfer, breakdown tagging, script supervisor tools and read-aloud. It does a narrow job fully, but most of it needs Industry Pro. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: open a script and type, and it formats the sluglines and margins for you. The free plan runs in a browser with nothing to install, and every account gets a 7-day Pro trial without a card. | CNo rating on record. It has production tools to learn, such as note transfer and breakdown reports. |
| Platforms and integrations | BBrowser, Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, and one subscription covers unlimited devices. No Android app, just Chrome without long-term offline support, and the listing shows no integrations and no API, which is what keeps it off an A. | CiPhone, iPad and Mac only, with Cinapse, SetHero and a few other production tools listed. |
| Best for | screenwriting on web, desktop and iPad | annotating scripts on an iPad |
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: Arc Studio and Scriptation. How we grade
Where they differ
- Arc Studio also covers templates and long-form writing.
- Scriptation also covers documents, highlights and text to speech.
At a glance
| Arc Studio | Scriptation | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $69 per year (Essentials) | $14.99 (Industry Pro, App Store in-app purchase; billing period not shown) |
| Free plan | 2 scripts with industry-standard formatting, cloud sync, automatic backups, comments, and Fountain and Final Draft export. PDF export is watermarked, and the desktop and iOS apps are not included. | Free download on the App Store; the listing says Industry Pro unlocks the full production toolkit, and does not itemize the free features. |
| Free trial | Free 7-day Pro trial with every account, no credit card required | A free 14-day trial may be available for eligible offers, according to the App Store listing. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Arc Studio Labs, Inc. | Scriptation LLC |
| Price read from | arcstudiopro.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Scriptation
- Apple platforms only: the listing names iPhone, iPad and Mac, with no web, Windows or Android version.
- Most production tools, including note transfer and breakdown reports, need Industry Pro.
- Premium AI features and AI voices may need a separate AI subscription.
- The store shows ten in-app prices without billing periods, so monthly and yearly cost cannot be told apart.
Key features
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.
Scriptation
- Script annotation
- Mark scripts with highlights, notes, photos, Apple Pencil drawings and audio, and keep personal, department and meeting notes on separate layers.
- Note transfer to new revisions
- Carries markups over when a new draft arrives, so annotations do not have to be rewritten.
- Breakdown tagging and reports
- Tags props, wardrobe, locations, VFX and more, and generates formatted breakdown reports as PDF or CSV.
- Script supervisor tools
- Scene coverage tramlines, facing page reports, take marking and continuity notes that move with each revision.
- Read-aloud and rehearsal
- Plays a script with character voices, loops scenes for actors and offers a self-tape teleprompter with slate delays.
- Daily sides and sharing
- Creates and shares daily sides from the app and keeps scripts, call sheets and schedules in one place.
Plans
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.
Scriptation
Scriptation (free download)$0
App download with annotation; advanced tools sit behind Industry Pro.
Industry Pro$14.99
range $14.99 to $99.99; billing period not shown
Advanced Note Transfer, compare scripts, breakdown tagging and reports, daily sides, lining tools; listed at $14.99, $39.99, $69.99 and $99.99.
Scriptation AI$19.99
range $19.99 to $99.99; billing period not shown
Separate AI subscription for premium AI features and AI voices; listed at $19.99, $39.99, $59.99, $79.99 and $99.99.
Ways to pay less
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.
Scriptation
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Arc Studio or Scriptation?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Arc Studio starts at $69 per year (Essentials), and Scriptation starts at $14.99 (Industry Pro, App Store in-app purchase; billing period not shown).
Which has a free plan, Arc Studio or Scriptation?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Arc Studio and Scriptation have a free plan.
Which platforms do Arc Studio and Scriptation run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Arc Studio lists a web app and a Windows app. Both list macOS and iOS apps. 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.