Fade In vs Slugline
We give Fade In and Slugline the same GPA: 3.2 out of 4.0. Fade In grades higher on platforms. Slugline grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
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
Slugline
Plain-text screenwriting app for Mac, iPhone and iPad
Free plan · from $19.99 one-time
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAFade InVery good | 3.2GPASluglineVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$79.95 once for the full desktop version on Windows, Mac and Linux, with free updates. That's less than a year of a typical $10 a month writing tool. Students pay $59.95. | A$49.99 once on the Mac for unlimited writing and Final Draft export, and $19.99 once for the iPhone and iPad app. Both together come to less than a year of a typical $10 a month writing tool, and there's no subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | CThere's no free plan, but the demo is a free download with no stated time limit. It reminds you to register after 10 pages, watermarks printed and PDF scripts, and leaves out online realtime collaboration. | BThe Mac app is a free download with no watermarks and no limitations until a screenplay passes page six. Write short films and you may never pay. Anything longer needs the upgrade, and so does Final Draft export. |
| Features | AFormatting as you type, a Navigator for reordering scenes, revision colours, page and scene locking, breakdowns and cast and location reports. It opens and saves Final Draft .fdx files and works with Fountain, Scrivener and Celtx files too. | AIt does one job, writing screenplays, and does it fully. Formatting is worked out as you type, the outline drags to reorder the script, a timeline shows pacing by page count, and Live Compare marks what changed between drafts. It saves Fountain and opens and exports Final Draft. |
| Ease of use | BThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's a desktop app you download, and it moves from scene heading to action to dialogue as you type, with autocomplete for character names and locations. | BThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. There are no element menus and no Tab key to press: you type and it formats. The Mac app is a free download, so finding out if it suits you costs nothing. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac and Linux from one purchase. Editing in a browser exists, but it needs the separate Fade In Access subscription. The iOS and Android apps have been discontinued, and the listing shows no integrations. | CMac, iPhone and iPad, sharing scripts over iCloud or Dropbox, and it trades files with Final Draft. That's all Apple, though. There's no Windows, Linux, Android or web version. |
| Best for | screenwriting software you buy once | plain-text screenwriting on Apple devices |
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: Fade In and Slugline. How we grade
Where they differ
- Fade In starts at $79.95 one-time. Slugline starts at $19.99 one-time for the iPhone and iPad app; $49.99 one-time on Mac.
- Slugline has a free plan. Fade In does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Fade In lists a web app.
- Only Fade In lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Slugline lists an iOS app.
- Fade In also covers templates.
In commonmacOSOne-time purchaseLong-form writing
At a glance
| Fade In | Slugline | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $79.95 one-time | $19.99 one-time for the iPhone and iPad app; $49.99 one-time on Mac |
| Free plan | None | Slugline 2 for Mac is a free download that works without watermarks or limitations until a screenplay passes page six. Longer scripts and Final Draft export need the paid upgrade. |
| Free trial | Free demo with no stated time limit: registration reminder after 10 pages and a watermark on printed and PDF output | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | GCC Productions Inc. | Act Focused Media LLC |
| Price read from | fadeinpro.com | slugline.co |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Fade In
- Screenwriters who would rather buy once than subscribe
- Writers who work on Linux as well as Windows or Mac
- Productions that need revision colors, locked pages and breakdown reports
Slugline
- Screenwriters on Mac, iPhone and iPad who like writing in plain text
- Short-film writers: scripts of up to six pages are free on Mac
- Writers who want to pay once instead of subscribing
Worth knowing
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.
Slugline
- Apple platforms only: there is no Windows, Linux, Android or web version.
- On Mac, writing past page six and exporting Final Draft files require the $49.99 Unlimited Writing upgrade.
- The iPhone and iPad app is sold separately for $19.99.
- Slugline 2 requires macOS 10.14 or later, and the iOS app requires iOS or iPadOS 14 or later.
Key features
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.
Slugline
- Automatic formatting
- Screenplay formatting is worked out from the words as they are typed, so there are no element menus to pick from and no need to press Tab.
- Drag-and-drop Outline Navigator
- Anything shown in the outline can be dragged into a new order, and the matching parts of the screenplay move with it.
- Timeline
- Shows the outline elements spaced according to page count, giving an overview of a script's structure and pacing.
- Live Compare
- Tracks changes by comparing the current screenplay with another document. Asterisks mark modified text and can be clicked to inspect the differences.
- Fountain and Final Draft files
- Scripts are saved in Fountain, an open plain-text screenplay format. Slugline 2 also opens and exports Final Draft files, including dual dialogue and notes.
- Sync between Mac and iOS
- Slugline 2 for Mac and Slugline for iPhone and iPad share screenplays through iCloud or Dropbox.
Plans
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.
Slugline
Slugline 2 for Mac$0
Free download from the Mac App Store, with no watermarks or limitations until a screenplay passes page six.
Slugline for iPhone & iPad$19.99
one-time purchase on the App Store
Separate app for iOS and iPadOS that shares files with the Mac version over iCloud or Dropbox and also works on its own.
Unlimited Writing Upgrade$49.99
one-time in-app purchase on Mac
Unlocks screenplays longer than six pages and Final Draft (FDX) export in Slugline 2 for Mac.
Ways to pay less
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.
Slugline
No public discounts listed.
