Fade In vs Story Architect
We give Fade In a 3.2 GPA and Story Architect a 3.6, out of 4.0. Story Architect grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
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
Story Architect
Writing app for screenplays, novels, comics and stage plays
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAFade InVery good | 3.6GPAStory ArchitectExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | APro is $4.17 a month billed annually, or $150 once for life, and Creator is $8.34. Paid writing tools typically start around $10, so both come in under. One catch: the pricing page only shows annual billing, and prices for shorter terms aren't listed there. |
| 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. | AUnlimited projects and documents, every editor from screenplays to novels, import and export, and basic character, location and world profiles, all free. Most people could stay here. No AI credits are included. |
| 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. | ASeparate editors for screenplays, comics, audio dramas, stage plays and novels, each with standard formatting. One bible of characters, locations and worlds serves every story in a project. Pro adds a corkboard, a timeline and mind maps, and Creator adds co-writing and script breakdown. |
| 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. It's an app you install, and Tab and Enter switch between paragraph types as you write. Bear in mind it's pre-1.0: the desktop apps are at version 0.8.3 and the mobile apps at 0.2.0. |
| 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. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, which is nearly everything. But the listing shows no integrations and no API, and sync covers the desktop apps only for now, with mobile sync listed as in development. |
| Best for | screenwriting software you buy once | scripts, comics and novels in one app |
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 Story Architect. How we grade
Where they differ
- Fade In starts at $79.95 one-time. Story Architect starts at $4.17 per month, billed annually.
- Story Architect has a free plan. Fade In does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Fade In lists a web app.
- Only Story Architect lists iOS and Android apps.
- Fade In can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Fade In also covers templates.
- Story Architect also covers mind mapping.
At a glance
| Fade In | Story Architect | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $79.95 one-time | $4.17 per month, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | Unlimited projects and documents, editors for screenplays, comics, audio dramas, stage plays and novels, import and export, and basic character, location and world profiles. No AI credits are included. |
| Free trial | Free demo with no stated time limit: registration reminder after 10 pages and a watermark on printed and PDF output | 30-day free trial of Pro or Creator, available once per new account |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | GCC Productions Inc. | Story Apps |
| Price read from | fadeinpro.com | starc.app |
| 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
Story Architect
- Screenwriters who want standard script formatting on a free plan
- Writers keeping every episode of a series in one project
- Authors who work across screenplays, comics, plays and novels
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.
Story Architect
- The pricing page shows prices on annual billing only; 1-, 3- and 6-month terms exist, but their prices are not listed there.
- Sync covers desktop apps for now: the pricing page lists mobile sync as in development.
- Corkboard, timeline, mind maps and extended statistics need Pro; collaboration and script breakdown need Creator.
- The software is pre-1.0: the desktop apps are at version 0.8.3 and the mobile apps at 0.2.0, with several features still planned.
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.
Story Architect
- Editors for several story formats
- Separate editors for screenplays, comics, audio dramas, stage plays and novels apply industry-standard formatting, with Tab and Enter switching between paragraph types.
- Shared project bible
- Characters, locations and worlds are described once and shared by every story in a project, including all episodes of a series. Pro adds relationship editors, maps and extended profiles.
- Corkboard and timeline
- On Pro, screenplays and novels get a card board and a timeline. Cards can be colour-tagged and grouped by act, and changes show up in the script text and the reverse.
- Mind maps
- A mind map tool for brainstorming and planning is part of the Pro plan, alongside an image gallery and presentations.
- AI Assistant
- Paraphrases, shortens, expands, summarizes, translates and generates text using credits; one credit covers 1,000 words or 10 images. Extra credits start at $10 for 50.
- Sync and collaboration
- Creator adds 5 GB of cloud storage, sync and real-time co-writing. Co-authors can join on any plan, with editing limited to the modules their own plan includes.
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.
Story Architect
Free$0
Unlimited projects and documents, every script and novel editor, import and export, basic statistics and basic character, location and world info.
Pro$4.17
per month, billed annually; or $150 lifetime
Adds mind maps, image gallery, presentations, corkboard, timeline, character relations, location and world maps, extended statistics and 5 AI credits a month.
Creator$8.34
per month, billed annually
Everything in Pro plus sync between desktop devices, real-time collaboration, 5 GB of cloud storage, script breakdown, showrunner tools and 10 AI credits a month.
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.
Story Architect
- Lifetime license
Pro lifetime license for $150
Pro can be bought with a single $150 payment instead of a subscription, and comes with 120 AI credits. Creator has no lifetime option.
- Education
50% off any plan for students and professors
University students and professors get 50% off the base price of any subscription plan after proving their status by institutional email or an ID card.
