Highland Pro vs JotterPad

Highland Pro

• Screenwriters on Apple devices who like writing in plain text
• Writers who draft both scripts and novels in one app
• Anyone who needs to turn a script PDF back into an editable document

JotterPad

• Writers who draft in Markdown or Fountain across a phone, a tablet and a computer
• Students formatting APA or MLA papers with BibTeX citations
• Screenwriters who need Final Draft (.fdx) export

Highland Pro

• It is listed only for Mac, iPad and iPhone; there is no Windows, Android or web version.
• After the 30-day trial a subscription is required for all features; without one the app still opens, prints and exports documents.
• The App Store listing requires iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 on mobile devices and macOS 13 or later on a Mac.
• Syncing between devices relies on iCloud.

JotterPad

• Cloud sync, Fountain and LaTeX files, Word and Final Draft export and blog publishing need a paid plan, and free PDFs carry a watermark.
• No Windows or Linux app is listed: there are apps for Android, iPhone, iPad and Mac, and a web editor for other computers.
• Prices depend on where you buy: the website lists $3.33 a month billed annually, the US App Store $29.99 a year or $6.99 a month.
• The vendor says canceled subscriptions and the lifetime purchase are not refunded.

Highland Pro

Fountain and Markdown writing

Write in plain text and let the app format it. There are 14 templates, including Screenplay, Multi-Cam and Manuscript, and autocomplete for character names and scene headers.

Navigator and Overview

The Navigator maps sections, scenes, synopses and notes, and the Overview shows a whole script or novel in one view with characters and scenes highlighted.

Revision Mode

Tracks changes in different colors with stars in the margin, alongside automatic scene numbering with custom ranges.

Sprints and goals

Timed writing sprints track focused sessions, and goals set milestones for a page, word or character count.

/Lookup

Typing a slash and a question returns quick answers such as definitions, rhymes and world facts without leaving the draft.

Import, export and PDF melting

Imports and exports Fountain, Final Draft .fdx and PDF files. PDF Melting converts Final Draft and Fountain PDFs back into editable text.

JotterPad

Markdown, Fountain and LaTeX editing

Documents are written in lightweight markup and shown formatted as you type. LaTeX support is labeled beta, and Fountain files need a paid plan.

Templates for papers, books and scripts

Templates lay a document out as an APA or MLA paper, a novel, a screenplay, a report, a letter or presentation slides when it is printed to PDF.

Cloud sync and offline work

Pro Cloud syncs files with Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive, plus iCloud on Mac and iOS. The apps keep working offline and sync once back online.

Citations with BibTeX

Citations are added by uploading Bib files or pasting BibTeX into a Markdown document, then printed as references in APA, MLA, Chicago or AMA style.

Export and blog publishing

Exports to Word, PDF, Final Draft (.fdx), HTML and ePub, and can send a piece to Ghost, WordPress or Tumblr as a draft or a published post.

Plugins and Wizard A.I.

Plugins add mind maps, Mermaid diagrams, music notation and TeX or chemistry equations. Wizard A.I., built on GPT-3, drafts outlines, summaries and paraphrases.

Highland Pro

• Yearly$4.99

  per month, billed $59.99 annually

  All Highland Pro features on Mac, iPad and iPhone, billed once a year. Advertised as a 50% saving on the monthly plan.

• Monthly$9.99

  per month, billed monthly

  The same features on a month-to-month subscription.

JotterPad

• Free$0

  Limited access: Markdown editing, file import and Unsplash images. PDFs print with a watermark, and cloud sync and Fountain files are not included.

• Pro Cloud (App Store)$29.99

  per year, or $6.99 per month, as an in-app purchase

  The Pro Cloud subscription bought inside the iPhone, iPad and Mac app, at the prices on the US App Store listing.

• Pro Cloud (web)$3.33

  per month, billed annually

  Sold on jotterpad.app. Unlocks the Android, iOS, Mac and web apps with cloud sync, Fountain and LaTeX files, and Word and Final Draft export.

• Pro$24.99 - $49.99

  in-app purchase on the App Store; basis not shown

  Two purchases named Pro on the US App Store listing. The help center describes Pro and Creative as lifetime licenses for one platform, without cloud sync.

• Pro Cloud (Lifetime)$159.99

  one-time purchase

  Pro Cloud without a subscription, sold on jotterpad.app. The vendor says it cannot be canceled or refunded.

Highland Pro

• Annual discount

  Save 50% with the yearly plan

  The yearly plan is billed $59.99, which works out to $4.99 a month against $9.99 on the monthly plan, or $119.88 over twelve months.

JotterPad

• Lifetime license

  Pro Cloud lifetime purchase for $159.99

  The Pro page sells Pro Cloud (Lifetime) as a single $159.99 payment in place of the subscription. It cannot be canceled or refunded.

• Annual discount

  About 64% less with annual billing on the App Store

  The US App Store listing prices Pro Cloud at $29.99 per year or $6.99 per month, which comes to $83.88 over twelve months.