Trelby vs WriterDuet
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
WriterDuet
Screenwriting software built for real-time co-writing
Where they differ
- Trelby is free. WriterDuet starts at $7.49 per month, billed annually ($89.88); $9.99 billed monthly (Plus).
- Only WriterDuet lists a web app.
- Only WriterDuet lists iOS and Android apps.
- Trelby is open source, according to its own site.
- WriterDuet also covers templates.
At a glance
| Trelby | WriterDuet | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $7.49 per month, billed annually ($89.88); $9.99 billed monthly (Plus) |
| Free plan | The whole program is free software licensed under the GPL. There is no paid edition. | Free plan with no time limit: three projects of one document each, industry-standard formatting, read-only collaborators, Google Drive and Dropbox backups, and import and export in common formats. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial of the full-featured version for new users |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Trelby developers | WriterDuet Inc. |
| Price read from | trelby.org | writerduet.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Trelby
- Screenwriters who want free software with standard script formatting
- Linux users looking for a desktop screenwriting program
- Writers moving scripts between Final Draft and Fountain files
WriterDuet
- Writing partners and writers' rooms working on one script at the same time
- Screenwriters who move between a browser, a desktop app and a phone
- Students and teachers, who can get half off a subscription
Worth knowing
Trelby
- Version 2.4 is installed on Windows and macOS through Python's pip; the Windows installer on the download page is for version 2.2.
- Version 2.4 added no new features: it moved the program to Python 3 and updated its packaging.
- Celtx, Adobe Story and Fade In Pro files can be imported but not exported.
- It is a desktop program only; no web or mobile version is listed.
WriterDuet
- The Free plan is limited to three projects of one document each, and free users can add only read-only collaborators.
- The desktop app and offline writing with auto-sync are listed from the Plus plan up.
- Revision tracking and production tools start at Pro, and full line and document history is Premium-only.
- Cards cannot be edited or rearranged in the mobile app or in phone and tablet browsers; WriterDuet recommends a computer for them.
Key features
Trelby
- Screenplay editor
- Enforces correct script format and pagination as you type, with auto-completion and spell checking.
- Choice of views
- Offers several views of the script, including a draft view, a WYSIWYG mode and fullscreen.
- Reports and script comparison
- Produces scene, location, character and dialogue reports, and compares two scripts to show what changed between versions.
- Import and export
- Imports formatted text, Final Draft XML, Celtx, Fountain, Adobe Story and Fade In Pro files. Exports PDF, formatted text, HTML, RTF, Final Draft XML and Fountain.
- PDF generator
- A built-in, configurable PDF generator can embed a chosen font and add custom watermarks to help track copies of a shared script.
- Name database
- Includes a character name database with over 200,000 names from various countries.
WriterDuet
- Real-time co-writing
- Paid subscribers can invite any number of WriterDuet users, free or paid, to edit a script live, with comments, mentions and text and video chat.
- Script formats and templates
- Keyboard-driven formatting follows industry conventions for screenplays, stage plays, sitcoms and A/V scripts. Pro adds custom margins, line types and title pages.
- Cards, outlining and mind map
- Each scene can be viewed as a card and dragged into a new order, and a mind map view lets cards be placed freely and linked.
- Revisions and production tools
- Pro tracks revisions with accept and reject, shows deleted text, and adds colored revisions, locked pages and scene omission for scripts in production.
- Saving, history and backups
- Work saves to the cloud as it is typed, with automatic backups to a computer, email, Dropbox, Google Drive or iCloud. Premium can rewind a document or a line to any earlier point.
- Import, export and narration
- Imports and exports PDF, Final Draft, Fountain, Celtx, docx and other formats. Premium's ReadAloud voices each character, and AutoTranslate covers more than 80 languages.
Plans
Trelby
Free$0
The complete program. Version 2.4 installs from PyPI on Windows and macOS, and from Fedora, Debian/Ubuntu or Flatpak packages on Linux.
WriterDuet
Free$0
Three projects, industry-standard templates, writing from computer and mobile, and Google Drive and Dropbox backups.
Plus$7.49
per month, billed annually ($89.88); $9.99 billed monthly
Unlimited projects, real-time collaboration, the desktop app and offline writing with auto-sync.
Pro$8.99
per month, billed annually ($107.88); $11.99 billed monthly
Custom formatting, dialogue and character filters, document statistics, a format checker, revision tracking and production tools.
Premium$10.49
per month, billed annually ($125.88); $13.99 billed monthly
Full line and document history, ReadAloud narration with distinct voices, AutoTranslate and MultiColumn tools.
Ways to pay less
Trelby
No public discounts listed.
WriterDuet
- Annual discount
About 25% less with yearly billing
Yearly plans cost $89.88 (Plus), $107.88 (Pro) and $125.88 (Premium), against $119.88, $143.88 and $167.88 for twelve monthly payments.
- Education
50% off for students and educators
Individual students and teachers get 50% off any monthly or yearly subscription, or the Premium Lifetime license, after verifying by email. Bundled class licenses are priced separately.
