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The Beat Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Beat in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Beat

The Insider’s Guide

Free, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS

Beat, as pictured on github.com

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Beat’s own pages.

Made by Lauri-Matti Parppei · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.2GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Beat’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Beat’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

3.2

GPA, above 64 of the 69 other writing tools we grade

Beat is a screenwriting app for macOS and iOS by filmmaker Lauri-Matti Parppei. It stores scripts in the plain-text Fountain format, formats them automatically as you type and adds outlining views such as index cards and a timeline. The code is open source under the GPL v3. The Mac app is free on the App Store, while the iOS companion app, which has a smaller feature set, is sold for a one-time fee.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Beat, taken from its own pages and our grades.

  1. 1

    Best for free screenwriting on a Mac

    Beat is a free screenwriting app for the Mac that formats your script as you type and saves it as a plain-text Fountain file, with index cards, a timeline, revision tracking and Final Draft import and export.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $11.99 one-time for the iOS app.

  3. 3

    There is a free plan

    Beat for macOS is free on the Mac App Store, and its listing says the core app will always be free of charge.

  4. 4

    It runs on 2 platforms

    macOS and iOS.

  5. 5

    Automatic screenplay formatting

    Formats the script as it is typed, with autocompletion for character names and scene headings, automatic scene numbering and an option to hide Fountain markup.

  6. 6

    Story structure views

    Several outline views with filtering, sections and synopses, including a collapsing list, index cards and a timeline. Scenes can be colour-coded.

  7. 7

    Fountain and Final Draft files

    Scripts are plain-text Fountain files that other apps can open. Beat also imports and exports Final Draft files, including revisions and outline items, and exports PDF.

  8. 8

    A 3.2 GPA, above 64 of 69

    That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Your call

    A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.

Beat at a glance

Pricing
Free plan, from $11.99 one-time for the iOS app
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
macOS, iOS
Made by
Lauri-Matti Parppei
Category
Writing Tools
Our grade
3.2 GPA, very good

The report card

Best for free screenwriting on a Mac

Beat is a free screenwriting app for the Mac that formats your script as you type and saves it as a plain-text Fountain file, with index cards, a timeline, revision tracking and Final Draft import and export. It's Apple only, though. The iPhone and iPad app is an $11.99 companion with fewer features that needs iOS 18, and the listing says a paid pro version may come later.

ToolGPA report cardBeatGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyAThe Mac app is free on the App Store and its listing says the core app will always be free of charge, in a category whose middle plan is $8.33 a month. The iPhone and iPad companion is $11.99 once. No subscription anywhere.
Free plan and trialABeat for macOS is the whole desktop app, free, with the code open source under the GPL. There's no cap here that a screenwriter would reach. Only the iOS companion costs money.
FeaturesBFormatting as you type with autocompleted character names and scene numbers, outline views with index cards and a timeline, revision tracking across generations, a backup vault, statistics, Final Draft import and export, and a JavaScript plugin API. The screenwriting job covered, with no gap in it the listing names.
Ease of useBNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: install it, start typing and it formats the script for you, with autocomplete for character names and scene headings and an option to hide the Fountain markup.
Platforms and integrationsCOne family of devices: Mac, iPhone and iPad, with no Windows, Linux, Android or web version, and the iOS app needs iOS 18.0 or later. Scripts are at least plain Fountain files any other app can open, and Final Draft files go both ways.
Grade point averageVery good, out of 4.03.2

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Beat is for

  • Fits if you're on a Mac and want a screenwriting app that costs nothing
  • Works for writers who plan with index cards and a timeline and want Fountain files other apps open

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you write on Windows, Linux, Android or the web, as it's Apple devices only
  • Too light for people who write mainly on an iPad, where the $11.99 app has fewer features and no plugins
  • Not for you if your iPhone can't run iOS 18.0, which the iOS app needs
  • Watch out: the Mac App Store listing says a paid pro version may come later

Good to know

Good for

  • Mac users who want a free screenwriting app
  • Screenwriters who work in the plain-text Fountain format
  • Writers who outline with index cards and a timeline

Worth knowing

  • Apple devices only: there is no Windows, Linux, Android or web version.
  • The iOS app is a paid companion ($11.99) that supports a limited set of the Mac app's features.
  • The iOS app requires iOS 18.0 or later.
  • The Mac App Store listing says a paid "pro" version may come later, with the core app staying free.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$11.99 one-time

To start. There is a free plan too

Beat has a free plan. Paid plans start at $11.99 one-time for the iOS app.

Beat for macOS is the whole desktop app, free, with the code open source under the GPL.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Beat for macOS

    $0

    The full desktop app, free on the Mac App Store. Requires macOS 10.13 or later.

  • Beat for iOS

    $11.99

    one-time purchase on the App Store

    Companion app for iPhone and iPad with a more limited feature set and no plugin support. Requires iOS 18.0 or later.

The free plan

Beat for macOS is free on the Mac App Store, and its listing says the core app will always be free of charge.

Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026.

What the app costs elsewhere

Each country’s App Store price for the app, against $11.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.

CountryPrice thereIn dollarsAgainst the US
Philippines₱ 399.00$6.3547% less
IndonesiaRp 129ribu$7.2140% less
BrazilR$ 39,90$7.9734% less
India₹ 799$8.2631% less
United Kingdom£9.99$13.2110% more
Mexico$249.00$13.6814% more
Australia$19.99$13.9616% more
Germany12,99 €$14.5621% more

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

2

Places it runs: macOS and iOS

Free, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, long-form writing.

The screenwriting job covered, with no gap in it the listing names.
From our grade for features
Automatic screenplay formatting
Formats the script as it is typed, with autocompletion for character names and scene headings, automatic scene numbering and an option to hide Fountain markup.
Story structure views
Several outline views with filtering, sections and synopses, including a collapsing list, index cards and a timeline. Scenes can be colour-coded.
Fountain and Final Draft files
Scripts are plain-text Fountain files that other apps can open. Beat also imports and exports Final Draft files, including revisions and outline items, and exports PDF.
Revisions and version control
Tracks revisions across generations, keeps version control inside the file's metadata and stores copies in a backup vault.
Statistics
A statistics view reports line counts per character, inclusivity by gender and scene locations.
Plugin API
A JavaScript plugin API lets users write their own extensions for the Mac app. Plugin support is not part of the iOS version.

Where it runs

  • macOS
  • iOS

What it works with

  • Final Draft
  • Fountain

Who makes Beat

Beat is a Fountain screenwriting app written by Lauri-Matti Parppei and published as open source under the GPL. Its App Store listings name Kaikki on haurasta Oy as the seller; the Mac app is a free download and the iOS companion is a paid one.

Founded
2025avoindata.prh.fi
Based
Helsinki, Finland, the address on its Finnish trade register recordavoindata.prh.fi
Ownership
Privately held. Privately held. The Finnish trade register lists Kaikki on haurasta Oy as a limited company registered in July 2025, and no parent company or investor is named. The app itself is open source under the GPL.avoindata.prh.fi
Founders and leaders
Lately
Follow

Read on Oct 18, 2026 from the company’s own pages and from news reports. What is not stated there is left out.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

64/69

Other writing tools it is graded above

Beat's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 64 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 4.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 58 of 69) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 3).

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Beat’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 44 of 69
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 58 of 69
  • BFeaturesAbove 36 of 69
  • BEase of useAbove 32 of 69
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 of 69

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Your call

A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.

You could make the core of Beat for yourself: long-form writing. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. At $11.99, paid once, it costs less than the weekend it would take to replace, which is the argument for keeping it. Beat is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.

What you could make

  • Long-form writing: an app builder makes this well.

What you could not

  • Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
  • The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. Beat’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Slugline, Highland Pro, Fade In, Trelby and Final Draft

The 5 tools Beat is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 2.8GPA

    Slugline

    Free plan · from $19.99 one-time

    Plain-text screenwriting app for Mac, iPhone and iPad.

    • Beat is open source, according to its own site.
    • Slugline can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Beat and Slugline compared in full
  • 2.6GPA

    Highland Pro

    Free trial · from $4.99/mo

    Plain-text screenwriting app for Mac, iPad and iPhone.

    • Beat has a free plan. Highland Pro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Beat is open source, according to its own site.
    • Highland Pro also covers Markdown and templates.
    Beat and Highland Pro compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    Fade In

    Free trial · from $79.95 one-time

    One-time-purchase screenwriting software for Windows, Mac and Linux.

    • Beat has a free plan. Fade In does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Beat lists an iOS app.
    • Only Fade In lists a web app.
    Beat and Fade In compared in full
  • 2.6GPA

    Trelby

    Free

    Free, open-source screenwriting program for desktop.

    • Only Beat lists an iOS app.
    • Only Trelby lists Windows and Linux apps.
    Beat and Trelby compared in full
  • 2.2GPA

    Final Draft

    Free trial · from $99.99/yr

    Screenwriting software with automatic script formatting.

    • Beat has a free plan. Final Draft does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Final Draft lists a web app.
    • Only Final Draft lists a Windows app.
    Beat and Final Draft compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

11

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Beat free?

Beat has a free plan. Beat for macOS is free on the Mac App Store, and its listing says the core app will always be free of charge.

How much does Beat cost?

Beat lists 2 plans. Beat for macOS: $0.

What platforms does Beat work on?

Beat is available on macOS and iOS.

Does Beat have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Beat is listed for macOS and iOS.

Does Beat have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Beat is listed for macOS and iOS.

Is Beat open source?

Yes. Beat is open source, according to its own site.

What does Beat integrate with?

Beat's listing names Final Draft and Fountain. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.

Who makes Beat?

Beat is made by Kaikki on haurasta Oy. Privately held.

What are the alternatives to Beat?

The closest alternatives to Beat in our directory are Slugline, Highland Pro, Fade In, Trelby and Final Draft.

How does Beat compare with other writing tools?

Beat's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 64 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 4.

Could I make my own version of Beat?

A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type. You could make the core of Beat for yourself: long-form writing.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Beat’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Beat's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-13.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Lauri-Matti Parppei. Prices change, so check github.com before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Beat: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/beat

Know someone choosing between writing tools?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/beat/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded writing tools after Beat, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Beat’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Beat is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Lauri-Matti Parppei. Prices and plans change: check github.com before you buy.