The Celtx Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Celtx 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.
Celtx
The Insider’s Guide
Online scriptwriting with pre-production planning tools
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Celtx’s own pages.
Made by Celtx Inc. · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Celtx’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Celtx’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 20 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Celtx is a browser-based scriptwriting and production planning studio for film, television, theater and other media, owned by Backlight. Scripts are written in auto-formatting screenplay, stageplay and two-column A/V editors, and paid plans add story development tools such as a beat sheet and storyboard, plus breakdowns, scheduling, budgeting and call sheets. New accounts start with a 7-day trial of the paid features and can then stay on a free plan.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Celtx, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The script editors do at least format as you type.
- 1
Best for writing a script and planning the shoot
Celtx is scriptwriting plus the production paperwork: breakdowns, schedules, budgets and call sheets sit beside the script.
- 2
Paid plans start at $11.24 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $11.24 per month, billed yearly ($134.88); $14.99 billed monthly (Writer).
- 3
There is a free plan
1 project with the screenplay, stageplay and multi-column AV editors, script goals and read-through. Script history is read-only and there is no commenting or collaboration.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, Android and Windows.
- 5
Script editors
Auto-formatting editors for film and TV screenplays, stage plays and two-column A/V scripts are included on every plan, including Free.
- 6
Story development tools
A Beat Sheet, a Storyboard, shot lists and talent sides help plan a script. They are included from Writer Pro and sold as an add-on to Writer.
- 7
Production planning
Script breakdown, catalog, scheduling, cast and crew, budget, call sheets and production reports are included on Team and are an add-on for the writer plans.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 20 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Celtx you could make: long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Celtx at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $11.24 per month, billed yearly ($134.88); $14.99 billed monthly (Writer)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day trial of the paid features when a free account is created
- Runs on
- Web, Windows, Android
- Made by
- Celtx Inc., since 2000
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for writing a script and planning the shoot
Celtx is scriptwriting plus the production paperwork: breakdowns, schedules, budgets and call sheets sit beside the script. Writer is $11.24 a month billed yearly and stops at 3 projects. Unlimited projects need Writer Pro at $18.74, production tools cost extra until Team at $44.99 for 3 members, the free plan allows 1 project, and there's no iOS app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Writer is $11.24 a month billed yearly, $14.99 monthly, and still stops at 3 projects. The parts people want sit well above this category's $8.33 middle: unlimited projects and the story tools are Writer Pro at $18.74, and production planning is an add-on until Team, $44.99 a month for 3 members. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free gives you 1 project with the screenplay, stageplay and A/V editors, script goals and read-through. One project is a cap you hit immediately, script history is read-only and there's no commenting or collaboration. New accounts do get a 7-day run at the paid features. |
| Features | A | Auto-formatting editors for screenplays, stage plays and two-column A/V scripts, then a beat sheet, storyboard and shot lists, then breakdowns, scheduling, budgets and call sheets. Revision Mode holds scene numbers once a script is locked. Nothing else here takes you from script to shoot. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and this is a studio rather than an editor: beat sheets, breakdowns, schedules and budgets all want learning, and working out which plan or add-on holds what is a job in itself. The script editors do at least format as you type. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Browser-based, with the Celtx Screenplay app on Google Play and the Microsoft Store and a plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro. The download page links no iOS app at all, so iPhone and iPad writers are out, and that's what keeps it off an A. |
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 Celtx is for
- Fits if you're making the film too and want the script and the shoot planning in one place
- Works for film classes, with seat-based plans from $600 a year for 10 seats
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free, with 1 project, read-only history and no comments or collaboration
- Pricey if you only want to write, since Writer is $11.24 a month and stops at 3 projects
- Skip it if you want an iPhone or iPad app, as the download page links none
- Watch out: production planning is a paid add-on on Writer and Writer Pro, and only included from Team
- Watch out: Team is priced for 3 to 15 members, $44.99 a month for 3, not as one seat
Good to know
Good for
- Filmmakers who want the script and pre-production planning in one tool
- Film and media classes, which get seat-based education plans
- Production teams of 3 to 15 people sharing scripts and schedules
Worth knowing
- The Free plan allows 1 project, with read-only script history and no commenting or collaboration.
- Production planning tools cost extra on Writer and Writer Pro and are only included from the Team plan.
- Team is priced for a group of 3 to 15 members rather than as a single seat.
- The download page links the mobile Celtx Screenplay app on Google Play and the Microsoft Store only, with no iOS App Store link.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$11.24
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Celtx has a free plan. Paid plans start at $11.24 per month, billed yearly ($134.88); $14.99 billed monthly (Writer).
One project is a cap you hit immediately, script history is read-only and there's no commenting or collaboration.
Free
$0
1 project with the three script editors, script goals and read-through; read-only script history and limited script settings.
Writer
$11.24
per month, billed yearly ($134.88); $14.99 billed monthly
Up to 3 projects, unlimited comments and collaboration, script drafts and custom headers and footers. Story and production tools are optional add-ons.
Writer Pro
$18.74
per month, billed yearly ($224.88); $24.99 billed monthly
Unlimited projects, episodic scripts, Revision Mode, watermarking, review and approval, the story development tools and the Adobe Premiere Pro plugin.
Team
$44.99
per month for 3 members, billed yearly; $59.99 billed monthly
For 3 to 15 members: everything in Writer Pro plus production planning tools, episodic planning, advanced sharing controls and live chat support.
Education
$600
per year for 10 seats ($60 a seat), billed yearly
Classroom plan for 10 to 700 seats with educator admin controls and recyclable student seats; the price per seat falls as seats are added.
Student
$79.99
per year, billed yearly
Writer Pro features plus the production planning tools for one student, with a student email required and 3 years of discounted pricing.
The free plan
1 project with the screenplay, stageplay and multi-column AV editors, script goals and read-through. Script history is read-only and there is no commenting or collaboration.
Trying it first
7-day trial of the paid features when a free account is created
Read from celtx.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save 25% with yearly billing
The pricing page advertises 25% off for yearly billing: Writer is $134.88 a year against $14.99 a month, and Writer Pro is $224.88 a year against $24.99 a month.
Stated on celtx.comEducation
Student plan for $79.99 a year
Students with a school email get Writer Pro features plus the production planning tools for $79.99 a year, described by Celtx as over 75% off, for up to 3 years.
Stated on celtx.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, Windows and Android
Online scriptwriting with pre-production planning tools. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: real-time collaboration, long-form writing.
Revision Mode holds scene numbers once a script is locked.
- Script editors
- Auto-formatting editors for film and TV screenplays, stage plays and two-column A/V scripts are included on every plan, including Free.
- Story development tools
- A Beat Sheet, a Storyboard, shot lists and talent sides help plan a script. They are included from Writer Pro and sold as an add-on to Writer.
- Production planning
- Script breakdown, catalog, scheduling, cast and crew, budget, call sheets and production reports are included on Team and are an add-on for the writer plans.
- Collaboration and approvals
- Comments are anchored to script text with @mentions, presence awareness shows co-writers' cursors and edits in real time, and scripts can be sent for review and approval.
- Script history, drafts and read-through
- Restore earlier saves from a dated history, keep editable draft copies of a script, and play lines back with text-to-speech voices.
- Revision Mode and episodic projects
- Revision Mode locks a script for production so scene numbers are preserved through changes. Episodic projects link scripts across the installments of a series.
Where it runs
- Web
- Windows
- Android
What it works with
- Adobe Premiere Pro
Celtx is made by Celtx Inc., and has been around since 2000.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Celtx's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on features (A, above 68 of 69) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $11.24 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 31 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 4 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Celtx’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 69
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 69
- AFeaturesAbove 68 of 69
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 69
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 32 of 69
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 writing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Celtx is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
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.
Keep it
The plain part of Celtx you could make: long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 38 of the 69 other writing tools grade higher. It costs $134.88 a year.
What you could make
- Long-form writing: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Apps for Windows and Android that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Celtx’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
Final Draft, WriterDuet, Arc Studio, Fade In and Highland Pro
The 5 tools Celtx is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Final Draft
Free trial · from $99.99/yr
Screenwriting software with automatic script formatting.
- Celtx has a free plan. Final Draft does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Celtx lists an Android app.
- Only Final Draft lists macOS and iOS apps.
- 2.8GPA
WriterDuet
Free plan · from $7.49/mo
Screenwriting software built for real-time co-writing.
- Only WriterDuet lists macOS, Linux and iOS apps.
- WriterDuet also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
Arc Studio
Free plan · from $69/yr
Screenwriting app with outlining and real-time co-writing.
- Only Celtx lists an Android app.
- Only Arc Studio lists macOS and iOS apps.
- Arc Studio also covers templates.
- 2.8GPA
Fade In
Free trial · from $79.95 one-time
One-time-purchase screenwriting software for Windows, Mac and Linux.
- Celtx has a free plan. Fade In does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Celtx lists an Android app.
- Only Fade In lists macOS and Linux apps.
- 2.6GPA
Highland Pro
Free trial · from $4.99/mo
Plain-text screenwriting app for Mac, iPad and iPhone.
- Celtx has a free plan. Highland Pro does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Celtx lists a web app.
- Only Celtx lists Android and Windows apps.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 Celtx free?
Celtx has a free plan. 1 project with the screenplay, stageplay and multi-column AV editors, script goals and read-through.
How much does Celtx cost?
Celtx lists 6 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Celtx work on?
Celtx is available on Web, Android and Windows.
Does Celtx offer any discounts?
Celtx publicly lists the following: Save 25% with yearly billing; Student plan for $79.99 a year.
Does Celtx have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Celtx is listed for Web, Android and Windows.
Does Celtx have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Celtx is listed for Web, Android and Windows.
Is Celtx open source?
Celtx is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does Celtx integrate with?
Celtx's listing names Adobe Premiere Pro. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Celtx have a student discount?
Student plan for $79.99 a year. Students with a school email get Writer Pro features plus the production planning tools for $79.99 a year, described by Celtx as over 75% off, for up to 3 years.
Does Celtx have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day trial of the paid features when a free account is created.
Who makes Celtx?
Celtx is made by Celtx Inc. It dates from 2000.
What are the alternatives to Celtx?
The closest alternatives to Celtx in our directory are Final Draft, WriterDuet, Arc Studio, Fade In and Highland Pro.
How does Celtx compare with other writing tools?
Celtx's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 11.
Is Celtx good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Celtx D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $11.24 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 31 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Celtx?
The plain part of Celtx you could make: long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Celtx’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Celtx's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-23.
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 Celtx Inc. Prices change, so check celtx.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
- Celtx, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/celtx
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
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, "Celtx: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/celtx
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/celtx/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Celtx, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Writing Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 70 writing tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Word Insider's GuideWord processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
- Beat Insider's GuideFree, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS3.2 GPA
- JotterPad Insider's GuideMarkdown and Fountain editor for books, papers and screenplays3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Celtx’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. Celtx is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Celtx Inc. Prices and plans change: check celtx.com before you buy.