The Fade In Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Fade In 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.
Fade In
The Insider’s Guide
One-time-purchase screenwriting software for Windows, Mac and Linux
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Fade In’s own pages.
Made by GCC Productions 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 Fade In’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Fade In’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
2.8
GPA, above 43 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Fade In is desktop screenwriting software for Windows, Mac and Linux, sold as a one-time purchase with free updates. It formats scripts automatically as you type and includes tools for outlining, revisions, page locking and production reports, and it imports and exports Final Draft files. Fade In Access, an optional subscription service, adds cloud storage, version history, collaboration and editing in a browser.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Fade In, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for screenwriting software you buy once
It handles revision colors, locked pages and breakdown reports, and opens and saves Final Draft files.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $79.95 one-time.
- 3
You can try it first
Free demo with no stated time limit: registration reminder after 10 pages and a watermark on printed and PDF output
- 4
It runs on 4 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux and Web.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 43 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 Fade In you could make: long-form writing and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Fade In at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $79.95 one-time
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free demo with no stated time limit: registration reminder after 10 pages and a watermark on printed and PDF output
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- GCC Productions Inc.
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for screenwriting software you buy once
Fade In is desktop screenwriting software you buy once for $79.95, with free updates, on Windows, Mac and Linux. It handles revision colors, locked pages and breakdown reports, and opens and saves Final Draft files. Cloud saving, browser editing and live collaboration need Fade In Access, a separate subscription with no price on the purchase page, and the phone apps are discontinued.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $79.95 once for the full desktop app on Windows, Mac and Linux, with free updates, against a category middle of $8.33 a month: under a year of a typical rival for something you keep. Students pay $59.95. Cloud saving is extra, and that price isn't on the purchase page. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free version, but the demo is a free download with no stated time limit and no card: it nags you to register after 10 pages, watermarks anything printed or exported to PDF, and leaves out online realtime collaboration. |
| Features | B | Formatting as you type, a Navigator for reordering scenes, revision colors, page and scene locking, breakdowns and cast and location reports, a Dialogue Tuner, and Final Draft, Fountain and Celtx files all opening. The screenwriting job covered, though live collaboration needs the paid Access service. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but it's a plain download with nothing to set up: start typing and it moves from scene heading to action to dialogue by itself, with autocomplete for character names and locations. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | A program for computers alone: Windows, Mac and Linux from one purchase, which is a C however many systems that is. The iOS and Android apps are discontinued, browser editing needs the paid Fade In Access, and no integrations are listed. |
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 Fade In is for
- Fits if you want to pay for screenwriting software once and get the updates free
- Works for scripts going into production, with revision colors, locked pages and breakdown reports
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you write on a phone or tablet, as the mobile apps have been discontinued
- Not for you if you want cloud saving in the price, because that's a separate subscription with no price on the purchase page
- Tight if you plan to stay on the demo, which nags after 10 pages and watermarks every printed script
- Watch out: the $79.95 covers one user, and site or multiuser licenses are arranged by email
- Not for you if you want it linked to other tools, as no integrations are listed
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$79.95 one-time
To start
Fade In is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $79.95 one-time.
Cloud saving is extra, and that price isn't on the purchase page.
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.
Trying it first
Free demo with no stated time limit: registration reminder after 10 pages and a watermark on printed and PDF output
Read from fadeinpro.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on fadeinpro.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows and Linux
One-time-purchase screenwriting software for Windows, Mac and Linux. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, real-time collaboration, templates, long-form writing.
The screenwriting job covered, though live collaboration needs the paid Access service.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Fade In is made by GCC Productions Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
43/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Fade In's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 43 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 13.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 44 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. Fade In’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 44 of 69
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 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.
Keep it
The plain part of Fade In you could make: long-form writing and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $79.95, paid once.
What you could make
- Long-form writing and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Fade In’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, Highland Pro, Arc Studio and Trelby
The 5 tools Fade In 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.
- Only Fade In lists a Linux app.
- Only Final Draft lists an iOS app.
- 2.8GPA
WriterDuet
Free plan · from $7.49/mo
Screenwriting software built for real-time co-writing.
- WriterDuet has a free plan. Fade In does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only WriterDuet lists iOS and Android apps.
- Fade In can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
Highland Pro
Free trial · from $4.99/mo
Plain-text screenwriting app for Mac, iPad and iPhone.
- Only Fade In lists a web app.
- Only Fade In lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Highland Pro lists an iOS app.
- 2.6GPA
Arc Studio
Free plan · from $69/yr
Screenwriting app with outlining and real-time co-writing.
- Arc Studio has a free plan. Fade In does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Fade In lists a Linux app.
- Only Arc Studio lists an iOS app.
- 2.6GPA
Trelby
Free
Free, open-source screenwriting program for desktop.
- Trelby has a free plan. Fade In does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Fade In lists a web app.
- Fade In can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 Fade In free?
No, Fade In is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free demo with no stated time limit: registration reminder after 10 pages and a watermark on printed and PDF output.
How much does Fade In cost?
Fade In lists one plan. Fade In: $79.95 one-time purchase, individual license.
What platforms does Fade In work on?
Fade In is available on Windows, macOS, Linux and Web.
Does Fade In offer any discounts?
Fade In publicly lists the following: Student price of $59.95.
Does Fade In have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Fade In is listed for Windows, macOS, Linux and Web.
Does Fade In have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Fade In is listed for Windows, macOS, Linux and Web.
Is Fade In open source?
Fade In is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does Fade In have a student discount?
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.
Who makes Fade In?
Fade In is made by GCC Productions Inc.
What are the alternatives to Fade In?
The closest alternatives to Fade In in our directory are Final Draft, WriterDuet, Highland Pro, Arc Studio and Trelby.
How does Fade In compare with other writing tools?
Fade In's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 43 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 13.
Could I make my own version of Fade In?
The plain part of Fade In you could make: long-form writing and templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Fade In’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 Fade In's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-13.
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 GCC Productions Inc. Prices change, so check fadeinpro.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
- Fade In, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/fade-in
- 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, "Fade In: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/fade-in
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/fade-in/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Fade In, 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 Fade In’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. Fade In is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by GCC Productions Inc. Prices and plans change: check fadeinpro.com before you buy.