# Movie Magic Screenwriter review (2026): is it worth $169? > Screenwriting software for scripts, stage plays and comics Checked Nov 12, 2026 ยท graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA. Movie Magic Screenwriter is a desktop program for formatting screenplays, TV scripts, stage plays and similar scripts. It is sold as a download for Windows and Mac by Screenplay.com. The Windows build is version 6.0 and the Mac build is 6.8. - **Category:** Writing Tools - **Made by:** Screenplay.com (Write Brothers) - **Website:** https://screenplay.com/collections/movie-magic-screenwriter - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS - **Who should skip it:** Pricey if you're only trying screenwriting, at $169 with nothing free. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 12, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 12, 2026, Movie Magic Screenwriter is a paid product, starting at $169 one-time (listed against a crossed-out $249.95). - **Pricing model:** Paid - **Free plan:** None. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Movie Magic Screenwriter | $169 one-time purchase | The Windows and Mac download. The store shows $249.95 crossed out with no end date given, and says full versions allow three activations. | | Academic Version | $99.95 one-time purchase | For full-time students and teachers, who must give proof of academic standing. The store lists $129.95 crossed out; two activations. | | Upgrade | $89.95 one-time purchase | Upgrade download for Mac and Windows, listed against a crossed-out $99.95. | | 6.8 Upgrade (Mac) | $69.95 one-time purchase | Mac-only upgrade download for version 6.8. | Read from https://screenplay.com/collections/movie-magic-screenwriter on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Movie Magic Screenwriter before buying. ## Ways to pay less - **Academic version for students and teachers** (Education): The academic edition is $99.95 against $169 for the standard download, with proof of full-time academic status required. Source: https://screenplay.com/collections/movie-magic-screenwriter ## Key features - **Script templates:** The product page lists over 100 templates and tools, including 20 or more blank formats for screenplays, TV shows, stage plays, radio plays and comic books. - **Instructional templates:** Eight templates cover forms such as stage play, screenplay, sitcom structure and classic film structure. - **TV templates:** The page says it includes over 86 television templates. - **Sample files:** Sample files include a comic story arc, a radio play, a screenplay and a stage play. - **Activations:** A license manager lets you activate and deactivate computers; full versions allow three at once, academic versions two. - **Free technical support:** The page promises free technical support for as long as you use the program. ## Good for - Writers who want to buy screenwriting software once instead of subscribing - Students and teachers who qualify for the academic version - Writers who need one program for screenplays, stage plays and comics ## Worth knowing - It is a desktop program for Windows 8 or later and macOS 10.15 or later; there is no web or mobile version on the page. - An internet connection is needed during installation. - The Windows download is version 6.0 while the Mac download is 6.8, per the product page. - Screenplay.com states a 30-day money-back guarantee on purchases from its store. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 1.6 out of 4**, graded Nov 12, 2026. Movie Magic Screenwriter is desktop screenwriting software for Windows and Mac, at $169 once. There's no free plan or trial on the page, and the Windows download is version 6.0 while the Mac one is 6.8. Look elsewhere for a free start. - **Value for money: C.** $169 once, against $19.99 in the middle of one-time prices in writing tools, though under two years of a $9.95 subscription. - **Free plan and trial: F.** No free plan or trial is listed. A 30-day money-back guarantee isn't a trial. - **Features: C.** Script templates, instructional and TV templates, sample files and free technical support. No web or mobile version on the page. - **Ease of use: C.** No store rating on record. It needs an internet connection to install and activate. - **Platforms and integrations: C.** Windows 8 or later and macOS 10.15 or later only. Computers only, with no integrations listed. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Screenplay.com (Write Brothers)'s own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among writing tools - Movie Magic Screenwriter's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 0 of the 100 other writing tools we grade, and level with 2. - It stands best on value for money (C, above 17 of 100) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0). The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/writing ## Keep it, or make your own? **Your call.** A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type. You could make the core of Movie Magic Screenwriter for yourself: templates. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. At $169, paid once, it costs less than the weekend it would take to replace, which is the argument for keeping it. - You could make: Templates: an app builder makes this well. - You could not: A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. **Tags:** One-time purchase, Templates ## Alternatives - [Final Draft](https://toolgpa.com/tools/final-draft): Screenwriting software with automatic script formatting. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/final-draft-vs-movie-magic-screenwriter) - [Fade In](https://toolgpa.com/tools/fade-in): One-time-purchase screenwriting software for Windows, Mac and Linux. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/fade-in-vs-movie-magic-screenwriter) - [Celtx](https://toolgpa.com/tools/celtx): Online scriptwriting with pre-production planning tools. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/celtx-vs-movie-magic-screenwriter) - [WriterDuet](https://toolgpa.com/tools/writerduet): Screenwriting software built for real-time co-writing. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/movie-magic-screenwriter-vs-writerduet) - [Trelby](https://toolgpa.com/tools/trelby): Free, open-source screenwriting program for desktop. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/movie-magic-screenwriter-vs-trelby) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026: - https://screenplay.com/ - https://screenplay.com/collections/movie-magic-screenwriter - https://screenplay.com/products/movie-magic-screenwriter-6-6-5-6-7-download-mac-win Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/movie-magic-screenwriter Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).