The Trelby Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Trelby 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.
Trelby
The Insider’s Guide
Free, open-source screenwriting program for desktop
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Trelby’s own pages.
Made by Trelby developers · checked Oct 9, 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 Trelby’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Trelby’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
2.6
GPA, above 32 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Trelby is a free screenwriting program licensed under the GPL and maintained by volunteers. Its editor enforces screenplay format and pagination, and it adds reports, script comparison, a character name database and a configurable PDF generator. It began as a commercial program called Blyte, was open sourced in 2006 and took its current name after development resumed in 2011.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Trelby, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for free screenwriting on Windows, Mac or Linux
Celtx and Fade In files import but can't be exported, and there's no web or phone version.
- 2
It is free
Trelby has no paid plan at all. The whole program is free software licensed under the GPL. There is no paid edition.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 4
Screenplay editor
Enforces correct script format and pagination as you type, with auto-completion and spell checking.
- 5
Choice of views
Offers several views of the script, including a draft view, a WYSIWYG mode and fullscreen.
- 6
Reports and script comparison
Produces scene, location, character and dialogue reports, and compares two scripts to show what changed between versions.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 32 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Trelby is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Trelby at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Trelby developers
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for free screenwriting on Windows, Mac or Linux
Trelby is a free, open-source screenwriting program that keeps a script in standard format and pagination as you type, on Windows, Mac and Linux. Getting the current version means Python's pip on Windows and Mac, since the installer on the download page is still the older 2.2, and 2.4 added no new features. Celtx and Fade In files import but can't be exported, and there's no web or phone version.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free software under the GPL, kept going by volunteers, with no paid edition and nothing held back. Against writing tools charging about $8.33 a month in the middle, a complete screenwriting program for nothing is the top of the ladder. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The complete program is free, with every feature in it. No paid edition exists to hold anything back, and there's no cap to hit. |
| Features | C | It does the screenwriting job fully, and plainly: format and pagination enforced as you type, auto-completion and spell checking, scene, location, character and dialogue reports, script comparison and a PDF generator with watermarks. Celtx, Adobe Story and Fade In files import but can't be exported. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record, and getting the current version means a command line: 2.4 installs on Windows and macOS through Python's pip, and the installer on the download page is still the older 2.2. Linux gets ordinary packages, at least. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Windows, Mac and Linux, which is still only computers however you count it. It trades files with Final Draft, Fountain, Celtx, Fade In and Adobe Story, but those are file formats rather than live connections, and no web or mobile version is 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 Trelby is for
- Fits if you want standard script formatting and don't want to pay for it
- Works for Linux users, as it installs from Fedora, Debian, Ubuntu or Flatpak packages
Who it is not for
- Skip it if a command line puts you off, as the current version installs through Python's pip on Windows and Mac
- Not for you if you write on a phone or in a browser, because it's a desktop program only
- Tight if you work with Celtx, Adobe Story or Fade In users, since those files import but can't be exported
- Watch out: version 2.4 added no new features, only a move to Python 3 and new packaging
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Trelby is free to use.
Free software under the GPL, kept going by volunteers, with no paid edition and nothing held back.
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.
The free plan
The whole program is free software licensed under the GPL. There is no paid edition.
Read from trelby.org on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Free, open-source screenwriting program for desktop. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, long-form writing.
Celtx, Adobe Story and Fade In files import but can't be exported.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Final Draft
- Fountain
- Celtx
- Fade In
- Adobe Story
Trelby is made by Trelby developers.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
32/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Trelby's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 32 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 58 of 69) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Trelby has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Trelby’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 44 of 69
- AFree plan and trialAbove 58 of 69
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 69
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 69
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 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. Trelby 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
Trelby is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- Long-form writing: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Final Draft, Fountain and Celtx among them.
What this rests on. Trelby’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
Fade In, Story Architect, Final Draft, Beat and WriterDuet
The 5 tools Trelby is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Fade In
Free trial · from $79.95 one-time
One-time-purchase screenwriting software for Windows, Mac and Linux.
- Trelby has a free plan. Fade In does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Fade In lists a web app.
- Trelby is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Story Architect
Free plan · from $4.17/mo
Writing app for screenplays, novels, comics and stage plays.
- Only Story Architect lists iOS and Android apps.
- Trelby is open source, according to its own site.
- Story Architect also covers mind mapping.
- 2.2GPA
Final Draft
Free trial · from $99.99/yr
Screenwriting software with automatic script formatting.
- Trelby has a free plan. Final Draft does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Trelby lists a Linux app.
- Only Final Draft lists a web app.
- 3.2GPA
Beat
Free plan · from $11.99 one-time
Free, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS.
- Only Trelby lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Beat lists an iOS app.
- 2.8GPA
WriterDuet
Free plan · from $7.49/mo
Screenwriting software built for real-time co-writing.
- Only WriterDuet lists a web app.
- Only WriterDuet lists iOS and Android apps.
- Trelby is open source, according to its own site.
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 Trelby free?
Yes. Trelby is free to use.
How much does Trelby cost?
Trelby lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Trelby work on?
Trelby is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Trelby have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Trelby is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Trelby have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Trelby is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Trelby open source?
Yes. Trelby is open source, according to its own site.
What does Trelby integrate with?
Trelby's listing names Final Draft, Fountain, Celtx, Fade In and Adobe Story.
Who makes Trelby?
Trelby is made by Trelby developers.
What are the alternatives to Trelby?
The closest alternatives to Trelby in our directory are Fade In, Story Architect, Final Draft, Beat and WriterDuet.
How does Trelby compare with other writing tools?
Trelby's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 32 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 10.
Is Trelby good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Trelby A for value for money. Trelby has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Trelby?
Trelby is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Trelby’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 Trelby's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-04.
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 Trelby developers. Prices change, so check trelby.org 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
- Trelby, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/trelby
- 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, "Trelby: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/trelby
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/trelby/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Trelby, 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 Trelby’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. Trelby is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Trelby developers. Prices and plans change: check trelby.org before you buy.