5 Best Free Cloud Based Screenwriting Software

Here is a list of Best Free Cloud Based Screenwriting Software. These are the cloud based services (SaaS) that let you write scripts and screenplays for plays, TV shows, films, etc. The most important feature that all these tools provide is the Real-Time Collaboration Feature. It enables you to invite your co-writers to a particular screenwriting project via URL or Email and work on the script collaboratively. Invitees can view, edit, comment, and review the screenplay. Another good feature provided in most tools is the Revision Tracking feature using which you can view the changes made to screenplay over the time. Plus, many software provide Import function that lets you open and edit existing scripts in formats like FDX, TXT, PDF, Fountain, etc.

As these are dedicated cloud screenwriting tools, you don’t have to focus on the formatting part of the screenplays. You can just put in your creativity and start writing scripts with several scenes, characters, action, dialogues, etc. Additionally, these software also provide you various customization features to set up appearance of document as per your preferences, e.g., font, color, text style, document layout, etc. You can also prepare outline of a screenplay, title page, and more. When done writing a screenplay, you can choose to let them be saved on the cloud or save them locally in PDF, TXT, HTML, DOCX, FDX, and more formats.

All in all, these are feature rich cloud based screenwriting software which help you write professional screenplays in real-time collaboration with your co-writers.

My Favorite Free Cloud Based Screenwriting Software:

WriterDuet is my favorite software as it provides most number of features to create screenplays that include standard as well as advanced features. For example, support to wide number of import/ export formats, generate index cards, commenting &  chat features, and more.

I also liked StudioBinder as it is a complete TV and Film production management software.

You can also checkout lists of best free Cloud Based Writing Software, Cloud Mind Mapping Tools, and Script Writing Software.

WriterDuet

WriterDuet is a famous cloud based screenwriting software. You can use this tool to write professional screenplays with some powerful features. It lets you import, edit, view, and create screenplays without focusing on formatting aspect. Apart from screenplays, you can also write for projects like right-to-left screenplay, stageplay, multi-cam sitcom, audio/ visuals, virtual reality, book, novel, etc. You can also use its real-time collaboration feature to invite your team members to edit a screenplay with you simultaneously. Other than that, it offers an extensive set of tools which enables you write scripts and screenplays; let us checkout.

Main Features:

• Import: You can import an existing script or start a brand new screenplay from scratch. It also supports cloud services including Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud to import your scripts.
• Format: It offers multiple formatting options that you can use to set up document template, line type, margins, text style, dual dialogue, font settings, etc.
• Line Types & Tools: You can find direct options to format a line type as character, scene, action, dialogue, transition, notes, audio, etc.
• Share: It provides a variety of real time collaboration and script sharing features such as Join Another Project (using shared URL), Email Document, Share for Review, Edit Collaborators, etc.
• Revisions: In it, you get a very useful revision tracking feature along with options to see changes made within a specific time period and to mark/ unmark changes.
• Export: You can save the final screenplay in PDF, Final Draft, Fountain, Celtx, DOCX, HTML, and a lot more formats.

Additional Features:

• Tools: You can find a lot of additional handy tools in it that include Outliner, Tagger, Writing Scheduler, Word Count, Spellchecker, Open Comments, and more.
• Time Machine & Save: It shows a history of tasks performed during screenwriting and also lets you set up auto-save settings.
• Cards & Private Pad: You can generate scenes using index cards. Plus, it provides a private writing pad to write some references or other things that you can refer to in future.
• Production: You can set up various scene, header & footers, watermarks, and other settings.
• Comments & Chat: It provides a comments section as well as an instant messaging feature to chat with your collaborators.

Limitations:

• In this free plan, various features are locked such as reports, limited number of documents, etc. You can upgrade to its pro version to get all of its features.

Conclusion:

It is one of the best cloud based screenwriting software that offers some great tools and features to create a screenplay document in collaboration with other co-writers.

StudioBinder

StudioBinder is another free cloud based screenwriting software. It is basically a video, film, and TV production management software that lets you write screenplays. Using it, you can import or write a new script, manage your project, breakdown your script, schedule your shoots, and plan your shots. To write screenplays, you can simply create a new project and then select Write from available project features. Its other production management features include Project Contacts, Workflow, Production Calendar, Shooting Schedule, Shoot Locations, Call Sheets, and more.

It provides you a lot of features to write a script or screenplay. Let’s checkout it key features.

Key Features:

• You can import and edit existing scripts in FDX, TXT, PDF, and Fountain formats. After importing, you can compare and edit the script accordingly.
• It also lets you create a new screenplay or free-form script from scratch.
• It provides all required screenplay formatting tools on its main toolbar including characters, scenes, action, transition, etc.
• You can invite and add your team members to collaborate on a particular script in real time.
• It lets you view all script revisions in a dedicated panel present on its interface. Plus, you also get some revision management options including Rename Revision, Duplicate Revision, and Save As Template.
• You can also view collaborators comments and tasks assigned in dedicated sections.
• The final script can be saved on the cloud or downloaded as PDF.
• It also lets you generate a URL of script to share it with other people on the web.

Additional Features:

• It provides an auto-save feature to automatically save a script after a particular time duration which you can customize.
• It lets you filter scenes and cast of a project.

Limitations:

• In its free plan, you can save only 1 project to the cloud at a time. Although, you can create multiple screenplays to a single project.
• Plus, it has restricted some features in its free plan that you can unlock after purchasing its pro plans.

Conclusion:

It is a powerful cloud based production management software that you can use to edit or create scripts and manage other aspects of a film or TV show shootings.

RawScripts

RawScripts is yet another free cloud based writing software. It is a nice and easy to use software to write screenplays. You can import scripts to it and modify them accordingly. Or, you can simply start create afresh one from scratch. Like other listed software, it also offers a handy Real-time Collaboration feature which enables multiple writers to come together and work on a specific screenplay project collaboratively.

Let us now checkout its key features in detail.

Key Features:

• You can upload a script in FDX, TXT, or Celtx format and start editing it.
• A dedicated script editor is provided to write screenplays and format them accordingly, such as element/ line type (slugline, action, scene, character, etc.), highlight, font format, spellcheck, etc.
• You can insert new notes and view all your notes in a right side panel.
• A list of all scenes in your screenplay is displayed in its Scenes section.
• It lets you edit the title page of a screenplay document.
• You can export a screenplay in PDF or TXT format.

Additional Feature:

• In its home screen, you can view all your saved screenplay projects as well as the screenplays shared with you.
• You can categorize scripts in multiple folders.
• It provides a Trash section where you can find deleted scripts.

Conclusion:

It is a simple yet effective cloud based screenwriting software that lets you collaboratively write scripts and screenplays.

Arc Studio Pro

Arc Studio Pro is a great cloud based screenwriting software. It is a professional screenplay writing that provides you awesome features to show your screenwriting skills to the world. You can simply focus on the writing part as the rest of work including formatting is done by this tool. Not just you, your colleagues can also work on a same script using its real-time collaboration feature. You can simply invite your collaborators via email and then you all can start editing a screenplay together. There are many more features that you can look forward to in this free tool.

Main Features:

• You can set up the format of your screenplay document by configuring settings like elements template (film or television screenplay), page layout, page margin, screen heading, screenplay information, etc.
• It also lets you import an existing script to modify it as per your requirement. For this, it supports FDX, PDF, Word, and Fountain formats.
• You can directly add elements like characters, actions, dialogues, transitions, shots, scenes, parenthetical, and more to your screenplay. It supports hotkeys to quickly insert a particular screenplay element.
• It provides a Scene Navigator to view all the scenes that you have added to your screenplay.
• You can also set up outline and craft of your script by adding plot, characters, locations, etc.
• When you complete writing a script, you can save it to the cloud or export it to many file formats including PDF, Fountain, and Final Draft.

Additional Features:

• It provides Comments and Reviews sections where you can view all comments and reviews related to your script.

Limitation:

Arc Studio Pro is made completely free for some time considering the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Primarily, it is a commercial software which provides a limited free plan.

Conclusion:

It is quite a featured cloud based screenwriting software which enables writers to create film and television screenplays.

Gingko

Gingko is one more cloud based screenwriting software. It is basically a writing tool which enables you write screenplays and other types of projects like academic paper, timeline, notes, etc. But unlike most of the listed software, it uses index card approach to write screenplays. You simply need to click its Tree drop down button, click Add button, and then select Screenplay to start writing a screenplay. It provides a default screenplay template that you can edit as per your requirement. You can edit logline, different acts, etc. Let us checkout some of its features.

Main Features:

• It uses some predefined syntaxes to format the screenplay content. You can use its Markdown formatting guide to format the text accordingly.
• You can invite collaborators to a screenplay and edit the project together in real time. To do so, you need to go to its Tree Settings.
• It lets you export your screenplays to files like HTML, Plain Text, LaTeX, DOCX, JSON, etc.
• You can find Backup All Files and Enable LaTeX features in it.

Limitations:

You can create total 100 cards per month and 10 documents in its free plan. You can upgrade to its premium plan to remove these these limitations.

Conclusion:

It is a very basic cloud based screenwriting software that you can use to write other kinds of writing projects too.