Overview

Arc Studio Pro combines screenplay formatting with Focus mode, timed writing sprints, notes and outlining. That range serves both writers who need a clean drafting environment and those who organize a project beyond its pages. Publishing tools, standard export formats, offline mode and version history are also part of the product.

Automatic draft history can recover deleted text, and encryption and automatic backups protect work on devices and in the cloud. Those safeguards matter for scripts in active revision. Arc Studio is used by Hollywood professionals for movies and Emmy-winning TV shows, though its most practical distinction for an individual writer is the ability to begin free and upgrade as script or collaboration needs grow.

Key features

Industry formatting, comments, and Fountain and Final Draft export are included on the free plan, alongside PDF export with a watermark. For writers still developing a workflow, that is a useful way to draft and exchange scripts without paying upfront. The two-script cap and marked PDFs make it less suitable as a long-term home for a larger portfolio or clean PDF delivery.

Essentials adds advanced formatting, unlimited scripts, desktop and iPhone and iPad apps, and PDF export. Pro adds outlining tools, history, revision management, feedback links, The Stash and the ability to invite collaborators. The product also supports one-click management of collaborators’ script access, but access invitations require a subscription even though collaboration works on Free.

Every account includes a seven-day Pro trial, and beginning the free writing experience requires no credit card. That lowers the cost of evaluating the higher-tier workflow; the short trial is best used to assess whether Pro’s professional features justify an annual plan.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Best fit
Free	0.00 USD per free; free forever	Writers drafting up to two scripts who can accept a watermark on PDF exports.
Essentials	69.00 USD per year, billed annually	Solo writers who need unlimited scripts, advanced formatting and desktop or iPhone and iPad apps.
Pro	99.00 USD per year, billed annually	Writers who need revision management, outlining and collaborator invitations.

Free keeps the entry point open but caps the library at two scripts and watermarks PDF exports. Essentials removes the script cap and includes PDF export, but does not include the Pro plan’s listed collaboration and revision features. Pro is the relevant step up for teams: it includes two collaborators, while invitations require a paid subscription. Students can receive $70 off Pro with an .edu address.

Platforms

Arc Studio supports Mac, Windows, iPadOS, iOS and browsers. Offline mode and mobile apps make it more flexible than a browser-only writing setup, while Android users have Chrome access but no long-term offline support. That limitation makes the product a less natural fit for Android-first writers who need to work without a connection.

Who it's for

Arc Studio Pro is a strong fit for screenwriters who want a free start, then need unlimited scripts or a more structured revision and collaboration workflow. Essentials is the sensible paid tier for solo writers who have outgrown the two-script limit. Pro is better suited to writers working with up to two collaborators or relying on revision management and feedback links.

It is a weaker fit for writers who need unwatermarked PDFs without a subscription, teams unwilling to pay to invite collaborators, or Android users who need dependable offline access.

Pros and cons

Pro: Free includes formatting, comments and Fountain and Final Draft export, giving new users a practical way to start without a credit card.
Pro: Essentials raises the script cap to unlimited and adds apps, making it a clear upgrade for solo writers with growing projects.
Pro: Pro combines two collaborators with outlining, revision management and feedback links for writers coordinating work.
Con: Free allows only two scripts and puts a watermark on PDF exports, limiting its usefulness for a larger catalog or polished PDF delivery.
Con: Collaborator invitations require a subscription, so Free’s collaboration capability does not make it a no-cost team solution.
Con: Android offers Chrome access but lacks long-term offline support, which can frustrate writers who need mobile work without a connection.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Screenwriting Software and Writing Apps.

Celtx is worth considering if Android support or a free one-project studio with cloud-based script editing and real-time collaboration matters more than Arc Studio’s two-script free tier.
DramaQueen is a free alternative for writers who want no project-count or length restriction and work on Linux, macOS or Windows.
Story Architect may suit builders who value an open-core screenwriting tool and want access to core source under MIT, with some features closed-source and commercial.
OpenDraft is a free option for writers seeking no account, subscription or feature gating, with web, self-hosted and desktop and mobile platforms.
ScreenWeaver is an alternative for writers who want a free plan with unlimited projects and pages plus PDF and Final Draft export.
ActOne Screenplay is a free, open-source option for Windows 10/11 or Linux users.
Revision Screenwriter is another free option, with no plan limits stated on its site.
Scriptum is a free, open-source screenwriting application for Linux, macOS, web and Windows.

Verdict

Choose Arc Studio Pro if you want a capable screenwriting workflow that can start free and scale to unlimited scripts or a small collaborative team. Its strongest case is the progression from free drafting to paid revision and collaboration tools; look elsewhere if clean PDF exports, free collaborator invitations or Android offline work are essential without a subscription.

	Arc Studio Pro	iA Writer
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	$5.75/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	iOS, macOS, Windows	macOS, Windows, iOS
Free plan	Yes	No
Publishing tools	Yes	Yes
Real-time collaboration	Yes	—
Version history	Yes	Yes
Offline mode	Yes	Yes
Mobile apps	Yes	Yes
Export formats	standard	extensive

Arc Studio Pro vs iA Writer

Arc Studio Pro

iA Writer