Screenwriting software for Windows
Screenwriting software for Windows: the options in 2026
Windows screenwriters have fewer choices than Mac users, because two of the best-loved Fountain apps, Highland and Beat, are Apple-only. The good news is that the apps that matter most for industry work, Final Draft and Fade In, run on Windows, the collaborative apps run in any browser, and there are solid free options. Bunsho runs natively on Windows too, as a free Fountain editor with a continuity checker.
The short answer
For industry-standard work on Windows, Final Draft 13. For a one-time purchase that also covers any Mac or Linux machine you own, Fade In. For co-writing, WriterDuet or Arc Studio. For free, Starc or Trelby. For writing in Fountain and checking your script's continuity, Bunsho, with one of the above for the PDF.
Windows screenwriting apps compared
| On Windows | Price | Formats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Draft 13 | Windows 10 or later; also macOS | $249.99 one-time list, often on sale | Native .fdx, PDF; Fountain only as a plain-text import |
| Fade In | Windows; same licence covers macOS and Linux | $79.95 one-time | .fdx, Fountain import, PDF |
| WriterDuet | Browser; desktop app on paid plans | Free plan; Plus $9.99 a month | .fdx, Fountain, PDF |
| Arc Studio | Browser; Windows app on paid plans | Free plan; Essentials $69 a year | .fdx, Fountain, PDF |
| Celtx | Browser | Free plan; paid Writer and Team plans | Imports .fdx, Fountain, PDF |
| Starc | Windows plus macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Free tier; Pro $150 lifetime | .fdx, Fountain, PDF |
| Trelby | Windows and Linux | Free, open source | .fdx, Fountain, PDF |
| Bunsho | Windows and macOS | Editor free; checks on Storyteller or Saga | Fountain import and export only |
As of October 2026, from each vendor's site. Confirm current prices before you buy.
Fountain on Windows, without Highland or Beat
Many guides to plain-text screenwriting assume a Mac, because Highland and Beat are Apple-only. Windows writers can still work in Fountain. Fade In, WriterDuet, Arc Studio, Starc and Trelby all read Fountain, any text editor can write it, and Bunsho imports and exports it on every plan with a full screenplay editor on top. That makes Fountain the easiest way for a Windows writer to move a script between apps, or between a Windows desktop and a co-writer's Mac.
What Bunsho does on Windows
The six standard elements, formatted as you type
Slugline, action, character, parenthetical, dialogue and transition, with an element picker, ghost hints that show what each line expects, Tab and Enter cycling, and autocomplete for sluglines and character names.
Fountain import and export
Open a .fountain script as a project and export back to .fountain, title page included, whenever you like. Neither direction is ever metered.
Continuity checking for scripts, when you ask
Bunsho checks your script scene by scene against what it has established: sluglines and scene order, who is in each scene, props and wardrobe, and what a character can know when. Every finding cites both passages. Checks are priced per scene, the cost is shown before each one, and they are live on Storyteller and Saga.
Your files, on your disk
Scripts live as plain files in a folder you choose. The editor works with no account and no connection. Your manuscript lives on your machine, not on our servers. Pages are sent for analysis only when you run a check, and they're never stored or used for training.
Where Bunsho stops
Bunsho is not a delivery formatter. On Windows, Fade In, Final Draft, WriterDuet or Starc will produce the PDF or .fdx you send; Bunsho is where you draft and check.
No PDF export
Produce the submission PDF in a formatter: Highland, Fade In, WriterDuet, Beat, Starc and others all open Fountain.
No Final Draft .fdx
Bunsho reads and writes Fountain only. Convert .fdx in an app that reads both.
No real-time collaboration
Bunsho is a single-writer desktop app.
No production tools
No revision colors, locked pages, breakdowns or scheduling, and no dual dialogue.
A Windows workflow that uses each app for its strength
Draft in Bunsho, or bring a draft in as .fountain from Fade In, WriterDuet or Starc. When it is ready, run a continuity check on the changed scenes or the whole script; the confirm dialog shows the per-scene price before anything runs. Export Fountain and produce the PDF in your formatter. If you need .fdx for a production, Fade In and Starc both save it, and Final Draft users can import the script as plain text, as Final Draft's help center describes.
Keep reading
The industry formatter and a continuity checker, and how to use both.
What each free tier actually allows.
The full guide: formats, collaboration, revisions, price, file ownership, and where Bunsho fits.
Ten apps side by side, each placed by what it is best for.
Screenplay continuity checking in detail: what it reads, what a finding looks like, what it costs.
Common questions
What is the best screenwriting software for Windows?
For industry work, Final Draft 13 or the cheaper Fade In, which also covers Mac and Linux on one licence. For co-writing, WriterDuet or Arc Studio. For free, Starc or Trelby. For checking a script's continuity, Bunsho, used with one of those for the PDF.
Is Highland available for Windows?
No. As of October 2026 Highland Pro runs on Mac, iPad and iPhone only, and Beat is macOS only. Windows writers who want a Fountain workflow can use Fade In, Starc, Trelby, WriterDuet or Bunsho.
Is there free screenwriting software for Windows?
Yes. Starc has a free-forever tier and Trelby is free and open source; both export PDF and .fdx. WriterDuet, Arc Studio and Celtx have free browser plans with project limits. Bunsho's editor is free on Windows with one project and exports Fountain.
Does Bunsho work offline on Windows?
Yes for writing. The editor works with no account and no connection, and scripts are plain files in a folder you choose. A continuity check needs a connection, because the pages you ask to check are sent for analysis.
Can I share a script between Windows and a co-writer's Mac?
Yes, through Fountain or .fdx. Bunsho reads and writes Fountain on both platforms. For live co-writing in the same script, use a collaborative tool such as WriterDuet or Arc Studio; Bunsho has no real-time collaboration.
A free script editor for Windows that checks the story.
Bunsho is free to download for Windows with no account. Fountain in and out; checks are priced per scene, cost shown first.