Inkwell

Inkwell is a screenplay editor for iOS and macOS, with keyboard-first controls, industry-standard formatting, outlining, notes, and a writing partner called Quill. Screenwriters can organize scripts with a beat board and outline navigator, add inline notes and synopses, track revisions, and generate character sides. Quill works through chat: it can brainstorm, suggest edits as diffs, and apply changes only after the writer approves them. The editor supports offline writing, formatting, file management, and import and export. It handles Final Draft FDX and Fountain formats, as well as PDF import and export. The free plan includes the full editor, unlimited scripts, and no account requirement. Quill requires an internet connection and is available through credit packs or Pro subscriptions. A pack costs $4.99, paid once for 150 credits; Pro costs $10 a month or $100 a year and provides 500 credits each month. Sync is off by default and can be enabled per script. When Quill is used, script excerpts may go to third-party language-model providers; scripts are not used to train models, and conversation summaries are stored on the maker’s servers.

Inkwell provides a free screenplay editor with offline support and common script formats, while Quill adds optional AI writing assistance for a fee. Note that Quill use involves sending excerpts to providers and storing conversation summaries on the maker’s servers.

Inkwell suits screenwriters who want formatting and outlining tools, offline editing, and screenplay file compatibility. Its production-oriented tools include revision tracking and character sides for workflows such as table reads and shoot sides.

Overview

Inkwell is a screenplay editor built around keyboard-led drafting, standard script formats, and tools that extend into production. It suits solo writers who want an offline-capable workspace on iPhone or Mac. Its strongest case is a capable free editor; Quill is an optional, metered extra with privacy trade-offs.

Key features

Planning and production tools include a beat board, outline navigator, inline notes and synopses, revision tracking, and character sides generation. That range is useful for writers moving from outlining into locked revisions, table reads, and shoot sides, rather than just formatting pages. Quill can brainstorm and suggest edits as diffs, but only applies changes after approval, preserving the writer’s control. It requires an internet connection, unlike the core editor.

Inkwell supports offline writing, formatting, file management, and importing and exporting. It handles Final Draft FDX and Fountain files, as well as PDF import and export, giving writers practical options for exchanging scripts. Inkwell Reader is a separate free iPhone app for .ink, Fountain, and PDF scripts, with full-text search, scene navigation, and actor sides.

Sync is disabled by default and can be enabled per script. The maker says synced scripts are encrypted on the device before upload, with keys kept on users’ devices. Quill has a distinct data cost: using it may send script excerpts to third-party language-model providers, and conversation summaries are stored on the maker’s servers. Scripts are not used to train models. Optional analytics can be turned off in settings, though defaults differ between macOS and iOS Reader, and required technical telemetry cannot be disabled.

There is no real-time collaboration, which makes Inkwell a weaker fit for co-writers who need to edit a script simultaneously. Support is available by email, typically within 24–48 business hours; Pro subscribers get priority support.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and includes the full screenplay editor, unlimited scripts, FDX, Fountain, and PDF import and export, offline use, and no account requirement. It is unusually complete for writers who only need the editor; its key omission is Quill access, which must be paid for separately.

Quill credit packs cost $4.99, paid once, with 150 credits per pack. They are pay as you go, have no subscription, and do not renew; credits are spent when Quill answers. This is the lower-commitment option for occasional AI assistance, though repeated use means buying more packs.

Quill Pro monthly costs $10 a month and provides 500 credits each month, add-on packs, priority support, and early access. Quill Pro annual costs $100 a year with the same monthly credit allotment and extras; the annual plan includes two months free. Both plans can be canceled anytime. The monthly option avoids an annual commitment, while annual is the lower-cost route for writers who expect to use Quill throughout the year. The 7-day trial offers a short opportunity to assess the paid experience.

Platforms

Inkwell is available on iOS and macOS. Inkwell Reader is a free iPhone app; Quill needs an internet connection, while the editor’s core work supports offline use.

Who it's for

Inkwell is best for individual screenwriters who want a no-cost, offline editor with familiar formats and tools that cover outlining through production revisions. Writers who value AI help can add Quill without making it part of the core workflow, but should be comfortable with its credit limits and data handling. It is less suited to teams requiring live co-editing or writers who need Quill to work offline.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The free plan includes unlimited scripts, offline editing, and FDX, Fountain, and PDF import and export, so writers can use the editor without a subscription or account.
• Pros: Beat planning, revision tracking, and character sides generation serve production workflows as well as drafting.
• Pros: Quill’s edits require approval, and credit packs avoid recurring charges.
• Cons: Quill requires internet access and uses credits, so it is not an unlimited or offline writing partner.
• Cons: Quill use may transmit excerpts to third-party providers and stores conversation summaries on the maker’s servers.
• Cons: No real-time collaboration limits its usefulness for writers working in the same script together.

Alternatives

ScriptDraft is worth considering for Android users; its free plan includes a Fountain editor, PDF, Fountain, and FDX export, and more than 100 languages.

FiveDraft offers Android, iOS, and web access. Its free plan has unlimited local drafts and no page limits, but saves only one script to cloud and watermarks PDF exports.

Screenplay Assistant is an option for writers who want broader platform coverage, including web and Windows, alongside a free plan with one project and monthly AI and storyboard allowances.

ScreenWeaver supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, and its free Screenwriter plan includes unlimited projects and pages plus PDF and Final Draft export.

Scriptuber is an alternative for creators seeking note capture and AI cleanup rather than a conventional screenplay editor.

Skriptio is an Android and Windows option for teleprompter-style scripts, with a free plan capped at manual scripts up to five minutes.

Fabric is a broader workspace alternative available across mobile, desktop, and web platforms.

Lastslate is a macOS and Windows screenplay-editor alternative with a free plan that includes PDF and FDX export.

For more options centered on AI-assisted writing, see AI Script Writing Software.

Verdict

Choose Inkwell if you are a solo screenwriter who wants a full, offline-capable editor, common script formats, and production tools without paying for the core workflow. Its main advantage is that Quill remains optional and approval-based; look elsewhere if you need live collaboration, or if you are not comfortable sending script excerpts to AI providers when using Quill.