Final Draft alternative

The Final Draft alternative,free, with .fdx.

Final Draft is the industry standard. 熙熙 gives you professional formatting for 免费 and .fdx export anytime. When you want to see the film, the storyboard is built from the same script.
  • Free, no trial clock
  • Final Draft (.fdx) export
  • Mac, Windows, Linux, iPad
The 熙熙 screenplay editor: acts, sequences and beats above a formatted scene from The Yellow Umbrella
Final Draft · script.fdx熙熙

Why writers try it

Three reasons to write here.

  1. The 熙熙 script editor with the outline above the page
    01

    Professional pages, nothing locked

    Final Draft 13 lists at $249.99. 熙熙's writing plan is 免费 and never expires, and exports to Final Draft (.fdx) and PDF whenever someone asks for the file.

  2. Storyboard of shot S3 in 熙熙, with the character sheets and the script beside it
    02

    The storyboard comes from your script

    熙熙 breaks your scenes into shots and draws the storyboard with your characters and locations, then generates the video. 年度会员: ¥168 一年.

  3. The 熙熙 production canvas with shots S3 and S4 linked to their storyboard panels
    03

    One project, from page to production

    Shots, characters and references carry into production, tied to the same script. You write the film and prepare it in one place.

Side by side

熙熙 vs Final Draft

Plans and features as each company lists them. Final Draft prices are list prices, before promotions.
熙熙Final Draft
Price免费 for writing$249.99, one-time
Subscription年度会员 ¥168一年, Studio ¥168一年Suite, $99.99/yr or $16.99一年
Free optionFree plan, no expiry5-day Suite trial
PlatformsMac, Windows, Linux, iPadMac, Windows, iPhone app sold separately
Writing in the browserYes, and offlineFinal Draft Cloud, with Suite
Final Draft (.fdx)Export on the free planNative format
PDF export
Outline toolsActs, sequences, beatsBeat Board, Outline Editor
CollaborationReal-time, 年度会员Real-time, in Final Draft 13
StudentsFree plan$129.99, with verification
Storyboard from the script年度会员
AI previsualization年度会员

Competitor information as of September 2026, from finaldraft.com. Prices in US dollars, list prices before promotions. Check their site for the latest.

Fair is fair

What Final Draft does well

Final Draft is the industry standard, and its .fdx file is the one productions pass around. Final Draft says 95% of film and TV professionals use it.

  • Production tools: tagging, reports and revision mode with colored pages
  • Story planning with the Beat Board, Outline Editor and Structure Lines
  • Real-time collaboration on the script and the Beat Board
  • An Engineering Emmy, won for its screenwriting software

Final Draft is still a good fit if your production runs on tagging, reports and colored revision pages, or you already own a license. Final Draft is built for that.

Our verdict

For most writers, 熙熙 goes further.

Final Draft remains the reference when a production requires its desktop app and revision workflow. For everything else, 熙熙 gives you the same professional formatting for free, with .fdx export so nothing is locked, and the storyboard and production in the same project.

  • Professional writing, free and unlimited, with PDF and Final Draft export
  • A storyboard generated from your screenplay, shot by shot
  • Production connected to the same project, characters kept consistent

Switching

Bring your Final Draft scripts over.

Your scripts are already .fdx files. Nothing to retype.
  1. 1

    Find your .fdx file

    Final Draft saves scripts as .fdx files. Use that file as it is: it keeps your formatting.

  2. 2

    Import into 熙熙

    Attach the file to the 熙熙 assistant and ask it to import the script. It reads:

    • PDF
    • Final Draft (.fdx)
    • Plain text
  3. 3

    Keep writing, then storyboard

    Write on for free, and export back to .fdx whenever you need to. When you are ready, the storyboard is generated from your scenes.

The storyboard of The Yellow Umbrella in 熙熙: shot S3 beside the character sheets and the script
Same project, storyboard view

Import runs through the assistant, which comes with a paid plan. Writing and PDF or Final Draft export stay free.

FAQ

Questions Final Draft users ask

How much does Final Draft cost in 2026?
As of September 2026, finaldraft.com lists Final Draft 13 at $249.99, one-time (shown 20% off, at $199.99, that month). The upgrade from an older version lists at $129.99. Final Draft Suite, with Final Draft 13 and Final Draft Cloud, costs $99.99 a year or $16.99 一年. Check their site for current prices.
Is there a free alternative to Final Draft?
Yes. 熙熙's 免费档 costs 免费 and never expires. You get unlimited projects and pages, industry-standard formatting, outline and beats, and PDF and Final Draft export.
Can I send an .fdx file to a producer from 熙熙?
Yes. 熙熙 exports to Final Draft (.fdx) and PDF on the free plan, as often as you like. Anyone with Final Draft can open your script.
Can I open my Final Draft scripts in 熙熙?
Yes. Attach your .fdx file to the 熙熙 assistant and ask it to import the script. It also reads PDF and plain text. The assistant comes with a paid plan.
Is there a free trial of Final Draft?
Final Draft offers a 5-day free trial of Final Draft Suite. After 5 days, the subscription starts unless you cancel. 熙熙's writing plan has no trial clock: it stays free.
Does 熙熙 work on Mac, Windows and iPad?
Yes. It runs in the browser on Mac, Windows, Linux and iPad. Install it like an app, write offline, and it syncs when you reconnect. Final Draft 13 runs on Mac and Windows, with a separate iPhone app.
What does 熙熙 add after the script?
The rest of the way to the screen. With the 年度会员 (¥168 一年, 3,000 张额度), 熙熙 generates the shooting script and the storyboard from your screenplay, with manual control of each shot, then produces the video with the latest AI models, tied to the same script.
What is the best software like Final Draft?
It depends on how you write. 熙熙 is the only one that stays free with unlimited projects, then turns your script into a storyboard and production. Fade In is a one-time desktop purchase. WriterDuet runs in the browser, with three free projects. Arc Studio runs in the browser, with two free scripts. Highland Pro is made for Mac, iPad and iPhone. Celtx adds scheduling and budgets for crews. Each one is compared on its own page, linked above.

Final Draft is a trademark of its respective owner. 熙熙 is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Final Draft. Product names are used only to identify the products compared.

Professional pages. Free, with .fdx export.

Write today and send the .fdx whenever it is asked for — the screenplay format file will be ready the moment you need it. The storyboard is prepared and waiting as soon as your story takes shape.