Screenplay is a scriptwriting application for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that provides automatic industry formatting and structural management tools for screenwriters.
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Writers use Screenplay to capture ideas and draft scenes while away from their primary desktop workstations, removing the friction of manual formatting.
For Screenwriters and creators ranging from beginners needing formatting guidance to professionals requiring a mobile-to-desktop workflow.
What does it look like?
Key features
Applies margins and element styles as the user types, serving as a professional standard gate.
Generates drafts and proofreads lines via subscription, acting as a premium-tier conversion lever.
Visual interface for rearranging scenes and beats to refine narrative structure.
How much does it cost?
Subscription model anchored at $2.99/month for core tools, with significant price scaling for AI-token usage.
Velocity
Maintenance developmentperformanceShow more...
Screenplay is currently in a maintenance phase, with the latest release occurring 134 days ago. The development history shows a single minor update focused on performance optimizations, indicating a lack of active feature development. There is no evidence of live operations or new content cycles. The current cadence suggests the app is receiving only essential stability maintenance.
Who built it?
Black Mana Studios Group
3 apps tracked · Productivity
Interior Design PRO
Object Scanner 3DUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate the core screenwriting interface provides a clean and focused environment for drafting scripts on the go and integration with professional desktop screenwriting software allows for efficient workflow transitions between mobile and computer.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- The core screenwriting interface provides a clean and focused environment for drafting scripts on the go
- Integration with professional desktop screenwriting software allows for efficient workflow transitions between mobile and computer
- The character management tool helps writers keep track of names and details during mobile drafting sessions
- The transition to a subscription model creates significant friction for users who expected a one-time purchase
49 of 49 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Mixed overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 3 user requests, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Screenplay
How's the Productivity market?
Screenplay occupies a niche in the Productivity category, holding a 4.04 rating across 25 total store ratings. The reliance on a subscription model for all core features creates a high barrier to entry compared to legacy desktop tools.
The rivals identified
The Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Screenplay
Where is it heading?
The screenwriting app market is consolidating around tools that offer stable, cross-platform synchronization. Screenplay's current maintenance-only cadence leaves it exposed to rivals that provide more reliable performance and flexible pricing, which will likely accelerate user churn into the next quarter.
- The lack of new feature builds for over four months signals a move toward maintenance-only mode, which risks losing ground to active competitors.
- Persistent technical instability in the latest release erodes the daily writing habit, which compounds the rating drag already visible on the platform.
The SWOT
- Automatic industry formatting provides a defensible barrier for new writers
- iCloud sync enables a mobile-to-desktop workflow
- Native tablet-optimized layouts would address the #1 requested feature
- Offline-first sync would differentiate the app from cloud-dependent rivals
Next best moves
Audit crash logs and ship stability patches because technical instability is the #1 complaint → reduce churn
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The subscription-only model is not just a monetization choice…
Read the full takeSince the last report: The app has shifted its strategic focus toward addressing churn by acknowledging the competitive threat of desktop-native software and the friction caused by its subscription-only model.
Bottom line
Addressing technical instability is the most direct path to protecting the core user base, as the current crash rate undermines the app's utility as a professional tool. Stabilizing the experience will unlock the retention necessary to justify the subscription model.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 2 market threats, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is Screenplay suitable for professional screenwriters?
Does Screenplay offer a one-time purchase option?
What are the main alternatives to Screenplay?
Sources
Report last updated