Write
What Write is
Write is a free, open-source, local-first screenwriting app for the web and self-hosting. Projects stay in IndexedDB in the browser and are not uploaded unless shared. No account is required; the app creates a self-issued identity tied to the device. The editor supports screenplay elements such as scene headings, action and dialogue, with Final Draft FDX import and export. Real-time collaboration uses peer-to-peer WebRTC after collaborators receive an invitation link. The signaling worker helps browsers find one another but does not see or store screenplay content; documents remain in participants’ browsers and travel directly between them. Edits and annotations are signed with a device-local Ed25519 key for authorship verification. Write uses Yjs and y-webrtc, offers basic export formats, and has no mobile apps. The static app and signaling worker can be self-hosted, or the app can be embedded in another page. It is released under the MIT license and is a Subscript project. The listed plans cost nothing.
Who it suits
It suits screenwriters who want a free browser editor with local storage, FDX file support and peer-to-peer collaboration. Self-hosting and embedding options may suit teams managing their own deployment.
What it does well
- No account or signup is required
- Projects remain in browser storage by default
- Peer-to-peer real-time collaboration uses WebRTC
- Final Draft FDX import and export included
- Self-hosting is supported under the MIT license
What to know first
- No mobile apps are available
- Export formats are described as basic
- Collaboration requires inviting participants with a link
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Local-first screenplay editor · Peer-to-peer collaboration · Final Draft FDX import and export · No account required | Free |
| Write | Free, open source; no signup required | Free |
As write.subscript.to lists them, read 22 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Write focuses on local-first screenplay work without accounts or hosted project storage. It offers FDX support and signed collaborative edits, but mobile apps are absent and exports are basic.
Facts from Write's own pages
- Accounts
- No account is required; the app creates a self-issued, device-bound identity automatically. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Collaboration
- Collaborators sync peer-to-peer over WebRTC when invited with a link. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Editing provenance
- Edits and annotations are signed with a device-local Ed25519 key so authorship can be verified. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Export formats
- basic · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- Write uses Yjs and y-webrtc for peer-to-peer collaboration. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- License
- The project is released under the MIT license. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Maker relationship
- Write is a project of Subscript, a home for screenwriters to get scripts read, reviewed, and submitted to festivals and contests. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Mobile apps
- No · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Purpose
- Write is a free, open-source, local-first screenwriting app. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Screenplay tools
- The editor supports standard screenplay elements such as scene headings, action, and dialogue, plus Final Draft FDX import and export. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Security and privacy
- The signaling worker helps browsers find one another and does not see or store screenplay content; document content remains in participants' browsers and travels directly between them. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Self-hosting
- The static app and signaling worker can both be self-hosted, and the app can also be embedded in another page as a component. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Storage
- Projects are stored in IndexedDB in the user's browser and are not uploaded unless shared. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Where Write stands on Freedom251
- Writing Apps#81 of 135