Fountain native
- Inkwell
- First-class
- Slugline
- First-class
A lean Fountain file vs a screenplay with history.
Slugline keeps the path from Fountain to PDF admirably short. But a professional screenplay rarely stays one file for long. Inkwell is built for the work that gathers around the draft — alternate lines, named save points, collaborators, production states, and reviewable AI — without turning that history into a folder of copies.
Where Slugline is strongest
Where the IDE model changes the work
Version control, structured changes, and reviewable AI
When the script grows up — version history, room collab, and production pipeline in one IDE.
A side-by-side look at where each tool stands today. Some Inkwell features are in active development — see the roadmap for current status.
Slugline is Apple-only; Inkwell runs in any modern browser.
Live Compare places two files side by side and marks what changed. Inkwell does not stop at a one-off comparison: named save points, semantic diffs, and parallel draft lines make version history part of the project.
| Capability | Inkwell | Slugline |
|---|---|---|
| Fountain native | First-class | First-class |
| Minimal UI | Partial or limited | First-class |
| iOS / MacSlugline is Apple-only; Inkwell runs in any modern browser. | Partial or limited | First-class |
| Version controlLive Compare places two files side by side and marks what changed. Inkwell does not stop at a one-off comparison: named save points, semantic diffs, and parallel draft lines make version history part of the project. | First-class | Partial or limited |
| Collaboration | First-class | Not available |
| AI skill passes | First-class | Not available |
| Production revision colours | Partial or limited | Not available |
Feature and pricing details link to the first-party pages used for verification.
Slugline is a good answer when the job is simply to write a Fountain screenplay on Apple hardware. Inkwell is the stronger system once one draft becomes several — parallel takes, named reads, collaborators, structured change history, and an FDX production handoff.
The Free plan includes the full editor and AI skill passes.