# Highland Pro — user reviews > 130 indexed App Store user reviews of Highland Pro by Quote-Unquote LLC, rated 4.90/5 from 13 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highland-pro/id6612007609/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highland-pro/id6612007609.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 12 · 4★ 1 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 0 ## What do users think of Highland Pro? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Intuitive, simple, elegant - 🚀 Streamlined writing experience - 💡 Helpful in-app lookup tool - 👍 Clean, distraction-free interface - 🚀 Seamless cross-device sync **Cons** - 🔒 Subscription pricing model - 🐛 Sync issues leading to data loss - 🐛 Underline feature not working properly - 🐛 Crashes and stability issues **Commonly reported bugs** - Sync deleting draft documents - Preview mode not remembering last position - Crashes and data loss on iPad **Most requested features** - Customizable color themes - Export options beyond PDF - Retain free version for students ## Newest reviews (12 of 130) ### 4/5 — High hopes, dashed *2026-07-03* I wanted to like this but the iPhone version isn’t as mature as the Mac version and has issues. Right off the bat I noticed the curser jumps up when typing. It’s distracting and feels unfinished. Also there’s not any true document library management like Ulysses. Files are resigned to an iCloud folder. But you can’t view them all together in a side bar, nor combine multiple files into one publication — at least I couldn’t figure out how to do so. It seems Highland is more adept at screenwriting or writings that require only one document. Not geared toward longer work, where you want to break up chapters for example into separate files and only during the publishing phase, combine them into a final document. Also, unlike the Mac version, full screen editing view on the iPhone version is absent. Fullscreen view should be a given in an app focused on writing — on every platform. On the plus side I like the built in version tracking, note and checklist attachments and themes, as well as the ability to create your own. With a little more work, especially a dedicated document library and fullscreen editing, Highland might sway me away from Ulysses. Regardless, thanks for the generous free trial. ### 2/5 — 2.5 Stars *2026-04-30* FD crashed one too many times, decided to finally try another screenwriting program. Highland is interesting and has some definite advantages (like the shelf), but ultimately, it just doesn’t work for me. The big selling point in the provided how-to guide is that you won’t hit tab anymore to change script elements. That’s true, but now you’re holding down shift or hitting caps lock to activate character slugs, or typing >>> to get to transitions. Not a big deal, but not really an improvement over something I never had a problem with. I’m not a fan of the plain text screen you do all your writing in, you have to switch to the final view to see where your words actually land on the page. Finally, bolds and italics NEVER worked for me while in flow — inevitably I would have to go back and highlight as opposed to hitting command-I or B while actually writing. All of this was bearable for the first few months, but the recent Mac OS update has made the program as unstable as FD, and even slower too. I’m sure it will get patched, the Highland support team is great, but this just didn’t work for me. Encourage everyone to try it for themselves, but I’m back to the devil I know. ### 2/5 — When it works, it’s fab *2026-04-26, version 3.3.4* The Mac app recently has gotten SUPER buggy. Keep crashing in mid type. Weirdly during a new slug line entry. Pls fix. Forcing me to go back to Final Draft. ### 2/5 — This app broke my heart. *2026-04-05, version 3.3.2* I’ve used Highland 2 for about 7 years, and have absolutely loved it. In my opinion, it was the perfect writing program that made writing FUN. But the newest version is so glitchy that I can no longer support the product. The cursor randomly jumps around the page, the page auto-scrolls, making it IMPOSSIBLE to write in. I hope Highland is able to get it together, but today I make the switch to SLUGLINE. ### 2/5 — Time for a painful breakup with what use to be a wonderful relationship. *2026-03-21, version 3.3.1* Save yourself the aggravation. Highland talks a great game and offers the world and you believe it. Things are great for the first year until things start falling apart and you’re ghosted. The only reason this review isn’t a “one star” is that I use to love this app. I bought it on the ground floor and despite early bugs, one where I lost my entire screenplay ( luckily I had a saved backup), I stuck with it for a year. Until now. Whatever update they did started becoming laggy. The real problem was that every time I tried to modify or put in a scene header it would crash and I would lose my work. I did everything I could. I contacted the company three times through the “Priority Support” on the app. (Three weeks later still haven’t gotten so much as an automated reply), I tried emailing tech directly. Nothing. Discord? Nada. I had planned to get a new laptop anyway so I got a MacBook Pro. The newest. I figured this might fix it. Yes. I loved this program enough to pull the trigger on a new computer. This fixed the lag but BOOM. Crashing and losing work. Over and over again. I figured I would reach out or “Priority Support “ through the app one more time. Clicked on the link in the menu… 404! no page found! My subscription was to renew April 4. It’s March 20th. I’m done. I broke up. Like moving out, I have a couple of weeks to transfer my files into a different format. The upside is I’m moving into a SUITE! Yes it’s a little more expensive than living with Highland but it’s stable, reliable, liked by most and most of all SUPPORTIVE! You won’t find it here but Final Draft has it on their site. Goodbye Highland. Good luck. ### 2/5 — Could be great with bug fixes and more responsive support *2026-03-14* The app itself is great when it works. Once you really get into your script the program gets really laggy and will crash when trying to work with your slug lines. I have a MacBook with plenty of processing power and memory. This shouldn’t be an issue. What makes it worse is that I have sent several emails to their “Priority” tech support and haven’t gotten so much as an automated response over several days. This is very upsetting and I considering just buying Final Draft rather than renewing in April ### 2/5 — Great Desktop App, iPad version is buggy *2026-02-03, version 3.2.8* The iPad version of this software has lots of problems. Bad exporting function (where line breaks appear indented / formatted incorrectly), completely broken search functionality, and lots of issues where it simply stops working. Given the way this software is used, these bugs really break down your trust in the app. I would recommend other writing software for iPad users until these issues are addressed. ### 3/5 — Subscription Model is Intrinsically Flawed *2026-01-15* I’ve been a Highland user since the very first beta, and I love this program. I chose it because it was beautifully designed, highly functional, and completely free of bloat. That’s exactly why I don’t trust the subscription model—I believe it’s fundamentally flawed, especially at this price point. With a subscription model, developers are expected to push new features regularly. If they don’t, users feel cheated. That pressure alone creates a lose-lose situation. Most of us don’t want a constant stream of new features—we just want a rock-solid program we can depend on. The inevitable result is bloat, and Highland Pro risks becoming just like its competitors. I’ve seen this exact pattern play out with Adobe. From a monetary standpoint, subscriptions have been incredibly successful for them, but their software has grown clunky and bloated as they chase flashy new features instead of prioritizing stability and reliability for professionals. I’m not saying Highland will ever become Final Draft—but it’s not going to stay Highland either. I would much rather pay $50 once every few years for a stable, dependable program than $60 a year for features I don’t need being regularly pushed on me. It wouldn’t sting as much if Highland 2 were still supported, but users are essentially being forced into the subscription model. It’s a shame. I will have to move to something else. **Developer response:** Although Highland 2 is no longer available for sale, existing users can still download it from the Mac App Store (it's listed under your purchased apps), and we're still committed to providing bug fixes for the foreseeable future. In moving to a subscription model, we hope to focus more on providing a rock-solid experience than on adding unnecessary features, unlike the apps you rightly call out. With subscriptions, our goal can be to serve our existing users, rather than chase new customers. ### 2/5 — Phone app needs work *2025-12-31, version 3.2.8* The formatting and ease of use is just as good as it is on my Mac, however, the syncing of files with the iCloud isn’t so switching between devices isn’t as seamless as it should be. Not only that but I have lost entire chapters three times now because the has randomly wiped all text other than the title which is very frustrating. ### 4/5 — The iCloud sync is just a joke! *2025-10-13* It is impossible to sync changes between Mac OS and IOS versions. I write something on the Mac OS app and save it. Then I open the iOS app to continue working and… everything is gone! Unacceptable for a supposedly pro software! ### 2/5 — Sync? *2025-09-15, version 3.1.5* I bought highland pro sometime ago for pc because i enjoy the program, however, to my surprise, when i downloaded the version for my phone they dont seem to sync . If im working on a project on my pc, i cant edit it on my phone and vice versa. Or is it some syncing feature im missing? ### 1/5 — Still no fix for images *2025-09-05, version 3.1.5* John August of all people should know that the way screenplays are written is changing – why offer a feature that other apps can handle (images) if it doesn’t work? Deeply frustrating. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Since when do we need to pay for it ? *2026-03-28* I have been using this app for a long time, loved it… and now I have to pay for it ?? ### 1/5 — Fraudulent Practices *2025-12-19* In January I paid a one time fee of $50 bucks for this software. The draw was that it was a one time payment and not a subscription fee. Now it’s December and they’ve switched to a subscription model and removed all access to work. No refund has been provided nor do I have access to the new version unless I pay an additional $60. The software is stuck in read mode only! **Developer response:** Highland 2 is still available to download for existing customers from the Mac App Store (it's under your purchased apps list), and we're committed to supporting it with bug fixes for the foreseeable future. However, if you'd like a refund, you can contact Apple to request a refund via https://reportaproblem.apple.com/ ### 1/5 — Crashes on launch *2025-12-08, version 3.2.6* Can’t get this to launch. Have tried on multiple devices and different OS versions and no matter what it just crashes on launch every time. ### 1/5 — Slow and Glitching *2025-12-02, version 3.2.4* When it tries to sync to iCloud you will be locked out for minutes at a time. With things sometimes moving at a snails pace when all your trying to do is add 1 line. It works for what it is, but still needs serious optimization improvements. Actually redoing to 1 star cause it just wiped a whole script off one button press and there’s no built in undo button. Horrible design do not recommend ### 1/5 — I miss Highland 2 *2025-11-16, version 3.2.3* I love Highland. Switching to the subscription model ruins my desire to upgrade beyond 2. FD still lets out buy an outright license. Please bring this option back ### 1/5 — Scam *2025-10-31, version 3.2.3* I paid for a paid version two years ago, then it switched on me and became a subscription based service. I would’ve never agreed to that. Shame! ### 1/5 — Great but Crashes *2025-10-28, version 3.2.1* Too many bugs to justify a subscription. Editor sometimes goes blank. such a shame. This app’s potential is truly great. ### 1/5 — SCAM *2025-10-19, version 3.2.1* This is the worst app I have ever downloaded it just wants your money ### 1/5 — Locked behind 30 trial *2025-10-05, version 3.2.1* I can’t even use the product because it doesn’t even let you use any basic functions. There is a pro version and then a regular version It is good practice to limit some of the features in the free version and offer to upgrade to The pro version but no, I get the version that is not pro and as soon as I want to write, it says I can only read. The only option I have to even use the app is to sign up for the 30 day free trial, which is very scummy. ### 1/5 — After Paying a lifetime Fee, Asking to upgrade and pay again! *2025-09-26, version 3.1.5* The experience has been terrible. The support response in our initial stage of using the app was horrible. And now suddenly a window popsup to ‘Upgrade’ and pay them again. How is Apple allowing this Scam? @Apple ? ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Simple with robust features *2026-07-25* I’ve been using Highland for 2 years after breaking away from Final Draft for my screenwriting. Highland is simple and has just enough of the features I need. It’s intuitive, easy to learn quickly, and import/exports most other formats. Highly recommend. Shout out to John August of ScriptNotes for leading the creation of this great software. ### 5/5 — Gotta fix the bugs *2026-07-09* Okay… I love the app. It’s just that when I go to use it on my phone and it asks for the latest version it did not save it. I downloaded PDF so I don’t loose my whole script. I’m just going to use it in one place before I loose my work. I deleted the app off my phone. I use the app on my iPad Pro. So now I have the re-type 50 pages of script. ### 5/5 — Game changer *2026-04-01* I write so much more using Highland, it gets out of the way and makes writing fun again. You can tell it’s made by a writer because every choice they’ve made optimizes your creative flow. Super impressed and so relieved to have found it. ### 5/5 — Everything I wanted on mobile and desktop *2026-03-10, version 3.3* I love writing with Highland. I find it does exactly what it promises, namely gets out of the way so I can concentrate on actually writing. I was getting a bit frustrated by working in Final Draft, it felt sluggish and weighed down by features I didn’t want; as soon as I tried Highland I felt like I had jumped on a motorway, and found that suddenly I was doing proper writing; I haven’t looked back. I also find the mobile app to work perfectly (via iCloud); in this day and age I feel I should be able to have an idea walking down the street or on the bus and get my phone out and jot it down; Final Draft not only wanted to charge extra for this, but it also never seemed to work; Highland has been silky smooth. Worth the subscription, no question. ### 5/5 — Superior experience on the go *2025-10-24, version 3.2.1* I’d always loved Highland and preferred it over the mainstream alternatives. As I moved to using my iPad on the go, I had to look at other apps for a while. None of them fit the bit. Frankly, the Final Draft Go app was VERY problematic (among being its own subscription beyond the Mac version). I was so happy when this one came out. Many of the bugs I initially encountered have been resolved. It stays true to the simplicity and smoothness of the desktop version and had synced flawlessly between my devices since recent updates. So happy to be able to use this app on all my devices now. ### 5/5 — The best screenwriting app *2025-10-03, version 3.2.1* Sooooooo much better than final draft ### 5/5 — Clean, snappy, joy to use *2025-09-28* Excellent software from responsive developers. I’ve got to call out the low star reviews based on the subscription price. Those are not helpful to people looking at reviews of software. If you don’t want to pay, or don’t like subscriptions, don’t buy it. Sure, mention you are unwilling to pay subscriptions. But that has nothing to do with the software, and what people are interested in when looking at reviews, is how well does the software work. It’s up to each user to decided if they can afford it, or are willing to pay. This software works really well. It works for all types of writing, but for screenwriting uses regular text documents that can be opened on any text editor and formats it look like a screenplay using the Fountain markup formatting. ### 5/5 — Just got it *2025-09-12, version 3.1.5* I am new to this version so i can only it looks great to meI just wish there was an undo button. I SOLVED the save glitch by setting the app to save to my ipad from within the app then in app settings, i told it to backup on the cloud. That got rid of both lost content and the app creating new files by itself presumably because of bad cloud sync. This is the best screenwriting app on iOS in my view. Even better on lap or desktop. The navigator and sidebar for dropping content are great. Wish I could add sticky notes but the fountain +markdown code takes care of that and more. Even the dialogue not indenting started working after I jigged spacing, and maybe just be restarting the app, not sure, but dialogue does indent in editing mode. The original apps have a long positive history so far as I know and have always been ahead of their time and easy to use. I already subscribed. ### 5/5 — Love this app. *2025-09-03* I love this app. Simple but like a lot of simple things contains lots of features and complexity if you need it. Much prefer writing in Highland Pro to something generic and bad like Microsoft Word or something specific and bad like Final Draft. A writer designed this app for writing (and for other writers to write) and it shows. **Developer response:** Thanks, and thanks for leaving a review! We're glad you love writing in Highland Pro. Our team includes four working screenwriters who write in the app every day, which is probably why it feels specifically better. ### 5/5 — great writing software *2025-08-28* Highland Pro is a fantastic software, very easy to use and with no distractions. Only thing missing is a collaboration tool so we can be multiple writers from all over the world working at the same time on the same document. that being said, it’s really one of the best software out there. it being way superior and way WAY cheaper than the ‘industry standart’ --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-01.*