# Storyist 4 vs Arc Studio Screenwriting

The clearest difference is rating: Storyist 4 at 4.3 against Arc Studio Screenwriting's 3.4. Storyist 4 also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ratings volume (395 vs 85). Arc Studio Screenwriting's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Storyist 4 sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Arc Studio Screenwriting sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $99.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Storyist 4 holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 395 and 85 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Storyist 4's written reviews are positive against 39% of Arc Studio Screenwriting's.

Storyist 4 ships an update every 4 months, Arc Studio Screenwriting every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Storyist 4 | Arc Studio Screenwriting |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (395 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storyist-4/id1423912340/reviews)** | [3.4 (85 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-studio-screenwriting/id1502887007/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **395** | 85 |
| Positive reviews | **44.3% of reviews** | 39.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 21 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Storyist Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/438008297) | [Arc Studio Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1656256390) |

## What reviewers say

### Storyist 4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storyist-4/id1423912340)

This app provides a robust writing environment for authors and screenwriters. It allows for detailed story outlining, manuscript creation with rich text editing, and seamless revision on any device. Organize all your writing projects in one place for easy access and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Rich text editor with comments and images, Index card outlining and story sheets, Manuscript and screenplay formatting, Cloud storage and collaboration support, Import/export text and images, Support for various file formats

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Storyist 4 Upgrade | $9.99 | one-time |
| Storyist 4 | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean, intuitive user interface
- 🚀 Fast iCloud synchronization across devices
- 💰 One-time purchase with no subscription fees
- 📝 Excellent for organizing long-form writing projects
- 🔄 Seamless Mac-iPad-iPhone sync

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Data loss and file deletion issues
- 💔 Upgrade from v3 to v4 requires full repurchase
- 😤 Misleading free trial presentation
- 🔧 Clunky navigation requiring multiple taps
- ⚠️ Significant bugs in version 4 compared to v3

**Reported bugs**

- Files and projects mysteriously disappear
- App crashes when opening manuscripts
- Freezing during typing sessions
- Auto-capitalization in middle of sentences
- Spell-check suggestions showing duplicate words

**Requested features**

- Footnotes and endnotes support
- Word and Pages format export compatibility
- Better backup system with cloud storage
- Folder tree navigation on mobile
- Non-fiction templates with query tracking


### Arc Studio Screenwriting

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-studio-screenwriting/id1502887007)

This app streamlines the entire screenwriting process, from initial idea generation to a polished script. It offers automatic professional formatting, advanced outlining tools, and real-time collaborative writing features. Worry-free editing with version history ensures your work is always safe.

**Highlights:** Automatic industry-standard formatting, Advanced beat-board for story visualization, Real-time collaborative writing, Intuitive outlining and story structure tools, Version history and worry-free editing, Import/export Final Draft, PDF, Fountain

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $99.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Storyist 4 free?

Storyist 4 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Arc Studio Screenwriting free?

Arc Studio Screenwriting is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Storyist 4 or Arc Studio Screenwriting?

Storyist 4 is rated higher. Storyist 4 averages 4.3 out of 5 from 395 ratings, while Arc Studio Screenwriting averages 3.4 from 85 ratings.

### Do Storyist 4 or Arc Studio Screenwriting have ads?

Neither Storyist 4 nor Arc Studio Screenwriting shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Storyist 4 or Arc Studio Screenwriting?

Storyist 4 ships an update every 4 months, and Arc Studio Screenwriting every 3 weeks. Most recently, Storyist 4 was updated on November 2, 2026 and Arc Studio Screenwriting on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*