# CardBeat vs Arc Studio Screenwriting

The clearest difference is monetization model: CardBeat at free with in-app purchases against Arc Studio Screenwriting's subscription. Arc Studio Screenwriting's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CardBeat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.5 for CardBeat against 3.4 for Arc Studio Screenwriting. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 33 and 85 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of CardBeat's written reviews are positive against 39% of Arc Studio Screenwriting's.

CardBeat ships an update every 2 months, Arc Studio Screenwriting every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CardBeat | Arc Studio Screenwriting |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardbeat-plot-your-story/id1488252091/reviews)** | [3.4 (85 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-studio-screenwriting/id1502887007/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 33 | **85** |
| Positive reviews | **45.8% of reviews** | 39.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 7 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stefan Stuckmann](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434238274) | [Arc Studio Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1656256390) |

## What reviewers say

### CardBeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardbeat-plot-your-story/id1488252091)

This app provides a digital cork board for writers to plot novels, screenplays, or short stories. It allows users to break down stories into acts, sequences, and scenes, and rearrange them freely. Users can customize cards with colors, lines, or grids, and choose from various drawing tools or keyboard input.

**Highlights:** Digital cork board for story plotting, Structure stories into acts, sequences, and scenes, Rearrange plot elements freely, Customizable cards with colors and backgrounds, Multiple drawing tools and keyboard input, Export boards as PDF, iCloud syncing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Upgrade | $19.99 | one-time |


### 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 CardBeat free?

CardBeat 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, CardBeat or Arc Studio Screenwriting?

CardBeat is rated higher. CardBeat averages 3.5 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while Arc Studio Screenwriting averages 3.4 from 85 ratings.

### Do CardBeat or Arc Studio Screenwriting have ads?

Neither CardBeat nor Arc Studio Screenwriting shows ads.

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

CardBeat ships an update every 2 months, and Arc Studio Screenwriting every 3 weeks. Most recently, CardBeat was updated on October 16, 2026 and Arc Studio Screenwriting on October 18, 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.*