ActThread vs Plotly
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
ActThread
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ActThread is a focused theatre blocking workspace for directors, stage managers, drama teachers, performers, and small companies. Organize a production into editable acts and scenes, build a clear ground plan, add character tracks, and save each important stage picture as a blocking beat. Duplicate a beat, move performers, shape directional routes around the set, attach the exact script trigger, and follow the scene with timed one-pass auto-step. BUILT FOR THE REHEARSAL ROOM β’ Edit production details and create, rename, duplicate, reorder, or delete acts and scenes β’ Start from production-default or scene-specific proscenium, thrust, in-the-round, traverse, black-box, or blank stages β’ Keep actor-perspective stage directions and audience orientation visible β’ Name and position entrances; edit walls, furniture, doors, set landmarks, and labels on a lockable ground plan β’ Track characters separately from optional performer names β’ Drag, snap, zoom, pan, nudge, undo, and redo with precision β’ Draw straight, curved, or waypoint movement routes with cues, directional arrows, explicit offstage entrances, and scenery-intersection feedback β’ Record trigger phrases, page or line references, and rehearsal notes β’ Step manually or use timed auto-step, which advances one beat at a time and stops at the final beat β’ Share one editable production through Appleβs share sheet; a friend imports it as a new, independent copy β’ Export polished PDF blocking packets with complete rehearsal-note appendices when notes are included, plus PNG diagrams β’ Separately export and restore an editable JSON backup of the full library through a Files or document-provider destination you choose PRIVATE BY DESIGN ActThread works locally with no account, ads, analytics, tracking, or developer cloud. Before replacing a valid primary library, it preserves that library as one on-device recovery copy and uses the copy if the main file becomes unreadable. The copy normally contains the previous valid save, so recently edited or deleted content can remain until a later valid save replaces it. Production copies, full-library JSON backups, PDFs, and PNGs leave the private container only when you request them. Send through Appleβs share sheet with Messages or AirDrop, or save to iCloud Drive in Files and share from there; the destination you select governs its copy. A friend imports a shared production as a new independent copy. Later edits do not sync or merge, and there is no co-editing. Restoring a full-library backup remains a separate confirmed replacement of every production in the current library. The included original sample, The Clockmaker's Lantern, demonstrates a complete scene without using copyrighted script material.
Plotly
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Need a stage plot and input list for your next gig? Plotly lets you drag your band's gear onto a stage diagram, list every channel, and send one tech-rider PDF to the house engineer β right from your iPhone. Add vocals, guitars and other instruments, drag them into position, fill in your inputs and tap Make Stage Plot PDF. The plot comes first, followed by the input list. β’ DRAG-AND-DROP STAGE β place up to 24 markers on a stage canvas seen from the audience, with the front of the stage at the bottom and upstage marked. β’ INSTRUMENT TYPES β vocal, guitar, bass, drums, keys, brass/horns, DJ, monitor or other, each with its own name you can rename. β’ INPUT LIST β up to 48 channels with channel number, input name, mic or DI, and notes (e.g. "Ch 7 Β· Lead Vox Β· SM58 Β· wireless"). β’ ONE TECH PDF β stage plot and input list together in a single US Letter PDF, with your band name and show or venue in the header. β’ QUICK EDITS β reset the layout, remove a marker or reorder channels in seconds. Print with AirPrint, share the PDF with the venue or save it to Files. Everything is made on your iPhone β no account, no sign-up. Your first 3 stage plots are free. A one-time $4.99 unlock gives you unlimited stage plots and input lists. No subscription, no ads. Questions: overlapmarr@gmail.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ActThread at none against Plotly's 1. Plotly's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Plotly sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ActThread asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | ActThread | Plotly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | β | Every 3 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No β better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad β better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 16.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sam Anand | Jhomar Maravillas |
In-app purchases
ActThread
No in-app purchases
Plotly
- Unlock Unlimited$4.99
Questions
Is ActThread free?
Is Plotly free?
Do ActThread or Plotly have ads?
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