Final Draft is the screenwriting program most film and television productions expect scripts to arrive in. The company sells it direct from its own site as a desktop application for Mac and Windows, alongside upgrades for owners of older versions and discounted pricing for students and teachers.
Buying Final Draft well comes down to three questions: do you need a new licence or an upgrade, do you qualify for education pricing, and is the version you are buying the one your collaborators use. Get those right and a code does the rest.
What you are actually buying
Final Draft has long been sold as a licence you own rather than a monthly subscription. You pay once for a major version, such as Final Draft 13, and keep using it. When the next major version arrives, you can keep working in the old one or pay the upgrade price to move up.
A Final Draft licence has typically allowed activation on a limited number of computers, commonly two, for the same person. Check the current activation terms on the product page before buying if you split writing between a studio machine, a laptop and a shared family computer.
The iPad and iPhone app, Final Draft Mobile, is a separate product sold through the App Store. It opens the same .fdx files, but buying the desktop licence does not buy the mobile app, and a Final Draft code on the website will not apply to it.
New licence, upgrade or education
The upgrade is the cheapest route for anyone who already owns an older Final Draft version. You will be asked for the existing licence or customer account, so find it before checkout. Upgrade pricing is usually well below a full licence, which changes how much a percentage code is worth.
Education pricing is aimed at enrolled students and teaching staff, and Final Draft asks for proof of status. It is often the lowest price of all, so a student should compare the education price without a code against the full price with one before assuming the code wins.
Everyone else buys the standard new licence. That is where the larger percentage codes make the biggest difference, because they come off the highest base price.
Use the free trial with a purpose
Final Draft has usually offered a free trial of the current version. Treat it as a test of the things that matter to your workflow rather than a general tour.
Import an existing script from another program and check the formatting survives. Try the Beat Board and Story Map if you outline visually. Print a PDF and look at the page count, because Final Draft pagination is what producers and readers measure a script by.
Several of the codes on this page are aimed at trial users converting to a paid licence. Expect to see Final Draft offers by email near the end of a trial; that is a reasonable time to buy.
Compatibility and collaboration
The .fdx file format is the reason Final Draft stays standard. Production offices, agents and competitions ask for it or for a PDF generated from it. Before buying, check which Final Draft version your writing partner or show uses, because a newer file saved with new features may not open cleanly in a much older version.
Check the system requirements for your operating system too. A Final Draft version released years ago may not be supported on the newest macOS or Windows, which is often the real reason to upgrade.
Final Draft includes real-time collaboration in recent versions, so two writers can work in one script. Both need a compatible version to use it.
When Final Draft prices drop
Final Draft runs promotions at predictable points in the year: around the new year when people start writing resolutions, spring and summer sales, back-to-school for education buyers, and Black Friday. A new major version launch also brings upgrade offers for owners of the previous one.
If you are not in a hurry, buying during one of those windows with a code is the cheapest way in. If a deadline is close, buy now; the difference between two sales is rarely worth a missed submission.
Where the Final Draft savings are
The 40% code is the one to try first on a full new Final Draft licence. On the highest base price, a percentage does the most work.
The $150 code looks aimed at a larger purchase, possibly a full licence or an upgrade path. Compare it with the 40% code at checkout: on a full licence, whichever figure is bigger wins, and the site shows both totals if you try them one after the other.
The $40 code suits a smaller basket such as education pricing, where the base price is lower and a flat amount can beat a percentage. Do the sum: a flat $40 beats 40% on anything under $100.
Final Draft codes do not usually stack, and some are limited to a type of licence or a date range. If a code is rejected, try the next one rather than assuming the sale is over.
Common questions
Is Final Draft a subscription?
It has been sold as a licence you pay for once per major version. Check the current Final Draft product page, since terms can change.
Can I use a Final Draft code on an upgrade?
Some codes cover upgrades and some only new licences. Enter the code on the upgrade checkout and see whether the price moves.
Does the desktop licence include Final Draft Mobile?
No. The iPad and iPhone app is bought separately through the App Store.
Is student pricing always cheaper?
Usually, but compare it against a full Final Draft licence with the best code before verifying your status.
| Discount | Type | Get the deal |
|---|---|---|
| 24% off | Promo code | View at Final Draft → |
| 30% off | Promo code | View at Final Draft → |
| 30% off | Promo code | View at Final Draft → |
| 30% off | Promo code | View at Final Draft → |