If you’re a student filmmaker, you know how important it is to create professional quality work and save as much money as humanly possible. As a student filmmaker, I struggled with the same balance. My priority was spending on tech that would accommodate both my academic and creative needs, so when it came time for me to sit down and write my short, I was left with little to spend on script-writing software.

What I needed as a student was a cost-effective or free option that would yield professional results. I wanted my scripts to look high-quality, particularly since I was going to be sharing them with my peers. I also needed the software to work with the tech I already had. So I went on a screenwriting software deep dive, and in my research I found all sorts of programs that stood out to me.

Some programs fit my needs perfectly, including Arc Studio Pro or Studio Binder. However, I also came across tons of other software that would fit every writer’s budget and needs. Writing is a personal undertaking, so it’s important that your software feels like an extension of you, and not just a means to an end. What worked well for me might not work for others, and that’s perfectly fine! It’s the reason I’ve included other industry favorites and well-loved programs in this list — there’s something here for everyone.

Something I noticed when doing my own screenwriting software research is that the pricing gets confusing. Every program seems to have a different payment schedule, and that can make it hard to directly compare pricing. So, for the sake of comparison, one-time purchase prices have been translated into what the monthly cost would be if the software were purchased on a monthly basis. I’ve done the same for yearly subscriptions, so you’ll see both the yearly recurring price and what that price would be if you were paying month-by-month.

Check out more on cost-effective computers and budget-friendly tablets.