First Page
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First Page vs Fade In

Write, hear and plan your screenplay together, on the Mac and the web.

Checked October 2026. Sources at the end of the page.

The short answer.

Fade In costs $79.95 once, runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, and every upgrade since it launched has been free. On price and platforms it is hard to beat. First Page costs more, $79 once for First Page One, and runs on the Mac, with a companion web app.

What First Page adds is Analysis, notes on the whole draft pinned to each scene, and studio voices for Listen that sound more like a real table read, both with Suite or with credits. If you want the most for the least and never want to pay for an upgrade, choose Fade In.

What is different.

TopicFirst PageFade In
Price and upgrades$79 once, with every 1.x update free.$79.95, and every upgrade free so far.
Platforms and accountsMac and the web. Writing needs an account.Mac, Windows and Linux, with no account.
Hearing the scriptYour Mac's voices, free. Studio voices with Suite or credits.Your computer's voices.
Notes on the draftAnalysis notes on the whole draft, when you ask.Nothing comparable found.
PrivacyNever used for training. Cloud scripts encrypted end to end.No training statement found.
FilesPDF, scans included, plus Final Draft, Fountain and Word.PDF import.
First Page compared with Fade In, as of October 2026
As of October 2026First PageFade InGCC Productions
How you payBuy once, or subscribeFirst Page One, or Lifetime at $199, once. Or SuiteBuy onceOptional Fade In Access subscription for the cloud
Entry price$79 onceOr Suite at $9.99 a month or $89 a year. Reading is free$79.95 once$89.99 on the Mac App Store
Paid upgradesOnly for a new major versionEvery 1.x update is free. Lifetime includes future majorsNo, all free so farVersions 4 and 5 were free upgrades
License expiry and activationsFirst Page One has no expiry dateUp to five Macs on one accountUnlimited personal computersPerpetual license
Offline writing and accountsOffline once activatedWriting needs an account. Reading needs noneYesNo account needed
PDF importYes, on your MacScanned pages too, read without uploadingYes
FDX import and exportYes, both waysFountain too, and Word importYesAlong with Fountain, Word, RTF and Celtx
Read-aloudYour Mac's voices, freeA voice per character, plus a narrator. Studio voices with Suite or creditsYour computer's voicesTable Read
Where scripts are keptOn your MacOptional encrypted AutoSave to the cloud with Suite and LifetimeOn your computerOptional cloud with Fade In Access
Training on your scriptsNeverIn writing, in our privacy policyNo statement found
PlatformsMac, plus a web appNative on macOS 14 or later. The web app is free for up to 3 scriptsMac, Windows and LinuxAccess adds web, iOS and Android

Who should pick which.

Choose First Page if

  • You write on a Mac and want an app made only for it.
  • You want to hear the script read with a voice for each character.
  • You want notes on the whole draft before anyone else reads it.
  • You want scripts that sync, encrypted, between your Macs and a web app.

Choose Fade In if

  • You want to pay once, as little as possible, with free upgrades so far.
  • You write on Windows or Linux, or move between computers.
  • You want to write without an account.
  • You want an app with no cloud services in it.

Bring your scripts over.

Opened on your Mac, so nothing is uploaded.

  1. Save a copy from Fade In

    Fade In works with Final Draft and Fountain files, so save a copy of your script in either format. Your Fade In file stays where it was.

  2. Open it in First Page

    Choose Open in the File menu and pick the file. Reader opens it free, with no account, so you can check how it came across before you buy.

  3. Keep a way back

    First Page exports Final Draft, Fountain and PDF, so the script can always go back.

.fdx.fountain.pdf.docx

Sources

Facts about Fade In come from GCC Productions’s own pages, checked October 8, 2026. Prices are US list prices and change, so follow the links for today’s.

Open your own script, free.

Download free and read any script today.

Download for MacSee pricing

macOS 14 or newer, on Apple silicon and Intel.