Slugline
Slugline is a bootstrapped screenwriting software company that builds Fountain plain-text writing applications for macOS and iOS. It serves professional screenwriters and independent filmmakers via a freemium model with a $49.99 Unlimited Writing in-app upgrade.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Slugline does
Slugline is a privately held, bootstrapped screenwriting software company founded in 2013 by Stu Maschwitz and Clint and headquartered in Toronto, Canada. It builds professional screenwriting applications for macOS, iPhone, and iPad, all built around the open Fountain plain-text screenplay format co-created by Maschwitz. Its flagship product is Slugline 2 for Mac (launched May 2020), a complete rewrite featuring dark mode, a drag-and-drop outline navigator, a Timeline bird's-eye view of script structure, color-coded notes with Note Tags, Live Compare for change tracking, and native Final Draft FDX import/export. Slugline for iPhone and iPad (launched November 2017) extends the platform to mobile, with files syncing between Mac and iOS via iCloud Drive and Dropbox. The company serves primarily professional screenwriters writing features, television, and short films, with independent filmmakers and writer-directors as a secondary segment. All revenue flows through Apple App Store distribution; there is no direct sales channel, no third-party resellers, and no web or Android presence. Marketing is lean — a blog, a Twitter presence (@sluglineapp), and word-of-mouth within screenwriting communities — and the company has no disclosed institutional investors, M&A activity, or external funding rounds.
Slugline firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Slugline
- Legal name
- Slugline
- Website
- https://slugline.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Slugline is a bootstrapped screenwriting software company that builds Fountain plain-text writing applications for macOS and iOS. It serves professional screenwriters and independent filmmakers via a freemium model with a $49.99 Unlimited Writing in-app upgrade.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Slugline industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Screenwriting Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210), Software Publishers (5132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Publishing Creation & Formatting Tools (EPUB, conversion, layout) (MPAJAMAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- eBook & Digital Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAK)
Keywords
Where Slugline is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Slugline business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Unlimited Writing Upgrade (Mac): Slugline 2 for Mac is free up to page 6, then $49.99 USD for unlimited writing and FDX export. Launch special for existing Slugline 1 users was $39.99 USD (20% off) for first week.
- Legacy Slugline 1 Sales: Slugline 1 for Mac was sold as a one-time purchase. Slugline 1 is no longer for sale but existing users can still re-download it.
- iOS App Purchase: Slugline for iOS was sold at $19.99 USD as a standalone purchase. The current pricing model for Slugline 2 includes both Mac and iOS apps.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free tier (first 6 pages) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Unlimited Writing upgrade |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Slugline product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Slugline develops and sells screenwriting applications for Apple's macOS, iOS, and iPadOS that automatically convert plain-text Fountain format into industry-formatted screenplays with PDF output. The flagship Slugline 2 for Mac is offered as a free download with a six-page limit and a $49.99 USD in-app upgrade to unlimited writing and Final Draft FDX export, while Slugline for iPhone and iPad provides a synced mobile companion.
Product overview
Slugline offers two standalone screenwriting applications: Slugline 2 for Mac (a professional screenwriting app requiring macOS 10.14+) and Slugline for iPhone & iPad (a mobile companion app requiring iOS/iPadOS 14+). Both applications use the plain-text Fountain screenplay format and sync seamlessly via iCloud Drive or Dropbox. Slugline 2 for Mac is the flagship product featuring dark mode, a drag-and-drop outline navigator, Timeline visualization, Live Compare for revision tracking, and Final Draft FDX import/export. The iOS/iPadOS app provides full compatibility with Mac documents and standalone screenplay creation with industry-standard PDF output.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Slugline 2 for Mac: Major updated version of the Mac screenwriting application featuring dark mode, drag-and-drop outline, timeline view, color-coded notes, Live Compare, and Final Draft import/export.
- Slugline for iOS
Products and services
- Slugline 2 for Mac Professional screenwriting application for macOS that automatically formats screenplay elements (scene headings, action, character, dialogue, parentheticals, transitions) as users type using the plain-text Fountain format. Features include dark mode, drag-and-drop outline navigator, Timeline view, color-coded notes, Live Compare revision tracking, and Final Draft FDX import/export. Requires macOS 10.14 or later and is aimed at individual screenwriters and writer-directors.
- Slugline for iPhone & iPad Mobile screenwriting application for iPhone and iPad that syncs with Slugline for Mac via iCloud Drive and Dropbox and creates industry-standard print and PDF output. Requires iOS/iPadOS 14 or later and is targeted at screenwriters who want to write and edit scripts on mobile Apple devices.
Quantifiable outcome
- Files remain accessible using any text editor regardless of software availability
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Slugline
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Slugline technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature8 records
Slugline partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Slugline competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Trelby: Open-source, cross-platform screenwriting application popular with budget-conscious and Linux-using writers. Competes with Slugline on screenplay formatting and Fountain-style plain-text workflows but with a free, open-source model.
- StudioBinder: Production management platform that includes a screenwriting module alongside breakdown, storyboarding, and scheduling. Targets the same indie and professional screenwriter segment as Slugline but with a bundled, web-based production-suite value proposition.
- Arc Studio: Newer screenwriting platform with a modern interface, Fountain support, and emerging AI-assisted features. Comparable to Slugline in Fountain-based formatting and indie screenwriter target market, positioning as a contemporary alternative.
Broad incumbents
- Movie Magic Screenwriter: Long-standing professional screenwriting tool used historically in Hollywood production pipelines. Comparable in target customer (working screenwriters) and core functionality, though positioned as a legacy enterprise tool rather than a modern minimalist app.
Regional players
- KIT Scenarist: Cross-platform screenwriting application with strong adoption in Russian-speaking film and television markets. Overlaps with Slugline on formatting and outlining features while serving a primarily different geographic market.
Direct peers
- Highland: Mac-only, Fountain-native screenwriting application with a similar minimalist philosophy to Slugline. Competes head-to-head for Fountain-friendly Mac screenwriters and was added as an import format in Slugline for iOS, indicating direct ecosystem overlap.
- Final Draft: The industry-standard professional screenwriting software for film and television, with deep adoption across studios, agencies, and contests. Directly comparable to Slugline in target market (screenwriters) and core functionality (formatting, FDX output), though it is the incumbent Slugline must interoperate with via FDX import/export.
- WriterDuet: Browser-based collaborative screenwriting platform with real-time co-writing, Fountain compatibility, and free + paid tiers. Targets the same screenwriters as Slugline but differentiates on web-native collaboration rather than Mac-native formatting.
- Celtx: End-to-end pre-production platform combining screenwriting with breakdown, scheduling, and budgeting tools. Targets the same screenwriter and indie-producer segment as Slugline but with a broader studio-management value proposition and a free + subscription pricing model.
- Fade In: Cross-platform professional screenwriting software (Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android) with one-time licensing. Comparable in core screenwriting functionality and pricing approach to Slugline, while offering broader platform reach that Slugline lacks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Slugline social profiles
Digital presenceSlugline financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Slugline leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Slugline funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Slugline M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Slugline
What does Slugline do?
Slugline develops and sells screenwriting applications for Apple's macOS, iOS, and iPadOS that automatically convert plain-text Fountain format into industry-formatted screenplays with PDF output. The flagship Slugline 2 for Mac is offered as a free download with a six-page limit and a $49.99 USD in-app upgrade to unlimited writing and Final Draft FDX export, while Slugline for iPhone and iPad provides a synced mobile companion.
Is Slugline a public or private company?
Slugline is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Slugline founded?
Slugline was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Slugline based?
Slugline is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Slugline make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Unlimited Writing Upgrade (Mac) is the primary driver. The others are legacy Slugline 1 Sales and iOS App Purchase.
Who are Slugline's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Trelby, StudioBinder and Arc Studio. Movie Magic Screenwriter is listed as a broad incumbent. KIT Scenarist is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Highland, Final Draft, WriterDuet, Celtx and Fade In.
Does Slugline have an API?
No public API is recorded for Slugline.
What industry is Slugline in?
Slugline's product category is Screenwriting Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAMAG, Digital Publishing Creation & Formatting Tools (EPUB, conversion, layout), with a secondary code of BPAMAJAK, eBook & Digital Reading Platforms. Its NAICS code is 513210.