Free Film Budgeting Software (2026): 4 Options That Actually Work

The short answer: yes, there is truly free film budgeting software available in 2026. Not a free trial, not a freemium limited demo — actual free budgeting tools that indie filmmakers, students, and first-time producers can use without a credit card.

The longer answer: "free" means different things depending on the tool. Some have permanent free tiers with real limitations. Some are entirely free but basic. Some claim to be free and then upsell you immediately. This guide explains what each option actually gives you for nothing.

Is There a Free Film Budgeting App That Actually Works?

Yes — specifically for film. The question "Is there a budgeting app that is actually free?" returns generic personal finance apps (Goodbudget, EveryDollar, PocketGuard) — none of which understand above-the-line budgets, union fringe calculations, or ATL/BTL structure.

Film budgeting software has different requirements than personal finance apps:

• Above-the-line / Below-the-line structure (not income/expense categories)

• Line-item budget with department-level organization

• Fringe benefit calculations (union production adds 35–45% on top of crew rates)

• Professional PDF export (topsheet + detailed budget) for investors, bond companies, studios

• Multiple users on the same budget (producer + line producer + department heads)

Personal finance apps don't do any of these. Here are the four options that do — for free:

The 4 Best Free Film Budgeting Tools in 2026

1. Saturation.io — Best Free Option for Real Productions

Saturation's free plan is the strongest free film budgeting option available in 2026. It's not a trial — it's a permanent free tier that gives you:

• 1 active project (enough for a short film, music video, or pilot presentation)

• Up to 1,000 line items (more than enough for most short-to-mid budget productions)

• Full ATL/BTL budget structure — industry-standard format

• Fringe rate configuration — set up your union fringe tables

• Pre-built templates — feature film, short film, commercial, music video

• Real-time collaboration — share with your line producer, accountant, or investor

• PDF export — topsheet + detailed budget in professional format

• Excel export — for sending to stakeholders who need a spreadsheet

What the free plan does NOT include: Multiple simultaneous projects, expense card integration (Saturation Pay), and advanced team management features. For a single production, the free plan is fully functional.

Who it's for: Short filmmakers, music video directors, film students, emerging indie producers, anyone budgeting a production under $500K who doesn't need payroll integration or expense card management.

Upgrade path: $25/month for unlimited projects, or $65/month for the workspace plan with expense cards and advanced reporting.

Start free on Saturation.io →

2. Tortil SmartBudget — Free Online Film Budget Tool

Tortil offers SmartBudget, a free online film budget tool with a different approach than Saturation. It uses AI-assisted cost estimation — you input your production details and SmartBudget generates estimated costs based on algorithms and industry data.

Free tier includes: AI cost estimation, basic budget structure, online access

Strengths: Good for producers who want a fast first-pass estimate without manually entering every line item. The AI estimation feature can help first-time producers understand what they might be missing.

Limitations: Less control over individual line items than Saturation or Movie Magic. The AI estimates are starting points, not final numbers — any production-accurate budget will require manual adjustment by an experienced line producer. Not designed for union productions with complex fringe calculations.

Who it's for: Writers and director-producers who want a quick budget estimate in early development before committing to detailed line-item budgeting.

3. Google Sheets with a Film Budget Template — Free, Flexible, Familiar

Google Sheets paired with a film budget template is a legitimate option for very low budget productions (under $50K) where the producer is the only person managing the numbers and fringe calculations are minimal.

Saturation publishes free film budget templates in Google Sheets format. Download one, make a copy to your Google Drive, and you have a collaborative budget in minutes.

Free tier includes: Completely free, collaborative in real time, exportable to Excel

Strengths: Everyone knows Google Sheets. No software to install. Real-time collaboration. Flexible structure — you can modify anything.

Limitations:

• No automatic fringe calculations — you manually set up the math for each union contribution

• Not accepted by completion bond companies or studio finance departments

• Formula errors and version control problems become common above 200 line items

• No professional topsheet format without significant spreadsheet work

• Doesn't scale — becomes unwieldy on real productions

Who it's for: Zero-budget short films, first-time filmmakers learning budget structure, student films. Not suitable for union productions or anything requiring bond company submission.

4. Celtx Free Plan — Scriptwriting and Pre-Production (Not Budgeting)

Celtx has a free plan that's worth mentioning — but with an important caveat: Celtx's free plan does NOT include budgeting.

Celtx's free tier covers scriptwriting, basic storyboarding, and simple production planning. To use Celtx as a budgeting tool, you need the Production plan at $30/month minimum.

If you're specifically looking for free budgeting, Celtx is not the answer. If you need free scriptwriting software and plan to budget separately in Saturation, Celtx's free tier for the script is worth using.

Verdict: Free for scripting, not free for budgeting. A common source of confusion for first-time producers.

Free vs. Paid: When Should You Pay for Film Budgeting Software?

Start with free tools. Upgrade when:

For the vast majority of independent filmmakers and short film producers, Saturation's free tier covers everything they need.

What Does "Free Film Budgeting Software" Actually Include?

Here's an honest comparison of what each free option gives you on day one:

Free Film Budget Templates

If you want to start with a template rather than budgeting software, several free film budget templates are available:

• Saturation.io Google Sheets template — pre-formatted with ATL/BTL structure, common line items, and basic fringe placeholder rows. Download here.

• Wrapbook's free template — a solid Excel/Sheets template with department-level organization

• StudioBinder's template — Google Sheets format, good for beginner producers

Templates work for learning budget structure. For actual production use on anything above $50K, dedicated software (Saturation's free tier) is more reliable and produces more professional outputs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a truly free film budgeting app?

Yes — Saturation.io offers a permanent free plan (not a trial) that includes full film budgeting with ATL/BTL structure, fringe calculation support, pre-built templates, collaboration, and professional PDF export. It's limited to 1 active project and 1,000 line items. For most short films and indie projects, this is more than enough. No credit card required to sign up.

What is the best free film budgeting software in 2026?

Saturation.io's free tier is the strongest option for independent filmmakers, students, and first-time producers. It offers the most complete set of film budgeting features (ATL/BTL structure, fringe tables, templates, PDF export, real-time collaboration) at no cost. Google Sheets with a production template is a fallback for micro-budget productions where software isn't warranted. Tortil SmartBudget is useful for quick AI-assisted first-pass estimates.

Is Movie Magic Budgeting free?

No. Movie Magic Budgeting costs $42.99/month ($279.88/year) or $489 for a perpetual license. There is no free tier or meaningfully long free trial. For productions that require Movie Magic (studio features, bond company submissions, guild-required formats), the cost is justified. For independent filmmakers, Saturation's free tier provides comparable budgeting capability for most use cases.

Can I use Google Sheets for film budgeting?

Yes, for productions under $50K with a single producer managing the budget. Google Sheets is free, collaborative, and flexible. The main limitations are: no automatic fringe calculations (you do the union math manually), no professional topsheet output without significant formatting work, and it doesn't scale well above 200 line items. Use a film production budget template to start rather than a blank sheet.

Does Celtx have a free budgeting tool?

No. Celtx's free plan includes scriptwriting and basic storyboarding, but not budgeting. Budgeting access requires the Production plan at $30/month. If you're looking for free budgeting specifically, Saturation's free tier is the better option. If you're looking for free scriptwriting + basic pre-production, Celtx's free plan works for that.

What film budgeting software do film students use?

Film schools that teach budgeting typically require or recommend Movie Magic Budgeting (academic license: $189). However, many students use Saturation's free tier for actual production work on their student films, since it doesn't require an institutional purchase. Google Sheets with a production template is also common for zero-budget student productions. For short films in a film school setting, Saturation's free tier is the most practical option that gives students exposure to professional budget structure.

The Bottom Line on Free Film Budgeting Software

If you need free film budgeting software in 2026, start with Saturation's free tier. It's the only option that gives you a fully functional, professional film budget (ATL/BTL structure, fringe calculations, templates, PDF export, real-time collaboration) at no cost, with no credit card required and no trial expiration.

Google Sheets with a template works for micro-budget projects where you're the only person managing the numbers. Tortil SmartBudget is useful for a fast first-pass estimate in early development. Celtx's free plan is for scripting, not budgeting.

When your production grows beyond 1 project or you need integrated expense card tracking, Saturation Pro at $25/month is the natural upgrade path — but there's no rush. The free tier handles most indie productions from development through wrap.

Start budgeting for free on Saturation.io → No credit card required