Saturation vs Celtx: Which Film Budgeting Tool Is Right for You? (2026)

By Jens Jacob, Film Producer and Founder, Saturation.io — Updated February 2026

Celtx is one of the most-used pre-production platforms in indie film. But there's a problem producers keep running into: Celtx's film budgeting feature is locked behind a $30–$59.95/month paywall, and its free plan doesn't include budgeting at all.

If you landed here because you're frustrated by Celtx's subscription model — you're not alone. The question is whether Saturation is the right alternative to Celtx for your production.

Short answer: it depends on what you need. This page compares both tools honestly to help you find the right Celtx alternative for your production.

Why Producers Are Looking for a Celtx Alternative

The most common reason producers search for a Celtx alternative is the subscription model. Celtx's free plan does not include budgeting — that feature is locked behind the $30/month Production plan. Producers who signed up for scriptwriting features are often surprised to find budgeting requires an upgrade.

The second reason: Celtx is a pre-production suite built around scriptwriting. Its budgeting module is one feature among many, not a purpose-built finance tool. Productions that need accurate union fringe calculations, department-level cost reporting, and real-time actuals tracking hit the limits of Celtx's budgeting capabilities quickly.

What producers are typically looking for when they search for a Celtx alternative depends on what they're trying to do:

• Writers and directors who want Celtx's scriptwriting features at a lower cost → WriterDuet (free tier, real-time co-writing) or Final Draft (industry standard for professional writers)

• Producers who need budgeting and finance tools → Saturation (free tier, cloud-native, automatic fringe calculations, integrated expense cards)

• Productions that need full pre-production management → StudioBinder (script breakdown, scheduling, call sheets, and budgeting in one platform)

This page focuses on the budgeting comparison. If you're looking for a Celtx alternative for scriptwriting specifically, WriterDuet and Final Draft are the strongest options in that category.

Quick Comparison: Saturation vs Celtx

The Core Difference: Budget Tool vs. Pre-Production Suite

For producers who need a Celtx alternative for budgeting specifically, the most important distinction is that these are fundamentally different types of tools.

Celtx is a full pre-production suite — it covers scriptwriting, storyboarding, script breakdown, scheduling, and budgeting in one platform. Budgeting is one module within a broader production toolkit.

Saturation is a purpose-built production finance platform — it covers budgeting, cost actuals tracking, expense management, and production banking. It doesn't do scriptwriting or scheduling.

This difference matters for how you choose:

• Need scriptwriting → breakdown → schedule → budget in one tool? Celtx is built for that workflow, especially for writer-directors managing the whole process.

• Need accurate, production-grade film budgeting software with union fringe support, real actuals tracking, and expense cards? Saturation is the better Celtx alternative — and it starts free.

Most working productions use two tools: a breakdown/scheduling tool (Celtx, StudioBinder, Movie Magic Scheduling) and a dedicated budgeting tool (Saturation, Movie Magic Budgeting). Choosing Celtx for budgeting means accepting its budgeting limitations to keep everything in one platform.

Pricing: Where Celtx Gets Complicated

Celtx Pricing (2026)

• Indie: $14.99/month — scriptwriting, storyboards, basic production tools. Does NOT include budgeting.

• Production: $30/month — adds budgeting. This is the minimum plan to use Celtx as a budgeting tool.

• Teams: $59.95/month — adds team management. For productions with multiple collaborators.

• Free plan: Available but does not include budgeting features. The free plan also includes scene breakdown, index cards, and storyboarding — features primarily useful for writers and directors in development.

The frustration many producers have: Celtx's subscription model has changed over time, with features moving between tiers. The current structure means budgeting access starts at $30/month — and there's no way to use Celtx for budgeting without paying.

Saturation Pricing (2026)

• Free: Full budgeting access, 1 project, up to 1,000 line items. No credit card required. Permanent — not a trial.

• $25/month: Unlimited projects, unlimited line items, all features.

• $65/month: Workspace plan — multiple team members, department-level permissions, production banking.

The key difference: Saturation's free plan includes real budgeting — fringe calculations, ATL/BTL budget structure, PDF/Excel export. Celtx's free plan does not. Producers who need free film budgeting with full feature access will find Saturation's free tier covers what Celtx charges $30/month for.

Budgeting Feature Depth: What Each Tool Actually Does

Saturation's Budgeting Features

• Above-the-line / Below-the-line structure — standard industry format with automatic category separation

• Automatic fringe calculations — SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, DGA, WGA rates calculated automatically as you build the budget. No manual lookup required.

• Pre-built templates — for feature films, TV series, commercials, and music videos, with common line items pre-populated

• Actuals tracking — track what was budgeted vs. what was actually spent, by department

• Expense card integration — Saturation Pay virtual cards auto-categorize purchases against your budget

• Real-time collaboration — multiple team members editing simultaneously

• Export — PDF topsheet, detailed PDF budget, Excel export

Celtx's Budgeting Features

• Budget builder — line-item budget with basic categories

• Script-to-budget — budget pulls from script breakdown elements (locations, characters, props)

• Budget reports — PDF export of budget summaries

• Multi-user — team members can access the budget within the platform

• Fringe calculations — manual (not automated)

For productions that need accurate fringe rates (SAG-AFTRA signatory films, union TV, commercial productions), Saturation's automatic fringe calculation is a meaningful advantage. Getting fringes wrong can leave thousands of dollars of budget unaccounted for. This is one of the core reasons producers look for a Celtx alternative when their productions scale up or go union.

When Celtx Is the Better Choice

Celtx makes the most sense for productions where the integrated workflow — script to schedule to budget in one platform — is worth the trade-off in budgeting depth. It's particularly strong for film school productions, writer-directors in early development, and small projects where fringe calculations and cost reporting are secondary to creative workflow.

Celtx makes sense if:

• You're a writer-director who needs one platform from first draft to production — script, breakdown, schedule, and budget in the same tool

• Your budget is relatively simple — a short film, documentary, or small indie where fringe calculations and ATL/BTL precision are less critical

• You're in film school and already using Celtx for scriptwriting — staying in one platform is convenient

• Your production prioritizes integrated pre-production workflow over financial accuracy and depth

• You need script breakdown in the same platform as your budget and don't want to work across multiple tools

When Saturation Is the Better Choice

Saturation is the better choice when financial accuracy is the priority. For any production that needs to track what it's actually spending against what was budgeted — and especially for union productions where fringe calculations can represent 35–45% of the crew budget — a purpose-built finance tool outperforms Celtx's budgeting module significantly.

Saturation is the strongest Celtx alternative for productions that prioritize financial accuracy:

• You need a free budgeting tool that actually works — Saturation's free tier includes full budgeting (unlike Celtx's free plan)

• Your production requires accurate union fringe calculations — SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, DGA rates calculated automatically

• You need to track actuals vs. budget as the production spends

• You're producing a commercial, music video, or multi-department feature where financial precision matters more than an integrated pre-production workflow

• You want expense cards that reconcile against the budget — Saturation Pay cards auto-categorize against your line items

• Your line producer or production accountant needs a budget-focused tool, not a screenplay tool

Can Celtx Replace Movie Magic Budgeting?

For small indie films and short films: yes, Celtx can handle it. For productions that require guild-compliant budget formats (SAG-AFTRA, IATSE), detailed topsheet review, or EP payroll integration — no, Celtx is not a Movie Magic replacement.

Saturation positions itself as the modern alternative to Movie Magic Budgeting for indie and mid-budget productions. Its fringe calculation engine and ATL/BTL structure are built to production finance standards — which is where Celtx's budgeting falls short for complex productions. Producers looking for an alternative to Celtx who also need to move away from Movie Magic will find Saturation addresses both needs: it's cloud-native where Movie Magic is desktop-only, and it's purpose-built for finance where Celtx is purpose-built for pre-production scripts and scheduling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Celtx have a film budgeting feature?

Yes, but only on the Production plan ($30/month) or higher. Celtx's free plan and Indie plan ($14.99/month) do not include budgeting. Budgeting is one module within the broader Celtx platform.

Is Celtx free for budgeting?

No. Celtx's free plan includes scriptwriting and basic storyboarding, but not budgeting. The Production plan ($30/month) is the minimum tier that includes the budgeting feature. Producers searching for a free Celtx alternative for budgeting will find Saturation's permanent free tier covers what Celtx charges $30/month to access.

Can I use Saturation for free?

Yes. Saturation's free plan includes full film budgeting — fringe calculations, ATL/BTL structure, template library, and PDF export — with no credit card required and no trial expiration. It's a permanent free plan limited to 1 project and 1,000 line items.

Does Saturation have script breakdown?

No. Saturation is a production finance tool — budgeting, expense management, and production banking. It doesn't include scriptwriting, script breakdown, or scheduling. For those features, use Celtx, StudioBinder, or Movie Magic Scheduling alongside Saturation. As a Celtx alternative specifically for budgeting, Saturation is the stronger option; as a full pre-production suite replacement, StudioBinder is the more direct match.

Which is better for union productions — Saturation or Celtx?

Saturation, for budgeting. Its automatic union fringe calculations cover SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, DGA, WGA, and NABET rates, applied automatically as you build the budget. Celtx requires manual fringe entry. For union productions where fringe can account for 35–45% of crew costs, Saturation as a Celtx alternative delivers significantly better financial accuracy.

What is the best alternative to Celtx?

The best Celtx alternative depends on what you need: for scriptwriting, WriterDuet (free collaborative writing) and Final Draft (industry standard) are the leading options. For production budgeting, Saturation is the strongest alternative — it starts free, includes automatic union fringe calculations, and integrates expense tracking that Celtx doesn't offer. For a full pre-production suite (breakdown, scheduling, call sheets, and budgeting), StudioBinder is the most complete alternative.

Can I switch from Celtx to Saturation?

Yes, but there's no direct import from Celtx to Saturation — they're different types of tools. The fastest path: start a new project in Saturation, select a production type template (feature, commercial, TV, etc.), and your standard line items are pre-populated. Most producers have a working first-draft budget within 30–60 minutes of starting from a template. Saturation's free tier means there's no cost to test it alongside your current Celtx workflow before committing.

Is WriterDuet better than Celtx?

For scriptwriting specifically, WriterDuet is generally considered the stronger Celtx alternative — it offers real-time collaborative writing, a generous free tier, and a cleaner interface. Celtx's advantage is the all-in-one workflow: script, breakdown, and budget in one platform. If you're a writer who only needs the scriptwriting tool, WriterDuet is the more focused option. If you're a producer who needs budgeting more than scriptwriting, Saturation handles that side of the workflow better than either.

What is the 2.5 rule for movies?

The "2.5 rule" is an industry guideline: a film must earn approximately 2.5× its production budget at the domestic box office to break even. This accounts for the theatrical distribution fee (typically 50% to exhibitors), plus prints and advertising costs (often matching the production budget). A $10M film needs roughly $25M domestic gross just to break even on theatrical — and that's before foreign sales, streaming, and home video are counted. It's a rough guideline, not a formula, but useful for evaluating whether a production will be financially viable.

What happened to Celtx pricing?

Celtx has moved increasingly toward a subscription model, with budgeting restricted to higher-tier plans. Producers searching for a "Celtx budgeting alternative" are typically responding to the cost of accessing the budgeting feature within the platform. Saturation's free tier and lower-cost paid plans are a common alternative to Celtx for producers whose primary need is budgeting rather than the full Celtx pre-production suite.

The Bottom Line

Celtx and Saturation solve different problems:

• Celtx = script to screen in one platform, with budgeting as one part of the workflow. Best for writer-directors and teams who want integrated pre-production tools.

• Saturation = production finance, built specifically for budgeting, actuals, and expense management. Starts free, scales with your production.

Producers searching for a Celtx alternative for budgeting will find Saturation handles the finance side more accurately and at a lower cost of entry. For the creative side of production — scripting and scheduling — Celtx, WriterDuet, StudioBinder, and Final Draft each serve different parts of that workflow. Most professional productions use dedicated tools for each function rather than a single all-in-one platform.

If you're a producer whose primary need is an accurate film budget with union fringe calculations and real expense tracking — Saturation is the stronger Celtx alternative, and it's free to start.

If you're managing the full creative and logistical workflow from script to production in a single platform — Celtx is worth the subscription.

Start budgeting for free on Saturation →