Best virtual tabletops for online RPGs: 6 VTTs compared
There is no single best virtual tabletop. The right pick depends on how your table plays: on a battle map or in theater of the mind, with automated rules or not, in a downloaded app or in the browser.
This page puts six popular VTTs side by side. It is published by the Tomeus team, one of the six tools listed, so every fact comes from each tool's official pages, and each tool wins the category where it is genuinely strongest.
The right tool for your table.
| If you want… | Pick |
|---|---|
| Tactical combat on a map, in a complete online tool | Roll20 |
| Maximum customization and modules | Foundry VTT |
| Full rules automation | Fantasy Grounds |
| A map and tokens in minutes, with no player accounts | Owlbear Rodeo |
| Rich cinematic scenes, for free | Alchemy |
| Theater of the mind, one image and one track per scene, ready in a minute | Tomeus |
The 6 tools, side by side.
| Criterion | Roll20 | Foundry VTT | Fantasy Grounds | Owlbear Rodeo | Alchemy | Tomeus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, free forever for the GM and players | No, a license is required to host a game | Yes, free for GMs and players since November 2025 | Yes, every feature, with 100 MB of storage | Yes, unlimited games, characters and uploads | Yes, Adventurer plan: 1 game, 10 scenes, audio only |
| Paid plan | Plus: $5.99/month or $59.99/year. Pro: $10.99/month or $109.99/year | $50 license, paid once, updates included | Official books and adventures are paid | Fledgling: $3.99/month. Bestling: $7.99/month (prices announced in 2022) | Optional Alchemist subscription, price not published | Archmage: $4.99/month, no commitment |
| Installation | None, runs in the browser | Software to install and host, or a hosting partner | App to download on Windows, macOS or Linux | Not disclosed | Browser, plus Windows, macOS and Linux apps | None, runs in the browser |
| Maps and tokens | Yes, with dynamic lighting and fog of war for subscribers | Yes, with dynamic lighting and fog of war | Yes, with dynamic line of sight, lighting and vision | Yes, it is the heart of the tool | Grid available, theater of the mind first | No: one full screen illustration per scene |
| Rules automation | Automated sheets for 250+ systems, Mods API with Pro | JavaScript API and thousands of community modules | Combat, initiative, attacks, saves, damage and effects | Not disclosed (extensions available) | Not disclosed (sheets and homebrew system builder) | No |
| Background music | Not disclosed | Playlists filled with your own audio files | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Music and atmospheres built into scenes | Built in catalog, linked to each scene |
| Audio and video | Not disclosed | Built in audio and video | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Built in audio and video, free | Audio with Adventurer, audio and webcam with Archmage |
| Players per game | Not disclosed | Unlimited players per license | Not disclosed | Not disclosed (players join without an account) | Not disclosed | 4 players maximum, on both plans |
| Preparation time | Maps, tokens and sheets to prepare per campaign | Installation, game system, modules and maps | Installation, game system and content | A few minutes: a map and tokens to place | More options to set up: scenes, effects, environments | One minute: a scene, an image, a track |
Information checked on October 29, 2026 on each tool's official pages. “Not disclosed” means the information is not published in a verifiable way. Prices may change, check each publisher's website.
- Roll20: official website
- Roll20: subscription page
- Roll20: pricing announcement
- Roll20: subscription perks
- Foundry VTT: official website
- Foundry VTT: license purchase
- Foundry VTT: FAQ
- Foundry VTT: system requirements
- Foundry VTT: playlists
- Fantasy Grounds: official website
- Fantasy Grounds: Dungeons & Dragons page
- Fantasy Grounds: free to play announcement
- Owlbear Rodeo: plans announcement (2022)
- Alchemy: official website
- Alchemy: Alchemist program
The 6 virtual tabletops up close.
Alchemy
Best at: rich scenes with music, animated environments, audio and video, all free and unlimited.
Main limit: plenty of options to learn before building a scene.
Fantasy Grounds
Best at: rules automation: combat, initiative, attacks, damage and effects, in software that has been free since November 2025.
Main limit: an app to install for the GM and every player, and official books are paid.
Foundry VTT
Best at: customization: a JavaScript API, thousands of modules and 200+ systems, for a one time license.
Main limit: you install and host the software yourself, which takes some technical setup.
Owlbear Rodeo
Best at: a map and tokens in minutes, with players who join without an account.
Main limit: the free plan caps storage at 100 MB for your maps and tokens.
Roll20
Best at: a full table in the browser, with maps, dynamic lighting and automated sheets for 250+ systems.
Main limit: every session takes prep: maps, tokens and sheets before you play.
Tomeus
Best at: a game ready in a minute: a full screen illustration and a track per scene, in the browser.
Main limit: no maps, tokens or automation, and 4 players maximum per game.
How to choose?
If yes, look at Roll20, Foundry VTT, Fantasy Grounds or Owlbear Rodeo. For theater of the mind, Tomeus or Alchemy.
For full automation, Fantasy Grounds. For automation through modules, Foundry VTT. If the GM would rather make the calls, Tomeus or Owlbear Rodeo is enough.
If yes, Foundry VTT or Fantasy Grounds. If not, Roll20, Alchemy and Tomeus run in the browser.
To pay nothing, Alchemy and Fantasy Grounds are free, and Roll20, Owlbear Rodeo and Tomeus have a free plan. To pay once, Foundry VTT at $50. On a subscription, Owlbear Rodeo from $3.99/month, Tomeus at $4.99/month, Roll20 from $5.99/month.
With more than four players, skip Tomeus, which caps games at four, and look at Foundry VTT, which allows unlimited players. Up to four players, let the other questions decide.
Frequently asked questions.
What is the best free virtual tabletop?
It depends on how you play. Alchemy is free with no limits, video included, for cinematic scenes. Fantasy Grounds has been free since November 2025, for rules automation. Roll20, Owlbear Rodeo and Tomeus offer a more limited free plan, with subscriptions to go further.
Which virtual tabletop should I use to play D&D online?
For tactical combat on a map, Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds fit best, and Fantasy Grounds automates the rules and sells the official books. Foundry VTT suits tables that love customizing. If your table plays theater of the mind, Tomeus is enough and takes a minute to learn.
Which virtual tabletop works best without a map?
Tomeus and Alchemy are built for theater of the mind. Tomeus bets on simplicity, with one illustration and one track per scene and a game ready in a minute. Alchemy offers richer scenes, with animated environments and video.
Do I need to install software to play RPGs online?
No. Roll20, Alchemy and Tomeus run in the browser. Foundry VTT and Fantasy Grounds are software to install: Foundry VTT on the GM's computer or with a hosting partner, Fantasy Grounds on every participant's computer.
Try Tomeus for free.
Playing theater of the mind? Create a game, add a scene and invite your players: your first session can start within minutes.
The Adventurer plan is free, all you need is an email address to create an account.
Try it for free