Tomeus or Fantasy Grounds: which virtual tabletop should you choose?
Choose Fantasy Grounds if you want the most automated tabletop, with rules that calculate attacks, damage and effects for you. Choose Tomeus if you play theater of the mind and want to start a game in a minute, with nothing to download.
Since November 2025, Fantasy Grounds is free for game masters and players alike. It is an application to install, built for maps and automation. Tomeus is a website, built for atmosphere. Here are the facts, side by side.
The comparison, point by point.
| Criterion | Tomeus | Fantasy Grounds |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, Adventurer plan: 1 game, 10 scenes, audio only | Yes, free for the game master and players since November 2025 |
| Paid plan | Archmage: $4.99 per month, no commitment | Paid official content: rulebooks, adventures, maps |
| Cost for players | Free with the Adventurer plan | Free, no license to buy |
| Installation | None, everything runs in the browser | Application to download on Windows, macOS or Linux |
| Maps and tokens | No: one full screen illustration per scene | Yes, with dynamic line of sight, lighting and vision |
| Automation | No | Combat, initiative, attacks, saves, damage and effects |
| Game systems | Any, the tool does not depend on any rules | Free software and rules engines: D&D, Pathfinder, Starfinder and more. Official books and adventures are paid |
| Character sheets | A name and an image, no rules sheet | Sheets tied to the game system, with automation |
| Dice | Yes, in the chat | Built in 3D dice |
| Preparation before playing | One minute: a scene, an image, a track | Installation, game system and content to prepare |
Fantasy Grounds information checked on October 29, 2026. Plans may change, check the Fantasy Grounds website.
See the comparison of 6 virtual tabletops
Which one should you choose?
Choose Fantasy Grounds if…
- You want the tool to apply the rules for you.
- You play tactical combat on a map, with lighting and line of sight.
- You use official books and want them inside the tool.
- Installing an application on every computer does not bother your table.
Choose Tomeus if…
- You play theater of the mind, with no grid or tokens.
- You want nothing to download, just a website to open.
- Atmosphere matters as much as rules: one image and one track per scene.
- Your table has four players or fewer.
The real differences.
Fantasy Grounds is installed on the game master's computer and on each player's. Tomeus opens in the browser: your players click their invitation and land in the scene.
Fantasy Grounds automates combat, initiative, attacks and effects. Tomeus handles no rules: rolls happen in the chat and the game master decides.
Fantasy Grounds is built for maps and sheets. On Tomeus, the illustration fills the screen and each scene starts its music, picked from a built in catalog.
The limits of Tomeus.
Tomeus automates no rules and has no maps, tokens or lighting. If your table wants the tool to resolve combat, Fantasy Grounds will serve you better.
Fantasy Grounds is now free, while the Tomeus Adventurer plan is limited to one game, ten scenes and audio. A Tomeus game hosts four players at most, on both plans.
Frequently asked questions.
Has Fantasy Grounds become free?
Yes. Since November 2025, the software is free for game masters and players, with no license to buy. Official content, such as rulebooks and adventures, is still paid.
Does Fantasy Grounds need to be installed?
Yes, Fantasy Grounds is an application to download on Windows, macOS or Linux, for the game master and the players. Tomeus runs in the browser, with nothing to install.
Which tool should I choose for Dungeons & Dragons?
For a table that wants automated combat and official books inside the tool, Fantasy Grounds is a better fit. For a table that plays theater of the mind and favors atmosphere, Tomeus is enough and takes a minute to learn.
Do players have to pay?
No, neither on Fantasy Grounds nor on Tomeus. On Tomeus, each player creates a free account, and a game hosts four players at most.
Try Tomeus for free.
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