Tomeus or Roll20: which virtual tabletop should you choose?
Choose Roll20 if you play on maps with tokens, automated character sheets and tactical combat. Choose Tomeus if you play theater of the mind and want to start a game in a minute, with an image, music and your players.
Both tools run in the browser and offer a free plan, but they serve different needs. Roll20 is a full virtual tabletop that takes preparation, while Tomeus focuses on atmosphere and simplicity. Here are the facts, side by side.
The comparison, point by point.
| Criterion | Tomeus | Roll20 |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, Adventurer plan: 1 game, 10 scenes, audio only | Yes, free forever for the game master and players |
| Paid plan | Archmage: $4.99 per month, no commitment | Plus: $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Pro: $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year |
| Installation | None, everything runs in the browser | None, everything runs in the browser |
| Maps and tokens | No: one full screen illustration per scene | Yes, with dynamic lighting and fog of war for subscribers |
| Character sheets | A name and an image, no rules sheet | Automated sheets for more than 250 systems |
| Game systems | Any, the tool does not depend on any rules | More than 1,200 supported systems |
| Background music | Built in catalog, linked to each scene | Built in jukebox, filled with your own tracks |
| Audio and video | Audio with Adventurer, audio and webcam with Archmage | Built in voice and video chat |
| Dice and chat | Yes | Yes |
| Scripts and automation | No | Mods API with the Pro subscription |
| Players per game | 4 players maximum, on both plans | No limit set by the plan |
| Preparation before playing | One minute: a scene, an image, a track | Maps, tokens and sheets to prepare depending on the campaign |
Roll20 information checked on October 29, 2026 on its official pages. Prices may change, check the Roll20 website before subscribing.
See the comparison of 6 virtual tabletops
Which one should you choose?
Choose Roll20 if…
- You play tactical combat on a map, with tokens and distances.
- You want sheets that calculate rolls for you.
- You enjoy preparing your maps, lighting and scripts in advance.
- Your table has more than four players.
Choose Tomeus if…
- You play theater of the mind, with no grid or tokens.
- You want to start a game in a minute, with no tutorial.
- Atmosphere matters as much as rules: one image and one track per scene.
- Your table has four players or fewer.
The real differences.
Roll20 gives you a full table: layers, maps, tokens, macros. It is powerful, but every session needs preparing. On Tomeus, a game takes a minute to create and a scene is just an image and a track.
Roll20 is built for maps and combat. Tomeus is built for storytelling: the illustration fills the screen and the music changes with the scene, with nothing to start by hand.
Both tools have a free plan. To go further, the Tomeus Archmage subscription costs $4.99 per month, compared with $5.99 for Plus and $10.99 for Pro on Roll20.
The limits of Tomeus.
Tomeus has no maps, tokens or grid. If your fights are played square by square, Roll20 or another map tool will serve you better.
A game hosts four players at most, and a character sheet is just a name and an image: stats stay on your paper or PDF sheet. The Adventurer plan is limited to one game, ten scenes and audio without webcam.
Frequently asked questions.
What free plan do Tomeus and Roll20 offer?
Both tools offer one. Roll20 is free forever, and its Plus and Pro subscriptions add dynamic lighting, storage and advanced tools. On Tomeus, the Adventurer plan is free: one game, ten scenes, audio and part of the music catalog.
How do I move from Roll20 to Tomeus?
There is no automatic import. Take the illustrations of your locations, create one scene per location and pick its music: a campaign is rebuilt in a few minutes, since Tomeus needs no maps or tokens.
Which tool should I choose to play Dungeons & Dragons online?
If your fights are played on a grid with precise distances, Roll20 is a better fit. If your table runs combat in theater of the mind and favors storytelling, Tomeus is enough and takes a minute to learn.
How many players can join a game?
A Tomeus game hosts four players at most, on both plans. Roll20 does not set this limit in its plans, which makes it better suited to large tables.
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