Alchemy RPG vs Fantasy Grounds

Alchemy RPG is a virtual tabletop for running story-driven tabletop roleplaying games. Its scenes bring game mechanics together with music, animated environments, and overlays to support cinematic play. The Free Unlimited plan costs nothing and includes unlimited games, characters, universes, voice and video chat, and asset uploads, plus every game system and a homebrew system builder. Alchemy identifies gamemasters, players, and creators as its audience. Desktop apps are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux; the requirements are Windows 10 or later, macOS Monterey 12.0 or later, or Linux such as Ubuntu 22.04 or newer. A stable internet connection is required. The web app runs in browsers on computers, tablets, and mobile devices, though tablet and mobile use is not yet optimized. D&D Beyond character import is available to Alchemy Unlimited subscribers. Marketplace purchases are intended for download and use both within and outside Alchemy.

Fantasy Grounds is a virtual tabletop for creating and playing tabletop roleplaying-game campaigns online or in person. Its tools include dice rolling, character sheets, campaign notes, handouts, images, tokens, and maps. Rulesets automate gameplay tasks while keeping detailed rules information available in the background. The full application is free to download and includes Game Master and player functionality, cloud connectivity, free rulesets, and unlimited campaigns, with no recurring costs listed for the Free to Play plan. Automatic NAT traversal is intended to avoid networking hassles. Dynamic line of sight, lighting, and vision features include darkvision support. Users can export custom adventure modules and create extensions or rulesets with XML and Lua. The Fantasy Grounds Forge lets creators share content for free or sell it, while users can purchase or subscribe to content. A browser-based Online Reader provides access to purchased modules from any device. Fantasy Grounds is listed for Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. SmiteWorks says it does not store credit-card data; support excludes product training, phone support, and languages other than English.