D&D Beyond Maps vs Fantasy Grounds
D&D Beyond Maps
dndbeyond.com
Fantasy Grounds
fantasygrounds.comSide by side
| Figure | D&D Beyond Maps | Fantasy Grounds |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $2.17/mo | $3.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 3 | 6 |
| Spec score · Virtual Tabletop Software | 9.2 (#1) | 9.2 (#2) |
| Documentation | Official documentation covers map creation, uploads, scaling, tokens, fog of war, measurement, drawing, overlays, shortcuts, invitations, spectator view, logs and combat. | The official quick-start page links installation, basic guides, ruleset guides, a user manual and developer guides in an actively updated wiki. |
| Free access | Any registered D&D Beyond user can host Maps sessions and use purchased Maps content without a subscription. | The full application is free to download and includes full Game Master and player functionality. |
| Headquarters | Renton, Washington, United States | Melbourne, Florida, United States |
| Privacy and security | Wizards says it uses administrative, physical, and technical safeguards, while noting that internet transmission is not completely secure and security cannot be guaranteed. | The privacy policy says access to personal information uses industry-standard authentication and sensitive information such as credit-card data is transferred using SSL encryption. |
| Rating on Trustpilot | 1.8 out of 5 from 58 reviews | 3.6 out of 5 from 1 review |
| What it does | D&D Beyond Maps is a browser-based virtual tabletop for running Dungeons & Dragons games online or in person. | Fantasy Grounds is a virtual tabletop for playing tabletop role-playing games online with a Game Master and players, handling dice, character sheets, notes, handouts, images, tokens and maps. |
Plans
Fantasy Grounds
- Free/DemoFree
- Free to PlayFree
- GM/Player$3.99 a month
- Ultimate$9.99 a month
- GM/Player$39, paid once
- Ultimate$149, paid once
In their own words
D&D Beyond Maps
D&D Beyond Maps is the official D&D virtual tabletop for shared interactive maps and tactical play. It runs in a browser and can be played on a device with an internet connection; listed platforms are web, Android, and iOS. Players can use maps and monster tokens from their D&D Beyond library, run combat encounters, and track initiative. Quickplay maps arrive with monster tokens, fog of war, and stickers in place. Other map tools include overlays, drawing, pings, stickers, and a distance ruler. Dice rolled in Maps or from a character sheet appear to everyone through the shared Game Log. The Free plan costs nothing and includes up to 6 character slots, game hosting, invitations, and access to purchased content. Hero Tier is displayed from $2.17 USD/mo; Master Tier is displayed from $4.58 USD/mo. Both subscriptions offer a 30-day free trial. Maps is labeled Beta, and the maker says bugs and performance issues are to be expected. Master Tier allows custom map uploads, including animated maps, with up to 10gb of storage.
Fantasy Grounds
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.