D&D Beyond Maps vs VASSAL Engine
D&D Beyond Maps
dndbeyond.comVASSAL Engine
vassalengine.orgSide by side
| Figure | D&D Beyond Maps | VASSAL Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $2.17/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Virtual Tabletop Software | 9.2 (#1) | 7.3 (#24) |
| Purpose | D&D Beyond Maps is the official D&D virtual tabletop for shared interactive maps and tactical play. | VASSAL is a game engine for building and playing online adaptations of board games and card games. |
| Support | D&D Beyond provides a Help Portal, Support Forum, and system status page. | The project directs users to its documentation and forum for help, and offers live chat through Discord. |
| System requirement | Maps requires browser hardware acceleration; without it the VTT fails to load. | VASSAL 3.5 and later require Java 11 or later; its macOS disk image and Windows installer include the Java version VASSAL will use. |
Plans
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.
VASSAL Engine
VASSAL Engine has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.