Roll20 is an easy way to play RPGs (Role Play Games) for free, such as the pen and paper type of board games with other players. It is entirely web-based, so you can run it in your preferred browser. This website supports voice and video chat, character sheets, background music, a massive art library, and many more!. The best thing about Roll20 is that it is compatible with a variety of platforms that include Android, Linux, Windows, Mac, and Online or Web-based platforms. However, it won’t be appropriate if I say that Roll20 is the one and only existing. Roll20 website does not have all the features and tools which you may need to play your desired tabletop games. Well, that does not make it any less valuable. Still, to keep it simple, I have compiled a list of 20 Roll20 alternatives so you can pursue your desired websites to play your favorite board games with friends and others.
Top 20 Roll20 Alternatives
1. D&D Beyond
D&D Beyond is the first best Roll20 alternative to play tabletop games with friends. Anything that you need or are looking for to play Dungeons and Dragons are there in this digital toolkit. Other than that, there are several reasons why D&D is ranked at the top of this list.
Firstly, using this tool gives you the ultimate gaming experience. It is because the tool is equipped with a vast online compilation of official characters, spells, and many more. Moreover, this website is available on the internet for free!
2. Fantasy Grounds
Now comes the Fantasy Grounds app. It is yet another great alternative to Roll20 and can be played on Windows platform. The tool is easily downloadable. Fantasy Grounds offers a virtual board alongside all other things you might require to play your favorite role play games with your friends.
The tool displays several useful features like throwing a dice, sharing images and brochures with other tabletop gamers, and moving your gaming character on map. These are some of the reasons that make Fantasy Grounds a most desired tabletop application.
3. MapTool
MapTool is another virtual board game application with a brilliant dashboard. With this tool, you can find numerous features and play several online RPGs with your friends on this amazing tabletop platform. Firstly, you can connect with your friends all across the globe to play online board games with them. Next, this platform lets a large group of players play a game at a time. Here is the best perk: MapTool does not ask for payment to play games using the platform.
4. Rolisteam
Rolisteam software is easy to download on your PC, irrespective of the operating system that your computer supports. Mac, Windows, or Linux, all the three are supported by the Rolisteam app. It also serves as a good Roll20 alternative, typically for the Mac users.
This tabletop application has an array of useful features. You can communicate with the other players in your game, and share images and maps with them during the ongoing game. Rolling dice, drawing tools, character sheets, etc. are some of the many useful tools that you can find on this platform.
5. Mipui
Mipui allows you to play your favorite board games the way you like. This online map is truly easy to use which makes it appealing and at the same time useful. You don’t need to download this map editor toolkit to use it. Simply open this custom map editor on your preferred web-browser and that’s it.
With this platform, you can cooperate with other players in your game as they will be able to view the real-time map updates. Well, many of you might find that Mipui has a limited number of tools. Still, they are sufficiently workable for the users to develop an incredible gaming experience.
6. Beyond Tabletop
Beyond Tabletop web app offers you a list of tools that can instantly help you improvise your board game experience. No need to download the app to enjoy the games. This tabletop app directly runs in your web-browser, delivering you a hassle-free playing experience.
Additionally, this web app provides several features like playing games on any screen-touch devices, allowing character sheet customization, and inviting your friends to collaborate and play with you in that game.
7. Battlegrounds RPG Edition
Battlegrounds RPG Edition is an awesome virtual software to play a variety of tabletop games. With this RPG app, you can play games with your friends who are living abroad or are right in the same room with you. The best part of Battlegrounds is that this app supports conversion of every sort of digital game.
8. Epictable
As the name suggests, Epictable is one of the epic virtual board games that exist on the internet. To use this application, you have to download the same on your PC. However, this software is typically meant for the Windows users. After downloading the Epictable app, you can experience all the outstanding features this virtual tabletop platform offers. Starting from maps, miniatures, character sheets, to leaflets, all the important features will be available to you to have a good gaming experience.
9. Standard Action
Standard Action is the perfect example of a virtual tabletop software that is both customizable and easy to use. This web app lets you do several different things . For example, you can text other players in the game, roll dice, and do many other interesting things. The simplicity of this app and its ease of using makes it one of the best Roll20 alternatives on the list.
10. GM Forge
GM Forge virtual tabletop is yet another excellent Roll20 substitute to help you with your gaming requirements. It is a premium application, however, affordable compared to the Roll20 toolkit. This standalone tabletop has several competitive features to count on. For example, if you purchase a copy of GM Forge, then your friends can connect with you in your game through their browsers, without requiring them to buy a copy.
Other than that, the app features Offline/Online and Local Network support, Combat Tracker, Customizable duce, and a lot more! However, being a premium app, GM Forge will ask for a minimum purchase value of $30 to use this virtual tabletop on your Windows OS device.
11. Astral Tabletop
Astral Tabletop is an online RPG platform for both playing and hosting online games. That means, you can create games and also play games with others and communicate live, both through audio-video chats like GM using powerful map and combat management tools allowing entry to visual effects for the gaming atmosphere.
Astral is a free online platform to play RPGs with friends. Not only that but Astral is constantly working to expand the reach of its powerful list of online features, making online RPGs ever easier!
12. Power Virtual TableTop
Power Virtual TableTop allows you to create and play fantasy RPGs online. This RPG Map editor has all that you might require to build RPG meetings in no time. This Roll20 alternative includes 200 assets and it features add/edit text, Undo-redo, RPG Map editing, search, export PNG/JPEG, and many more!
13. PlanarAlly
PlanarAlly is still at its nascent stage of development; multiple structural changes or errors can and will take place. This web tool includes virtual battle maps along with many extras to your D&D toolkit.
14. Dungeon Sketch
Dungeon Sketch is a low-integrity tactical combat map for tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons. The sole intention of this app is to replace the graph paper or board found amidst the game table. The app offers a set of images and a vector drawing tool to use as chips displaying the game players, demons, and more.
15. D20PRO
D20PRO is a multiplayer Virtual TableTop that lets you play tabletop RPGs from board to the players around the world. The best part is that this software is compatible on multiple platforms. Understanding the RPG fundamentals with D20PRO — accelerate the fight, play on expansive game maps, and bring to life the superiority sheets. To D20PRO, the sky is the limit as you can play any RPG as you like. Apart from that, you can use several features of this incredible app including excellent fights, dice, and fantastic gaming maps.
16. VTable
VTable, earlier called Game Table, is a Java-based virtual tabletop. This platform lets you directly sketch or put images which all the users linked to it can control and view. With this virtual table, you can play any sort of traditional RPGs that are otherwise played face-to-face on board. The gamer and the GM can audio-visually connect to the VTableTop and start the game.
The latest gaming experience with VTT was so high-end that it has now become a feasible option for gamers without local teams, remote players, and even for traditional games. However, considering the amount of available VTableTop, finding the appropriate VTT for your group or you can be hard.
17. Inkarnate
It is a one-stop platform which helps in making and managing fantasy maps making. The platform has a huge library containing tons of assets for free. Inkarnate is no doubt a viable Roll20 alternative as it helps you with the creation of village maps, world maps, and city maps. You can develop many other maps on Inkarnate.
18. Hextml
Hextml is a web-based software that uses HTML5 to help you make beautiful hexagonal maps and manage campaign. You can link the maps with the other sub-maps to create a more detailed location. You can utilize multiple viewing or collaboration modes to share your designed map on the devices of the other players in the team in real time or co-GM a game. Other than that, it is a world-building tool and is a software for PCs to utilize in DnD campaigns alongside other RPGs. These are only some of the many features of Hextml that make it a perfect Roll20 substitute among others.
19. Foundry Virtual Tabletop
Foundry Virtual Tabletop is one of the most supported platforms, where you can play your most desired role play games. Though any type of sports systems are easily playable on Foundry, you are payable for the preloaded content that is developed to participate.
20. Noizio
Noizio is the sweetest app and Roll20 alternative on the list. If you want to draw yourself away from the chaos of your society and move down to somewhere more calm and quiet where you can better focus on your job, then Noizio is the one for you. With this app, you can set a romantic ambiance around you. Or, you can calm yourself to a sound sleep all night long.
You can surround yourself with a sequence of natural symphonies, just in seconds. Or, if you want to complete an arduous task stress-free, or carry out your much desired curricula, or study, work, etc., then consider using Noizio. You can also use it while enjoying a light relaxing mood, while meditating, doing yoga, and trying to improve your sleep habits.
FAQs
1. What is the best alternative to Roll20?
If you prefer a free yet best alternative to Roll20, then go for D&D Beyond. Else , if you prefer a premium virtual table app, then GM Forge is the best within a reasonable price.
2. Why is Roll20 not working on my browser?
If Roll20 is not working in your browser, then it might be because the firewall or anti-malware (like Norton, McAfee, Comodo, etc.) software installed on computer is not turned off, which is interfering with your activities like image loading, other in-general loading issues or blocking the website from loading.
3. How to access Roll20?
You can directly access it online. No need to download. Simply go to the official website of Roll20 and create a free account. Log in to your newly created Roll20. You will be taken to the welcome screen, where you can get started with creating and hosting new RPGs. The next time you log-in, the welcome page will display all the games that you played-in with your friends and the ones hosted by you.
Conclusion
Roll20 is no doubt an immersive web-based virtual tabletop platform to play your favorite RPGs. But, many of you might find it’s features to be limited compared to its other alternatives. Otherwise, if you are looking for a free to use platform to play role play games, Roll20 is a good choice. Conversely, if you are looking for premium features or unlimited tools and features, then I hope the above list of alternatives will help you in this.
