Two Polygon pieces this week landed at the same table: D&D is going to a galaxy far, far away with a Star Wars crossover in late 2027, and the classic D&D icons are coming back with new adventures. Meanwhile Critical Role’s Daggerheart is filling weekend sessions and the One Ring just got its biggest expansion yet. The desktop companion apps that hold all of it together are what our group has actually opened during a session this year. We tested seven across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
What to look for in a tabletop RPG companion app
The criteria that separate a session-ending tool from a session-saving one:
- Ruleset breadth — D&D 5e, Pathfinder, Star Wars 5e, Daggerheart, Call of Cthulhu, and homebrew
- Automation depth (fully automated rolls vs. dice tray only)
- Map and token support with fog of war
- Player-facing UI that non-DMs can actually use
- Character sheet import/export from D&D Beyond, Roll20, or JSON
- Voice, video, and text chat built in vs. Discord alongside
- Licensing model — perpetual, subscription, or freemium
- Offline mode for the local table
Quick comparison table
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fantasy Grounds Unity | Rules-heavy campaigns | Win, Mac, Linux | Demo | $39.99 lifetime | Very Positive |
| Foundry Virtual Tabletop | Self-hosted VTT | Win, Mac, Linux | No | $49.99 lifetime | Community favorite |
| Roll20 | Browser-first play | Web | Yes | $4.99/mo Plus | 4/5 avg |
| Owlbear Rodeo | Fast pickup games | Web | Yes | $6/mo Plus | 4.6/5 avg |
| D&D Beyond | 5e character rules | Web | Yes | Free w/ content | Official WotC |
| Alchemy | Streaming-ready sessions | Web, desktop | Yes | $9/mo Adventurer | Rising |
| Above VTT | D&D Beyond overlay | Chrome ext | Yes | Free | Free tool |
The apps
1. Fantasy Grounds Unity — Best for rules-heavy campaigns
Fantasy Grounds Unity is the deepest automation on this list. Every rule that exists in the D&D 5e SRD, Pathfinder 1e and 2e, Call of Cthulhu, and Star Wars 5e is scripted. The DM screen tracks conditions, damage resistances, and reaction triggers automatically. It runs as a native app on all three desktop OSes.
Where it falls short: The UI is a decade old. The visual polish is well behind Foundry or Roll20. Content is per-book licensing on top of the base app.
Pricing:
- Free: Demo edition supports one GM and any number of players joining a Demo GM.
- Paid: Standard $39.99 lifetime, Ultimate $149 (lets players join without a license).
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Fantasy Grounds VTT (Steam) Direct
Bottom line: Pick if the campaign uses obscure spells and conditions and you want them all computed.
2. Foundry Virtual Tabletop — Best self-hosted VTT
Foundry Virtual Tabletop is the community’s current default. One-time purchase, self-hosted, and the modding scene is deeper than any other VTT — half of Foundry’s power is in third-party modules. Ruleset support is broad through community-made system packs.
Where it falls short: Setup requires running a server (locally or on a small VPS). Some modules break between major Foundry versions. No first-party content storefront.
Pricing:
- Free: No.
- Paid: $49.99 lifetime per GM. Players are free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, plus browser for players.
Download: Foundry VTT
Bottom line: Pick if the group is going to run for years and you are comfortable running a server.
3. Roll20 — Best for browser-first play
Roll20 is the low-friction pick when three of the four players do not want to install anything. Runs entirely in the browser, character sheets for the major systems, and a marketplace stocked with official D&D and Pathfinder content.
Where it falls short: The UI has aged. Automation is thinner than Foundry or Fantasy Grounds. Native voice/video is unreliable — most tables use Discord alongside.
Pricing:
- Free: Full DM tools, limited storage, no dynamic lighting.
- Paid: Plus at $4.99/mo, Pro at $9.99/mo (dynamic lighting, API scripts).
Platforms: Web, works on any browser including Chromium-based on Linux.
Download: Roll20
Bottom line: Pick if the group is casual and one of the players is on a Chromebook.
4. Owlbear Rodeo — Best for fast pickup games
Owlbear Rodeo is the VTT that runs in a browser tab without an account. Drop a map, drop tokens, roll dice, done. The 2.0 rewrite added dynamic fog of war and community extensions. It stays deliberately lean.
Where it falls short: No character sheet system. Automation is manual. Not the pick for a long campaign with rules complexity.
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 20 rooms and 100 MB storage per user.
- Paid: Plus at $6/mo, Pro at $12/mo.
Platforms: Web (works on any desktop browser).
Download: Owlbear Rodeo
Bottom line: Pick for a one-shot, a con game, or when your VTT died and you have an hour to save the session.
5. D&D Beyond — Best for 5e character rules
D&D Beyond is Wizards of the Coast’s official companion for D&D 5e (and, coming late 2027, the Star Wars 5e crossover). Character builder, spell lookup, dice roller, and a shared campaign feed. The web app opens fine on any desktop browser.
Where it falls short: 5e-only. Content licensing is per-book, and you buy each book once per account (with a limited party sharing option).
Pricing:
- Free: Character builder plus the Basic Rules.
- Paid: Master Tier at $6.99/mo unlocks unlimited characters and party sharing.
Platforms: Web (installable as a PWA on Windows, macOS, and Linux via Chromium).
Download: D&D Beyond
Bottom line: Pick if the whole group plays 5e. Combine with Above VTT for a full experience.
6. Alchemy — Best for streaming-ready sessions
Alchemy is the newest of the lot and the most cinematic. Every scene has ambient audio, layered art, and a chat-first interface that reads well on a stream overlay. Rulesets include D&D 5e, Daggerheart, and Pathfinder 2e.
Where it falls short: Smaller community than Foundry or Roll20. Automation is closer to Roll20 than Fantasy Grounds. Streaming polish is the pitch, not deep rules.
Pricing:
- Free: One party, up to five players.
- Paid: Adventurer at $9/mo, Legendary at $19/mo.
Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS.
Download: Alchemy
Bottom line: Pick if the session is going on a stream or if the vibe matters more than the crunch.
7. Above VTT — Best free D&D Beyond overlay
Above VTT is a browser extension that grafts a VTT layer onto D&D Beyond. Maps, tokens, and combat tracker sit on top of the existing character sheets you already own. Zero cost.
Where it falls short: Chrome-only. Ties you to D&D Beyond as the character-sheet backend. Development pace is a small volunteer team.
Pricing:
- Free: Full feature set, community-maintained.
- Paid: None.
Platforms: Chrome / Chromium browsers on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Download: Above VTT
Bottom line: Pick if the group already runs on D&D Beyond and no one wants to pay for a VTT.
How to pick the right one
- If you want the simplest option: Owlbear Rodeo or Above VTT.
- If you need deep 5e automation: Fantasy Grounds Unity or Foundry with Midi-QOL.
- If you are on a budget: D&D Beyond free tier plus Above VTT.
- If you are a power user: Foundry VTT with community modules.
- If you tried Roll20 and hated the automation: Foundry, because scripting is the whole pitch.
- If the session goes on a stream: Alchemy.
- If the party plays the Star Wars 5e crossover in late 2027: Fantasy Grounds and Foundry both have Star Wars 5e system packs; D&D Beyond will be the official option.
FAQ
What is the best free tabletop RPG app for desktop?
Owlbear Rodeo for a lightweight VTT, D&D Beyond for 5e character sheets, and Above VTT if you already have a D&D Beyond library.
Is Foundry VTT worth paying for?
If the group is going to run for a year or more, yes — the one-time $49.99 works out to less than any subscription and the module ecosystem is unmatched.
What tabletop RPG app do most people use?
Roll20 still has the largest active player count by a wide margin. Foundry leads on power-user share, and D&D Beyond dominates for 5e character management.
Can I import a D&D Beyond character into Foundry or Roll20?
Yes. Foundry has the D&D Beyond Importer module (community-maintained). Roll20 supports Beyond20, a browser extension that pipes rolls back and forth.
What is the best RPG companion app for a group of five with no shared platform?
Roll20 or Owlbear Rodeo — both run in a browser on any OS, no install required. Add Discord for voice.
