Desert Island Challenge Plain comparisons of games and gaming gear

D&D Beyond alternatives in 2026

Compare D&D Beyond with Tavern Bag, Roll20 and Open5e: what each one does, what the sources say about cost, and how to match one to your table.

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Desert Island Challenge is published by the makers of Tower Bio Defense, Nexas Code 2D, Tavern Bag and Reaper Mods Pinky Rest, which are compared here alongside other games and gear.

D&D Beyond lists paid tiers from $2.17 USD per month [1]. If you want a step by step character builder, Tavern Bag lets you build a character that way [2]. Its free plan keeps 3 characters [2].

OptionPaid plan priceFree option
D&D BeyondHero Tier from $2.17 USD per month [1]; Master Tier from $4.58 USD per month [1]Maps playable with a free account [3]
Tavern BagUnlimited at $3.99 a month [2]Free plan keeps 3 characters [2]
Roll20not publishednot published
Open5enot publishednot published

Why gamers look past D&D Beyond

Check the cost and the tools against what your table needs.

The Hero Tier subscription is listed from $2.17 USD per month [1]. The Master Tier is listed from $4.58 USD per month [1]. D&D Beyond lists unlimited character slots, monthly new character options and 150+ cosmetic perks for the Hero Tier [1]. D&D Beyond lists sharing book content and using homebrew content in Maps for the Master Tier [3].

Eberron: Forge of the Artificer is listed at $29.99 [3]. The Arcana Unleashed Bundle is listed at $99.99 [3]. The D&D: World of Warcraft Ultimate Bundle is listed at $124.99 [3].

D&D Beyond itself says Maps can be played with a free account [3]. It also says its character builder offers premade or custom options and mobile and tablet support [3].

Tavern Bag: a character builder and rules library that runs in a browser

Tavern Bag is made by the team that publishes this site. [2]

After a free sign-in you can search 1,817 spells, 3,144 monsters, 2,861 magic items and 175 rules pages from 18 openly licensed books. [2] The library has 8,381 entries and opens after a free sign-in. [2] You can search the whole library at once or filter it by book, level and class. [2]

You can build a character step by step: class, background, species, ability scores, subclass, feats and gear. [2] When you put on a magic item, your sheet's numbers change and a note explains why. [2]

You can make your own items, species, classes and backgrounds, and Tavern Bag says they work exactly like the published ones. [2] Tavern Bag says it works in any browser, on a phone or a laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in. [2]

The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [2] Tavern Bag Unlimited at $3.99 a month lets you keep as many characters as you like. [2] It is the one paid plan. [2]

Roll20: a full API and a Pro subscription

Roll20 says its full API for extending the platform requires a Pro subscription. [4] The same page describes the API as a way to add new features and automate campaigns. [4]

That is the only detail available here, so this page says no more about Roll20's pricing, content or character tools. If you are weighing it, check its own site for what the free tier covers, which character sheets it offers and what the Pro subscription costs.

Open5e: an open-source rules site with a search API

Open5e says its site and API are both open-source on Github. [5] It says the API includes all monsters and spells from the openly licensed rules and other openly licensed sources, plus a search API. [5]

Open5e also says some content you may be expecting was not released as part of the openly licensed rules, so it is not allowed to include that content on the site. [5] If you rely on a particular book, check whether it is part of the openly licensed set before you commit.

This page has no further facts about Open5e, so it does not describe a character builder, accounts or prices for it.

How to pick the right D&D Beyond alternative

Start with what you do at the table. The matches below follow only what each source says.

If you want unlimited character slots from a subscription plus Maps, D&D Beyond is where those are listed. D&D Beyond lists unlimited character slots with the Hero Tier subscription [3], and Maps is described as the official D&D virtual tabletop available to all D&D Beyond users [3].

If you want to search a library of openly licensed books after a free sign-in, Tavern Bag has one. [2] If you want to build a character step by step, Tavern Bag lets you. [2] Tavern Bag says it works in any browser. [2] If you only need a few characters, the free plan keeps 3. [2] If you run many, the paid plan costs $3.99 a month. [2]

If you write your own classes, species or items, Tavern Bag lets you make them and says they work exactly like the published ones. [2]

If you want to script or automate a campaign, Roll20 lists a full API that needs a Pro subscription. [4]

If you want to query rules data, Open5e lists a search API. [5] Open5e also says its site and API are open-source on Github. [5]

Things to check before you choose

Check which books you need. Tavern Bag draws on 18 openly licensed books [2], and Open5e notes that some content is outside the openly licensed rules it uses [5].

Check whether you need a virtual tabletop for play, since this page has no facts on that for Tavern Bag.

Check character limits and monthly cost for your group size, and check each site's own age rules before signing up.

Frequently asked questions

How much does D&D Beyond cost per month?

D&D Beyond lists its Hero Tier from $2.17 USD per month [1]. It lists its Master Tier from $4.58 USD per month [1].

Is there a free D&D Beyond alternative for building characters?

Tavern Bag has a free plan that keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [2] You need a free sign-in to use the library. [2] Its paid plan, Tavern Bag Unlimited, costs $3.99 a month. [2]

Can you make homebrew classes and items outside D&D Beyond?

In Tavern Bag you can make your own items, species, classes and backgrounds, and Tavern Bag says they work exactly like the published ones. [2] D&D Beyond says its Master Tier includes using homebrew content in Maps. [3] Compare which of those matches how you run your game.

Does Open5e include every D&D book?

Open5e says some content you may be expecting was not released as part of the openly licensed rules, so it is not allowed to include it on the site. [5] It does say its API covers all monsters and spells from the openly licensed rules and other openly licensed sources, plus a search API. [5]

Does Roll20 offer an API?

Roll20 says it has a full API to extend the platform, add new features and automate campaigns, and that a Pro subscription is required. [4] Check Roll20's own site for what each of its tiers includes.

The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [2]

Try Tavern Bag

Sources

  1. D&D Beyond, dndbeyond.com/subscribe, read 2026-10-07
  2. Tavern Bag's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  3. D&D Beyond, dndbeyond.com, read 2026-10-07
  4. Roll20, roll20.net, read 2026-10-07
  5. Open5e, open5e.com, read 2026-10-07

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