--- {"title": "D&D Beyond vs Roll20 in 2026: Features and Prices", "description": "Compare D&D Beyond and Roll20 on what each says it does, what it costs, and how to start, with Tavern Bag as another option to weigh.", "url": "https://desertislandchallenge.com/dandd-beyond-vs-roll20/", "date": "2026-10-16"} --- Compare D&D Beyond and Roll20 on what each says it does, what it costs, and how to start, with Tavern Bag as another option to weigh. D&D Beyond says its virtual tabletop, called Maps, can be played with a free account [^1]. Roll20 says its full API extends the platform and needs a Pro subscription [^2]. Tavern Bag is a third option with a step by step character builder [^3]. | Option | Monthly price listed | Plan that gives more characters | |---|---|---| | D&D Beyond Hero Tier [^4] | From $2.17 USD per month [^4] | Unlimited character slots [^1] | | D&D Beyond Master Tier [^4] | From $4.58 USD per month [^4] | not published | | Roll20 | not published | not published | | Tavern Bag Unlimited [^3] | $3.99 a month [^3] | Keep as many characters as you like [^3] | ## The short answer D&D Beyond says its character builder offers premade or custom options and mobile and tablet support [^1]. It also describes Maps as the official D&D virtual tabletop available to all D&D Beyond users [^1]. Roll20 says its full API lets you add new features and automate campaigns, and that it needs a Pro subscription [^2]. Tavern Bag lets you build a character step by step [^3]. If you want to play on a virtual tabletop with a free account, D&D Beyond's page says you can do that in Maps [^1]. If you want unlimited character slots, D&D Beyond says Hero Tier includes them [^1] and lists Hero Tier from $2.17 USD per month [^4], and Tavern Bag Unlimited is $3.99 a month [^3] and lets you keep as many characters as you like [^3]. If you want to search openly licensed books after a free sign-in, Tavern Bag says that is what it offers [^3]. Roll20 needs a closer look on its own pages, since the sources used for this page cover only its Pro API [^2]. ## What D&D Beyond and Roll20 offer **D&D Beyond.** D&D Beyond says its Maps tool can be played with a free account [^1]. It calls Maps the official D&D virtual tabletop available to all D&D Beyond users [^1]. Its character builder offers premade or custom options, with mobile and tablet support so you can play anywhere [^1]. It says the Hero Tier subscription includes a subscriber content library and unlimited character slots [^1]. The Master Tier subscription includes sharing book content and using homebrew content in Maps [^1]. **Roll20.** Roll20 says its full API is for extending the platform: you add new features and automate campaigns with it, and a Pro subscription is required [^2]. Beyond that, the sources used for this page say nothing more about what Roll20 does, so check its own pages for the rest. ## What Tavern Bag is built for Tavern Bag is made by Lunar Werx, the team that publishes this site [^3]. 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 [^3]. The library has 8,381 entries and opens after a free sign-in [^3]. You can search the whole library at once or filter it by book, level and class [^3]. For characters, you build step by step: class, background, species, ability scores, subclass, feats and gear [^3]. When you put on a magic item, your sheet's numbers change and a note explains why [^3]. You can make your own items, species, classes and backgrounds, and Tavern Bag says they work like the published ones [^3]. Tavern Bag says it runs in any browser on a phone or laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in [^3]. ## Pricing and fees **D&D Beyond.** The Hero Tier is listed from $2.17 USD per month [^4]. The Master Tier is listed from $4.58 USD per month [^4]. D&D Beyond says Maps can be played with a free account [^1]. **Roll20.** The sources used for this page do not publish a Roll20 price. They say only that a Pro subscription is required for the full API [^2]. Check Roll20's own pricing before you decide. **Tavern Bag.** Tavern Bag Unlimited costs $3.99 a month [^3]. It is the one paid plan, for keeping more characters [^3]. The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required [^3]. ## Getting started **D&D Beyond.** You can play in Maps with a free account [^1]. In the character builder you choose from premade or custom options [^1]. If you want unlimited character slots, that comes with the Hero Tier subscription [^1]. **Roll20.** The sources used for this page do not describe how to set up or start a game on Roll20. They say only that its full API, for adding features and automating campaigns, needs a Pro subscription [^2]. **Tavern Bag.** Start with a free sign-in, which opens the library of 8,381 entries [^3]. Search everything at once, or filter by book, level and class [^3]. To make a character, you move step by step through class, background, species, ability scores, subclass, feats and gear [^3]. Tavern Bag says it opens in any browser on a phone or laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in [^3]. The free plan keeps 3 characters [^3]. ## Things to check before you choose These questions apply to any of the tools: - Which books and rules do you need, and does the tool include them or ask you to buy them separately? - Do you need a virtual tabletop for online play, or mainly a place to build and keep characters? - How many characters do you want to keep, and what does the plan that holds them cost per month? - Which devices will you and your table use, and does the tool work well on them? - Do you want to make your own items, species, classes or backgrounds, and on which plan? - Does your group need to share content, and what does sharing require? - Is the price for the plan you need published, or do you have to look it up on the tool's own page? - Which rules systems does your group play, and does the tool cover them? ## How to choose If you want a virtual tabletop you can try with a free account, D&D Beyond's page says Maps can be played that way [^1]. If you also want to use homebrew content in Maps, D&D Beyond ties that to the Master Tier [^1]. If you want unlimited character slots, D&D Beyond says Hero Tier includes them [^1] and lists it from $2.17 USD per month [^4], and Tavern Bag Unlimited is $3.99 a month [^3] and lets you keep as many characters as you like [^3]. If you want to search a library and filter by book, level and class, Tavern Bag says it offers that [^3]. If you want magic items to change your sheet's numbers with a note explaining why, Tavern Bag says it does that [^3]. If you want to extend a platform with your own features and automation, Roll20 says its full API is for that and needs a Pro subscription [^2]. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can you play D&D Beyond Maps with a free account? D&D Beyond says you can. Its page invites you to play in its Maps virtual tabletop with your free account [^1]. It also describes Maps as the official D&D virtual tabletop available to all D&D Beyond users [^1]. Check D&D Beyond's own pages for exactly what a free account includes before you plan a session around it. ### How much does D&D Beyond Hero Tier cost? D&D Beyond lists Hero Tier from $2.17 USD per month [^4]. It says Hero Tier includes a subscriber content library and unlimited character slots [^1]. Master Tier is listed from $4.58 USD per month [^4]. Confirm the current price on D&D Beyond's own page, since the listing may change. ### What does Roll20 say a Pro subscription is needed for? Roll20 says its full API requires a Pro subscription [^2]. Its page describes the API as a way to extend Roll20, add new features and automate campaigns [^2]. The sources used for this page give no Roll20 price and no other plan details, so look at Roll20's own pricing page for the full picture. ### How many characters can you keep free in Tavern Bag? The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required [^3]. Tavern Bag Unlimited costs $3.99 a month and lets you keep as many characters as you like [^3]. It is the one paid plan, for keeping more characters [^3]. ### Can you build D&D characters on a phone browser? D&D Beyond says its character builder offers premade or custom options and mobile and tablet support [^1]. Tavern Bag says it runs in any browser on a phone or laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in [^3]. The sources used for this page say nothing about Roll20 on phones, so check its own pages. The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [^3] - [Visit Tavern Bag](/go/dandd-beyond-vs-roll20) ## Sources [^1]: D&D Beyond, dndbeyond.com, read 2026-10-07 (https://www.dndbeyond.com/) [^2]: Roll20, roll20.net, read 2026-10-07 (https://roll20.net/) [^3]: Tavern Bag's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/dandd-beyond-vs-roll20) [^4]: D&D Beyond, dndbeyond.com/subscribe, read 2026-10-07 (https://www.dndbeyond.com/subscribe)