Open5e vs Roll20 in 2026

Open5e vs Roll20 for D&D players, from what each one's own pages say, with Tavern Bag as a third option. Prices and checks follow.

By Desert Island Challenge · 2026-10-12

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.

Open5e says its API, the code a program can call to get data, includes all monsters and spells from the SRD and other OGL sources, plus a search. ^[1] Roll20's page names a full API that needs a Pro subscription. ^[2]

Option	Own price	Card fee
Open5e	not published	not published
Roll20	Pro subscription needed for the full API, price not published ^[2]	not published
Tavern Bag	Free plan keeps 3 characters ^[3]; Unlimited $3.99 a month ^[3]	not published

The short answer

Open5e's pages describe monsters and spells you can look up, and a search API behind them. ^[1] Roll20's page names a full API to extend Roll20, to add new features and automate campaigns. ^[2]

On needs: if you want a reference whose code is public, Open5e says its site and API are open-source on Github. ^[1] If you want to extend Roll20 with its full API, its page says a Pro subscription is required. ^[2] If you want to build characters step by step, Tavern Bag is a third option below. ^[3]

What Open5e is built for

First, it says its site and API are both open-source on Github. ^[1] For a gamer, that means the code behind the site is public, and a person who writes software can read it.

Second, it says its API includes all monsters and spells from the SRD and other OGL sources, plus a search API. ^[1] In plain words, you can look up monsters and spells, and search is part of that API. ^[1]

Third, it says some content you may expect was not released as part of the 5e SRD, so it is not allowed to include that content in the site. ^[1] If you expect a particular book or creature, check that it is in the open rules before you plan around it.

The pages quoted here do not say anything about prices, accounts or character sheets, so this page says nothing about them.

What Roll20 is built for

It names a full API to extend Roll20, which it says lets you add new features and automate campaigns. ^[2] It adds that a Pro subscription is required for that API. ^[2]

Anything else you might want from Roll20 is outside what this page can report, so read Roll20's own pages for it before you decide.

What Tavern Bag is built for

Tavern Bag is made by 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 in all. ^[3]

You can search the whole library at once or filter it by book, level and class. ^[3]

You can build a character 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 they work like the published ones. ^[3]

It runs in any browser on a phone or laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in. ^[3]

Pricing and fees

Open5e: the quoted pages do not give a price, so its price is not published here. Roll20: the quoted page does not give a price either, but it says a Pro subscription is required for its full API. ^[2] What that subscription costs is not published in the facts used here.

Tavern Bag: the free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. ^[3] Tavern Bag Unlimited costs $3.99 a month. ^[3] It is the one paid plan, for keeping more characters. ^[3] It lets you keep as many characters as you like. ^[3]

No source here states a separate card fee for any of the three, so the table says not published.

Getting started

Open5e: the pages quoted say the site and API are open-source on Github, and that the API includes a search API. ^[1] ^[1] They give no steps for a first visit, so look at the site itself.

Roll20: the quoted page says the full API needs a Pro subscription. ^[2] Setup steps for playing are not covered by the facts here.

Tavern Bag: start with a free sign-in, which opens the library. ^[3] Then search it, or filter it by book, level and class. ^[3] To make a character, go through the steps for class, background, species, ability scores, subclass, feats and gear. ^[3] Open it in any browser on a phone or laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in. ^[3]

Things to check before you choose

These questions apply to any of the three tools.

Is the book or monster you want in the tool? Open5e says some content was not released as part of the 5e SRD and so is left out. ^[1] Ask the same of every tool.
What does the Pro subscription cost? Roll20's page does not give that price in the facts used here, so look it up on Roll20's own page.
How many characters will you keep? The free Tavern Bag plan keeps 3. ^[3]
Does everyone at your table meet each tool's age rule?
Do you need to sign in to look things up, and on which devices will you play?
Do you want to write code against an API, or only read and build?

How to choose

If you want public code, Open5e's pages say the site and API are open-source on Github. ^[1] If you want monsters and spells from the SRD and other OGL sources with a search API, its pages say that too. ^[1]

If you want to add features or automate campaigns through a full API, Roll20's page says that needs a Pro subscription. ^[2]

If you want to build a character step by step, Tavern Bag does that. ^[3] If you want magic items to change your sheet with a note, it does that. ^[3] If you want your own species, classes or items, it lets you make them. ^[3] Tavern Bag Unlimited is $3.99 a month. ^[3]

Frequently asked questions

Is Open5e open source?

Open5e says its site and API are both open-source on Github. ^[1] That means the code is public. The quoted pages say nothing about prices or accounts, so check the site itself for anything beyond that.

Does Open5e include every D&D monster and spell?

Open5e says its API includes all monsters and spells from the SRD and other OGL sources. ^[1] It also says some content you may expect was not released as part of the 5e SRD, so it is not allowed to include it. ^[1]

Does Roll20 need a paid plan for its API?

Roll20's page describes a full API to extend Roll20, to add new features and automate campaigns, and says a Pro subscription is required. ^[2] The price of that subscription is not given in the facts used here, so check Roll20's own pricing page.

How much does Tavern Bag cost?

The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. ^[3] Tavern Bag Unlimited costs $3.99 a month. ^[3] It is the one paid plan, for keeping more characters. ^[3]

Can Tavern Bag be used on a phone?

It runs in any browser on a phone or laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in. ^[3] The library opens after a free sign-in. ^[3]

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

Try Tavern Bag