Roll20 alternatives in 2026

Q: How much is Tavern Bag Unlimited?

Tavern Bag Unlimited costs $3.99 a month. It is the one paid plan, and it is for keeping more characters. The free plan keeps 3 characters, so you only need the paid plan if you want more than that.

Roll20 alternatives for D&D players who want a character builder or rules search: Tavern Bag, D&D Beyond and Open5e, with prices and what to check.

By Desert Island Challenge · 2026-10-17

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.

Three options come up for D&D players leaving Roll20: Tavern Bag for building characters and searching openly licensed rules, D&D Beyond for its own Maps tabletop and subscription tiers, and Open5e for an open-source rules lookup. Match the tool to the job you need done.

Option	Paid tier and price	Free access
Roll20	Pro subscription is required for the full API, price not published ^[1]	Not published
Tavern Bag	Tavern Bag Unlimited at $3.99 a month ^[2]	Free plan keeps 3 characters, no card required ^[2]
D&D Beyond	Digital tools and content library from $2.17 USD per month ^[3]; virtual tabletops and content sharing from $4.58 USD per month ^[3]	Maps can be played with a free account ^[4]
Open5e	Not published	Not published

Why gamers look past Roll20

One fact is published about Roll20 here. Roll20 says its full API for extending the platform requires a Pro subscription. ^[1] The page describes that API as a way to add new features and automate campaigns. ^[1]

If you want to extend a game with extra features, look at what the Pro subscription costs and whether you need it. The facts here do not state a price, so read Roll20's own pricing page before deciding.

Other reasons are personal. Some players want a character sheet that lives apart from the table they play at. Some want a rules lookup they can open without setting up a game. Some want a different monthly cost. The options below are matched to those needs, and the table compares what each one publishes.

Tavern Bag: character builder and rules search

Tavern Bag is made by the team that publishes this site, and the maker is Lunar Werx. ^[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 in total. ^[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] Accounts are for people 18 and over. ^[2]

D&D Beyond: character builder with its own Maps tabletop

D&D Beyond says Maps is the official D&D virtual tabletop available to all D&D Beyond users. ^[4] It also says you can play in Maps with a free account. ^[4]

Its character builder offers premade or custom options, with mobile and tablet support. ^[4]

Paid tiers are listed on its site. Hero Tier is listed from $2.17 USD per month. ^[3] Hero Tier includes unlimited character slots, monthly new character options and 150+ cosmetic perks. ^[3] Master Tier is listed from $4.58 USD per month. ^[3] D&D Beyond says it adds content sharing and the use of homebrew content in Maps. ^[4]

Open5e: open-source rules lookup

Open5e says its site and API are both open-source on Github. ^[5] Github is a public website where programmers share code.

Open5e says its API includes all monsters and spells from the SRD (the free core rules text) and other openly licensed sources, as well as a search API. ^[5]

Open5e also notes a limit. It says some content you may be expecting was not released as part of the 5e SRD, so it is not allowed to include that content. ^[5] If a particular book matters to your group, check that it is covered before you rely on it.

The facts here do not describe a character builder or a tabletop for Open5e, so check its site for those.

How to pick the right Roll20 alternative

Start with the job you need done.

If you want to build characters and look up rules in one place, Tavern Bag offers a step by step builder and a searchable library after a free sign-in. ^[2] ^[2] Its free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. ^[2] If you want to keep more, Tavern Bag Unlimited costs $3.99 a month. ^[2]

If you want a tabletop that comes from the same place as your sheets, D&D Beyond says Maps can be played with a free account. ^[4] D&D Beyond says its Hero Tier subscription includes unlimited character slots. ^[4]

If you only need an open place to look up monsters and spells, Open5e says its API covers the free core rules text and other openly licensed sources. ^[5] Check its coverage of the books you use.

If you want to extend a game with automation, Roll20 says its full API needs a Pro subscription. ^[1] Confirm the current price first.

Groups can also mix tools, such as one for the table and another for sheets. Check that everyone at the table can sign in to whatever you choose.

Frequently asked questions

What does Roll20 charge for its API?

The facts here give no price. Roll20 says its full API for extending the platform requires a Pro subscription. ^[1] Check Roll20's own pricing page for the current cost, and check whether you need the API at all before paying for it.

Is there a free alternative to Roll20 for D&D characters?

Tavern Bag has a free plan that keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. ^[2] D&D Beyond says Maps, its virtual tabletop, can be played with a free account. ^[4] Check what each free tier limits before you commit your group.

How much is Tavern Bag Unlimited?

Tavern Bag Unlimited costs $3.99 a month. ^[2] It is the one paid plan, and it is for keeping more characters. ^[2] The free plan keeps 3 characters, so you only need the paid plan if you want more than that. ^[2]

Does D&D Beyond have a virtual tabletop like Roll20?

D&D Beyond says Maps is the official D&D virtual tabletop available to all D&D Beyond users. ^[4] It says you can play in Maps with a free account. ^[4] Look at its site for how Maps handles the features your group needs.

Can Open5e replace Roll20 for rules lookup?

Open5e says its API includes all monsters and spells from the SRD (the free core rules text) and other openly licensed sources, plus a search API. ^[5] It also says some content was not released as part of the 5e SRD and is not included. ^[5] Check that your books are covered.

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

Try Tavern Bag