Tavern Bag vs Roll20 in 2026
Tavern Bag vs Roll20 for D&D players: what each says it does, what it costs, how to start, and the questions to ask before you pick one.
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.
Tavern Bag searches a library of openly licensed D&D books and builds characters step by step, with a free plan of 3 characters. [1] Roll20 says it offers a full API to add features and automate campaigns, with a Pro subscription required. Its other prices are not in the sources used here.
| Option | Paid plan price | Free plan | Card fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roll20 | Pro subscription required for the full API; price not published [2] | Not published | Not published |
| Tavern Bag | Tavern Bag Unlimited, $3.99 a month [1] | Keeps 3 characters, no card required [1] | Not published |
The short answer
Tavern Bag is a place to look things up and build characters. 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. [1] You can also build a character step by step. [1]
Roll20 is the other tool in this comparison. The one page quoted here says it has a full API to extend Roll20, to add new features and automate campaigns. [2]
If you want to extend a platform with your own additions, the Roll20 source speaks to that, and it says a Pro subscription is required. [2] If you want a searchable rules library and a character builder, the Tavern Bag claims speak to that. [1] [1]
What Roll20 is built for
The only Roll20 page used for this comparison is about its API. It says the API is a full one, made to extend Roll20. [2]
The same page says the API lets you add new features and automate campaigns. [2]
It also says a Pro subscription is required to use it. [2]
That is everything this page can say about Roll20 from its own words. Nothing quoted here covers its other features, its price list, its free tier, its age limits or how it handles character sheets. Those are things to read on Roll20's own pages before you decide, and the questions further down list what to look for.
What Tavern Bag is built for
Tavern Bag is made by the team that publishes this site.
For a gamer, it works as a rules library. The library has 8,381 entries and opens after a free sign-in. [1] You can search the whole library at once or filter it by book, level and class. [1]
It also builds characters. You go step by step through class, background, species, ability scores, subclass, feats and gear. [1] When you put on a magic item, your sheet's numbers change and a note explains why. [1]
If the published options are not enough, you can make your own items, species, classes and backgrounds, and they work like the published ones. [1]
It runs in any browser on a phone or laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in. [1]
Pricing and fees
Roll20: the source quoted here names one price-related fact. Its full API requires a Pro subscription. [2] The price of that Pro subscription is not published in that source, and neither are any other Roll20 prices.
Tavern Bag: the free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [1] Tavern Bag Unlimited is the one paid plan, for keeping more characters. [1] It costs $3.99 a month. [1] That plan lets you keep as many characters as you like. [1]
No card processing fee is stated for either tool in the sources used here, so none is listed. The table below gives each option the same parts, and a part that is not stated is written as not published.
Getting started
Tavern Bag: you sign in for free, and that opens the library. [1] From there you can search all of it or narrow it by book, level and class. [1] To make a hero, you work through the builder one step at a time, from class to gear. [1]
It runs in any browser on a phone or laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in. [1] The free plan keeps 3 characters with no card required. [1]
Roll20: the quoted source covers only the API. It says that using the API takes a Pro subscription. [2] How an account is made, what a first session looks like and what the free tier includes are not stated there. Check Roll20's own sign-up pages for those steps before you plan a session around it.
Things to check before you choose
These questions apply to either tool.
- What does the free tier let you do, and what moves behind a paid plan?
- If a paid plan is needed for something you want, what does it cost each month, and is it billed in your currency?
- How many characters can you keep, and what happens to the ones over the limit?
- Which books and rules content are in the library, and are they the ones your table uses?
- Can you make your own items, species, classes or backgrounds?
- Do your characters work on the phone or laptop you actually bring to the table?
- Does everyone at your table meet the age rule for an account?
- Do you need to add your own features or automation, and if so, which plan allows it?
- Is there a card fee or other charge on top of the listed price?
Write down the answers for each tool from its own pages. Where a page is silent, treat the answer as unknown rather than assuming either way.
How to choose
Match your own needs to what each source says.
- You want to search spells, monsters, magic items and rules pages from openly licensed books: the Tavern Bag claims cover this, after a free sign-in. [1]
- You want a step-by-step character builder: Tavern Bag lists the steps from class to gear. [1]
- You want to make your own classes or items: Tavern Bag says they work like the published ones. [1]
- You want to keep a few characters at no cost: the Tavern Bag free plan keeps 3. [1]
- You want to keep as many characters as you like: Tavern Bag Unlimited is $3.99 a month. [1]
- You want to add features or automate campaigns through an API: the Roll20 source says a full API exists and needs a Pro subscription. [2]
For any need not listed here, check the tool's own pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tavern Bag free?
There is a free plan. It keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [1] Tavern Bag Unlimited is the one paid plan, for keeping more characters, and it costs $3.99 a month. [1] [1] The library also opens after a free sign-in. [1]
Does Roll20 have an API?
Roll20 says it has a full API to extend Roll20, to add new features and automate campaigns. [2] The same page says a Pro subscription is required. [2] The source used here does not give the price of that subscription, so check Roll20's own pricing pages.
How many characters can you keep in Tavern Bag?
The free plan keeps 3 characters. [1] Tavern Bag Unlimited at $3.99 a month lets you keep as many characters as you like. [1] Your characters follow your sign-in. [1]
What can you search in Tavern Bag?
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. [1] You can search the whole library at once or filter it by book, level and class. [1] The library has 8,381 entries in all. [1]
Can you make homebrew content in Tavern Bag?
Yes. You can make your own items, species, classes and backgrounds, and they work like the published ones. [1] When you put on a magic item, your sheet's numbers change and a note explains why. [1] Check whether Roll20 offers the same on its own pages, since the source used here is silent.
The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [1]
Try Tavern BagSources
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