Alternatives to MapTool
Host a virtual tabletop for pen-and-paper roleplaying games. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
MapTool
Host a virtual tabletop for pen-and-paper roleplaying games.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as MapTool.
Foundry Virtual Tabletop
A self-hosted virtual tabletop for running role-playing games that players join through a web browser.
Foundry Virtual Tabletop is also self-hosted but is a one-time paid, proprietary purchase where players join through a web browser, and it offers a developer API.
Roll20
A browser-based virtual tabletop for playing pen-and-paper role-playing games and board games online.
Roll20 runs in the browser with no hosting, supports over 1,200 game systems with built-in sheets and dice, but is closed source, needs an account and shows ads.
Fantasy Grounds
A desktop virtual tabletop for playing D&D, Pathfinder and other RPGs online with rules automation.
Fantasy Grounds is a freemium desktop tabletop with strong rules automation and licensed official content, but it is closed source, needs an account and much content costs extra.
Owlbear Rodeo
A browser-based virtual tabletop for running tabletop role-playing sessions with maps, tokens and fog.
Owlbear Rodeo is a freemium browser tabletop that works on phones, with grid detection, fog and extensions, but it is closed source and lighter on rules automation.
Alchemy RPG
A virtual tabletop for playing, creating and sharing tabletop roleplaying games with a scene-based layout.
Alchemy RPG uses a scene-based layout for story-driven games, with licensed worlds from over 125 publishers, on desktop and web, but it is a proprietary platform.
TaleSpire
A 3D virtual tabletop for building scenes and playing pen-and-paper role-playing games with friends online.
TaleSpire moves play to a 3D scene-building table, but it is paid, Windows only, still in Early Access and has less rules automation.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Dungeondraft
A desktop map editor for drawing battle maps for tabletop role-playing games.
Dungeon Alchemist
A 3D map-making application that builds tabletop RPG battle maps by automatically furnishing drawn rooms.
Wonderdraft
A desktop program for drawing fantasy world and regional maps for tabletop games and fiction.
Tabletop Simulator
A physics-based sandbox for playing and building board, card and tabletop games online with others.
VASSAL
An open-source engine for building and playing digital versions of board games and card games.
