The best free virtual tabletops in 2026
"Free" means different things on different VTTs. Some are free to play and charge the GM for lighting. Some are free with a storage cap. One is free software with paid content. One is free because you pay once. This is a list of what you actually get for nothing, updated as the free tiers change (two of them did this year), and written by people who make one of them, so read the RollQuest entry with that in mind.
What's free, side by side
| Free tier includes | Dynamic lighting | Character sheets | Your own maps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RollQuest | Fog, lighting, sheets, dice, combat, audio; 1 game, 100 MB | Free | Built in, 5e and 5.5e | Free, 100 MB |
| Roll20 | Fog, community sheets, 100 MB | $5.99/mo | Community, 1,000+ systems | Free, 100 MB |
| Owlbear Rodeo | Map, tokens, fog, dice; no player accounts | Extension | Extension | Free, storage-limited |
| D&D Beyond Maps | Host with owned content, 9 basic maps, fog, initiative, dice | No | D&D Beyond's own | Master Tier, $5.99/mo |
| Fantasy Grounds Unity | The software; content bought per module | Included | Ruleset; content bought | Yes |
| Alchemy | Limited | Limited | Yes | Limited |
| Foundry VTT | Players free; GM pays $50 once | Included | dnd5e system | Yes |
1. RollQuest
The free plan includes the whole table: fog of war, dynamic lighting with walls and doors, 3D dice, D&D 5e and 5.5e character sheets, a combat tracker, audio, and templates. One game, three sheets, 100 MB. Paid plans ($3.99 and $8.99 a month) add GM tools like the journal, cards and a map builder, not table features. Eight players plus the GM.
Best for: D&D groups that want lighting and sheets without paying. Limits: two rules packs only; new, so the marketplace is small. Compare: RollQuest vs Roll20.
2. Roll20
The big one. Free gets you a table with fog of war, community character sheets for a thousand systems, and access to the largest content marketplace. Dynamic lighting is $5.99 a month. Free users get 100 MB of uploads. No player limit.
Best for: buying an official adventure and running it, or playing a non-D&D system. Limits: no free lighting; the interface shows its age. Compare: RollQuest vs Roll20.
3. Owlbear Rodeo
A shared battle map that loads in seconds. Free, no accounts for players, fog of war, 3D dice, extensions for more. No built-in character sheets. Paid tiers ($5 and $15 a month) add storage and rooms.
Best for: one-shots, pickup games, in-person groups who want a map on a TV. Limits: no sheets, no rules; a growing campaign will outgrow it. Compare: RollQuest vs Owlbear Rodeo.
4. D&D Beyond Maps
Free for every D&D Beyond account since September 2025, which is the biggest change to this list. Host with the maps and adventures you own there, nine basic maps, basic-rules monster tokens, fog of war, an initiative tracker and shared dice, all reading from your D&D Beyond sheets. Uploading your own maps and using homebrew monster tokens need Master Tier at $5.99 a month. No dynamic lighting, walls or doors.
Best for: tables whose books and characters already live on D&D Beyond. Limits: no lighting, your own maps cost, D&D only. Compare: RollQuest vs D&D Beyond Maps.
5. Fantasy Grounds Unity
The other big change: the software has been free since November 2025. It is a desktop install for the GM and every player, with rulesets and adventures bought per module. Lighting, line of sight and the deepest rules automation in the hobby are included.
Best for: GMs who want automation and licensed adventures and don't mind installing. Limits: an install per player, and content costs replace the subscription. Compare: RollQuest vs Fantasy Grounds.
6. Alchemy
Cinematic and free to start, with a subscription (Alchemy Unlimited, around $8 a month) for the rest. Scenes, audio and streaming-friendly presentation are the point; the battle grid is secondary.
Best for: narrative-first tables. Limits: the free tier is limited, and fog and lighting are not the focus. Compare: RollQuest vs Alchemy.
7. Foundry VTT
Not free, but close: $50 once for the GM and players connect free forever. Self-hosted, hugely customisable, hundreds of systems, thousands of modules. Hosting services add a monthly fee if you'd rather not run a server.
Best for: technical GMs who want everything and will maintain it. Limits: the setup and the hosting. Compare: RollQuest vs Foundry.
Not on this list
Talespire ($24.99 plus a seat per player) and AboveVTT (free, but a browser extension on top of D&D Beyond) are covered in the best VTTs for D&D. Neither is a free tabletop in the sense this page means.
How to choose
If you play D&D and want lighting for free, RollQuest. If you want to buy a module and run it tonight, Roll20, or D&D Beyond Maps if you bought it there. If you want a map and nothing else, Owlbear. If you want automation and will install, Fantasy Grounds. If you want to own it and tinker, Foundry.
Whichever you pick, try it for one session before deciding. Every VTT on this list takes under ten minutes to get a map up.