An Alchemy alternative for tables that want the map
Alchemy made a bet that most virtual tabletops get wrong: that a lot of D&D isn't played on a grid. Its scenes look like a film, the audio is part of the design, and it's lovely for a game run in the theatre of the mind - especially one with an audience.
The short version
Both run in a browser and both look better than the older VTTs. The difference is what happens when combat starts. Alchemy leans on presentation and description; RollQuest gives you a grid, dynamic fog, lighting and a combat tracker that reads HP off the sheet.
Pick on how your table actually plays, not on the feature count.
Where RollQuest is the better choice
Tactical combat is the whole point. Walls and doors that block vision, per-token sight, cover, measurement templates for the fireball, initiative on the map. If "can I see him from here" is a question your table asks, you want a tool that can answer it.
Fog and lighting are free. Not a tier, not an add-on. Draw four walls and a door and it works.
You can build the map. A map builder with asset packs, layers, roofs that fade as the party walks under them, and walls already wired to fog and light.
The SRD is included and the sheets do the maths. Both revisions, 5e and 5.5e, with sheets that calculate and roll.
The free tier plays a real game. Fog, lighting, sheets, dice, combat and audio are all on it.
Where Alchemy is the better choice
Theatre of the mind. If you rarely put a grid down, RollQuest's strengths are mostly wasted on you and Alchemy's presentation is the point.
Streaming and actual play. Alchemy is built with an audience in mind and it shows.
Immersive scene presentation. Full-bleed art and audio as a first-class part of the scene, rather than a map with a soundtrack.
Guided, published adventures in its own format. A different content model to ours.
Side by side
| Feature | RollQuest | Alchemy |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in a browser | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier | Yes, plays a full game | Yes, limited |
| Paid plans | Starter $3.99/mo, Pro $8.99/mo | Around $8/mo |
| Grid and tactical combat | Core | Secondary |
| Dynamic fog of war | Yes, free | Limited |
| Dynamic lighting | Yes, free | Limited |
| Wall and door vision blocking | Yes | No |
| Map builder | Yes, Pro | No |
| Cinematic scene presentation | Basic | Core |
| SRD content included | 5e and 5.5e | Varies |
| Character sheets that calculate | Yes | Yes |
Alchemy details checked September 2026 from public sources.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for D&D 5e?
If you use battle maps, RollQuest. If you run narrative-first with little tactical combat, Alchemy.
Does Alchemy have fog of war?
Not in the wall-and-vision sense RollQuest means by it. Its design centres on presented scenes rather than a tactical grid.
Can I use both?
Plenty of GMs run narrative scenes one way and fights another. Nothing stops you, though two tools means two places for your notes.
Is RollQuest cheaper?
Starter is $3.99/mo against roughly $8/mo, and RollQuest's free tier plays a complete game. But price probably isn't the deciding factor - the style of game is.
Does RollQuest do audio?
Yes. Scene music, a tagged sound library, battle music that starts with the fight and door-triggered sounds. See audio.
Try it
If you want the map, start free, drop a map in and draw four walls. Two minutes is enough to tell whether this is your kind of table.