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 that follows sight. Draw four walls and a door, and the fog clears as each token sees, with lights and darkvision doing their part, on the free plan. Alchemy's fog is painted on and revealed by hand.
You can build the map. On Pro, a map builder paints rooms, floors and props into a map, and roofs you place on the board fade as the party walks under them.
The SRD is included and the sheets do the maths. Both revisions, 5e and 5.5e, with sheets that calculate and roll.
Big moments on cue, too. A held action lines up a roll of thunder, a pause and a change of scene, then fires them one step at a time, and a vista puts a picture up instead of the map when the party crests the hill. Both are on every plan.
Where Alchemy is the better choice
It's all free. Alchemy has no paid plan for features: the Alchemist supporter tier ($8 a month) adds perks such as early access, not tools. RollQuest's free plan plays a whole game, but its journal, cards, map builder and homebrew are on Starter and Pro.
Theatre of the mind. If you rarely put a grid down, Alchemy's presentation is the point. RollQuest's vistas cover the odd scene without a map, but its strengths are on the grid.
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.
More places to play. Alchemy runs in Firefox as well as Chrome and Edge, and as a desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux. RollQuest needs Chrome or Edge.
Side by side
| Feature | RollQuest | Alchemy |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in a browser | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier | Yes, plays a full game | Yes, every feature |
| Paid plans | Starter from $3.99/mo, Pro from $8.99/mo | None for features; Alchemist supporter tier $8/mo |
| Grid and tactical combat | Core | Secondary |
| Fog of war | Yes, clears by line of sight | Painted and revealed by hand |
| Dynamic lighting | Yes, free | Not in its documentation |
| Wall and door vision blocking | Yes | Not in its documentation |
| Map builder | Yes, Pro | No |
| Cinematic scene presentation | Vistas, scene music, held actions | Core |
| SRD content included | 5e and 5.5e | Varies |
| Character sheets that calculate | Yes | Yes |
Alchemy details checked October 2026 on alchemyrpg.com and its help centre. RollQuest's "from" prices are billed yearly; month to month, Starter is $4.99 and Pro $9.99.
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?
Yes, painted by hand: the GM brushes fog on and reveals it. Its documentation doesn't describe fog that clears by line of sight from walls and doors, the way RollQuest's does.
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?
No. Alchemy is free, with an optional $8 a month supporter tier that adds perks, not features. RollQuest's free plan plays a complete game too, and Starter and Pro add GM tools. Price isn't the deciding factor here: 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 sounds, and on Starter, playlists that crossfade from one track to the next. 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.