A Fantasy Grounds alternative that opens in a tab
Fantasy Grounds has been around longer than most of its competitors and it shows: the automation is deep, the officially-licensed catalogue is enormous, and since late 2025 the software itself is free. If that's working for your table, it's a good tool and you should keep using it.
The short version
RollQuest runs in a browser. You send a link, people click it, the game starts - no install, no licence to check, no "which version are you on" at the start of a session. The SRD content for 5e and 5.5e is included rather than bought, and the GM tools are a subscription rather than a catalogue.
Fantasy Grounds goes deeper on rules automation than RollQuest does, and if you want officially-licensed published adventures wired up ready to run, it has them and RollQuest does not.
Where RollQuest is the better choice
Nobody installs anything. The single biggest cost of Fantasy Grounds isn't money, it's the first session - getting five people to download, install and connect. A browser link removes that entirely, and it's why new and one-shot tables land here.
Content is included, not itemised. Both SRD 5.1 and SRD 5.2.1 ship with RollQuest - spells, monsters, items, class features - and you can browse the spell list without even making an account. There's no module to buy before your first session.
It works on whatever people have. Chromebook, work laptop, an iPad on the sofa. No platform to check.
The learning curve is shorter. Fantasy Grounds rewards investment; RollQuest is trying to be usable in the first hour. Fog of war is on by default, walls and doors need no configuration step, and the character sheets do their own maths without a ruleset to select.
Where Fantasy Grounds is the better choice
Officially-licensed published adventures. If you want a WotC or Paizo book already built, with the maps, statblocks and handouts wired in, Fantasy Grounds has a catalogue RollQuest has no answer to.
Deeper rules automation. Effects, targeting and the finer edges of the rules are further along there.
Systems beyond 5e, out of the box. Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Savage Worlds and many more have proper rulesets. RollQuest ships 5e and 5.5e; anything else means building it with the sheet designer.
You already own the modules. Sunk cost is a real reason. If your shelf is full of Fantasy Grounds content, that content doesn't travel.
Side by side
| Feature | RollQuest | Fantasy Grounds |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in a browser | Yes | No, desktop install |
| Cost of the software | Free; Starter $3.99/mo, Pro $8.99/mo | Free |
| SRD content included | Yes, 5e and 5.5e | Rulesets vary; much content bought per module |
| Officially-licensed adventures | No | Yes, large catalogue |
| Systems supported | 5e, 5.5e, plus anything you build | Very many, officially supported |
| Dynamic lighting and fog | Free | Yes |
| Players need to install | No | Yes |
| Depth of rules automation | Moderate | High |
Fantasy Grounds details checked September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fantasy Grounds still paid?
The software is free as of late 2025. Officially-licensed rulesets and adventures are still bought individually, and Fantasy Grounds Classic subscriptions remain for people on the older client.
So why switch if they're both free to start?
The install and the content model. RollQuest opens in a tab and includes the SRD; Fantasy Grounds needs everyone to install it and sells published content per module.
Can I import my Fantasy Grounds campaign?
No. There's no importer. Sheets are quick to rebuild with the guided builder, and maps can be uploaded as images.
Does RollQuest do Pathfinder?
Not out of the box. It ships 5e and 5.5e. Other systems are possible with the sheet designer on Pro, but that's building it yourself.
Which is better for a first-time GM?
RollQuest, on the install alone. Fantasy Grounds pays off for GMs who want to go deep.
Try it
Open a free game, send the link to one friend, and see how long it takes to get a token moving. No install on either end.