A Foundry alternative you don't have to host
Foundry VTT is the most capable virtual tabletop you can buy, and you buy it once: $50 for the GM, players connect free. The catch is in the word "host". Foundry runs on your machine or a server you rent, and the thousands of modules that make it great are also the thing that eats your Sunday. RollQuest is the other trade: it runs in the browser, there's nothing to install, and the core table is free.
The short version
Foundry: one-off $50, self-hosted, every system under the sun, a module for everything, a learning curve to match. Your game is only up when your server is.
RollQuest: browser-based, hosted, nothing to install. Fog, lighting, sheets, dice and combat free. GM tools on Starter ($3.99) and Pro ($8.99). D&D 5e and 5.5e built in. Always up.
Where RollQuest is the better choice
No hosting. Nobody in your group needs to port-forward, rent a server or keep a PC on. If your GM's internet drops, the game stays up and the GM rejoins. Foundry hosting services (The Forge, Molten) fix this but add a monthly fee that undercuts the one-off price.
Setup time. Lighting is a panel, not a settings tree. Walls, doors and torches take minutes. Foundry can do more, but you'll spend an evening on modules first.
Player onboarding. Players open a link. No client, no version mismatches, no "the module updated and now my sheet's blank".
Map builder. On Pro, build maps inside the table with walls already wired. Foundry needs an external tool and a wall-tracing pass, or a paid module.
Sheets on your account. Characters travel between games. In Foundry, a character belongs to a world.
Where Foundry is the better choice
Depth and automation. Foundry's 5e system, with modules like Midi-QOL, automates more than RollQuest does. If you want spells to apply their own effects, Foundry is ahead.
Systems. Foundry supports hundreds of systems with real sheets. RollQuest has 5e and 5.5e.
Ownership. You bought it, it's yours, it works offline. RollQuest is a hosted service with a subscription for GM tools.
Modules. Anything you can imagine, someone has built. RollQuest has no module system.
Player count. Foundry's limit is your server. RollQuest holds 8 players plus the GM.
Side by side
| Feature | RollQuest | Foundry VTT |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Included | Self-host or paid service |
| Install | None | Desktop app or server |
| Price | Free; $3.99 / $8.99 mo | $50 once (+ hosting) |
| Dynamic lighting | Free | Included |
| Systems with sheets | 2 | Hundreds |
| Modules | No | Thousands |
| Map builder | Pro | Via modules or external |
| Players | 8 + GM | Server-dependent |
| Uptime | Hosted | Depends on your server |
Which should you pick?
Pick Foundry if you enjoy the tinkering, you run a non-D&D system, or you want deep automation and are willing to maintain it. Pick RollQuest if you want to run D&D this week with lighting and fog and not think about servers again. Plenty of Foundry GMs keep a RollQuest game for one-shots for exactly that reason.
Frequently asked questions
Is RollQuest cheaper than Foundry?
The free plan costs nothing. Over a year, Starter at $3.99 a month is about $48, close to Foundry's one-off $50 without hosting. Pro is $108 a year. If you'd otherwise pay for Foundry hosting, RollQuest is usually cheaper; if you self-host happily, Foundry is.
Can I import Foundry worlds?
No. Maps, notes and characters move by hand.
Does RollQuest have modules?
No. Features are built in and enabled by plan.
Does RollQuest work offline?
No, it's a hosted browser app.
Try it
app.rollquest.io, free, nothing to install. Or compare with Roll20 and Owlbear Rodeo.