A Talespire alternative that runs in the browser
Talespire is the closest thing to miniatures on a screen: a dungeon built from 3D tiles, painted minis, a camera you fly around, and light that falls on the walls. If that look is what your group wants, nothing else on this page will give it to you. People come looking for an alternative for the reasons that have nothing to do with the look. Every player needs a seat or a copy. Everyone installs from Steam. Intel Macs and Chromebooks are out. And there are no character sheets in the box. RollQuest is the other trade: a 2D map in a browser tab, with the 5e rules, lighting and fog on the free plan.
The short version
Talespire: $24.99 for the GM's copy on Steam, and a seat ($15, or four for $50) for each player who doesn't own it. Windows and Apple Silicon Macs. 3D tiles, minis and scene lighting. No built-in character sheets or rules.
RollQuest: browser-based, nothing to install, free for the whole table including character sheets, lighting and fog of war. GM tools on Starter and Pro, from $3.99 and $8.99 a month billed yearly ($4.99 and $9.99 month to month). D&D 5e and 5.5e built in, and four games of its own. Eight players plus the GM.
Where RollQuest is the better choice
Nothing to install, nothing to buy per player. Send a link. A player with Chrome or Edge is in, on a Chromebook, an old Intel Mac or an Android phone. (Not on an iPhone or iPad yet.) With Talespire every seat is a purchase and every player is an install.
Character sheets in the table. Sheets that do the maths, for D&D 5e and 5.5e and four games of RollQuest's own, with every roll on them clickable and posting to chat. Talespire leaves sheets to community-made Symbiotes or a second window.
Dynamic lighting and fog with walls and doors. Per-token vision, lights, doors that block both, vision cones for a guard or a camera, and a map that reveals itself as the party explores, all on the free plan. A torch that travels with its token comes with Starter. Talespire lights a 3D scene beautifully, but what players can see is something the GM manages by hiding and revealing areas by hand.
Your own maps. Upload a battle map you drew, bought or generated, align the grid and draw walls. Talespire scenes are built from its tile set, so a map that exists as an image has to be rebuilt.
Cost for a full table. A GM and five players on RollQuest: free. The same table on Talespire: $24.99 for the GM plus five seats, or a copy each.
Where Talespire is the better choice
The look. 3D, minis, a camera, weather. No 2D map competes with it, and RollQuest does not try to.
Building in 3D. The tile builder is a hobby in its own right, and the community shares thousands of ready-made slabs and boards.
Pay once. No subscription, ever. A seat is a one-off purchase that moves with its owner from campaign to campaign.
Any system, by design. No built-in rules means nothing gets in the way of whatever you play. RollQuest's board is system-agnostic too, but its sheets cover six systems.
Side by side
| Feature | RollQuest | Talespire |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in | Browser: Chrome or Edge, and Android phones | Steam app (Early Access), Windows and Apple Silicon Mac |
| Cost for the GM | Free; Starter from $3.99/mo, Pro from $8.99/mo | $24.99 once |
| Cost per player | Free | $15 seat (four for $50), or own copy |
| Install required | No | Yes, every player |
| View | 2D map, 3D dice | 3D tiles and minis |
| Character sheets | Built in, six systems | No (community Symbiotes) |
| Dynamic lighting with walls | Free | 3D scene lighting; GM hides and reveals |
| Fog of war | Free, with token vision | GM-controlled hiding |
| Your own map images | Yes, free | No, scenes are built from tiles |
| Combat tracker | Battle Mode, free | Basic initiative |
| Rules automation | Six systems | None |
Talespire prices checked October 2026 and regionalised by Steam. RollQuest's "from" prices are billed yearly (Starter $4.99 and Pro $9.99 month to month), and founding prices are locked in for early subscribers.
Which should you pick?
If the miniatures look is the reason you play online, Talespire, and budget for the seats. If you want a table that any player can join from any device, with sheets and lighting doing the work for free, RollQuest. Some groups run both: Talespire for the set-piece dungeon, RollQuest for everything between.
Frequently asked questions
Does Talespire run on a Mac?
On Apple Silicon Macs, yes. Intel Macs are not supported. RollQuest runs in Chrome or Edge on any Mac, Intel or Apple Silicon, as it does on Windows, Linux and Chromebooks.
Do my players have to buy Talespire?
Each player needs their own copy or a seat the GM buys, plus the free Guest Edition download. RollQuest players need only a free account.
Does RollQuest do 3D?
No. RollQuest is a 2D map with physics-based 3D dice. If 3D is the point, Talespire is the right choice.
Is there a free way to try either?
Talespire's Guest Edition is free to download but needs a seat to join a game. RollQuest's free plan runs a complete game with no time limit.
Try it
Free plan, no download: app.rollquest.io. Or see how RollQuest compares with Foundry and Owlbear Rodeo, or every VTT we've compared.