TL;DR
Realm VTT is the only virtual tabletop that is free, browser-based, and supports both 2D and 3D. Dynamic lighting, fog of war, and rules automation are included free, with no ads.
Cost to Play
Free
Roll20
Free
Foundry
$50 one-time (GM only)
Fantasy Grounds
Free
Talespire
$24.99 per player
Cost for Premium Features
Free
Roll20
Subscription ($5.99+/mo)
Foundry
Included w/ purchase
Fantasy Grounds
Free
Talespire
Included w/ purchase
Free Storage
200 MB
Roll20
100 MB
Foundry
n/a
Fantasy Grounds
n/a
Talespire
n/a
Ad-Free
Yes
Roll20
Free Tier has ads
Foundry
Yes
Fantasy Grounds
Yes
Talespire
Yes
2D + 3D Modes
Both. 2D free, 3D from $5.99/mo
Roll20
2D only
Foundry
2D only
Fantasy Grounds
2D only
Talespire
3D only
Runs in Browser
Yes
Roll20
Yes
Foundry
No - download
Fantasy Grounds
No - download
Talespire
No - download
Automation
Built-in
Roll20
Needs subscription
Foundry
Community modules
Fantasy Grounds
Built-in
Talespire
None
Swipe to compare
| Realm VTT | Roll20 | Foundry | Fantasy Grounds | Talespire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost to Play | Free | Free | $50 one-time (GM only) | Free | $24.99 per player, or GM seat packs ($50 for 4) |
Cost for Premium Features | Free | Requires subscription ($5.99+/mo) | Included in purchase | Free | Included in purchase |
Free Storage | 200 MB | 100 MB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Ad-Free | Yes | No - requires subscription | Yes | Yes | Yes |
2D + 3D Modes | Both. 2D always free. 3D: one free scene, unlimited from $5.99/mo | 2D only | 2D only | 2D only | 3D only |
Runs in Browser | Yes | Yes | No - Download + setup required | No - Download + setup required | No - Download + setup required |
Automation | Built-in | Requires subscription for scripting | Via community modules | Built-in | None |
Prices checked August 2026. Roll20 subscriptions start at $5.99/mo (Plus), with Pro at $10.99/mo. Fantasy Grounds dropped its license fees in November 2025 and sells official rulebooks separately. More detail: Realm vs Roll20, Realm vs Talespire, 3D on Realm.
See It for Yourself
Start Playing FreeRealm VTT
Realm VTT runs in the browser with nothing to download. The free tier includes dynamic lighting, fog of war, rules automation, and unlimited campaigns, with no ads. It is the only VTT on this list with both 2D and 3D modes: 2D is always free, and 3D includes one free scene, with unlimited 3D scenes from $5.99 a month. Players always play free. It has built-in support for six game systems, fewer than Roll20 or Foundry cover through community content.
Roll20
Roll20 is the most widely used VTT. It runs in the browser, is free to start, and supports a huge number of game systems through community character sheets. Its looking-for-group tools make it the easiest place to find an online game. Dynamic lighting and API scripting require a subscription ($5.99 to $10.99 a month), and free accounts see ads.
Foundry VTT
Foundry is a $50 one-time purchase for the GM, and players join free. It is the most customizable VTT, with thousands of free community modules. The tradeoff is setup: it is software you download and host yourself, or you pay a hosting service to run it for you.
Fantasy Grounds
Fantasy Grounds became free to play in November 2025. It has the deepest rules automation of any VTT and the largest catalog of officially licensed content, sold as individual rulebooks per system. It is a desktop install with a steeper learning curve than the browser-based options.
Talespire
Talespire is a 3D-only VTT on Steam with impressive visuals and building tools. Each player needs a $24.99 copy, or the GM can buy seat packs at $50 for 4 guests. It has no character sheets or rules automation, so most groups run separate sheet tools alongside it.