Owlbear Rodeo
Free tier
Roll20
Free tier
Owlbear Rodeo vs Roll20: Which Should You Use?
Last updated: 2026
Choose Owlbear Rodeo if…
GMs who want a fast, no-fuss map tool for one-shots or groups that handle rules elsewhere.
Visit Owlbear Rodeo →Choose Roll20 if…
New GMs who want to start quickly without spending money or installing software.
Visit Roll20 →Side-by-side comparison
| | | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free tier | ||
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Game systems | System agnostic | D&D 5e, Pathfinder 2e, Call of Cthulhu, System agnostic |
| Self-hosted | ||
| AI-powered | ||
| Open source | ||
| Works offline | ||
| Official content | ||
| Launched | 2019 | 2012 |
Pricing breakdown
Owlbear Rodeo
Free tier available; premium plans from $4.99/mo for additional storage and features.
Roll20
Free tier available; Plus $5.99/mo, Pro $9.99/mo for GMs. Players always free.
Pros & cons
Owlbear Rodeo
Pros
- Extremely fast to set up — shareable room link in seconds
- Clean, uncluttered interface
- Works well on tablets
Cons
- No built-in character sheets or dice rolling in free tier
- Limited automation compared to Roll20 or Foundry
- Asset storage capped on free plan
Roll20
Pros
- No software install — runs in any browser
- Largest existing user base and community
- Free tier is genuinely usable for basic games
Cons
- Dynamic lighting locked behind subscription
- Performance can degrade with large maps
- Older interface feels dated compared to newer VTTs
Frequently asked questions
Is Owlbear Rodeo or Roll20 cheaper?
Both Owlbear Rodeo and Roll20 have free tiers, so you can try both at no cost.
Can I use Owlbear Rodeo and Roll20 together?
Owlbear Rodeo and Roll20 overlap in the virtual-tabletops category, so most users pick one or the other rather than using both. That said, some GMs use them for different parts of their workflow if the tools serve genuinely different purposes.