Roll20

Roll20 is a browser-based virtual tabletop platform that lets players and Game Masters share an online gaming space. Its most recognizable tools are a map canvas, movable tokens, character sheets, dice rolling, text chat, voice and video communication, and compendium content. The service is designed to support tabletop roleplaying games when participants cannot meet around the same physical table, but it also provides tools for in-person groups that want digital maps, automation, or shared records between their sessions and games.

The project began after its founders recognized a practical problem in tabletop gaming: friends living in different places needed a common, accessible play space. Roll20 launched through Kickstarter in 2012, and its early identity centered on bringing the tabletop experience into a web browser rather than requiring a dedicated software installation. That browser-first approach helped the platform reach groups using different computers and operating systems. Over time, Roll20 expanded from a general virtual tabletop into a marketplace and publishing platform, connecting digital play with licensed game rules, adventures, artwork, music, and other downloadable or in-platform resources.

A defining feature of Roll20 is its implementation of game-specific character sheets and compendium integrations. A group can choose a supported system, create or import characters, drag rules elements into a sheet, and roll from that interface. Support has included major games such as Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Cyberpunk RED, and Vampire: the Masquerade. The exact experience varies by publisher permissions and by the level of automation available for a particular game.

Roll20’s marketplace contains products from publishers, although availability depends on licensing agreements and the formats offered for particular titles for a user’s account type. Marketplace purchases may provide digital books, adventures, tokens, maps, or other assets, while free accounts and paid subscriptions offer different storage, customization, and game-management features. The platform has used subscription tiers, including Plus and Pro, alongside free access. These tiers have changed over time, so current prices and benefits require checking.

Beyond its technology, Roll20 has become a venue for organized play, streamed campaigns, and creator-led programming. Its social and discovery functions help users find games, while campaign pages let organizers keep journals, handouts, maps, and player permissions together. The platform has also supported charitable events and public demonstrations, reflecting the broader growth of online tabletop play during periods when physical gatherings were difficult. Nevertheless, Roll20 is not a game publisher in the narrow sense. It distributes licensed material from many rights holders under separate agreements.