The board game designer’s guide to virtual tabletop environments for online playtesting
3D Virtual Tabletop
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: free for basic, pay for premium
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser, mobile app
Pricing info: http://www.3dvtt.com/pricing
FAQ: https://www.youtube.com/user/3DVirtualTabletop
Restrictions: Built primarily for RPG campaigns.
Anywhere Board Games
Prototype-friendly: no
Tech skills required: coding knowledge required
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: desktop download
FAQ: http://anywhereboardgames.com/?Using_Anywhere_Board_Games
Restrictions: Appears inactive since 2014.
Arkenforge
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: one-time fee
Monetization features: no
Platform: desktop download
Pricing info: https://arkenforge.com/product-category/software/
FAQ: https://arkenforge.com/faq/
Restrictions: Built primarily for RPG campaigns.
Battlegrounds Gaming Engine
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: one-time fee
Monetization features: no
Platform: desktop download
Pricing info: http://battlegroundsgames.com/store/
FAQ: http://battlegroundsgames.com/video-tutorials-and-demos/
Restrictions: none
Beyond Tabletop
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: https://www.beyondtabletop.com/help/faq
Restrictions: Built primarily for RPG campaigns.
Board Game Arena
Prototype-friendly: no
Tech skills required: N/A
Sales model: free for basic, pay for premium
Monetization features: https://en.boardgamearena.com/gamepublishers
Platform: web browser
Pricing info: https://en.boardgamearena.com/premium
FAQ: https://en.boardgamearena.com/faq
Restrictions: Built primarily for published games. No clear option to let designers post prototypes.
Board Game Engine
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: one-time fee
Monetization features: unclear
Platform: Steam
Pricing info: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1683820/Board_Game_Engine/
FAQ: N/A
Restrictions: In early access as of January 2022.
Boardgame Lab
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: https://docs.boardgamelab.app/
Restrictions: In limited preview as of January 2022.
boardgame.io
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: coding knowledge required
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: https://boardgame.io/documentation/#/
Restrictions: none
BrettspielWelt
Prototype-friendly: no
Tech skills required: N/A
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: N/A
Restrictions: Built primarily for published games. No clear option to let designers post prototypes.
Fantasy Grounds
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: coding knowledge required
Sales model: one-time or recurring fee
Monetization features: https://fantasygroundsunity.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FGCP/pages/1896906756/FG+Forge+-+Become+A+Crafter
Platform: Steam, desktop download
Pricing info: http://www.fantasygrounds.com/home/home.php
FAQ: https://fantasygroundsunity.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FGCP/overview
Restrictions: Built primarily for RPG campaigns.
Foundry Virtual Tabletop
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: coding knowledge required
Sales model: one-time fee
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
Pricing info: https://foundryvtt.com/purchase/
FAQ: https://foundryvtt.com/kb/
Restrictions: Built primarily for RPG campaigns.
FreeBoardGames.org
Prototype-friendly: no
Tech skills required: N/A
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: N/A
Restrictions: Built primarily for published games. No clear option to let designers post prototypes.
GameStructor
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: free for basic, pay for premium
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: N/A
Restrictions: none
Happy Meeple
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: coding knowledge required
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: https://www.mindbelts.com/en/developer/dev_start.php
Restrictions: none
LackeyCCG
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: desktop download
FAQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB4V2Xj5tzg&list=PLz0PXi-pdFkK1hQHGtd1HBHNm13GK8vDq
Restrictions: none
One Word Platform
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: platform promises a user-friendly interface when it rolls out
Sales model: free for basic, pay for premium
Monetization features: https://oneword.games/platform
Platform: web browser
Pricing info: https://oneword.games/supporter
FAQ: https://oneword.games/platform
Restrictions: Built for virtual party games. In early access as of January 2022.
PlayingCards.io
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: free, with premium options in the works
Monetization features: indirect, you can sell a file that lets the buyer create a room with your game
Platform: web browser
FAQ: https://playingcards.io/docs/
Restrictions: Rooms expire after 30 days of inactivity but can be downloaded and easily recreated.
Roll20
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: free for basic, pay for premium
Monetization features: https://help.roll20.net/hc/en-us/articles/360039723533-Marketplace-Creator-HQ
Platform: web browser
Pricing info: https://app.roll20.net/why-subscribe-to-roll20
FAQ: https://help.roll20.net/hc/en-us
Restrictions: Built primarily for RPG campaigns.
Screentop.gg
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: only for advanced functions
Sales model: free, with premium options in the works
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: https://screentop.gg/learn
Restrictions: none
Sovranti
Prototype-friendly: no
Tech skills required: N/A
Sales model: free for basic, pay for premium
Monetization features: https://www.sovranti.com/publishers
Platform: mobile app, desktop download
Pricing info: https://www.sovranti.com/upgrade
FAQ: https://www.sovranti.com/faq
Restrictions: Built primarily for published games. No clear option to let designers post prototypes.
Story Synth
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: only for advanced functions
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: https://docs.storysynth.org/guide/#overview
Restrictions: Built primarily for storytelling games.
Tabletop Playground
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: only for advanced functions
Sales model: one-time fee
Monetization features: no
Platform: Steam
Pricing info: https://store.steampowered.com/app/838410/Tabletop_Playground/
FAQ: https://tabletop-playground.com/knowledge-base/
Restrictions: none
Tabletop Simulator
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: only for advanced functions
Sales model: one-time fee
Monetization features: https://tabletopsimulator.com/contact/publishers
Platform: Steam
Pricing info: https://store.steampowered.com/app/286160/Tabletop_Simulator/
FAQ: https://kb.tabletopsimulator.com/
Restrictions: none
Tabletopia
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: only for advanced functions
Sales model: free for basic, pay for premium
Monetization features: https://tabletopia.com/static/agreements/tabletopia-license-summary.pdf
Platform: web browser, mobile app, Steam
Pricing info: https://tabletopia.com/about
FAQ: https://help.tabletopia.com/knowledge-base/how-to-create-a-game/
Restrictions: none
Vassal
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: only for advanced functions
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: desktop download
FAQ: https://vassalengine.org/wiki/How_to_Create_a_Module_Page
Restrictions: none
virtual card table
Prototype-friendly: no
Tech skills required: coding knowledge required
Sales model: free
Monetization features: unclear
Platform: desktop download
FAQ: N/A
Restrictions: Appears inactive since 2013.
VirtualTabletop.io
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: https://github.com/ArnoldSmith86/virtualtabletop/wiki
Restrictions: none
Vorpal Board
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: none
Sales model: one-time and recurring fees
Monetization features: no
Platform: mobile app
Pricing info: https://www.vorpalboard.com/product/vorpal-board-boardgame-package/
FAQ: https://www.vorpalboard.com/category/how-to/
Restrictions: Full package comes with special hardware.
Yucata
Prototype-friendly: no
Tech skills required: N/A
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: web browser
FAQ: https://www.yucata.de/en/FAQ
Restrictions: Built primarily for published games. No clear option to let designers post prototypes.
ZunTzu
Prototype-friendly: yes
Tech skills required: coding knowledge required
Sales model: free
Monetization features: no
Platform: desktop download
FAQ: https://www.zuntzu.com/support.htm
Restrictions: Built primarily for wargames.
If you know of any other virtual tabletop offerings or have updated information about the ones above, please notify us at any of the accounts below.