A free virtual tabletop, and what free means here
"Free VTT" usually means a free tier with the good parts behind a subscription, or free software you have to host and configure yourself. TerrainTale is a free account with everything in it: the 3D builder, the whole realistic library, play mode with the ruler and initiative, and scene export. There is nothing to unlock.
What is included at no cost
Everything the app does. There is one kind of account and it is free.
- The builder: room tool with seven kits, tile brush, shelf, prefabs, undo everywhere
- The library: PBR surfaces, photoscanned props and animated characters, all CC0
- Play mode: ruler in feet with waypoints and height, initiative, HP, conditions, pings
- Five finished starter scenes on the welcome screen
- Import of your own .glb models and image tokens; JSON export of any scene
Why it can be free
The library is built from CC0 sources (ambientCG materials, Poly Haven scans, KayKit characters), so there is no content to license and no marketplace to run. Scenes save in your browser and models are static files, so the server is a single small Node process that mostly serves pages and signs people in. There is no per-player cost because one screen is the table.
Free for the players, too
Players do not need accounts. The DM signs in, opens the map on a TV, a projector or a screen share, and drags minis as the players call their moves. Nobody buys a seat and nobody installs a client.
What you give up compared with a paid VTT
No remote multiplayer with each player at their own screen, no fog of war, no character sheets, dice automation or compendium. TerrainTale is the map and the fight on it. Groups that want automation or a remote shared room pair it with another tool or pick a different one; the comparison pages say where each is the better choice.
Or run your own copy
The server has no native dependencies: one Node process serves the site, the app and the accounts, behind any reverse proxy. A group or a club can host its own instance with its own sign-in options. Scenes export as JSON and import anywhere, with library models fetched automatically.
Questions
Are there hidden costs, tiers or ads?
No. One free account type, every feature included, no advertising. The library is CC0 so nothing inside the app is for sale.
Do I need an account?
Yes, one free account for the DM. Sign up with an email and password, a one-time email link, or Google, GitHub or Discord where the host has enabled them. Players need nothing.
Will it stay free?
The library is CC0 and the server is open and self-hostable, so whatever happens to the hosted copy a group can always run its own. Scenes are yours as JSON at any time.
Can I use my own models for free?
Yes. Drop any .glb on the window, including Draco and meshopt compressed files. Any image becomes a standee token.
Is the free version limited in map size or scene count?
No. Scenes save locally in the browser without a count limit, and a 60 by 60 square map runs fine on a discrete GPU.
Keep reading
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FAQ
Accounts, cost, hardware, systems.
Ready to put a map on the table?
Sign up in a minute. Five starter scenes are waiting on the welcome screen.