Comparison

Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop vs HeroQuest

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop

This app empowers Game Masters to run immersive tabletop RPG sessions. It offers tools for tracking player stats, managing encounters, and utilizing battle maps with various customization options. Enhance your game with features like initiative tracking, a random encounter generator, and support for multiple RPG systems.

Highlights
  • Support for multiple RPG systems
  • Initiative, health, and condition tracking
  • Random encounter generator
  • Battle map tools with Fog of War
  • Dice roller and roll tables
  • Content import/export
  • External display support
Features
Read full description

Encounter+ is a system-agnostic virtual tabletop and toolkit for Game Masters. Download game-system packages for D&D 5e, Daggerheart, Pathfinder and other tabletop RPGs from the in-app public repository. Track initiative and hit points, look up monsters and spells, and run battle maps with fog of war, line of sight and dynamic lighting on iPad and iPhone. Start free with initiative tracking, encounter building, campaigns, a searchable library and dice rolls. Unlock battle maps with a one-time purchase, or subscribe to Premium for battle maps, remote play and animated effects. No ads, ever. Free Features: • Downloadable game-system packages from the in-app public repository • D&D 5e and Daggerheart packages include system definitions and System Reference Document (SRD) content • Pathfinder package includes the system definition only • Initiative, health, experience, and condition tracking • Random encounter generator and difficulty calculator • Searchable library for monsters, magic items, spells and your own content • Bookmarks, quick search, and customizable shortcuts • Campaigns, modules and asset packs • Rich page content editor • Dice roller and roll tables • Content import/export • iPad Multitasking, split screen, and drag & drop • External display support via AirPlay • No ads—ever Battle Maps — One-Time Purchase: • Tokens, auras, tiles, and spell areas of effect • Square, hex, and custom grid options • Fog of War and dynamic lighting, with bright and dim lights, token vision and multiple wall types • Apple Pencil drawing tools • Animated video backgrounds Premium — Optional Subscription: • Includes all Battle Map features while subscribed • 3D dice roller with multiple themes and styles • Animated tiles, auras, and spell effects • Weather effects including rain, snow, and fog • Built‑in web server with Remote Play Information about subscriptions: • Eligible subscribers can try Premium free for one week. • Any unused portion of a free trial, if offered, is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. • Payment will be charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. • Your subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. • Premium features remain available while your monthly or yearly subscription is active. • Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. • You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. • Read our terms of service (https://encounter.plus/terms) and privacy policy (https://encounter.plus/privacy-policy) for more information.

About

HeroQuest

This app serves as a digital Game Master for the HeroQuest tabletop game, narrating quests, revealing dangers, and tracking progress. It allows players to digitally manage character stats and experience spells and artifacts.

Highlights
  • Narrated quest instructions
  • Sound effects and dungeon atmosphere
  • Digital character stat tracking
  • Quest event tracking
  • On-screen spell and artifact effects
  • Guided gameplay for new players
Features
Read full description

COMPANION APP ONLY. HEROQUEST GAME SYSTEM REQUIRED TO PLAY. Meet your new Game Master. The free HeroQuest Companion App allows you to run your next tabletop game session so everyone can play as heroes! The app takes on the role of Zargon using the onscreen quest map. Additional features include: • Narrated quest instructions, sound effects, and dungeon atmosphere • Dangers are revealed as the heroes explore dungeons • Quest events are tracked along with game progress • Players can record character Mind and Body Points digitally in-app • Spells and artifact effects are cast and triggered on screen • New players are guided through key aspects of gameplay such as movement, actions, searching for treasure, and more

Screenshots

Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop4 screens
HeroQuest4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HeroQuest at none against Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop's 7. HeroQuest also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (75% vs 54%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. HeroQuest asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 570 and 221 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop's written reviews are positive against 54% of HeroQuest's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop ships an update monthly, HeroQuest every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop versus HeroQuest: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEncounter+ Virtual TabletopHeroQuest
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (570 ratings) — better4.0 (221 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews — better53.9% of reviews
Number of ratings570 — better221
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS18.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB560 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperQBITHasbro, Inc.

Customer experience

Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop

All ratings568 ratings
Positive83.5%
Neutral5.1%
Negative11.4%
Written reviews244 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral9.0%
Negative16.0%

HeroQuest

All ratings220 ratings
Positive74.5%
Neutral14.1%
Negative11.4%
Written reviews282 reviews
Positive53.9%
Neutral23.4%
Negative22.7%

User reviews

Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop

From 570 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent encounter manager
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🎨 Great visual presentation
  • 💡 Customizable content creation
  • 🔍 Comprehensive compendium

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 💰 Subscription model for some features
  • 🔍 Incomplete monster and spell lists
  • 🤔 Steep learning curve for some features
  • 🔧 Lack of detailed documentation

HeroQuest

From 221 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent addition
  • 👍 Love the app
  • 👍 Great start
  • 👍 Fantastic app
  • 👍 Amazing app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Hypnotic Blaze not working
  • 🐛 Traps not detected properly
  • 🐛 Monsters can move through furniture
  • 🐛 Spells not working as expected
  • 🐛 Quests glitching

Bugs and requests

Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Map display issues on external screens
  • Inconsistent behavior after updates
  • Inability to restore previous purchases

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to duplicate monsters
  • Lair actions for custom monsters
  • Integrated character sheet management
  • Improved map import and editing tools
  • Dice rolling and sound effects

HeroQuest

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Hypnotic Blaze not working
  • Traps not detected properly
  • Monsters can move through furniture
  • Spells not working as expected
  • Quests glitching
Show 4 more
  • Crashes on loading
  • Buggy and stuck
  • Doesn't work on iPad
  • No sound

Requested features

10 requests
  • Allow random monster targeting
  • Add Jungles of Delthrak expansion
  • Implement landscape mode
  • Add online/remote play
  • Implement quest/dungeon builder
Show 5 more
  • Add more difficult monsters
  • Allow monsters to roll defense dice
  • Add character customization
  • Implement save/load functionality
  • Add the Knight character

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time5
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$2.99
  • Large Tip$6.99
Show 2 more
  • Huge Tip$8.99
  • Battle Map Support$10.99
None

HeroQuest

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop free?
Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HeroQuest free?
HeroQuest is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop or HeroQuest?
Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop is rated higher. Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop averages 4.4 out of 5 from 570 ratings, while HeroQuest averages 4.0 from 221 ratings.
Do Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop or HeroQuest have ads?
Neither Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop nor HeroQuest shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop or HeroQuest?
Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop ships an update monthly, and HeroQuest every 5 weeks. Most recently, Encounter+ Virtual Tabletop was updated on November 2, 2026 and HeroQuest on November 3, 2026.

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