NPC For Hire vs Samwise
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NPC For Hire
This app assists Game Masters in creating and managing non-player characters (NPCs) for their tabletop role-playing games. It generates characters with unique personalities and provides hand-drawn portraits to enhance immersion.
- NPC generation
- NPC builder
- NPC management
- Hand-drawn portraits
- Story-driven aid
- Fantasy world immersion
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NPC For Hire is a story-driven aid for GMs that allows you to generate, build, and manage NPCs paired with beautiful hand-drawn portraits. GMs will be able to spin up a story that is not only compelling, but will immerse players in a fantasy world with ease. NPC For Hire includes a full library of hand-drawn portraits spanning multiple races — all free, no purchases required. Don't know where to start? Generate an NPC and use it as a launching point to craft a unique and memorable personality for your players. Already have an NPC in mind? Head to the builder and whip them up to help your players see the NPC as you do.
Samwise
This platform helps you create, manage, and play tabletop role-playing games. It offers tools for building custom RPG systems, interactive maps, and real-time chat for remote or in-person play. Enjoy a paperless gaming experience with seamless syncing across devices.
- Create custom RPG systems
- Interactive map builder
- Real-time chat and dice rolls
- Campaign note-taking
- Cross-device syncing
- Community content library
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Life is better with good friendships and great adventures! ——— MEET SAMWISE Every part of Samwise is made to help your sessions flow smoothly, with an intuitive, organized, and responsive design that stays clean and uncluttered, no matter the size of your campaign. ——— WHEREVER YOU GO Start on one device, continue on another. Samwise is fully featured across all your devices: if something happens to your phone or computer, just sign in on another one. Everything is saved online and synced in real time. ——— CREATE YOUR OWN TABLETOP RPGs Use a powerful and intuitive editor to create sheets, rulebooks, characters, classes, and more — all without writing a single line of code. And if you want to jump straight into adventure, play D&D and many other RPGs available at the Emporium, including community-made systems. ——— RALLY THE CLAN Whether in the same room or miles apart, embark on adventures with your friends while Samwise handles the rest. Manage sheets, take campaign notes, roll dice, chat, create interactive maps, and more. ——— MADE WITH LOVE Built to bring people together and spark meaningful connections, Samwise embraces the theatrical spirit and rich interactivity that make Tabletop RPGs so special. And with a green mindset, there's no need for paper and other materials, helping you protect the environment while you play. ——— COMMUNITY-DRIVEN You can play a vital role in shaping Samwise, be it by sharing creations at the Emporium or ideas and feedback on our Discord and Reddit communities (download the app to join them). ——— INTERACTIVE MAPS Quickly build maps from scratch or add interactivity to externally created ones. Walls, doors, items, characters — these are just a few of the various elements you can add to your maps, all designed to be easy to use. ——— CHAT & ROLL Chat and share dice rolls in real time along your journeys. Whether you're strategizing, celebrating victories, or just having fun, make every moment unforgettable. ——— CAMPAIGN NOTES Capture ideas, plans, character insights, and more throughout your adventures, ditching paper and physical clutter. ——— DOWNLOAD SAMWISE NOW AND START YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE! Samwise is here to celebrate the essence of Tabletop RPGs. We cherish what makes these games special: the shared moments, the player interactions, the theatrical storytelling. Our goal is to offer a complete, intuitive solution for Game Masters and players alike — one that stays true to the tastes of those who love this style of game while embracing modern technology. --- Standard Apple Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Samwise at 5.0 against NPC For Hire's 4.3. Samwise also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 76%). NPC For Hire's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (81 vs 9). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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
Both are free to download. NPC For Hire sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Samwise sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Samwise holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NPC For Hire has 81 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of NPC For Hire's written reviews are positive against 100% of Samwise's.
NPC For Hire ships an update every 3 months, Samwise every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NPC For Hire | Samwise |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (81 ratings) | 5.0 (9 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 81 — better | 9 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 75 MB | 113 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Knights of Vasteel LLC | Estúdio Pirilampo Mestre de Arte Digital |
Customer experience
NPC For Hire
Samwise
Bugs and requests
NPC For Hire
Reported bugs
5 issues- 🐛 Purchased packs won't download
- 🐛 Download promise timing out
- 🐛 App locked to portrait mode on iPad
- 🐛 Cannot write down stats
- 🐛 Downloading custom pictures not working with standard photo files
Requested features
21 requests- More job/occupation options
- More details like race/basic stats
- Landscape orientation support for iPads
- Export as PDF or other formats
- Ability to save photos for reuse within the app
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- Filter by race during random generation
- Option to create custom 'jobs'
- More free character photos
- Discounted 'purchase all' option
- More racial diversity in initial packs
- More unique 'legends' or customized content per pack
- Integration of stats, actions, and features (like 5e)
- Ability to delete custom images
- Alphabetical order for groups
- Dark Sun themed NPCs
- More color images
- More races and characters
- More depth: mannerisms, talents, flaws, traits
- Option to add NPCs under a tag directly from random screen
- Import own images/portraits
- Print function
Samwise
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NPC For Hire
- Angels and Demons$0.99
- Forest of Natlan$0.99
- Deep Caverns$0.99
Show 10 moreShow fewer
- Diplomacy$0.99
- Dragon Folk$0.99
- Elves of Ilfelin$0.99
- Heritage of Stone$0.99
- Houses of Dimlodir$0.99
- Leaders of the Occult$0.99
- Lost Hills$0.99
- Tales of Horror$0.99
- The Call of Adventure$0.99
- Thieves Guild$0.99
Samwise
- Legendary Edition Offer (Monthly)$2.991 Month
- Legendary Edition (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- Legendary Edition Offer (Yearly)$23.991 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Legendary Edition (Yearly)$47.991 Year
- LIFETIME Legendary Edition$59.99
- LIFETIME Legendary Edition$79.99
Questions
Is NPC For Hire free?
Is Samwise free?
Which has better reviews, NPC For Hire or Samwise?
Do NPC For Hire or Samwise have ads?
Which is updated more often, NPC For Hire or Samwise?
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