Comparison

NPCGen5e vs Calamus

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

Head to head
About

NPCGen5e

This tool randomly generates non-player characters for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. It provides a comprehensive set of details for each NPC, including stats, personality traits, and appearance. Premium features allow for filtering, saving, and exporting generated characters.

Highlights
  • Random NPC generation
  • Detailed NPC stats
  • Name, race, and alignment
  • Mannerisms and flaws
  • Appearance and voice descriptions
  • Filter and save NPCs
  • Export NPCs in various formats
Features
Read full description

NPCGen5e is a tool for fifth-edition Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Masters. It randomly creates an NPC to use in your world, based on the rules laid out in the Dungeon Master's Guide and Player's Handbook, with a little extra flavor from yours truly! Key Features: Generate quick NPCs on the fly, complete with the following information: • Name • Race and Subrace • Gender • Alignment • Armor Class • Hit Points • Ability Scores • Saving Throws • Skills • Damage Resistances • Damage Immunities • Condition Immunities • Senses • Languages • Challenge Rating • Mannerism • Talent • Bond • Flaw • Appearance • Voice Description • Trait(s) • Action(s) Premium Features: • Apply Filters to get exactly the NPC you need. • Save generated NPCs to quickly view them when you need.  • Export NPCs in XML, NPC, or Text format. • Edit Generated NPCs

About

Calamus

Create expansive battlemaps with hand-drawn tiles for tabletop RPGs. Design custom character tokens and host real-time games where players can move their own pieces. Engage in robust chat, sending messages as yourself or any in-game token.

Highlights
  • Create large battlemaps
  • Dozens of hand-drawn tiles
  • Custom PC, NPC, FOE tokens
  • Host real-time games
  • Player character movement
  • Robust in-game chat
  • Send messages as tokens
Features
Read full description

The Calamus is a companion for tabletop roleplaying games, such as Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder, that allows you to create huge battlemaps utilizing dozens of hand-drawn tiles, create custom PC, NPC, and FOE tokens, and host games in which players can add and move their own characters in real-time. It also features a robust chat, in which you can send messages as yourself or any token you have in play, publicly or privately. You can find our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy here: http://trapstreetstudios.com/theCalamus/tos/

Screenshots

NPCGen5e4 screens
Calamus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Calamus at monthly against NPCGen5e's every 2 months. Calamus also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). NPCGen5e's advantage is review sentiment (41% vs 33%). On price, rating, ratings volume 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. NPCGen5e sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Calamus sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NPCGen5e holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31 and 83 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of NPCGen5e's written reviews are positive against 33% of Calamus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NPCGen5e ships an update every 2 months, Calamus monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
NPCGen5e versus Calamus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNPCGen5eCalamus
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (31 ratings) — better3.3 (83 ratings)
Positive reviews41.2% of reviews — better32.5% of reviews
Number of ratings3183 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMieTech, LLCTrapStreet Studios

Customer experience

NPCGen5e

All ratings31 ratings
Positive61.3%
Neutral6.5%
Negative32.3%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive41.2%
Neutral17.6%
Negative41.2%

Calamus

All ratings83 ratings
Positive51.8%
Neutral16.9%
Negative31.3%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive32.5%
Neutral17.5%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

NPCGen5e

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Calamus

Reported bugs

40 issues
  • No undo option
  • Walls erase when removing objects
  • Rune password login issues
  • Water turns light blue when saving/cropping
  • App repeatedly asks for password
Show 35 more
  • Pop-ups are disruptive
  • Download issues
  • Support issues
  • Map saving issues
  • App crashes
  • Broken text formatting
  • Tabs do not work
  • Program freezes while placing tiles
  • Login issues after canceling subscription
  • Pinch and pull zoom doesn't work
  • Erase button in wrong menu
  • Forced password system
  • Locked out if away from app for too long
  • Not designed for mobile user experience
  • Maps don't save properly
  • App never loads
  • Never got to do much of anything
  • Non-functional, never makes it past loading screen
  • Monetization model kills it
  • Forced subscription after idle period
  • Limited variety of items
  • Cannot download saved maps
  • App asks for subscription after payment
  • Free app with subscription service
  • Too complicated login process
  • Freezes when adding players
  • Rune password is confusing
  • Subscription is a big problem
  • Keeps locking, requires frequent passcode entry
  • Slowdown on larger maps
  • Text is incredibly small
  • Menu screen swipe function doesn't work
  • Cannot figure out rune password
  • Slow learning curve
  • No simple tutorial

Requested features

18 requests
  • Add undo option
  • Improve Apple Pencil support
  • Add more assets like columns
  • Add desert themed items
  • Add steering wheel and crows nest
Show 13 more
  • Add fungi for underdark maps
  • Allow watching ads instead of subscription
  • Fix water color issue when saving/cropping
  • Improve login process
  • Add more variety of items
  • Allow downloading saved maps to device
  • Implement a one-time purchase option
  • Add more content
  • Change rune password system to typed password or tap option
  • Add more VTT features
  • Provide a simple tutorial
  • Allow maps to be exported as PDFs
  • Allow maps to be printed

In-app purchases

3 purchases

NPCGen5e

One-time3
  • Buy Me a Potion$0.99
  • Gold Piece Upgrade$2.99
  • Platinum Piece Upgrade$4.99
15 purchases

Calamus

Subscriptions5
  • Calamus Player Only$0.991 Month
  • Full Version - Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Calamus Monthly Subscription$3.491 Month
Show 2 more
  • Full Version - Yearly$29.991 Year
  • Calamus Yearly Subscription$39.991 Year
One-time10
  • More Tokens Slots (12)$0.99
  • More Tokens Slots (30)$0.99
  • More Tokens Slots (24)$0.99
Show 7 more
  • All Epic Token Icons$0.99
  • 2x2 Token Ring$0.99
  • More Map Slots (6)$0.99
  • More Tokens Slots (6)$0.99
  • Full Roommaker$1.99
  • All Epic Token Rings$2.99
  • Player Enhanced Version$2.99

Questions

Is NPCGen5e free?
NPCGen5e is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Calamus free?
Calamus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NPCGen5e or Calamus?
NPCGen5e is rated higher. NPCGen5e averages 3.5 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while Calamus averages 3.3 from 83 ratings.
Do NPCGen5e or Calamus have ads?
Neither NPCGen5e nor Calamus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NPCGen5e or Calamus?
NPCGen5e ships an update every 2 months, and Calamus monthly. Most recently, NPCGen5e was updated on October 17, 2026 and Calamus on October 22, 2026.

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