# NPCGen5e vs Calamus

The clearest difference is rating: NPCGen5e at 3.5 against Calamus's 3.3. NPCGen5e also leads on review sentiment (41% vs 33%). Calamus's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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.

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.

NPCGen5e ships an update every 2 months, Calamus monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | NPCGen5e | Calamus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/npcgen5e/id1268363893/reviews)** | [3.3 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calamus/id1457518364/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 31 | **83** |
| Positive reviews | **41.2% of reviews** | 32.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 31 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MieTech, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1582077993) | [TrapStreet Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457518363) |

## What reviewers say

### NPCGen5e

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/npcgen5e/id1268363893)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy Me a Potion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gold Piece Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |
| Platinum Piece Upgrade | $4.99 | one-time |


### Calamus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calamus/id1457518364)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Calamus Player Only | $0.99 | per month |
| Full Version - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Calamus Monthly Subscription | $3.49 | per month |
| Full Version - Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Calamus Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| More Tokens Slots (12) | $0.99 | one-time |
| More Tokens Slots (30) | $0.99 | one-time |
| More Tokens Slots (24) | $0.99 | one-time |
| All Epic Token Icons | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2x2 Token Ring | $0.99 | one-time |
| More Map Slots (6) | $0.99 | one-time |
| More Tokens Slots (6) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full Roommaker | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Epic Token Rings | $2.99 | one-time |
| Player Enhanced Version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Pretty interface and icons
- 👍 Easy to start making maps
- 💡 Great for D&D campaigns
- 👍 Good art style
- 🚀 Fast to fix bugs

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Difficult to correct mistakes
- ❌ No undo option
- ❌ Clunky with Apple Pencil
- ❌ Missing assets even with subscription
- ❌ Walls erase when removing objects

**Reported bugs**

- No undo option
- Walls erase when removing objects
- Rune password login issues
- Water turns light blue when saving/cropping
- App repeatedly asks for password

**Requested features**

- Add undo option
- Improve Apple Pencil support
- Add more assets like columns
- Add desert themed items
- Add steering wheel and crows nest


## Frequently asked 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 24, 2026 and Calamus on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*