# epicGM vs Calamus

The clearest difference is rating: epicGM at 4.3 against Calamus's 3.3. On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. epicGM sells 8 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.

epicGM holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 101 and 83 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of epicGM's written reviews are positive against 33% of Calamus's.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | epicGM | Calamus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (101 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epicgm/id1292118031/reviews)** | [3.3 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calamus/id1457518364/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **101** | 83 |
| Positive reviews | **36.8% 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 | 237 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stanley Sison](https://appshunter.io/developer/1118863172) | [TrapStreet Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457518363) |

## What reviewers say

### epicGM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epicgm/id1292118031)

This app serves as a digital DM screen, battlemap, and compendium for tabletop role-playing games. It helps manage game notes, track combat encounters, and quickly look up game information. Users can also import and export campaign data.

**Highlights:** Digital DM notes with maps and images, Combat tracker for health and initiative, Quick compendium lookup, Interactive battlemap with tokens, XML and Dropbox support for data import/export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Donation | $0.99 | one-time |
| BGM Atmosphere | $1.99 | one-time |
| BGM Combat | $1.99 | one-time |
| BGM Location | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $2.99 | one-time |
| Map Tool Addon | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Donation | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Donation | $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 epicGM free?

epicGM 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, epicGM or Calamus?

epicGM is rated higher. epicGM averages 4.3 out of 5 from 101 ratings, while Calamus averages 3.3 from 83 ratings.

### Do epicGM or Calamus have ads?

Neither epicGM nor Calamus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, epicGM or Calamus?

epicGM ships an update every 2 months, and Calamus monthly. Most recently, epicGM 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.*