Hex Map Maker vs RPG Spark
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hex Map Maker
Easily create and print old-school style RPG hex maps for tabletop games. Choose from various symbols and hex types, adjust map size, and save your creations locally. Print your maps to add custom details for your campaigns.
- Pointy-top or flat-top hexes
- Customizable map size
- Seven map symbols
- Pinch-to-zoom and pan
- Print map sections or full map
- Save maps locally
- Offline map creation
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Easily make and print old-school style role-playing game hex maps! Hex Map Maker is designed to make maps similar to those from the old Dungeons & Dragons® Expert set for use in pen and paper role-playing games. Use the symbol picker to choose a symbol and then tap on the hexes to see your map take shape. Make a mistake? Just pick a different symbol and tap the hexes to change. Change hex types or map size without losing your current map! (Though it will look a little different as the rows and columns move around.) Features: * Choose from either pointy-top or flat-top hexes. * Make maps of any size by choosing the number of rows and columns from the menu. * Seven symbols to choose from: Mountains, Hills, Forest, Desert, Grassland, Water, and Blank. * Pinch and zoom or pan with two fingers to see the whole map or zoom in to focus on details. * Print whatever is on the screen -- so you can print the whole map or just a small portion. * Save your maps to local storage so you can carry your entire campaign in your pocket. * Print the map and then draw cities, roads, dungeons, rivers or anything else you need on it -- your imagination is the limit. Design help by Erika Cary (https://erikacary.com/). Dungeons & Dragons® is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast. This app is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC. For more information about Wizards of the Coast and current versions of their games, please visit their website at http://www.wizards.com/ .
RPG Spark
This app is a comprehensive toolkit for tabletop role-playing games, offering a wide array of random generators for names, NPCs, encounters, and more. It includes dedicated support for popular games like Ironsworn and Starforged, along with dice rollers, card decks, and a campaign tracker. It works offline and supports multiple languages and genres.
- 110+ random generators
- Dedicated Ironsworn & Starforged support
- Dice roller with extended dice
- Tarot and standard card decks
- Solo play oracle
- Campaign tracker and journal
- Offline functionality
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RPG Spark is the ultimate TTRPG toolkit for game masters and solo RPG players. Name generators, NPC builders, encounter tables, dice, oracles, and 200+ random tables - in your pocket, offline, one tap. BUILT FOR GMs AND SOLO PLAY Whether you're prepping next session, improvising at the table, or playing solo, RPG Spark gives you random content on demand. System-agnostic tools work with any tabletop RPG, with dedicated support for Ironsworn, Starforged, and OSR-style games. KEY FEATURES RANDOM GENERATORS (200+) - Character names for fantasy races (human, elf, dwarf, orc, halfling) - Cyberpunk names (runners, fixers, gangers, yakuza, corporate) - Tavern names, street names, shop names, districts - Complete NPCs with personality, quirks, voice, and secrets - Dungeon rooms, traps, atmosphere, and features - Wilderness tools: encounters, weather, landmarks, campsites - Quest hooks, objectives, complications, and rewards - Magic items, cursed items, loot, and treasure - Create your own custom generators and combos (Pro) GAME SYSTEMS - Full support for Ironsworn, Starforged, Delve, Sundered Isles, and classic B/X - Complete move reference with action roll, progress roll, and oracle outcomes - Character sheets with momentum, conditions, debilities, and bonds - Progress tracks for vows, journeys, combat, and expeditions - Quick Reference panel for rules lookup during play - Official oracles and tables from the published SRDs THE ATLAS - Map your campaign: places nest region to city to room, unlimited and free - Hex map you can pinch, drag, and print, with every link drawn (Pro) - Roll travel moves on the map; the journal logs where the party arrived DICE ROLLER - Standard and extended dice, d2 to d100 - 15 types in all - Custom dice systems with user-defined symbols and rules CARD DECKS - Full 78-card tarot deck with story mode and spreads - Standard 52-card deck with draw and discard - Custom card decks with images, titles, and descriptions (Pro) SOLO PLAY ORACLE - Yes/No oracle with probability levels (Certain to Impossible) - Detailed meaning generation with context - Scene complications and twists - Discovery tables for exploration - Perfect for Mythic GME and solo journaling games CAMPAIGN TRACKER & JOURNAL - Create campaigns with genre selection and chaos meter - System campaigns with built-in moves, oracles, and rules - Session journals with inline dice, oracle, cards, and generators CHARACTER SHEETS & NPC TRACKER - Custom sheets with counters, dice fields, checkboxes, and text - System sheets with momentum, conditions, and progress tracks - Track NPCs and plot threads with @mentions and #references - Tappable links between journal entries, NPCs, and threads ADDITIONAL FEATURES - Works 100% offline - no internet needed, ever - 7 languages supported (EN, DE, ES, FR, IT, PL, ZH) - 5 genre modes (Fantasy, Cyberpunk, Post-Apocalyptic, Horror, Sci-Fi) FREE & PRO RPG Spark is free with generous features for every session: - 20+ generators (NPCs, names, quests, dungeons, taverns, and more) - Full dice roller (d2-d100, 15 dice) with pool building, plus one custom dice system - Yes/No, meaning, and reaction oracles for solo play - 52-card deck, tarot draws, and one custom card deck - Import shared card decks from your GM - History (50 entries), campaign tracker, all 7 languages Upgrade to RPG Spark Pro ($4.99, one-time) for the full toolkit: - All 200+ generators across 5 genres - Unlimited custom dice systems - Unlimited custom card decks, with spell slots - Tarot meanings, reversals, and story mode - 6 advanced oracle tools (scene check, NPC actions, events, and more) - Unlimited history with markdown export - Unlimited campaign threads and NPCs No ads. No subscriptions. No account required. Perfect for Ironsworn, Starforged, OSR games (Old School Essentials, Labyrinth Lord, Swords & Wizardry), D&D, Pathfinder, Shadowrun, Cyberpunk RED, solo RPGs, and any tabletop system.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: RPG Spark at 4.8 against Hex Map Maker's 3.3. RPG Spark also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%). Hex Map Maker's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (47 vs 6). On price, update cadence, ads 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. RPG Spark sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hex Map Maker asks for nothing beyond the download.
RPG Spark holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hex Map Maker has 47 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Hex Map Maker's written reviews are positive against 100% of RPG Spark's.
Hex Map Maker ships an update fortnightly, RPG Spark every 11 days. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.
| Parameter | Hex Map Maker | RPG Spark |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (47 ratings) | 4.8 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 47 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Freemium — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 75 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Michael Friedman | Karol Grabowski |
Customer experience
Hex Map Maker
RPG Spark
In-app purchases
Hex Map Maker
No in-app purchases
RPG Spark
- RPG Spark Pro$4.99
Questions
Is Hex Map Maker free?
Is RPG Spark free?
Which has better reviews, Hex Map Maker or RPG Spark?
Do Hex Map Maker or RPG Spark have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hex Map Maker or RPG Spark?
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