Comparison

D&D Beyond vs Dnd Character Journal

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

Head to head
About

D&D Beyond

Manage your Dungeons & Dragons characters, access your digital library of adventures and sourcebooks, and roll dice with a built-in dice roller. This app provides offline access to your content and tools to make gameplay faster and more convenient for players and Dungeon Masters alike.

Highlights
  • Digital character sheets
  • Built-in dice roller
  • Offline library access
  • Guided character creator
  • Monster stat lookup
  • Spell and item management
Features
Read full description

Make your Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition games faster, easier, and more fun wherever your fantasy role-playing adventures lead with the free D&D Beyond app! Never enter a D&D campaign without your character sheet - access all your characters online or offline, roll using the built-in dice roller and be ready for skill checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or whatever twists & monsters your DM throws at you. Manage health and spell slots, access your equipment, and know your proficiencies from the palm of your hand. Access all your Dungeons & Dragons content anywhere you go-adventures, sourcebooks, and more are at your fingertips. Forgot your favorite 20-sided die? Roll directly in the app and crit in style with themed digital dice sets. * Start playing D&D fast with premade characters from Baldur's Gate 3 and Lost Mine of Phandelver or use our Guided Character Creator * Use your D&D character sheets, spells, and stats on the go * Save time with the built-in dice roller to roll any D20, D100, D12, D10, D8, D6 & D4s - we do the math! * Pull up monster stats like owlbears, dragons, or mimics or others seen in movies such as Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves * Offline access to your library--never miss your books, even in areas without wifi * Bookmarks and Search so you can find the rules, spells, items, and monsters when you need them! * Great for beginners, regular players, and seasoned Dungeon Masters * Easy to use digital tools used on shows like Critical Role More features coming soon! Check back for updates. Find us on Discord, X, Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest: @dndbeyond or @wizards_dnd Watch us: https://www.twitch.tv/dndbeyond or https://www.youtube.com/c/dndbeyond D&D Beyond is the official digital toolset and tabletop game companion for Dungeons & Dragons from Wizards of the Coast. Learn more at http://www.dndbeyond.com https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Dnd Character Journal

This app helps Dungeons & Dragons 5e players manage their characters and campaign world. It offers tools for downtime activities, character development, and campaign documentation, with an optional premium upgrade for more features.

Highlights
  • Downtime activity completion
  • Character backstory prompts
  • Campaign world documentation
  • Session note-taking
  • In-session inspiration
  • Share downtime results
Features
Read full description

Dnd Character Journal allows 5e players to engage with their characters and the larger campaign world like never before! Using this app, you can: – Complete downtime activities such as searching for treasure, competing in an archery contest, or crafting your signature magic item. – Develop your character through backstory prompts and fun role-play questions. – Document the campaign and larger world using the organized journal area. – Write session recaps and impromptu notes. – Earn inspiration by completing tasks between each session. – Share the results of your downtime with your group and DM. All with the click of a button! Upgrade to the premium version (one-time purchase) for additional features and customization: – Unlimited character slots – Additional character token customization All completely offline! No ads, no signups, no hassle. Simple and easy to use. (Token art by Ben Chang, @BChangArt)

Screenshots

D&D Beyond4 screens
Dnd Character Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Dnd Character Journal at none against D&D Beyond's shown. Dnd Character Journal also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). D&D Beyond's advantage is ratings volume (92K vs 11) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases 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. D&D Beyond sells 28 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Dnd Character Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for D&D Beyond against 4.8 for Dnd Character Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: D&D Beyond has 92K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of D&D Beyond's written reviews are positive against 60% of Dnd Character Journal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

D&D Beyond ships an update every 3 weeks, Dnd Character Journal every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
D&D Beyond versus Dnd Character Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterD&D BeyondDnd Character Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (92K ratings)4.8 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.9% of reviews60.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings92K — better11
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#64 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size306 MB61 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperWizards of the CoastMichael Wu

Customer experience

D&D Beyond

All ratings92,416 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral2.4%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews1,058 reviews
Positive53.9%
Neutral12.9%
Negative33.2%

Dnd Character Journal

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

D&D Beyond

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Artificial character creation issues
  • Inconsistent character sheet data
  • Crashes and freezes
  • Incompatibility with older devices
  • Login issues
Show 2 more
  • Incorrect spell/ability scaling
  • Unreliable offline functionality

Requested features

11 requests
  • Ability to scan physical books
  • More customization options
  • Game log tracker
  • Integrate ApplePay for subscription
  • Ability to manage experience, levels, items, etc. within the app
Show 6 more
  • Ability to create/edit campaigns, encounters, items, spells, etc. within the app
  • Ability to view custom modifications, backgrounds, frames, etc. within the app
  • Integrate dice rolling feature
  • Integrate character preparation features
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve accessibility for visually impaired users

Dnd Character Journal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

28 purchases

D&D Beyond

Subscriptions4
  • Hero Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Master Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Hero Annual$25.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Master Annual$54.991 Year
One-time24
  • The Magus Class$14.99
  • Valda’s Spire of Secrets:...$14.99
  • The Pugilist Class (2024)$14.99
Show 21 more
  • Valda’s Spire of Secrets$14.99
  • The Illrigger Revised$14.99
  • Grim Hollow: Player Pack$14.99
  • Eberron: Forge of the...$19.99
  • Monster Manual$29.99
  • The Book of Many Things$29.99
  • Arcana Unleashed$29.99
  • Dungeon Master's Guide$29.99
  • Xanathar's Guide to Everything$29.99
  • Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything$29.99
  • Player's Handbook$29.99
  • Monsters of the Multiverse$29.99
  • Player’s Handbook (2024)$29.99
  • Heliana’s Guide to Monster...2 variants$29.99
  • Obojima: Tales from the...$29.99
  • Monster Manual (2024)$29.99
  • The Griffon’s Saddlebag:...$29.99
  • Dungeon Master’s Guide (2024)$29.99
  • Ravenloft: The Horrors Within$39.99
  • Lord of the Rings Roleplaying$39.99
  • Book of Ebon Tides$39.99
1 purchases

Dnd Character Journal

One-time1
  • Premium Version$1.99

Questions

Is D&D Beyond free?
D&D Beyond is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dnd Character Journal free?
Dnd Character Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, D&D Beyond or Dnd Character Journal?
Dnd Character Journal is rated higher. D&D Beyond averages 4.7 out of 5 from 92K ratings, while Dnd Character Journal averages 4.8 from 11 ratings.
Do D&D Beyond or Dnd Character Journal have ads?
D&D Beyond shows ads; Dnd Character Journal does not.
Which is updated more often, D&D Beyond or Dnd Character Journal?
D&D Beyond ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dnd Character Journal every 3 months. Most recently, D&D Beyond was updated on October 30, 2026 and Dnd Character Journal on October 24, 2026.

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