Comparison

RPG Notebook vs Heartforge

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

Head to head
About

RPG Notebook

This app helps you build worlds, manage your tabletop RPG campaigns, and organize all your notes. It offers customizable entries, linking between ideas, and map management. Keep your game world organized and accessible.

Highlights
  • Campaign management
  • Customizable entries with various section types
  • Automatic hyperlinking between entries
  • Map creation and pin functionality
  • Themed templates for different settings
  • Extensive icon library
  • Backup and export options
Features
Read full description

RPG Notebook will help you build worlds, manage campaigns, and keep your notes tightly organized. Here are some of its great features: *CAMPAIGNS: Choose a name, select a theme that matches your setting, and simply start filling it with all your ideas. *ENTRIES: They can be customized any way you like with 8 types of sections (from simple text fields to trackers, checklists, and images) that you can name and place in any order you like. *TEMPLATES: If there's a section arrangement that you like, save it as a template for future use. *HYPERLINKS: When you finish writing something, the app checks if your text contains any phrases that match an existing entry or group name and automatically creates a link for you. *MAPS: Every campaign has a dedicated segment where numerous maps can be added. *MAP PINS: You can add simple note pins or special pins that link to an entry, group, or map. *JOURNAL: Journal notes will help you keep track of important events that happened during your sessions. *THEMES: The fantasy theme is great for the most popular tabletop RPG systems like dnd 5e or pathfinder, but the app also has themes for other settings: cthulhu, sci-fi, cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic, steampunk and wuxia. *ICONS: There are over 4000 built-in icons and 40 colors that you can use in your entries, but you can also add your own. *BACKUP: You can create a backup file and store it locally or export it so it can be shared with other devices. *MODES: Both light and dark modes are supported. *EVERYTHING IN YOUR POCKET: No more forgotten or lost notes. You will always be prepared for the next session or be able to immediately write down ideas that suddenly come to your mind wherever you are! :)

About

Heartforge

This app is a digital assistant for the Daggerheart tabletop role-playing game, offering tools for both game masters and players. It facilitates character sheet management, campaign building, encounter tracking, and provides a searchable compendium of game content. Features include offline functionality, soundscapes, and guided leveling up.

Highlights
  • Character sheet management
  • Campaign building tools
  • Combat encounter tracker
  • Searchable compendium
  • Offline functionality
  • Soundscape integration
  • Guided character leveling
Features
Read full description

Forge your next adventure. Heartforge is a powerful, tactile Daggerheart-compatible assistant for both game masters and players. Whether you’re building a campaign, running a tense encounter, or managing your character sheet, Heartforge brings your table together on iPad or iPhone. It’s designed to be fast, visual, and easy to use. For Game Masters • Adventures: Build, organize, and run your worlds with characters, loot, encounters, and locations. Link content with notes, @-mentions, and embedded statblocks. Invite your players to join to sync character stats and homebrew content. • Encounters: Track combat with tools built for Daggerheart. Manage Hit Points, Stress, and Fear with quick taps. Add adversaries directly from the environment your players are exploring. • Compendium: A searchable library of creatures, loot, equipment, and environments, now with Daggerheart SRD 2.0. Create your own, import content, and drop items into adventures or encounters with a tap. • Embed music and sounds in statblocks, encounters, and your prep notes for instant atmospheres at the tabletop. • Enjoy regular new creatures and environments, each with a One Page Adventure that works as a one-shot or a drop-in for ongoing campaigns. • Handy utilities like a dice calculator and Fear tracker. • Fully customizable Home view that works as your rules reference or a custom GM screen. For Players • Character Sheets: Track your abilities, Hope, Feats, equipment, and advancements in a clean, touch-friendly layout. • Join your GM’s adventure: Enter a join code to link your character to the adventure. Your GM can bring it into encounters and track its status, while its details and stats stay yours. • Level Up: Follow a guided flow to apply new traits and improvements without digging through reference material. • Companions & Beastforms: Manage companion stats and transformations right from your sheet. • Offline Ready: Everything works with or without an internet connection. Heartforge content is written by people, not AI, and the app is illustrated by real artists. Unlock the full Heartforge experience with a monthly or yearly subscription, granting access to all features and content drops. Why people love it • Supports user-generated content, free of charge • Scales from quick one-shots to sprawling campaigns • Tactile, approachable interface for both GMs and players • Built for Daggerheart from the ground up • Works offline Heartforge is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Darrington Press. Terms of use: https://www.heartforge.app/terms-of-use/ Privacy policy: https://www.heartforge.app/privacy-policy/

Screenshots

RPG Notebook4 screens
Heartforge4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: RPG Notebook at free with in-app purchases against Heartforge's subscription. RPG Notebook also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (51 vs 8). Heartforge's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 69%). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. RPG Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Heartforge sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RPG Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RPG Notebook has 51 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of RPG Notebook's written reviews are positive against 100% of Heartforge's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RPG Notebook ships an update monthly, Heartforge fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
RPG Notebook versus Heartforge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRPG NotebookHeartforge
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (51 ratings) — better3.8 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews69.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings51 — better8
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size198 MB189 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperMarta FecioLauri Kieksi

Customer experience

RPG Notebook

All ratings48 ratings
Positive72.9%
Neutral10.4%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews36 reviews
Positive69.4%
Neutral16.7%
Negative13.9%

Heartforge

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

RPG Notebook

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • App crashes completely after recent updates
  • App gets stuck on the home page after an update
  • Backup restoration fails, showing a loading wheel indefinitely
  • App force closes during note-taking, losing progress
  • Ads cannot be closed without opening their links
Show 1 more
  • App no longer opens completely before crashing out

Requested features

24 requests
  • Journal functionality for play-by-post games (disable name links)
  • Italicize text and other text editor functions
  • Trackers that reset to zero for accumulation
  • World building tools to combine campaigns
  • Link campaigns together for NPC referencing
Show 19 more
  • Output to PDF
  • Dedicated NPC section
  • Draw on uploaded maps
  • Always allow option for pasting from other apps
  • Font size adjustment for descriptions
  • Ability to invite or share notes with other players
  • Inventory management with counters
  • Add images or thumbnails to entries
  • Organize maps into groups
  • Allow icon links in maps to lead to other maps
  • Better map linking to zoom into specific spots
  • More markers for points of interest on maps
  • Add scenes that are not maps
  • List NPCs for points of interest
  • Attach NPCs to certain maps
  • Cloud sharing or accounts for cross-device sync
  • Share link for a campaign
  • DM view with hidden notes/locations
  • Formatted preview of all entry content at once

Heartforge

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

RPG Notebook

One-time1
  • Premium$4.99
3 purchases

Heartforge

Subscriptions2
  • Heartforge Premium (Monthly)$2.991 Month
  • Heartforge Premium Yearly$22.991 Year
One-time1
  • Heartforge Premium Lifetime$38.99

Questions

Is RPG Notebook free?
RPG Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Heartforge free?
Heartforge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RPG Notebook or Heartforge?
RPG Notebook is rated higher. RPG Notebook averages 4.0 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Heartforge averages 3.8 from 8 ratings.
Do RPG Notebook or Heartforge have ads?
RPG Notebook shows ads; Heartforge does not.
Which is updated more often, RPG Notebook or Heartforge?
RPG Notebook ships an update monthly, and Heartforge fortnightly. Most recently, RPG Notebook was updated on November 3, 2026 and Heartforge on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons