Comparison

Samwise vs DnD 5e Encounter Keep

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

Head to head
About

Samwise

This platform helps you create, manage, and play tabletop role-playing games. It offers tools for building custom RPG systems, interactive maps, and real-time chat for remote or in-person play. Enjoy a paperless gaming experience with seamless syncing across devices.

Highlights
  • Create custom RPG systems
  • Interactive map builder
  • Real-time chat and dice rolls
  • Campaign note-taking
  • Cross-device syncing
  • Community content library
Features
Read full description

Create, GM, and play Tabletop RPGs with your friends for free, on any device ——— Designed with Care Samwise gives GMs and players a clean interface that keeps everything organized and uncluttered, no matter the size of your campaign. Every detail is thought through and developed by a team of RPG enthusiasts like you. ——— Play for Free Whether you're a GM or a player, there's plenty of room to play your games without worrying about a subscription. ——— Wherever You Go Samwise has the full set of features on all your devices, so you don't have to give anything up when switching between your phone, tablet, or computer. Character sheets, rulebooks, campaign notes, dice rolling, chat, interactive maps, and more, all synced in real time for you to pick up right where you left off. ——— Together or Apart Since Samwise can be used in full on every device, you can bring it right to the table on your phone or tablet for in-person sessions, or use it remotely when you and your friends are apart. ——— Create Your Own RPGs or Play D&D and More Create your own Tabletop RPGs with an easy-to-use and flexible editor, without writing a single line of code. Or find D&D and many other RPGs at the Emporium, including creations from the community, and start playing right away. ——— Everything Can Be a Sheet In Samwise, everything in your RPG can be represented by a sheet, not just characters. Weapons, armor, consumables, creatures: each can have their own fields, calculations, resources, and everything else available to character sheets, instead of being just text entries or rulebook references. ——— Interactive Maps Create maps from scratch or add interactivity to maps created elsewhere. Character tokens, lighting, fog of war, and rulers for measuring distances and areas of effect are just some of what you can use, with straightforward tools so you can quickly get a map ready for your session. ——— Chat & Roll Chat and roll dice in real time with your group. Talk about your game, coordinate your next session, discuss strategies, or celebrate those miracle rolls without having to switch to another app. ——— Campaign Notes Capture and organize important information or just jot down random thoughts to remember later. No more need for a separate note-taking app or, even worse, a bunch of handwritten notes you have to bring to every session. ——— Built with the Community We want to make Samwise the best it can be for GMs and players, and we know no one has all the answers. That's why our community means so much to us, and you can be a part of it by sharing your creations at the Emporium or bringing us your ideas and feedback on Discord and Reddit as we continue to improve Samwise together. ——— Make Samwise Part of Your Next Adventure Our goal is to give GMs and players everything they need in a Tabletop RPG platform that can be used anywhere and on any device, embracing modern technology but never forgetting what makes Tabletop RPGs so special: the shared moments, the creativity, the storytelling that draws you in. Welcome to Samwise, and may the dice always roll in your favor! ——— Standard Apple Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

DnD 5e Encounter Keep

This app helps Dungeon Masters manage Dungeons and Dragons 5e encounters in real-time. It allows for pre-planning battles, inviting players to see stats, and automating combat actions. Features include monster management, encounter generation, and built-in cheatsheets for easier gameplay.

Highlights
  • Real-time encounter management
  • Player and enemy stat tracking
  • Automated attack rolls
  • Built-in monster sheets
  • Custom monster creation
  • Encounter generation
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Encounter Keep, your real-time battle tracker for Dungeons and Dragons 5e. As a Dungeon Master, you can plan your encounters and invite your players to join, enabling you to see each other's stats. With the built-in cheatsheets, monster sheets, and automatic attack system, running encounters has never been easier. Leave the battle management to Encounter Keep, so you can focus on having fun. DESIGN YOUR BATTLES: - Prepare for your next session by creating encounters in advance. - Select a difficulty and add monsters from a vast list of enemies. - Create custom monsters for your epic boss battles. GENERATE ENCOUNTERS: - Automatically generate encounters for different player levels and difficulties. - Support different encounter types: boss fight, boss with minions, horde of monsters etc... - Specify environment and enemy type for a better monster match. INVITE YOUR PLAYERS: - You and your players can see each other's characters in real time. - Roll for initiative and control the encounter as you want. - Check your players' character sheets as they update their HP and other stats. MANAGE ENEMIES: - Streamline the encounter with automated enemy attack rolls. - Access built-in detailed info sheets for hundreds of monsters. - Quickly manage the enemies, tracking their hit points, armour class, and other stats during the fight. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

Screenshots

Samwise4 screens
DnD 5e Encounter Keep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Samwise at 5.0 against DnD 5e Encounter Keep's 4.5. Samwise also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (10 vs 2). DnD 5e Encounter Keep's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment and ads 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. Samwise sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. DnD 5e Encounter Keep asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Samwise holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Samwise has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Samwise ships an update every 4 days, DnD 5e Encounter Keep every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Samwise versus DnD 5e Encounter Keep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSamwiseDnD 5e Encounter Keep
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (10 ratings) — better4.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings10 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.612.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size115 MB26 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperEstudio Pirilampo Mestre - Empresa de Desenvolvimento de Software LtdaFanni Putnoczki

Customer experience

Samwise

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

DnD 5e Encounter Keep

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Samwise

Subscriptions4
  • Legendary Edition Offer (Monthly)$2.991 Month
  • Legendary Edition (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Legendary Edition Offer (Yearly)$23.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Legendary Edition (Yearly)$47.991 Year
None

DnD 5e Encounter Keep

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Samwise free?
Samwise is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DnD 5e Encounter Keep free?
DnD 5e Encounter Keep is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Samwise or DnD 5e Encounter Keep?
Samwise is rated higher. Samwise averages 5.0 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while DnD 5e Encounter Keep averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Samwise or DnD 5e Encounter Keep have ads?
Both Samwise and DnD 5e Encounter Keep show ads.
Which is updated more often, Samwise or DnD 5e Encounter Keep?
Samwise ships an update every 4 days, and DnD 5e Encounter Keep every 2 months. Most recently, Samwise was updated on November 3, 2026 and DnD 5e Encounter Keep on November 4, 2026.

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