Comparison

SpellbookMaster vs D&D Characters

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

Head to head
About

SpellbookMaster

This app provides quick access to Dungeons & Dragons v3.5 and Pathfinder RPG spells. Easily browse, search, and import spells from reference sites or text files. Share spellbooks across devices and edit them on a Mac.

Highlights
  • Fast spell lookup
  • Browse by name, level, domain, class
  • Search by any term
  • Import d20 System Reference spells
  • Import Pathfinder reference spells
  • Import custom spells from text files
  • Share spellbooks across devices
Features
Read full description

Spells at your fingertips. Literally. The Killer App for D&D v3.5 (d20) and Pathfinder RPG Gamers SpellbookMaster for iPhone and iPad makes it easy to find Dungeons & Dragons v3.5 (d20) and Pathfinder spells fast and see detailed information for them. You can browse spells by name, level, domain and class. For each class, see spells sorted by name or by level for easy access. Searching allows you to find spells by any search term. To get you started, SpellbookMaster can automatically import d20 System Reference spells from www.systemreferencedocuments.org or Pathfinder reference spells from d20pfsrd.com. You can also import your own spells from text files. Spellbooks can be shared among iPhones, iPod touches and iPads using the application. Spells can be edited on a Mac running SpellbookMaster for Mac 2.3, a free application, and then imported to the iOS app. See http://petteri.kamppuri.fidisk.fi/spellbookmaster/ for more information. Dungeons and Dragons is a registered trademark of Wizards of the Coast. Pathfinder is a registered trademark of Paizo Publishing, LLC.

About

D&D Characters

This app simplifies D&D gameplay by automatically calculating hit points, spell slots, and class features. It also allows DMs to track initiative and view basic character stats for easier game management.

Highlights
  • Automatic HP calculation
  • Spell slot and spell point tracking
  • Class feature resource management
  • DM initiative tracking
  • Basic character stat overview for DMs
  • Quick character entry
Features
Read full description

Look, I like to roll dice. It's fun, especially during in-person games. But I hate all the arithmetic you have to do as a result – especially hit points, and especially when you have multiple sources of hit point boosts (eg temp hp, the spell Aid increasing your normal hp, and/or for example an arcane ward for abj wizards). So, this app does that for you. Originally, I created this to make using Spell Points (as opposed to Spell Slots – see DMG pg 288) easier. So if you're using spell points in your campaign, this'll help with that. Otherwise it keeps track of spell slots, which is fine I guess. Oh yeah, and it keeps track of some of your class features, like Metamagic Sorcery Points, Lay on Hands, Bardic Inspiration, Action Surge, Rages, and that sort of thing. That way when it's been months since you last played in person (arg) you can have all your resources up to date. Finally, if your DM has this app, they can host a game, and get the basics about your character (like passive perception, AC, and/or save DC). They can also keep track of initiative, which is nice. Entering a character into the app is easy and quick, because it doesn't need everything – just your class levels, and some scores/feats to help calculate your natural HP, passive perception, and so on. So look, this isn't going to allow you to completely run the game. It doesn't have every spell, item, and ability. But it's free, you don't need to sign up for anything, and it helps keep track of the basics while leaving the rolling to you. Give it a shot!

Screenshots

SpellbookMaster4 screens
D&D Characters1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: D&D Characters at 100% against SpellbookMaster's 60%. SpellbookMaster's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
SpellbookMaster versus D&D Characters: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpellbookMasterD&D Characters
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPetteri KamppuriThryv Inc

Customer experience

SpellbookMaster

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews60 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral18.3%
Negative21.7%

D&D Characters

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

SpellbookMaster

Reported bugs

17 issues
  • Mac app no longer works on newest MacOS
  • Default references don't download correctly
  • Pathfinder Spellbook not updating
  • Spell names listed as website URLs
  • Tables in spell descriptions not formatted correctly
Show 12 more
  • Pathfinder RPG descriptions gone
  • App crashes when hitting Spellbooks
  • App crashes when opening
  • Cannot create spellbook on iPad
  • SRD files imported incorrectly (Saving Throws and SR omitted or mixed up)
  • Cannot get new spells
  • Crashes when hitting the spellbook button
  • Some spell names are listed as a website url
  • Some of the very new spells are not in it
  • Corrupted spell books from d20 data import
  • Cannot delete corrupted spell books
  • App crashes when opening or hitting spellbook button

Requested features

29 requests
  • Create new Mac version
  • Better filter system (level, class, school simultaneously)
  • Keep track of prepared/used spells
  • Mark used spells
  • Ability to create multiple spellbooks
Show 24 more
  • Save spellbook by character
  • Prep and cast spells tracking
  • Track spell components
  • Windows PC compatible desktop app
  • Create custom spell lists
  • Filter by all three filters at once
  • Create spell books within the application
  • Add spells to spell books
  • Ability to input spells on iPod Touch
  • Differentiate spells into known and not known
  • Mark/check spells and toggle view
  • Ability to input character stats, class, domains
  • Better ways to add/modify spells individually
  • Easier ways to add additional spellbooks
  • Searches across multiple spellbooks
  • Delete individual spells
  • Delete spellbooks
  • Add spells from expanded source books (Spell Compendium, etc.)
  • Add invocations and psionics
  • Make a 4th Ed version
  • Add powers of classes and races for 4th edition D&D
  • Add more spells
  • Create and save customized spell lists for characters
  • Mark when spells are used and reset when rested

D&D Characters

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

SpellbookMaster

No in-app purchases

None

D&D Characters

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SpellbookMaster free?
SpellbookMaster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is D&D Characters free?
D&D Characters is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SpellbookMaster or D&D Characters have ads?
Neither SpellbookMaster nor D&D Characters shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SpellbookMaster or D&D Characters?
SpellbookMaster ships an update every 7 months, and D&D Characters every 7 months. Most recently, SpellbookMaster was updated on October 8, 2026 and D&D Characters on October 1, 2026.

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