Comparison

DnD 5e Encounter Keep vs Character Craft 5.5e

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

Head to head
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

About

Character Craft 5.5e

This app simplifies RPG character creation and management with a multi-language interface. It offers features like import/export, an initiative tracker, and a dice roller to enhance gameplay. Designed for ease of use, it helps organize character details and homebrew content.

Highlights
  • Multi-language character creation
  • Comprehensive character management
  • JSON/XML import and export
  • Integrated initiative tracker
  • Built-in dice roller
  • Customizable organization
Features
Read full description

Introducing Character Craft 5.5e, the ultimate solution for RPG players seeking a modern and efficient tool for character creation and management.​ Key Features: Intuitive Multi-Language Interface: Enjoy a guided, step-by-step character creation process available in multiple languages.​ Comprehensive Character Management: Easily organize and access all your character information.​ Simple Import and Export: Share your characters and homebrew content with friends via JSON or XML files.​ Clear JSON File Structure: Ideal for content creators looking to customize and expand their libraries.​ Integrated Initiative Tracker: Quickly add characters and monsters to streamline gameplay during crucial moments.​ Built-in Dice Roller: Automate attack rolls, saving time and reducing manual calculations.​ Customizable Organization: Rearrange feats and equipment with a simple swipe, prioritizing what's most important to you.​ While this is the initial release and some bugs may be present, your support is essential for us to continually improve the app until we reach version 1.0. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and we hope Character Craft 5.5e enhances your RPG adventures. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

DnD 5e Encounter Keep4 screens
Character Craft 5.5e4 screens

Verdict

The call

DnD 5e Encounter Keep and Character Craft 5.5e both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of DnD 5e Encounter Keep's written reviews are positive against 63% of Character Craft 5.5e's. DnD 5e Encounter Keep also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16.0). Character Craft 5.5e's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, rating 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Character Craft 5.5e sells 2 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

DnD 5e Encounter Keep holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Character Craft 5.5e has 12 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of DnD 5e Encounter Keep's written reviews are positive against 63% of Character Craft 5.5e's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DnD 5e Encounter Keep ships an update every 2 months, Character Craft 5.5e weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
DnD 5e Encounter Keep versus Character Craft 5.5e: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDnD 5e Encounter KeepCharacter Craft 5.5e
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better4.3 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better62.5% of reviews
Number of ratings212 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS12.4 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB127 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperFanni PutnoczkiRENAN MACEDO GONCALVES DE S0UZA

Customer experience

DnD 5e Encounter Keep

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

Character Craft 5.5e

All ratings12 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

DnD 5e Encounter Keep

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Character Craft 5.5e

Subscriptions1
  • Online Combat Tracker$2.991 Month
One-time1
  • Unlimited Characters$4.99

Questions

Is DnD 5e Encounter Keep free?
DnD 5e Encounter Keep is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Character Craft 5.5e free?
Character Craft 5.5e is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, DnD 5e Encounter Keep or Character Craft 5.5e?
DnD 5e Encounter Keep is rated higher. DnD 5e Encounter Keep averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Character Craft 5.5e averages 4.3 from 12 ratings.
Do DnD 5e Encounter Keep or Character Craft 5.5e have ads?
DnD 5e Encounter Keep shows ads; Character Craft 5.5e does not.
Which is updated more often, DnD 5e Encounter Keep or Character Craft 5.5e?
DnD 5e Encounter Keep ships an update every 2 months, and Character Craft 5.5e weekly. Most recently, DnD 5e Encounter Keep was updated on October 7, 2026 and Character Craft 5.5e on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons