Fantasy Grounds Licenses are Now FREE! Plus Online Digital Reader launched in Beta

Fantasy Grounds VTT Is Now Free to Play, with Early Access to a New Online Reader

Melbourne, FL – November 8, 2025 – SmiteWorks USA, LLC, the developer behind the acclaimed Fantasy Grounds virtual tabletop (VTT), is excited to announce today that Fantasy Grounds is now completely free to play. The announcement was made today during the company's annual online convention, FG Con Online 2025, marking a new era for one of the most feature-rich and long-standing platforms in digital tabletop gaming.

ANNOUNCEMENT TRAILER


Effective immediately, Game Masters and players can host and join unlimited games without needing to purchase a software license or subscription. Previously, Fantasy Grounds required a one-time $50 Ultimate License or a recurring monthly fee to host games. Now, all users gain access to the platform’s robust automation tools, versatile ruleset support, customizable interface, and refreshed visuals – without the technical hassle of server setup or port forwarding – entirely free of charge.

“By removing the license barrier, we’re making Fantasy Grounds more accessible to the global tabletop gaming community,” said Doug Davison, President of SmiteWorks. “Whether you’re a veteran GM or a first-time player, we want everyone to experience how powerful and immersive virtual tabletop gaming can be – with zero upfront cost.”

While the software is now free, players can still unlock thousands of titles from the world’s largest library of officially-licensed game content, thousands of premium art, map, and token assets, over 300 sets of addictive-to-roll digital dice sets, and more products focused on personalizing their experience and making gameplay more convenient.



In addition to this major update, SmiteWorks has also launched beta early access to its new Fantasy Grounds Online Reader – a web-based compendium tool that gives users access to their entire Fantasy Grounds library from any browser, on any device, without needing to launch the Fantasy Grounds app. This new reader brings a whole new level of accessibility to users, allowing them to browse books, adventures, and rulesets on the go. It already supports hundreds of titles from popular publishers and systems, and SmiteWorks is actively working to expand that coverage throughout the beta period.

“After seeing the impact that digital readers have had on the hobby, I’m thrilled that Fantasy Grounds fans will now be able read their content whenever that random rules question comes to mind or wherever inspiration strikes to confirm what the book says,” said Adam Bradford, CDO at SmiteWorks. “Combining the flexibility of the online reader with the offline access that already exists in the Fantasy Grounds app is a powerful combination.”
Players can try the online reader now by logging into their account and navigating to the My Library section on the Fantasy Grounds website. Even if you haven’t purchased any content yet, dozens of free modules – such as the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Rules and Pathfinder ORC Rules – are available to explore immediately.
For more information about SmiteWorks USA, LLC and Fantasy Grounds, please visit www.fantasygrounds.com

About SmiteWorks USA, LLC

SmiteWorks USA, LLC is dedicated to providing innovative virtual tabletop solutions that enhance the gaming experience for players worldwide. Our flagship product, Fantasy Grounds, is a premier virtual tabletop platform that allows players to create and participate in immersive tabletop RPG adventures. We are committed to fostering a vibrant and inclusive gaming community while continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital tabletop gaming.

Very good news to get even more people using this excellent program. I bought my “ultimate license” years ago and I have so many hours of play on it that the cost per hour is basically free now anyways.

Fantastic news. Will it be possible to have a search functionality inside a book, like in a pdf?

Great changes! :)

If the reader is ever able to share the campaign book with players, that would be great :D (in my case: I write a codex and adventure diary for my players with the campaign book; would be nice if the players can access it without needing me to open the campaign or share the campaign book module. But I certainly see, why SmiteWorks wants to focus on the store modules :) )

Once items from the Forge are viewable I imagine that export a module, "sell" it on the Forge to your players and they will be able to view it.

How to deal with the IP issues is not something I can figure out.

This is fantastic news

Does the move to F2P mean that, i as the forever DM, in theory could let another player log into my account to be the DM as all our books and adventures are tied to my account... or would there still be issues preventing this ?

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Originally Posted by Skie

Does the move to F2P mean that, i as the forever DM, in theory could let another player log into my account to be the DM as all our books and adventures are tied to my account... or would there still be issues preventing this ?

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I would not think so. The books are licensed to you. Not to anyone you give access to your account.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LordEntrails

I would not think so. The books are licensed to you. Not to anyone you give access to your account.

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i would think so as well, but in the same breath i would ask, does that same logic not also apply to a physical copy of a player's handbook that is then placed on the table for anyone at the table to use? should we all hoard our books and not allow others to look up a spell or some other info, just because i have the license to that particular physical copy of a given book that i brought to the table.

I'm not trying to find a loophole or anything, i simply find it interesting that the online community as a whole generally frowns on sharing a book, but if i had the same book as a physical copy, no one would bat an eye if i placed it on the table for free use on a game night. :D

You can as the GM of a session share the books during your session; just not as a player.

Regards,
JPG