Best Dice Rolling Apps and Digital Dice Tools for D&D
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| App | Platform | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| D&D Beyond Dice | iOS / Android / Web | 5e rules integration, linked characters | Free (subscription for full content) |
| Roll20 Dice | Web / iOS / Android | VTT-integrated rolling, log sharing | Free / subscription |
| Dice by PCalc | iOS | Best-in-class interface, haptics | $4.99 one-time |
| Roll the Dice | iOS / Android | Simple, free, fast | Free |
| Dice Ex Machina | iOS | Beautiful 3D rolling physics | Free / $2.99 premium |
| Dice Roller (d20.rocks) | Web | Browser-based, shareable rolls | Free |
Dice rolling apps occupy a strange corner of the D&D tool ecosystem. On one hand, physical dice are arguably the best version of the experience — weighted plastic tumbling across a table is tactile and social in ways a phone screen isn’t. On the other hand, digital dice solve real problems: players who forgot their dice bag, remote games, complex pools that need instant totals, and situations where roll transparency matters.
This guide covers the best dice rolling apps for D&D and when to use them — along with a frank look at why physical dice still have a place even in 2026.
Why Use a Dice Rolling App?
Before ranking the tools, it’s worth being honest about the use cases where digital dice genuinely win:
Online play: If you’re playing over Roll20 or Foundry VTT, in-platform dice rolling integrates with the virtual tabletop, shares results publicly, and logs every roll for the session. Physical dice don’t work over Discord video.
Complex dice pools: Systems with large dice pools (30d6 for a fireball, or a dozen dice for a barbarian’s Brutal Critical) are tedious with physical dice. Apps calculate totals instantly.
Roll history/log: Digital rolling creates a transparent, searchable log. Useful for contested games or when a player says “wait, what did I roll for that perception check three encounters ago?”
Travel/convenience: Forgot your dice bag? Every DM has a phone.
No dice sound at 2 AM: Night owl solo TTRPG play is a thing. Silent dice apps exist.
1. D&D Beyond Dice — Best for 5e Players
D&D Beyond’s built-in dice roller is the most contextually intelligent option for players and DMs running 5e. When you roll using D&D Beyond, it pulls from your character sheet — proficiency bonuses, ability modifiers, spell attack bonuses — and displays the full calculation, not just a number.
If your party uses D&D Beyond for character sheets (they should), the DM can see rolls in real time. The shared campaign feature makes it easy to track rolls across the group.
The standalone dice app (separate from the main D&D Beyond interface) is available on iOS and Android and works without a full D&D Beyond subscription — though the full power comes with linked characters, which needs an account.
Best for: Active 5e campaigns where the whole group is on D&D Beyond.
Try D&D Beyond → (affiliate link)
2. Roll20 Dice — Best for Online Play Integration
When you’re running a game on Roll20, the built-in dice roller is the right choice. Type /roll 1d20+5 in the chat window, hit enter, and the roll appears in the chat log with the formula visible to everyone.
The Roll20 mobile app extends this to iOS and Android, so players can roll on their phones and have results appear in the shared game log.
The macro system (Plus/Pro tiers) lets you build one-click roll buttons for complex checks — attack + damage, save DCs, multi-attack sequences. Once configured, these are faster and less error-prone than hand-rolling complex pools.
Best for: Online groups using Roll20 as their VTT.
3. Dice by PCalc — Best Mobile App (iOS)
Dice by PCalc is widely regarded as the best dedicated dice rolling app on iOS. PCalc is a renowned iOS calculator app developer, and they brought the same attention to polish and interaction design to a dice app.
The interface is clean and configurable — set up custom dice pools, swipe to roll, configure which dice are visible. The haptic feedback is legitimately satisfying. Results are clear and the roll history is well-organized.
One-time purchase at $4.99 — no subscription. For the quality, that’s a no-brainer.
Best for: iOS users who want the best phone dice experience as a standalone app.
4. Roll the Dice — Best Free Simple App
Roll the Dice does exactly what it says. Pick your dice (d4 through d100, multiple dice, modifiers), tap to roll, see results. No account, no setup, no subscriptions.
The interface is straightforward and works. For DMs who need a quick roll on their phone without thinking about it, this delivers.
Best for: Quick, no-fuss rolling without paying for anything.
5. Dice Ex Machina — Best for 3D Physics (iOS)
If you want the closest thing to physical dice rolling on a phone, Dice Ex Machina renders 3D dice with realistic physics. You shake your phone and watch dice scatter across a virtual surface.
The rolling animation is genuinely pleasing and the physics feel good. The free version covers the basics; the $2.99 premium unlocks additional dice skins and customization.
Best for: Groups who miss the tactile/visual aspect of physical dice and want digital to approximate it.
Web-Based Options
d20.rocks
A clean, browser-based dice roller. No install, no account. Share a room code with your group and everyone can see each other’s rolls in real time. Useful for groups that want transparency without installing a full VTT.
Rolz.org
Another browser-based option with support for complex roll notation (3d6+2, 4d6kh3 for advantage, etc.). Good for system-agnostic use and complex roll expressions.
Digital vs. Physical Dice: The Honest Take
There’s a contingent of players and DMs who feel strongly that real dice are a non-negotiable part of the D&D experience. They’re not wrong. Physical dice have things digital tools don’t:
Tactile ritual: Picking up a handful of dice before a big roll is part of the game. It creates a moment. Digital taps don’t replicate that.
Social experience: Watching dice clatter across the table — or someone dramatically fail a saving throw in front of the group — is social in a way that’s hard to replicate with phone screens.
Actual randomness concerns: Not relevant in practice (reputable apps use CSPRNG), but the perception of fairness at a live table is real.
The case for digital:
– Online play requires it
– Complex pools are just faster
– Roll logs are useful
– Forgotten dice bags happen
The right answer for most groups: physical dice at the physical table, digital apps for online play and complex pools. They serve different purposes and both have a place.
Dice Rolling App Comparison
| App | Platform | Integration | Ease of Use | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D&D Beyond Dice | iOS/Android/Web | ★★★★★ (5e) | ★★★★ | Free/sub | 5e with linked sheets |
| Roll20 Dice | Web/iOS/Android | ★★★★★ (Roll20) | ★★★★ | Free/sub | Online Roll20 games |
| Dice by PCalc | iOS | ★★★ | ★★★★★ | $4.99 | Best iOS standalone |
| Roll the Dice | iOS/Android | ★★★ | ★★★★★ | Free | Simple, free, fast |
| Dice Ex Machina | iOS | ★★★ | ★★★★ | Free/$2.99 | 3D physics experience |
| d20.rocks | Web | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Free | Shared web rolling |
Bottom Line: Which Dice App Should You Use?
- Running games on Roll20? Use Roll20’s built-in dice. No separate app needed.
- Your group uses D&D Beyond character sheets? D&D Beyond dice integration is the obvious choice.
- Want the best standalone iOS dice app? Dice by PCalc at $4.99 is worth it.
- Just need something free and fast? Roll the Dice handles it.
- Online group that wants transparent shared rolls without a full VTT? d20.rocks.
Don’t overthink it. The dice app isn’t where campaigns succeed or fail — but having a reliable option ready beats scrambling when someone forgets their bag.
For more tools that improve your online game, check our best virtual tabletops guide.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.