We build Questsmith, so you should know up front that we're not neutral. We've tried to be fair anyway. This guide compares five AI dungeon master apps and who each one is for. Everything below comes from each app's own store listing, pricing page or docs, checked on October 13, 2026, and where we couldn't confirm something we say so instead of guessing.
The short version: there's no single best AI dungeon master. The five apps here do different jobs, and picking the wrong one is the main reason people quit after ten minutes.
What actually separates these apps
Most of them look the same in a screenshot: a text box, a wall of story, a send button. The differences show up later.
Memory. Does the story still know your character's name, and who you betrayed, 200 turns in? This is where most AI storytelling falls apart.
Rules. Some apps let the AI decide everything. Others have dice, hit points and stats the AI has to respect. That's the difference between a story you steer and a game you can lose.
Free limits. Every app here has a free tier, and every free tier has a ceiling. Check the ceiling before you fall in love with the app.
Who's playing. Solo, with friends, or as a writing tool in disguise.
AI Dungeon
The one most people have heard of. It's the most open-ended of the group: you type whatever you want and the AI runs with it. Its App Store listing says it's free to play without ads, offers a one-week premium trial, lets you rewind a decision, and supports multiplayer sessions.
It's a good pick if you want freedom more than structure. If you want the game to push back with stats and dice, it's less of a fit. We couldn't load its pricing page properly, so check current plan prices on their site. For a closer look, see our AI Dungeon vs Questsmith comparison.
AI Game Master: Dungeon RPG
An iPhone-first, GPT-powered fantasy RPG. The App Store listing (4.7 stars from about 5.6K ratings when we looked) mentions free-text combat, local multiplayer, AI visuals and voice narration. It's free to download, with in-app purchases: turn-token packs starting at $0.99 for 25 turns, plus subscription tiers you'll want to read carefully on the listing.
It suits quick, story-first sessions on your phone. Pay-per-turn pricing is worth thinking about if you play a lot, because it adds up differently than a monthly plan.
Friends & Fables
This one is built around playing together. The free plan, according to the company's own blog (pricing as of late 2025), gives you 5 to 25 AI turns a day, long-term memories, unlimited campaign slots and campaigns for up to 3 players. Paid plans start at $19.95 a month and raise the player cap to 6.
If your goal is a campaign with friends and an AI game master, start here. We couldn't confirm from their own pages which platforms they run on, so check that before you commit your group.
NovelAI
NovelAI is a writing tool first and a game second. Per its docs, the free trial includes 50 text generations and 30 images; paid tiers are Tablet at $10 a month, Scroll at $15 and Opus at $25.
It isn't built around stats and dice. If you want to write fiction with an AI co-author and care about prose quality, it's the best fit on this list. If you want a game, look elsewhere.
Questsmith
Our app, so take this section with the right pinch of salt.
Questsmith is an RPG first. There's a character sheet with health and mana, d20 checks with stat modifiers, quests, and a companion with its own mood and trust level. Its memory system tracks the facts that matter across a campaign, and you can generate art for a scene in several styles or turn a scene into a short video.
The free plan gives you four story models, up to 5k tokens of context, 10 actions a day, two rollbacks per story, three image generations and one video generation. Ten actions a day is tight if you like long sessions, and you'll notice it. Paid plans are Champion at $13 a month, Legend at $26 and Mythic at $63, with more models, longer context and more daily actions. It's on iPhone and Android. It's also still in beta, so expect some rough edges.
Side by side
| App | Good at | Free tier | Paid, as listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Dungeon | Open-ended, anything-goes stories | Free, no ads per its App Store listing; one-week premium trial | Check their pricing page |
| AI Game Master | Quick mobile fantasy RPG sessions | Free download, in-app purchases | Turn tokens from $0.99 for 25; subscription tiers on the listing |
| Friends & Fables | Group campaigns with an AI game master | 5 to 25 AI turns a day, up to 3 players (late 2025) | From $19.95/month |
| NovelAI | Writing fiction with an AI co-author | Trial: 50 text generations, 30 images | $10, $15 or $25/month |
| Questsmith | Solo RPG with real rules and long memory | 10 actions/day, 5k context, 1 video | $13, $26 or $63/month |
Which one should you pick?
Here's how we'd decide.
If you just want to type anything and see what happens, try AI Dungeon first.
If you want a quick fantasy game on your phone, with narration, AI Game Master is worth a look.
If you're playing with friends, Friends & Fables.
If you're writing a novel, NovelAI.
If you want stats and dice that matter, a story that remembers your choices, and the option to see your scenes as images or video, that's what we built Questsmith for. Start on the free plan and see if it clicks. If you hit the 10-action cap too fast, that's useful information about whether you'd pay.
Running a longer campaign? Our guide to the best AI to run a D&D campaign goes deeper on that, and our list of AI Dungeon alternatives covers more options.
Try Questsmith
You can download Questsmith free on the App Store or Google Play. See pricing for what each plan includes, or read how our memory system works.
Prices and limits change often. If something here is out of date, tell us at support@thequestsmith.com and we'll fix it.
