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Boardssey vs Tabletop Simulator

Your testers shouldn't need a Steam account and a $20 purchase to try your prototype.

The short answer

Tabletop Simulator is the most powerful virtual table there is: 3D physics, Lua scripting and a huge Steam Workshop. For a finished game or a scripted port, it is hard to beat. For early prototypes that change every week, the friction adds up: every tester buys a copy, every change means a new export. Boardssey's table runs in the browser, builds decks straight from your card data, and logs the session on the game. You can still export TTS deck sheets whenever you want both.

Side by side

Boardssey
Tabletop Simulator
Head to head
Runs in the browser
Boardssey
Tabletop SimulatorDesktop app on Steam
Testers play without buying anything
BoardsseyJoin with a code, no account
Tabletop SimulatorEach tester needs a copy, about $20
Decks built from your card data
Boardssey
Tabletop SimulatorImport image sheets made elsewhere
Sessions logged as playtests
Boardssey
Tabletop Simulator
Scripting
BoardsseyNo-code automations
Tabletop SimulatorLua scripting
3D physics and custom models
Boardssey
Tabletop Simulator
Community workshop
Boardssey
Tabletop SimulatorSteam Workshop
Works with Tabletop Simulator
BoardsseyExports TTS deck sheets
Tabletop Simulator
Designing the components
Master pages that update every card
BoardsseyUnlink any element to edit it on one card. Pathfinder and up.
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Every kind of component
BoardsseyCards, tiles, tokens, boards, mats, rulebooks, boxes and sheets. Pathfinder and up.
Tabletop SimulatorAny piece, from images or 3D models
Print-and-play PDF with bleed and crop marks
BoardsseyA4, Letter, A3 or Legal, with dielines and mirrored backs. Pathfinder and up.
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Import PDF, Illustrator and Photoshop files
BoardsseyPages become editable pages of the component. Pathfinder and up.
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Testing and iterating
Game versions and changelogs
Boardssey
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Rules and notes kept with the game
Boardssey
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Designer toolkit
3D mockups
BoardsseyFlat artwork to 3D box, card and component renders
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Dieline templates
BoardsseyBoxes, boards, punchboards and more
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Probability calculator
BoardsseyOdds for any dice expression
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Variables distribution
BoardsseySplit elements into balanced groups
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Color-blindness simulator
BoardsseyCheck your palette for every type of color blindness
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Size and scale reference
BoardsseyShow your game next to a person for scale
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Component spec sheets
BoardsseyFor wooden, plastic and other non-paper parts
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Carton marks
BoardsseyLabels for your manufacturing shipping cartons
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Invoices and purchase orders
BoardsseySaved and attached to your games
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Table helpers
BoardsseyCustom dice, score pad, timer, coin flip, starting player
Tabletop SimulatorDice, counters and timers on the table
MCP connector for AI assistants
BoardsseyConnect Claude, ChatGPT and other AI assistants to your games, playtests and components
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Pitching and running the project
Public game catalog for publishers
BoardsseyA live page per game that publishers can browse
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Sell sheets from your game data
BoardsseyBuilt from the same game data, no copy drift
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Publisher pitches and contacts
BoardsseyTrack who you pitched, when, and what happened next
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Tasks and project boards
BoardsseyKanban, calendar and task tables across your games
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Team chat and whiteboard
BoardsseyChannels per game, plus a shared whiteboard
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Unlimited teammates
BoardsseyOn every plan
Tabletop SimulatorNot listed on their site
Plans
Price
Boardssey$15/month or $150/year (Pathfinder, where Prototypes starts)
Tabletop SimulatorAbout $20 once, per person

Verified September 2026

Where Tabletop Simulator is the better pick

  • You need scripting, 3D physics or custom models.

  • Your testers already own it and are used to it.

  • You are porting a finished game for players, not iterating on a prototype.

Why designers pick Boardssey

  • Testers click and play. They join with a code in their browser: no Steam, no install, no purchase.

  • The deck comes from your data. Change a value in the table, regenerate, and the table has the new cards.

  • Every session counts. Log the session as a playtest on the game, so the feedback stays tied to the version you tested.

  • Keep TTS for later. Boardssey exports TTS deck sheets, so you can move a finished game there when you are ready.

Switching

  1. Build your cards in the Boardssey component designer from your spreadsheet.

  2. Export, Virtual table, then open a room and add the deck.

  3. Share the join code with your testers and log the session when you are done.

Questions

Is Tabletop Simulator better?

For scripting, 3D and a huge community library, yes. For fast prototype testing with people who don't own it, a browser table is less friction.

Do testers need to buy anything?

No. They join with a code, without an account.

Can I still use Tabletop Simulator?

Yes. Boardssey exports TTS deck sheets from the same component, so you can use both.

Does Boardssey have scripting?

It has automations, not full scripting. If your game needs Lua, TTS is the better tool for that stage.

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