Unciv vs VirtualTabletop

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

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FeatureUncivVirtualTabletop
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseMPL-2.0GPL-3.0-only
LanguageKotlinJavaScript
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM512 MB250 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, binary, dockerbare-metal
GitHub stars★ 11,071★ 297
First released20182025
ReplacesCivilization Vplayingcards.io

Why pick each one

Choose Unciv if…

  • Released under the MPL-2.0 license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 11.1k GitHub stars
Unciv details

Choose VirtualTabletop if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0-only license
  • Written in JavaScript
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 250 MB RAM
VirtualTabletop details

Frequently asked questions

Is Unciv or VirtualTabletop better?

Unciv is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider VirtualTabletop if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Unciv and VirtualTabletop free and open-source?

Yes. Unciv is licensed under MPL-2.0 and VirtualTabletop under GPL-3.0-only. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Unciv and VirtualTabletop with Docker?

Unciv: yes. VirtualTabletop: check the project docs for container support.

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