Honest Comparison
Hexer vs Inkarnate
Inkarnate creates stunning hand-drawn maps. Hexer is purpose-built for hex grid gameplay — fog of war, Underdark layers, VTT export, and live sharing. Different goals, different strengths.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Hexer | Inkarnate |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Hex grid mapping | Free-form art canvas |
| Art style | Clean, functional hex tiles | Hand-drawn, painterly assets |
| Asset library | 35 terrain + 18 features (all free) | Thousands of stamps & brushes |
| Battle maps | No — hex-scale only | Yes — dedicated battle map style |
| Hex grid | Native — pointy-top hex grid | Optional overlay (not native) |
| Procedural generation | Yes — 3 templates | No |
| Fog of war | Yes (Pro) — live per-hex reveal | No |
| Underdark layers | Yes — 3 depths (Pro) | No |
| DM notes on hexes | Rich text with categories | No |
| Live sharing | Yes — real-time link | No |
| Universal VTT export | Yes | No — PNG export only |
| SVG export | Yes | No |
| Hex key document | Yes — Markdown | No |
| Paths & roads | Yes — hex-snapping paths | Yes — freehand drawing |
| Regions | Named, colored regions | No dedicated region tool |
| Community assets | Built-in set | Large community marketplace |
| Price | Free / €4,99/mo Pro | $5/mo or $25/year Pro |
| Free tier | Yes — 53 free hex types, 1 map | Yes — limited assets |
| Runs in browser | Yes | Yes |
When to Choose Each
Choose Inkarnate if…
You want beautiful, hand-drawn maps that look like professional illustrations. Inkarnate is excellent for regional overviews, battle maps, and world maps where visual impact matters most. Its massive asset library and painterly tools let you create poster-worthy maps. If you don't need hex-specific mechanics — fog of war, hex-keyed notes, or VTT scene export — Inkarnate's art quality is hard to beat.
Choose Hexer if…
You're running a hexcrawl and need the map to be a gameplay tool, not just a picture. Hexer's free tier gives you all 35 terrain types, 18 hex features, procedural generation, all export formats, and live sharing. Pro adds per-hex fog of war with real-time reveal, Underdark layers, and Universal VTT export to drop your map directly into Foundry VTT.
Art maps vs hex maps
Inkarnate and Hexer serve fundamentally different purposes. Inkarnate is a digital art tool for creating visually impressive maps. You paint terrain with brushes, stamp buildings and trees, and export a flat image.
Hexer is a gameplay tool built around the hex grid. Every hex has a coordinate, a terrain type, optional notes, and optional fog state. This structure enables features that art-based tools can't offer: procedural world generation, per-hex fog of war that reveals as players explore, Underdark layers connected by staircases, and structured hex key documents for old-school play.
Many DMs use both — Inkarnate for a beautiful world overview to show players, and Hexer for the actual hexcrawl they run at the table. The tools complement each other rather than compete directly.
Try Hexer Free
No account needed. Open the editor, create a map, and export it. Upgrade to Pro when you need fog of war, Underdark, or unlimited maps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make hex maps in Inkarnate?
Inkarnate has an optional hex grid overlay, but it's not a native hex editor. You place art assets freely on a canvas rather than painting terrain into hex cells. If you need hex-specific features — procedural generation, hex-keyed notes, per-hex fog of war, or Universal VTT export with grid data — Hexer is purpose-built for that workflow.
Is Inkarnate or Hexer better for art quality?
Inkarnate excels at visual quality. Its hand-drawn assets, stamps, and painterly brushes produce maps that look like professional illustrations. Hexer uses clean, functional terrain tiles designed for gameplay clarity. If your priority is a beautiful poster map, Inkarnate wins. If your priority is running a hexcrawl with fog of war, notes, and live sharing, Hexer wins.
How much does Inkarnate cost compared to Hexer?
Inkarnate Pro costs $5/month or $25/year. Hexer Pro is €4,99/month. Both have free tiers. Inkarnate's free tier limits asset access; Hexer's free tier includes all 35 terrain types, 18 hex features, procedural generation, all export formats, and live sharing — just limited to one map at 20x15.
Can I import Inkarnate maps into Hexer?
Not directly — the tools work very differently. Inkarnate exports PNG images, which you can use as a visual reference while building your hex map in Hexer. The procedural generator can also give you a quick starting point to refine by hand.