About
Kanka is a comprehensive worldbuilding and RPG campaign management platform built for game masters, writers, storytellers, and collaborative worldbuilders. It brings together every element of your creative world — characters, locations, interactive maps, timelines, calendars, organizations, families, and more — into one organized, easily searchable hub. The platform features around 20 specialized modules, each targeting a distinct aspect of TTRPG gameplay or narrative worldbuilding. Its powerful @mentions system lets you cross-link any entity to any other, weaving your world into a rich, interconnected web of lore. Kanka is highly customizable: rename built-in modules, write custom CSS, or install community-developed plugins to tailor the tool to your exact vision. Collaboration is a core strength. Invite players or co-authors to your campaigns and control what each person can see or edit using a granular permissions system. The free Kobold tier includes all core features with unlimited entities — not just a trial, but a fully usable tier for anyone getting started. Premium tiers (starting at $4.99/month) unlock larger file and map upload limits, access to a private Discord community, an ad-free experience, and the ability to vote on upcoming features via a community-driven roadmap. With a passionate user base and continuous updates, Kanka is ideal for running D&D homebrew campaigns, crafting fantasy novels, managing large collaborative game worlds, or building public-facing worldbuilding showcases.
Key Features
- 20+ Worldbuilding Modules: Dedicated modules for characters, locations, maps, timelines, calendars, organizations, families, and more — each designed to cover a distinct aspect of TTRPG or narrative worldbuilding.
- @Mentions Cross-Linking System: Link any entity to any other using @mentions, creating a deeply interconnected web of lore that makes navigating your world fast and intuitive.
- Interactive Maps & Calendars: Build visual geographic maps with pinned locations and create custom in-world calendars to track events, history, and session timelines.
- Collaborative Permissions System: Invite players, co-authors, or co-GMs to your campaigns with granular access controls dictating exactly what each collaborator can view or edit.
- Deep Customization with Plugins & CSS: Rename modules, write custom CSS for your campaign, and install community-created plugins to make Kanka look and behave exactly the way you want.
Use Cases
- Running a D&D homebrew campaign with organized notes on NPCs, locations, factions, and session history all in one place
- Building a detailed fantasy world for a novel or series with interconnected characters, timelines, and geographic maps
- Managing a collaborative tabletop RPG campaign where multiple players can access shared lore and contribute to the world
- Creating a publicly shareable worldbuilding showcase to inspire and connect with the broader TTRPG community
- Replacing scattered Google Docs and spreadsheets with a structured, searchable system for all campaign and worldbuilding assets
Pros
- Generous Free Tier: The free Kobold plan includes all core features and unlimited entities — making it a fully functional option, not just a limited trial.
- Highly Interconnected Organization: The @mentions system and cross-module linking make it easy to navigate even the most complex worlds without losing track of relationships and lore.
- Community-Driven Roadmap: Subscribers vote on which new features get built, giving users real influence over the platform's direction and ensuring it evolves with their needs.
- System-Agnostic Flexibility: Works with D&D, Pathfinder, or any other TTRPG system, and equally suits fiction writers and solo worldbuilders beyond tabletop gaming.
Cons
- File Size Limits on Free Plan: The free tier has restricted file and map upload sizes, which can be limiting for campaigns with detailed maps or rich media assets.
- Steep Learning Curve: With 20+ modules and extensive customization options, new users may feel overwhelmed before they find a workflow that suits them.
- No Native AI Assistance: Kanka focuses on organization and collaboration rather than AI-generated content, so users must bring their own ideas and writing without AI writing support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kanka really free to use?
Yes. The Kobold free tier includes all core features and unlimited entities with no time limit — it is not a trial. Premium tiers add larger file sizes, extra premium campaigns, and community perks.
Can I collaborate with my players or co-authors on Kanka?
Absolutely. You can invite others to your campaign and control exactly what each collaborator can see and edit using Kanka's granular permissions system.
What TTRPG systems does Kanka support?
Kanka is completely system-agnostic. It works with D&D, Pathfinder, and any other TTRPG system, and is equally useful for fiction writers and solo worldbuilders.
Can I make my campaign publicly visible?
Yes. Kanka supports public campaigns that can be browsed and featured by the broader community, serving as both a showcase and a source of worldbuilding inspiration.
What are premium campaigns and how do they differ from free ones?
Premium campaigns unlock significantly larger file and map upload limits (up to 100 MiB on the Elemental tier), compared to the standard limits on free campaigns. They also remove ads and grant Discord community access.
