Building a fantasy world map from scratch can be really tough if you don't have the skills of an artist. But, if you're looking for a quick way to bring your fantasy ideas to life on a map, several online map generators can help produce realistic maps to help you get started on worldbuilding.
Knowing the right tools and when to use them is key to making the most of fantasy map generator apps.
Azgaar is a free web app that helps fantasy writers, game masters, and cartographers create and edit fantasy maps. The web app has several templates users can start with while retaining the ability to edit and remove landmarks, features and entities to create the perfect fantasy map.
Azgaar is lightweight and doesn't require installing software locally on your device. You can generate new maps with a click and enjoy full customization options.
The fantasy maps can be viewed in different layers, including:
Donjon's Fantasy World Generator lets users generate pre-custom fantasy worlds from visually appealing templates called multiverses. These creations can be previewed and fine-tuned in the editor before downloading as generated maps.
Made for fantasy map designers and worldbuilders, Donjon goes beyond map generation and offers several other tools to help develop fantasy worlds, including support for spells, character names, treasure maps, inns, and avatars.
Donjon's built-in settings ensure your map's image file maintains a 2:1 aspect ratio (width to height), meaning the width must be exactly twice the height. This feature, absent in some map generator tools, is essential for compatibility with standard square/rectangular projection.
DeepAI uses machine learning models to transform your prompts into real fantasy maps. As an AI-based tool, DeepAI replaces the editable template interface in tools like Azgaar, letting users generate the completed map directly.
DeepAI can be used to create quick fantasy maps on the go. While the geography and landmark editing options are limited, users can choose to build maps for either speed or quality from standard or HD models.
Unlike some AI tools, DeepAI lets you use the images from its fantasy map generator commercially without legal obligation. The maps are also free-source, meaning anyone in the public domain can use your generated fantasy world maps.
While free to use, DeepAI's premium Genius model lets map designers and creators generate better fantasy world maps with more artistic quality and detail.
Inkarnate is a freemium fantasy world map builder for both beginners and professional fantasy map designers. To join Inkarnate, you have to create an account. Once you're signed up, you can get limited editability but still retain the core tools needed to create your fantasy world map.
You can create landmasses, automatically generate continents, and edit separate layers for free, but you'll need a paid subscription to access the more advanced features.
Incarnate's paid Pro features include access to commercial licenses, 8K exports, 500 custom assets, over 24,000 HD art assets, and features like trade routes, roads, and more.
Inkarnate has exceptional intuitive settings that help map designers build fantasy worlds with maximum customizability from one interface.
Advanced map design can often be difficult, even with AI-based tools. With the Inkarnate fantasy world generator, access to several art assets lets users speed up the creation of fantasy world maps.
Nortantis is a free, open-source fantasy map generator and editor designed to help users create a randomly generated world effortlessly and customize it to perfectly align with your story's setting.
Nortantis employs a straightforward tectonic plate simulation to generate diverse geographical features, including continents, islands, oceans, deserts, mountains, forests, regions, and cities—complete with customizable text labels. This intuitive system allows you to easily create rich, dynamic worlds.
Available on Windows and Ubuntu, Nortantis is an offline app for fantasy map creators to help bring fictional worlds to life.
Nortantis has a few handy editing tools to help add landform features, political boundaries, and more. Nortantis also offers a variety of brush-based tools for crafting and customizing your map. These tools allow you to paint and shape oceans, lakes, landmasses, rivers, political regions, mountains, hills, forests, sand dunes, and cities, giving you full creative control over every detail of your world.
Although the interface isn't as intuitive as other options like Inkarnate, Nortantis is a lightweight fantasy world map generator that does the job.
While some of the fantasy map generators offer enough customizable options, map designers may need to export the generated images to photo editor apps to perfect them.
Which fantasy map generator do you have experience using? Share your thoughts in the comments.
