Resources

Welcome to the Professional GM Society Resources Page!  We will be hosting links to various kinds of resources over time, as per the recommendations of our members.

Pro-GM Websites 

Arcane Circle:

Arcane Circle is an all-in-one tabletop RPG platform that helps players find games, connect with Game Masters, and manage campaigns in one place. It supports professional and free games, secure booking and payment, and tools for organizing adventures across multiple systems.

Additional Info: Arcane Circle About

Demiplane:

Demiplane is an app and a website that connects players to GM’s. It allows them to fill out a 10 second preference profile, and then match that profile with the right player and GM.

Additional Info: Demiplane Blog

Start Playing Games:

Start Playing Games, or SPG, started in 2020 after attracting attention at Y-Combinator. They have a strong community, and actively market their site across several different platforms.

Additional Info: Start Playing Games FAQ

Side-By-Side Comparison
Pro-GM Service Comparison Chart StartPlaying Games Demiplane Arcane Circle
Parent Company Qualleta (doing business as StartPlaying) Demiplane Corporation / Demiplane, Inc. Arcane Circle INC.
Service Fee GM commission: StartPlaying takes a 15% platform fee from each booking (GM receives 85%).
Instant Payout fee: 2% fee for eligible U.S. GMs.
Player checkout fee: A small service fee added at checkout; exact amount shown at checkout.		 Subscription: Less than $5.00/month.
GM commission %: Not publicly stated in Terms of Service; Demiplane facilitates payment exchange and requires all payments through the platform.		 Players pay a 2% service fee + Stripe transaction
GM commission rate: 5%
Community Resources Search filters, reviews, refunds/help center, and GM profiles Free rules/search tools plus ongoing community and content resources Game discovery, search filters, reviews, built-in campaign wiki, Discord bot integration, transcriptions, tabletop training module, guild system, and native character sheets
Education/Workshops GM-hosted or community-driven In-house articles, podcasts, and community content AC Academy – Video courses that teach about table safty, GM tips, and system specific breakdowns
Private Bookings Yes Yes Yes
Payment Structure Marketplace model: Players contract directly with GMs; StartPlaying acts as a limited agent for collecting payments on behalf of GMs via Stripe. Marketplace facilitation model: Users contract directly with other users; Demiplane supplies a medium for the exchange of money via Stripe. Paid Games
• Players contract directly with GMs; Arcane Circle acts as a limited agent for collecting payments on behalf of GMs via Stripe.
Subscription Cost
• Users can pay directly through Stripe to unlock premium features
Withdraw Threshold No minimum payout threshold stated in public materials. Typical deposit timelines: 2–3 business days (U.S.); 7–11 business days (outside U.S.); 5–7 business days (first payout). Not confirmed in public Terms of Service — requires manual research. $50
Exclusivity Requirements (Restricted Transferability of Players) Yes — ToS prohibits circumventing payments and fees (i.e., taking payments outside StartPlaying for games listed on the platform). ToS states all payments must be made through the Services for transactions arranged via the platform. None. We do not house an exclusivity clause.
Player Age Requirement 18+ (no one under 18 may create an account or use the service) At least 13 and of legal age to form a binding contract 18+ (or age of legal majority)
Forced Arbitration Clause Yes — ToS includes a “Dispute Resolution By Binding Arbitration” section. Yes — ToS Section 19 includes binding arbitration with class-action waiver and opt-out mechanics. Yes — ToS states disputes are resolved through binding arbitration in Los Angeles County, California.

Pro-GM Related Online Tools and Utilities

Pro-GM Related Videos, Podcasts and Links Outward