Audio drama and actual play
Podcasts are stories. Your player should know that.
Bard plays episodes in order, understands seasons and arcs, and picks up where you left off — in the story, not just the file.
Join the beta
iOS and web. Android later.
In order, from the start
Every other player hands you the newest episode first, which is the wrong end of a story. Bard opens a show at episode one, filters by season, and treats “continue” as the primary action — because for a hundred-episode arc, it is. The player always knows what comes next.
Recommendations that say why
A curated index of audio fiction and actual play, filterable by genre and by system — D&D 5e, Call of Cthulhu, whatever you run. Suggestions tell you where they came from: because you liked something specific, not because an algorithm noticed you exist. Swipe right to shelve it, left if it isn't your cup of tea.
Your place, on every device
Playback position, subscriptions, and shelves sync to your account. Start on the walk home, finish in a browser tab without hunting for the minute you stopped at.
Built by one person
Bard is independent and small, which is why it can afford to serve a genre rather than an average. Subscriptions are what keep it running.
Free, with a way to support it
Free
The whole player. Unlimited subscriptions, the shelf, sync across devices, and the curated index. Occasional promoted shows in Discover and Listen, always labelled as such.
Bard Pro
Download episodes to play with no connection, and no promoted shows anywhere in the app. Monthly or annual, cancel from the App Store whenever you like.
Ads inside episodes come from the shows themselves, so those aren't affected either way.
The beta is open, and small
Bard is in TestFlight on iOS while the first wave of listeners kicks the tyres. It is not in the App Store yet. If you listen to audio fiction or actual play and want an invite, say so — testers who actually use it are worth more right now than a big list.
Ask for an invite