Bard: Fiction Podcast Player

Bard: Fiction Podcast Player

Audio Drama and Actual Play

1 ratings
Free
In-App Purchases

Rating summary
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Details

Released
September 3, 2026
Updated
October 26, 2026

Features

Bard: Fiction Podcast Player video #1 for iPhone
Bard: Fiction Podcast Player screenshot #2 for iPhone
Bard: Fiction Podcast Player screenshot #3 for iPhone
Bard: Fiction Podcast Player screenshot #4 for iPhone
Bard: Fiction Podcast Player screenshot #5 for iPhone
Bard: Fiction Podcast Player screenshot #6 for iPhone
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About

A podcast player specifically designed for fiction audio dramas, actual plays, and narrative serials. It organizes shows by season and series for an immersive binge-listening experience, with curated recommendations and human-verified content.

✓Organizes by season and series
✓Curated by a librarian
✓Genre and game system categorization
✓Human-verified content prioritization
✓Binge-listening features
✓Cross-device sync
✓OPML import
Show original description
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What's New in Bard

1.2.5

October 26, 2026

- Show details like genre, systems, content type, and so on are now tappable. If you tap one, it will start a search. - Cleaned up the in-podcast navigation to help you sort or hide what you've played or jump to a season. - Made the scrubber knob look better. - Added new unfollow reasons, like a show just being too big of a commitment. - Improved navigability a bit on the phone. - Light redesign to the web player to take advantage of a much wider screen. - As best as Bard can tell, shows that have finished are marked complete and can be searched. This isn't perfect, but some additional refinements are coming soon. - Patreon and coffee links are more prominent right in the main player. - Made it easier to mark everything as played. - Search loads a lot faster. - Other quality-of-life changes and patches. - Search can skip shows in languages you don't read. You choose the languages in Account, and English is always on. Typing a show's name still finds it in any language. - There's a "Released recently" filter in search. - Search results come in sections: full matches first, then shows Bard doesn't have yet (with where they were found), then partial matches. - You can queue a whole season. - On the web player, you can drag to reorder the queue. - You can follow a show from the full player when you don't follow it yet. - There are two new playback speeds, 0.75x and 1.75x, in the player and in Account. - When you import an OPML file, you choose which shows to bring in before anything is followed. - Story arcs have descriptions. - A strip under the top bar says that there are notifications waiting for you in your account. - Podcasters can link to their show on Bard from their own site. The link opens the show, or asks Bard to add it if it's missing. - A show you follow now shows up when you search for it by name. - A show with only a trailer no longer says "All caught up"; it says "Trailer only". - "Shelve this show?" is gone, and every show it hid is back on your home screen. - "Drama" is gone as a genre, since every show here is audio drama.

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Subscriptions & In-App Purchases

Bard Pro Monthly

Ad-free listening, offline downloads, and more

$4.991 Month
How to cancel Bard subscription ⁉️

FAQ

What kind of podcasts can I listen to with Bard?

Bard is specifically designed for fiction podcasts, including audio dramas, actual plays, horror serials, and full-cast epics. It filters out chat shows, news, and true crime to focus on narrative storytelling.

How does Bard help me discover new fiction podcasts?

Bard features a curated index categorized by genre, game system, and performance type. You can discover new shows by swiping through recommendations, which are personalized based on your listening habits and ratings.

What are the benefits of Bard Pro?

Bard Pro offers offline downloads for your favorite fiction podcasts and removes the small visual ads that promote other fiction podcasts. It is available as a monthly or annual subscription.

How much does Bard Pro cost?

Bard Pro is available for $4.99 per month or $44.99 per year. These subscriptions are billed to your Apple ID and will automatically renew unless turned off at least 24 hours before the current period ends.

Is Bard suitable for younger listeners?

Bard has an age rating of 12+, making it suitable for teenagers and older. The content within the podcasts themselves may vary in maturity.

How often is Bard updated?

Bard was last updated on October 18, 2026, with version 1.2.2. The app is developed by a single person, and feedback is directly incorporated into updates.

Can I sync my listening progress across devices with Bard?

Yes, your listening position syncs across devices with Bard, allowing you to seamlessly continue listening on your iPhone or iPod wherever you are.

Does Bard feature AI-generated content?

Bard prioritizes stories performed by people. Where AI-generated production can be verified, it is flagged and de-emphasized to ensure a human-centric listening experience.