Comparison

Bardcard vs Eldrum

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bardcard

Embark on a card-matching roguelite adventure through a mysterious subterranean world. Explore over 40 rooms, discover unique items, battle monsters, and uncover the secrets of this realm. Can you survive the dungeon and find your brother?

Highlights
  • Card-matching dungeon exploration
  • Over 40 rooms with secrets
  • 150+ unique hand-drawn cards
  • Old-school RPG elements
  • Challenging roguelite system
  • Persistent artifacts and companions
Features
Read full description

Bardcard is a card-matching roguelite featuring a mysterious subterranean world to explore. Match cards to advance through the dungeon. Discover helpful equipment, battle dangerous minions, and meet magical familiars that join you on your adventure. Learn the secrets of this realm and discover the truth about the chaos that engulfs it. Can you find your brother Lukas? Who is ZUG? How far down does this dungeon go? FEATURES ========= - 40+ rooms to explore: Determine the best card-matching sequence to survive each floor. Keep on the lookout for alternate exits leading down less-traveled paths, and rare artifacts that appear when specific cards are matched. Are you exploring a dark room? In that case you’d better bring a torch! - 150+ unique, hand-drawn cards to discover: Weapons, armor, and magical items to protect you in the dungeon. Various characters that guide you, teach skills, and present puzzles. Monsters and traps to thwart your progress at every turn. There’s a lot to discover, and each game is a bit different than the last. - Old-school RPG elements set within an immersive world: Turn-based action, experience levels, quests to complete, and more. We’ve taken elements from all our favorite games of yesteryear and rolled them into Bardcard. - Beautiful soundtrack created by us: We’ve orchestrated every flute, piano, and xylophone to create a unique realm to adventure in. - Challenging rogelite system with powerful persistent artifacts: Death is likely unavoidable in this dangerous world. Lucky for you, there are special items and companions that stick with you no matter what happens in the dungeon. ACCOLADES ========== App Store Game of the Day (11/8/22) ABOUT RASCAL MAGIC ================== We are two childhood friends building a mysterious world for you to explore. Originally from Michigan and now based up and down the West Coast, we create everything from the gameplay, imagery, audio, and story, to physical apparel and collectibles. Although we charge a small price for downloading our games, we don’t have in-game advertising or in-app purchases. It’s just not our thing. Instead, you get access to the entire game and future updates. Let’s do this! We’d love to hear from you: hello@rascalmagic.com

About

Eldrum

Embark on a dark, immersive text-based RPG where your decisions dictate your fate. Experience D&D-inspired gameplay, strategic turn-based combat, and branching storylines in a richly crafted, grimdark world. Explore, uncover secrets, and forge your own path to one of multiple endings.

Highlights
  • Branching storylines with multiple endings
  • D&D-inspired gameplay mechanics
  • Strategic turn-based combat
  • Rich, dark, and immersive world
  • Exploration with secrets and side quests
  • Atmospheric audio and evocative imagery
Features
Read full description

Dive into a dark, immersive world where your choices shape your destiny. Eldrum: Black Dust is a gripping text-based RPG that combines the depth of D&D, the strategic gameplay of CRPGs, and the narrative freedom of CYOA gamebooks. Key Features: - Branching Storylines: Every decision matters in this grimdark adventure, leading to multiple endings. - D&D-Inspired Gameplay: Experience the depth of tabletop RPGs in a mobile format. - Turn-Based Combat: Engage in strategic 2D battles reminiscent of classic CRPGs. - Rich, Dark World: Explore a meticulously crafted universe filled with moral ambiguity and tough choices. - Immersive Experience: Vivid text descriptions enhanced by evocative imagery and atmospheric audio. - Exploration: Roam the desert city and its surroundings, uncovering secrets and side quests. Eldrum: Black Dust brings the essence of traditional gamebooks and CRPGs to your fingertips, with a modern twist. Whether you're a fan of Choose Your Own Adventure stories, D&D campaigns, or simply looking for a deep, narrative-driven experience, this game offers hours of captivating gameplay. Our commitment to accessibility shines through - Eldrum: Black Dust is proudly created by a studio recognized for developing the Best Mobile Game for Blind Users (AppleVis Game of the Year 2020). Embark on your journey through the dark and unforgiving world of Eldrum today. Every choice you make, every path you take, will leave its mark on the Black Dust. What tale will you weave, and which of the multiple endings will you unlock? Eldrum: Black Dust is the third game in the Eldrum series. The games' stories are linked and there are references between the games, but they can be played in any order. Download now and start your grimdark adventure!

Screenshots

Bardcard4 screens
Eldrum4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bardcard at none against Eldrum's 1. Bardcard also leads on price ($3.99 vs $8.99). Eldrum's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Bardcard costs $3.99 and Eldrum $8.99 up front. Eldrum sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Bardcard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Bardcard against 4.9 for Eldrum. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 55 and 160 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Bardcard's written reviews are positive against 92% of Eldrum's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bardcard ships an update monthly, Eldrum every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Bardcard versus Eldrum: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBardcardEldrum
Price$3.99 — better$8.99
Rating4.7 (55 ratings)4.9 (160 ratings) — better
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews92.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings55160 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size188 MB186 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperKevin MiklesAct None

Customer experience

Bardcard

All ratings55 ratings
Positive92.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

Eldrum

All ratings159 ratings
Positive95.6%
Neutral3.1%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews51 reviews
Positive92.2%
Neutral3.9%
Negative3.9%

Bugs and requests

Bardcard

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Eldrum

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Voiceover issues with health display
  • RNG-heavy combat

Requested features

3 requests
  • More cities and activities
  • Ability to improve fighting skills
  • Clarity on save system

In-app purchases

None

Bardcard

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Eldrum

One-time1
  • Mount Karnak DLC$4.99

Questions

Is Bardcard free?
Bardcard costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Eldrum free?
Eldrum costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bardcard or Eldrum?
Eldrum is rated higher. Bardcard averages 4.7 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Eldrum averages 4.9 from 160 ratings.
Do Bardcard or Eldrum have ads?
Neither Bardcard nor Eldrum shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bardcard or Eldrum?
Bardcard ships an update monthly, and Eldrum every 3 days. Most recently, Bardcard was updated on October 25, 2026 and Eldrum on October 25, 2026.

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