Comparison

BARD Mobile vs Timecrest

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

Head to head
About

BARD Mobile

Access a vast digital library of audiobooks, electronic braille books, magazines, and music scores. This service is provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled to eligible US residents and citizens abroad who cannot read standard print.

Highlights
  • Tens of thousands of books
  • Current best sellers and classics
  • Popular magazines
  • Music instruction and scores
  • Audio and electronic braille formats
  • New selections added daily
Read full description

CARRY A LIBRARY IN YOUR POCKET Access tens of thousands of books—from current best sellers to much-loved classics, popular magazines, and music instruction and scores—in audio and electronic braille, with new selections added daily. WHO IS ELIGIBLE? BARD Mobile is a service of NLS. NLS provides free audio and braille reading materials to residents of the US and American citizens living abroad who cannot read regular print. If you are blind or have temporary or permanent low vision or a physical or reading disability that prevents you from holding or reading the printed page, you may be eligible for this program. For more information, visit https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/eligibility-for-nls-services. HOW DO I GET STARTED? This app allows access for eligible users who have enrolled in the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) at the Library of Congress. To enroll, call 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323) and follow the prompts to find your state. Or to learn more at https://www.loc.gov/thatallmayread. If you are already an NLS patron, contact your cooperating NLS library to request a BARD account. You can find your library by visiting https://www.loc.gov/nls/find-a-local-library/. SUPPORT For support and help with BARD account issues, or to report bugs, email NLSDownload@loc.gov. For FAQ, visit https://www.loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/bard-access/nls-bard-frequently-asked-questions/. For the User Guides: https://www.loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/bard-access/bard-mobile-ios-version/

About

Timecrest

Embark on an epic fantasy adventure where your choices shape the narrative. As a young mage, you'll explore a magical world, uncover plot twists, and make decisions that determine the fate of a realm threatened by destruction. Experience a rich story with an emotional soundtrack.

Highlights
  • Interactive chat story
  • Branching narrative choices
  • Fantasy adventure
  • Explore a magical world
  • Emotional custom soundtrack
  • Unlockable music tracks
Features
Read full description

*** Best Game & Developer of the Year, AppleVis Golden Apples *** *** Featured in Apple's App Store Best Of *** “An interesting story... Simple fun.” - The New York Times Timecrest is a young adult fantasy where you are the main character. A young mage named Ash contacts you frantically through a pocket watch connecting to your iPhone asking for your help. Ash’s world, Alyncia, is about to be destroyed by falling meteors, but you demonstrate the ability to save Ash’s world by turning back time. There isn’t long to celebrate as Ash is suddenly being hunted by someone who informs you that you’ve done the impossible–your use of time magic has broken the rules of magic. Whether you save the world or do something else, your journey will take you through wondrous places where you’ll meet people that will either become your friends or your enemies. The decision to experience this game is yours, but if you do adventure in Alyncia, it will be the journey of a lifetime. - MAKE YOUR CHOICE. Timecrest is a story where no path is the wrong one. Walk your own road and experience a satisfying story no matter what. - EXPLORE A MAGICAL WORLD. Timecrest pulls no punches with big emotional moments and plot twists across over 640,000 words. - EXPERIENCE FANTASY AND WONDER. Timecrest features an emotional custom soundtrack with 34 musical tracks to unlock. What people are saying about Timecrest: “The characters really do draw you in.” - Jamie Pauls “It's not just a survival, yes/no–binary choice thing. It's like you're watching actual characters, actual people, living actual lives.” - Alex Hall “Timecrest stands out.” - AFB, AccessWorld Magazine “Worth a look–even if you’re not a fan of interactive fiction–as this is the best one so far.” - RNIB Connect Radio

Screenshots

BARD Mobile2 screens
Timecrest4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Timecrest at 4.7 against BARD Mobile's 3.8. Timecrest also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 58%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). BARD Mobile's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. Timecrest sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. BARD Mobile asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Timecrest holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 187 and 857 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of BARD Mobile's written reviews are positive against 85% of Timecrest's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BARD Mobile ships an update every 3 months, Timecrest monthly. Both last shipped on October 12, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
BARD Mobile versus Timecrest: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBARD MobileTimecrest
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (187 ratings)4.7 (857 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.6% of reviews85.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings187857 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.2
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB308 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperLibrary Of CongressSneaky Crab, Inc.

Customer experience

BARD Mobile

All ratings153 ratings
Positive62.7%
Neutral15.7%
Negative21.6%
Written reviews132 reviews
Positive57.6%
Neutral18.9%
Negative23.5%

Timecrest

All ratings857 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral4.7%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews211 reviews
Positive85.3%
Neutral5.7%
Negative9.0%

User reviews

BARD Mobile

From 187 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📚 Massive library of audiobooks and magazines
  • 👍 User-friendly interface with VoiceOver support
  • 🎙️ Human narrators instead of text-to-speech
  • 📱 Convenient mobile access to books
  • ⚡ Ability to download books offline

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent login and authentication failures
  • 🐛 Download queue issues and stalled downloads
  • 🐛 App crashes and freezes
  • 📵 Poor braille display compatibility
  • 🔌 Inconsistent VoiceOver and accessibility support

Timecrest

From 857 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fantastic story and world-building
  • 👍 Engaging and immersive gameplay
  • 🎨 Beautiful music and soundtrack
  • 🎯 Meaningful choices with impact
  • 🙌 Excellent accessibility for blind/VI users

Room to improve

  • ⏱️ Lengthy wait times between actions
  • 🤑 Expensive in-app purchases for time crystals
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and syncing issues
  • 🤔 Some predictable story elements

Bugs and requests

BARD Mobile

Reported bugs

20 issues
  • Login credentials cannot be decrypted error
  • Device registration failed when logging in from different locations
  • Downloads stuck in queue indefinitely
  • App crashes on iOS 26 and recent iOS versions
  • VoiceOver focus jumping unexpectedly
Show 15 more
  • Braille books display gibberish or won't advance properly
  • Search results disappear when switching apps or receiving calls
  • Playback stops when screen turns off
  • Wireless headset stop button not responding
  • Sleep timer not working correctly
  • Books not syncing across multiple devices
  • Account marked as suspended without reason
  • Password reset functionality broken
  • Airplay 2 compatibility issues
  • Siri commands inconsistent
  • Playback lag and stuttering
  • Books fail to extract after download
  • Recent downloads cannot be cleared
  • Braille display connection issues
  • Tone adjustment button not functioning

Requested features

18 requests
  • Genre and category filtering for book browsing
  • Cross-device synchronization of bookmarks and reading position
  • Equalizer and pitch shifter controls
  • More playback speed options
  • Volume control within the app
Show 13 more
  • Rewind/fast-forward button customization
  • Favorites list feature
  • Book request/suggestion feature
  • Web browser access within the app
  • Braille text display alongside audio
  • Dark mode for reduced brightness
  • Table of contents for short story collections
  • Customizable reading lists
  • Ability to cleanup recent downloads
  • USB flash drive support for storage
  • Better book series organization
  • Faster book addition to library
  • Book sharing feature between patrons

Timecrest

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inconsistent save data across devices
  • Text overlapping/glitching issues
  • Relationship points not tracking properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to earn more time crystals in-game
  • More control and customization options
  • Expanded story and content updates
  • Improved save/load functionality

In-app purchases

None

BARD Mobile

No in-app purchases

12 purchases

Timecrest

One-time12
  • 300 Time Crystals$0.99
  • 636 Time Crystals$1.99
  • Memory Oracle Starter Pack$2.99
Show 9 more
  • 1296 Time Crystals$3.99
  • One Time Welcome Pack$5.99
  • 2310 Time Crystals$6.99
  • 3330 Time Crystals$9.99
  • 6,330 Time Crystals$18.99
  • 6900 Time Crystals$19.99
  • 13,330 Time Crystals$39.99
  • 19,997 Time Crystals$59.99
  • 34479 Time Crystals$99.99

Questions

Is BARD Mobile free?
BARD Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Timecrest free?
Timecrest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, BARD Mobile or Timecrest?
Timecrest is rated higher. BARD Mobile averages 3.8 out of 5 from 187 ratings, while Timecrest averages 4.7 from 857 ratings.
Do BARD Mobile or Timecrest have ads?
Neither BARD Mobile nor Timecrest shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BARD Mobile or Timecrest?
BARD Mobile ships an update every 3 months, and Timecrest monthly. Most recently, BARD Mobile was updated on October 12, 2026 and Timecrest on October 12, 2026.

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