BARD Mobile

Name: BARD Mobile
Rating: 3.9 (194 reviews)
Author: Library Of Congress

By: Library Of Congress App

Free Braille and Audio Books

Overview

Version:

2.2.6

Last updated: 2026-07-03

Ranking

#112,420 ▼ 83

Overall

Features & Capabilities

BARD Mobile brings a portable library to your pocket. Access tens of thousands of titles—from best sellers to classics, magazines, and music scores—in audio and electronic braille, with new selections added daily.

BARD Mobile is a service of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) at the Library of Congress. Eligible users include US residents and American citizens abroad who cannot read regular print. To enroll, call 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323) or visit loc.gov/thatallmayread; existing NLS patrons can request a BARD account through their local library. For support, guides, and FAQs, visit loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/bard-access/bard-mobile-ios-version/

User Growth & Download Statistics

App Accessibility Books Education Music & Audio News & Magazines

By:

Library Of Congress

Rating:

3.90

(194)

Version:

2.2.6 Last updated: 2026-07-03

Version code:

887605350

Creation date:

2013-09-19

Compatible devices:

Size:

22.04MB

URLs:

Website ,Privacy policy

Full description:

Source:

Apple Apps Store

Data ingested on:

2026-09-02

Compare stats and ranking:

Ranking

# 112,420 ▼ 83

Other platforms

BARD Mobile (v2.1.0)

240,117 4.08

(949)

For Developers

Monetize with App Pass Boost with Extension Booster

Contact the developer

Chrome-Stats does not own this Apple app. Please use these information below to contact the Apple app developer.

Developed by:

Library Of Congress

Apple Apps Store

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bard-mobile/id705229586

Website:

https://www.loc.gov/nls/how-to-enroll/sign-up-for-bard-and-bard-mobile/

User Reviews

BARD Mobile is valued for its large title catalog, accessibility for blind/VI users, and offline downloads, plus ease of use. However, users report recurring login/authentication problems, downloads stuck in queue, and accessibility issues with VoiceOver and braille displays, particularly after iOS updates. Stability and cross-device syncing issues also detract from the experience and navigation challenges persist for search/browse tasks.

Pros

Large catalog of books with a vast selection of titles
Accessibility-focused design for blind/visually impaired users, including human narration
Offline access via downloading books for later listening
User-friendly, easy-to-use interface

Cons

Frequent login/authentication issues (account suspensions, password resets, cross-device login problems)
Download queue problems where items stay queued or fail to download
VoiceOver and braille accessibility issues, especially after updates (iOS 26) with navigation and braille displays
Stability and compatibility problems (crashes on launch, unreliable syncing, iOS compatibility)

Recent reviews

This app has made such a difference to me. With low vision it has allowed me to continue reading, and the interface is intuitive to use with low vision. I especially appreciate that you can change the color contrast, but the font should be in bold, as thin fonts are more difficult to navigate. One big problem is when traveling. I was going on a long international flight and downloaded several books to enjoy on the flight and during my travels. I lost them all when not connected to the internet and had a very long and boring flight. I could not reload them while abroad either. I thought these were downloaded to my phone and should have been accessible. Since then I’ve noticed that when I open the app it temporarily shows 0 books until the book’s load in. The loss of these materials for a long trip was heartbreaking since listening to the movies on board a flight are not as entertaining as listening to a good book.