Pocket Bard is built around scenes where the music follows the action; Summoning Stone is built for fully customizable scenes, grouped by campaign, plus community campaigns so you can skip the setup, and then to get out of your way while you run the game. It also adds extras like a TV display and hands-free control. Both are apps for running D&D and other tabletop RPG sessions. Pocket Bard is also available on Android and Windows; Summoning Stone is Apple-only.
We make Summoning Stone. Pocket Bard facts below come from its App Store listing as of October 2026.
At a glance
| Summoning Stone | Pocket Bard | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Apple Vision; Google Play listing for Android |
| Approach | Build fully customizable scenes and group them by campaign, or download community campaigns | Ready-made scenes (20+ in the free library), plus collections like sci-fi, horror and cyberpunk |
| Music | Access to millions of songs, plus built-in stream-safe tracks | Music that changes with the story; one-tap move from exploration to combat, with a victory stinger; intensity slider |
| Ambience | Layered ambience you build, with reverb filters | Layered ambience (rain, wind, crowds, creatures), each with its own intensity control |
| Sound effects | Soundboard of one-shots with filters | One-shot effects such as a door slam, sword clash or thunderclap |
| Customising scenes | Fully customizable: build scenes from scratch and group them by campaign | A scene editor for ambience and one-shot effects per scene |
| Community campaigns | Download community-made campaigns and scenes, including adventures like Death House (Curse of Strahd) | Not stated on its App Store page |
| Involvement | One tap starts a scene, and it plays exactly as you saved it: music, ambience levels, effects and reverb | Designed to be steered live: its page describes a layered soundscape you control at the table, with an intensity control for each ambience and music state controls |
| Room acoustics | Reverb on a scene’s ambience and effects, saved with the scene, so a cave can sound like a cave and a church like a church | Ambience variations for indoor and outdoor settings; reverb controls not stated on its App Store page |
| Your own audio | Apple Music playlists | Not stated on its App Store page |
| Second screen | Send artwork and maps to a TV, with weather effects | Not stated on its App Store page |
| Hands-free control | Siri Shortcuts and Stream Deck plugin | Not stated on its App Store page |
| Cost | A paid subscription that costs less than Pocket Bard’s | A subscription (Open Worlds) unlocks more collections |
| Free tier | Free to download; free sounds, music and effects, and up to five scenes | Free to download, no ads; free library of 20+ complete scenes |
Where Pocket Bard is stronger
- Music that follows the action. Switching from exploration to combat in one tap, with a stinger when the party wins, is a standout idea for running fights.
- Steering the soundtrack live. If you like conducting the audio as the story moves, with intensity and music-state controls, it’s built for that.
- Android and Windows. If you run your games from an Android or Windows device, Pocket Bard has apps for both.
Where Summoning Stone is stronger
- Built for professionals. A pro-level app with tons of features. It’s built for live streaming (built-in audio cleared for commercial use, hands-free control with Siri and Stream Deck, scenes that play the same way every time) and for professional game masters running lots of different games, with custom campaigns that fit each group rather than starting from someone else’s ready-made scenes.
- Lower price, with a real free tier. As of October 2026, Summoning Stone’s subscription costs less than Pocket Bard’s. It’s free to download with free sounds, music and effects and up to five scenes. A subscription unlocks the premium library, unlimited scenes, screen mirroring and community campaigns. See what’s free.
- It gets out of the way. Each scene remembers its music, ambience levels, effects and reverb, so switching scenes is one tap and nothing needs adjusting mid-game. Do a little prep up front, then just play. In our view, an app you steer live is one more thing to manage while you’re also running the game; Summoning Stone is built to stay out of your way.
- Room acoustics. Add reverb to a scene’s ambience and effects, and save it with the scene. A tight cavern, a vast hall or a church can sound like one, every time you start the scene.
- Fully customizable scenes, grouped by campaign. Build scenes from scratch with music, layered ambience and effects. A little prep up front, then run the game from there.
- Skip the setup. Download community-made campaigns and scenes, including scenes for published adventures such as Death House from Curse of Strahd.
- Millions of songs. Access to the largest library of music for tabletop games, plus built-in stream-safe tracks.
- A TV display. Send artwork and maps to a connected TV, with rain, snow, fog, smoke or magic overlays.
- Hands-free control. Start scenes and fire effects with Siri or a Stream Deck, and tie in your lights.
- Cleared for commercial use. Built-in audio is cleared for commercial use with attribution. Apple Music tracks aren’t covered.
Who should choose which
- Choose Pocket Bard if you run your games from an Android or Windows device.
- Choose Summoning Stone if you’re on Apple devices and want fully customizable scenes, millions of songs, room acoustics, a TV display, hands-free control and an app that plays exactly as you’ve set it up and stays out of your way.
- Not sure? Summoning Stone is free to download, so try it first. Or read our guide to the best tabletop audio apps.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pocket Bard better than Summoning Stone?
In our view, no. It comes down to whether you want something you can get into right away with little setup, or full customization. Once Summoning Stone is set up, it’s the stronger app: fully customizable scenes, millions of songs, room acoustics, a TV display and hands-free control, all in an app that plays exactly as you’ve saved it and stays out of your way. Pocket Bard’s main advantage is that it’s also available on Android and Windows.
Does Pocket Bard work on Android?
It has a Google Play listing. Summoning Stone currently runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac only.
Can I use my own music?
Summoning Stone imports Apple Music playlists. Pocket Bard’s App Store page doesn’t say whether it imports your own audio.
Which takes less effort during the game?
With Summoning Stone you prepare scenes up front, and each one starts with a single tap, playing as you saved it, so it stays out of your way while you run the game. Pocket Bard is designed to be steered live, with intensity and music-state controls you adjust as the story changes. In our view that means one more thing to manage alongside everything else a game master is doing.
Can I customise scenes in Pocket Bard?
Its App Store page lists a scene editor for customising ambience and one-shot effects per scene. Summoning Stone lets you build scenes from scratch, group them by campaign, and start from community-made campaigns.
Is Summoning Stone cheaper than Pocket Bard?
Yes. As of October 2026, Summoning Stone’s subscription costs less than Pocket Bard’s. Prices change and vary by region, so check both listings.
Which is better for streaming my game?
Check licensing for your channel. Summoning Stone’s built-in audio is cleared for commercial use with attribution.