Audiobookshelf

What is Audiobookshelf?

Audiobookshelf is a free, open source, self-hosted server for your audiobooks and podcasts. You point it at your own files, and it organizes them into libraries, streams them to phones, tablets, and the browser, and remembers exactly where you stopped on every device. It handles both audiobooks and podcasts in one place.

What is Audiobookshelf best for?

People who own a collection of audiobooks — or subscribe to podcasts — and want to listen from anywhere without handing the files to Amazon or another streaming service. It fits self-hosters who already run a home server and want one library that syncs progress across the family and every device they use.

What can Audiobookshelf do?

• Stream any audio format on the fly, transcoding through FFmpeg
• Sync listening progress across web, iOS, and Android so you resume anywhere
• Manage podcasts: subscribe, auto-download new episodes, and search feeds
• Run multiple users with per-user permissions and separate progress
• Auto-scan libraries, fetch metadata and covers, and edit chapters
• Install as a Progressive Web App and cast to Chromecast
• Read basic ebooks and comics too (ePub, PDF, CBZ) alongside your audio
• Back up its database and metadata automatically on a daily schedule

Is Audiobookshelf free?

Yes — Audiobookshelf is completely free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license, including the mobile apps. There is no paid tier, no cloud subscription, and no per-user fee. Your only cost is the hardware you run it on, since you host it yourself.

Where does Audiobookshelf fall short?

• The iOS app ships through TestFlight as a beta rather than a stable App Store release, and beta slots sometimes fill up — a rougher path than Audible’s polished App Store app for iPhone users.
• Playlists only work when a server has a single audiobook library and a single podcast library; split your collection into multiple libraries and playlist creation is disabled.
• It is audiobook- and podcast-first — the ebook and comic reader is basic, so for a serious ebook or manga library a dedicated reader like Kavita is a better fit.

What does Audiobookshelf replace?

Audiobookshelf is a self-hosted Audible alternative. Instead of renting listening access to a store’s catalog, you keep your own audiobook files and stream them to the same phones and tablets, with progress sync and a mobile app — plus podcast subscriptions in the same server, which Audible does not cover.

FAQ

Is Audiobookshelf open source? Yes. It is licensed under GPL-3.0, and the source for both the server and the mobile apps is public on GitHub.

Can I self-host Audiobookshelf for free? Yes. The software and apps are free with no paid tier — you only pay for the server or device it runs on.

Is Audiobookshelf a good Audible alternative? For people who own their audiobook files, yes — you get cross-device progress sync and mobile apps without a subscription. It does not sell audiobooks, so you bring your own library.

What do I need to run Audiobookshelf? A machine that can run Docker, or Node.js 20 with FFmpeg installed. It is lightweight and runs comfortably on a small home server, NAS, or Raspberry Pi.