Audiobookshelf
FreeSelf-hosted audiobook and podcast server with mobile apps
About Audiobookshelf
Audiobookshelf is a self-hosted audiobook and podcast server that provides an Audible-like experience on your own hardware. It features automatic metadata fetching from Audible and iTunes, chapter detection, bookmarking, sleep timers, and playback speed controls. Native mobile apps for iOS and Android provide offline downloads and CarPlay support. Multi-user support with individual progress tracking makes it suitable for families. The server handles M4B M4A MP3 and other audio formats with automatic library scanning. Podcast support includes automatic episode downloading and OPML import. Built with Node.js it deploys via Docker with minimal configuration. The project has rapidly become the standard self-hosted solution for audiobook management replacing older tools like Booksonic. For anyone with a digital audiobook collection Audiobookshelf provides the best listening experience available in the self-hosted space.
Key Features
Pricing Plans
Free
- Open-source
- All features included
- Unlimited libraries
- iOS and Android apps
Pros
- Native mobile apps with offline download and CarPlay support
- Automatic metadata fetching from Audible and iTunes
- Multi-user with individual progress and bookmarks
- Handles all common audio formats with library scanning
- Podcast support with automatic episode downloads
- Active development with responsive maintainer
Cons
- Requires decent storage for audiobook libraries
- Mobile apps occasionally lag behind server features
- No built-in audiobook purchasing or DRM handling
- Metadata matching can miss obscure titles
- Server setup requires Docker knowledge
- No desktop app yet
Best For
- Audiobook collectors wanting an Audible-like self-hosted experience
- Families sharing an audiobook library with individual progress tracking
- Podcast listeners who want to own their subscriptions
Not Ideal For
- Users who primarily buy DRM audiobooks from Audible
- People without existing audiobook collections
Potential Deal Breakers
- Requires significant storage for large audiobook libraries
- No DRM audiobook support
- Mobile apps can lag behind server updates
Data & Privacy
Self-hosted audiobook server. All listening data, progress, and library metadata stay on your server. No telemetry. No external tracking.
Who Is This For?
Hands-on tested 2026-05
Signup Experience
Self-hosted via Docker — no external account needed. Library setup involves pointing to your audiobook folder. Mobile apps connect to your server with just the URL and credentials.
For Home Users
Best self-hosted audiobook server available. Progress sync across devices works reliably. Mobile apps are polished and match the experience of commercial audiobook platforms.
For Business Users
Not a business tool but excellent for personal media library management. A must-have for audiobook collectors who want to own their listening experience without subscription costs.
Our Verdict
Audiobookshelf is the best self-hosted audiobook server available. The mobile apps with offline support make it genuinely usable as an Audible replacement.