headphones

Audiobookshelf

bolt Auto-install

Self-hosted audiobook and podcast server — your own Audible, ad-free.

cloud_upload Media & Storage

rocket_launch Install open_in_new Website

info Overview

Audiobookshelf is a free, open-source, self-hosted audiobook and podcast server that streams your own audiobook and podcast library to beautiful iOS and Android apps and a built-in web player. It tracks your listening progress and syncs it across every device, auto-downloads new podcast episodes, and supports multiple users with per-user permissions and independent progress — all with no ads and no monthly subscription. Valebyte deploys it in one click on port 80, and the first account you create on the setup wizard becomes the admin.

Audiobookshelf plays the audiobooks and podcasts that you own — your own files on your own server — so it replaces Audible and other streaming subscriptions for your personal collection without locking your library into a proprietary app. It ships chapter support, bookmarks, a sleep timer, adjustable playback speed, ebook support and automatic metadata fetching, giving you a private, ad-free listening experience you fully control.

check_circle Features

check Streams your audiobook and podcast library to polished iOS, Android and web players
check Tracks listening progress and syncs it automatically across all your devices
check Auto-downloads new podcast episodes so your feeds stay up to date
check Multi-user support with per-user permissions and independent listening progress
check Chapter navigation, bookmarks, sleep timer and adjustable playback speed
check Fetches cover art and metadata automatically to keep your library tidy
check Also serves ebooks alongside your audiobooks in the same library
check Completely free and open-source — no ads, no subscriptions, no tracking

quiz Frequently Asked Questions

Is Audiobookshelf a good self-hosted Audible alternative? expand_more

Yes. Audiobookshelf is the most popular self-hosted alternative to Audible for audiobooks you already own. It streams your personal library to iOS, Android and web with progress sync, chapters and bookmarks, and unlike Audible there are no subscriptions, no ads and no vendor lock-in.

Does Audiobookshelf let me pirate Audible books? expand_more

No. Audiobookshelf only plays audiobook and podcast files that you already own and add to your own server. It is a media server for your personal collection, not a way to download or stream copyrighted Audible content.

How much RAM does Audiobookshelf need? expand_more

Audiobookshelf is very lightweight and runs comfortably in about 1 GB of RAM with a single CPU core. Valebyte's starting VPS plans (1 core, 1 GB RAM, 5 GB storage) are enough to get going; you only need more disk space as your audiobook library grows.

Can I use my own domain with Audiobookshelf? expand_more

Yes. After the one-click deploy you can point your own domain or subdomain at your Valebyte server and add HTTPS, so your library lives at an address you control instead of a third-party service.

Does Audiobookshelf have mobile apps? expand_more

Yes. There are official Audiobookshelf apps for iOS and Android that connect to your server, plus a full web player in the browser. Your listening position, bookmarks and downloads stay in sync across every device.

Is my listening data private with Audiobookshelf? expand_more

Yes. Because Audiobookshelf runs on your own Valebyte VPS, your library, listening history and account data stay on your server. Nothing is sent to Audible or any streaming company, and there is no advertising or third-party tracking.