Audiobookshelf: Your Personal Audiobook & Podcast Server

Audiobookshelf is a self-hosted audiobook and podcast server that puts your audio library under your control. With beautiful mobile apps, offline listening, and multi-user support, it’s the perfect alternative to proprietary audiobook services.

Why Self-Host Your Audiobooks?

Own Your Library

Unlike Audible or other DRM-locked platforms, Audiobookshelf stores your files in standard formats (MP3, M4B, etc.) that you actually own. No platform lock-in, no losing access if a service shuts down.

Privacy First

Your listening habits stay private. No corporation tracking what you listen to, when you listen, or building profiles about your interests.

Multi-User Support

Share your library with family members while keeping individual progress, bookmarks, and preferences separate.

Key Features

Feature	Description
Web Player	Beautiful browser-based player with playback speed, sleep timer
Mobile Apps	Native iOS and Android apps with offline sync
Podcast Support	Subscribe to and manage podcasts alongside audiobooks
Progress Sync	Seamless cross-device listening progress
Bookmarking	Save clips and notes at specific timestamps
Chapters	Automatic chapter detection and navigation
Multi-User	Separate accounts with individual libraries and progress
Audiobook Discovery	Metadata fetching from OpenLibrary, Google Books, etc.

Quick Start Guide

Docker Installation (Recommended)

docker run -d \
  -p 13378:80 \
  -v /path/to/audiobooks:/audiobooks \
  -v /path/to/podcasts:/podcasts \
  -v /path/to/config:/config \
  -v /path/to/metadata:/metadata \
  --name audiobookshelf \
  ghcr.io/advplyr/audiobookshelf

Docker Compose

version: '3'
services:
  audiobookshelf:
    image: ghcr.io/advplyr/audiobookshelf
    ports:
      - 13378:80
    volumes:
      - /path/to/audiobooks:/audiobooks
      - /path/to/podcasts:/podcasts
      - ./config:/config
      - ./metadata:/metadata
    restart: unless-stopped

Setting Up Your Library

1. Create library folders:

   /audiobooks/
   ├── Author Name/
   │   └── Book Title/
   │       └── *.mp3 or *.m4b

2. Scan for books:

   • Click “Scan” in the web interface
   • Audiobookshelf automatically fetches metadata

3. Download mobile apps:

   • iOS App Store
   • Android Play Store

File Organization Tips

Best practices for your library:

• Use folders: /Author/Book Title/
• Include cover.jpg in each book folder
• Use chapter markers for long books
• Keep podcast episodes in a separate library

Podcast Management

Audiobookshelf isn’t just for audiobooks—it handles podcasts too:

• RSS subscriptions - Add any podcast RSS feed
• Auto-download - New episodes download automatically
• Episode management - Keep or delete episodes as needed
• Same sync - Progress syncs across devices like audiobooks

Mobile App Features

The mobile apps are where Audiobookshelf really shines:

• Offline listening - Download books for plane rides or commutes
• Car mode - Simplified controls for safe driving
• Sleep timer - Fall asleep to your book
• Playback speed - 0.5x to 3x speed adjustment
• Chapter navigation - Jump between chapters easily

Comparison to Alternatives

Feature	Audiobookshelf	Plex	Emby	Jellyfin
Audiobook-specific features	✅ Excellent	⚠️ Basic	⚠️ Basic	⚠️ Basic
Mobile apps	✅ Native	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Offline sync	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Podcast support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Open source	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes

Advanced Features

Backup & Migration

Audiobookshelf stores everything in standard formats, making backups simple:

rsync -av /path/to/audiobooks /backup/location/

API Access

The server exposes a REST API for custom integrations and automation.

Notifications

Set up webhooks for download completion, new episodes, etc.

Conclusion

Audiobookshelf brings the convenience of cloud audiobook services to your homelab. With excellent mobile apps, robust sync, and true ownership of your files, it’s the ideal solution for audiobook enthusiasts who value privacy and control.

Ready to start? Deploy it today and migrate your audiobook collection away from proprietary platforms.