# Audiobookshelf

> Audiobookshelf is a free, open-source app you can self-host in the music streaming category. Audiobook and podcast server. It streams all audio formats, keeps and syncs progress across devices. Comes with apps for Android and iOS. It has 14,555 GitHub stars, is released under the GPL-3.0 license and ships a Docker image. It is a self-hosted alternative to Spotify, Kindle, Audible and Pocket Casts.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf |
| Website | https://www.audiobookshelf.org/ |
| GitHub stars | 14,555 |
| Forks | 1,199 |
| Open issues | 1,007 |
| License | GPL-3.0 |
| License type | Open source |
| Language | JavaScript |
| Docker image | Yes |
| Platforms | Docker, deb, Nodejs |
| Categories | Music Streaming, E-books |
| Commits, last 12 months | 487 |
| Last commit | Oct 5, 2026 |
| Latest release | v2.37.1 (Sep 29, 2026) |
| Created | Aug 17, 2021 |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained |
| Archived | No |

Topics: audiobookshelf, audiobooks, self-hosted, audiobook-manager, podcasts

## Install

Audiobookshelf ships a Docker image; follow the README at https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf for the image name and environment variables.

Need it installed for you? [appsgit installation help](https://appsgit.com/services/install): a fixed quote by email, single app installs from $79.

## Audiobookshelf replaces

- [Spotify alternatives](https://appsgit.com/alternatives/spotify): A music and podcast streaming service with personalized playlists.
- [Kindle alternatives](https://appsgit.com/alternatives/kindle): Amazon's e-book store and reading ecosystem.
- [Audible alternatives](https://appsgit.com/alternatives/audible): Amazon's audiobook subscription service.
- [Pocket Casts alternatives](https://appsgit.com/alternatives/pocket-casts): A podcast player and discovery app.

## Comparisons

- [Audiobookshelf vs Calibre Web](https://appsgit.com/compare/audiobookshelf-vs-calibre-web): Pick Audiobookshelf if you want to stream audiobooks and podcasts with progress sync; pick Calibre-Web if you want a web front end for an existing Calibre e-book library.

## Similar apps in Music Streaming

- [Navidrome Music Server](https://appsgit.com/apps/navidrome-music-server): Modern Music Server and Streamer, compatible with Subsonic/Airsonic. (23,986 stars, GPL-3.0, Go, Docker)
- [koel](https://appsgit.com/apps/koel): Personal music streaming server that works. (17,272 stars, MIT, PHP)
- [Beets](https://appsgit.com/apps/beets): Music library manager and MusicBrainz tagger (command-line and Web interface). (15,756 stars, MIT, Python)
- [Mopidy](https://appsgit.com/apps/mopidy): Extensible music server. Offers a superset of the mpd API, as well as integration with 3rd party services like Spotify, SoundCloud etc. (8,592 stars, Apache-2.0, Python)
- [Snapcast](https://appsgit.com/apps/snapcast): Synchronous multiroom audio server. (7,906 stars, GPL-3.0, C++)
- [musikcube](https://appsgit.com/apps/musikcube): Streaming audio server with Linux/macOS/Windows/Android clients. (4,852 stars, BSD-3-Clause, C++)
- [Black Candy](https://appsgit.com/apps/black-candy): Music streaming server. (4,425 stars, MIT, Ruby, Docker)
- [AzuraCast](https://appsgit.com/apps/azuracast): Modern and accessible web radio management suite. (4,056 stars, AGPL-3.0, PHP, Docker)

## Articles

- [Home server for Plex and Jellyfin: hardware transcoding, storage and the apps around it](https://appsgit.com/blog/home-server-for-plex-jellyfin): Build a home server for Plex or Jellyfin: why Intel Quick Sync matters, how much storage you need, and the *arr stack and Seerr apps that automate the library.
- [Jellyfin vs Emby: open-source vs freemium media server](https://appsgit.com/blog/jellyfin-vs-emby): Jellyfin vs Emby in 2026: shared history, Emby Premiere pricing, hardware transcoding, apps, licences and privacy compared, with a clear pick for your server.
- [Jellyfin vs Plex in 2026: which media server should you self-host?](https://appsgit.com/blog/jellyfin-vs-plex): Jellyfin vs Plex in 2026: pricing after the Plex Pass changes, remote streaming, hardware transcoding, apps and privacy compared, with a clear verdict.
- [r/selfhosted's most recommended apps, ranked by GitHub data](https://appsgit.com/blog/r-selfhosted-most-recommended-apps): The apps r/selfhosted recommends again and again, from Immich and Jellyfin to Vaultwarden and Paperless-ngx, ranked with real GitHub stars and commit activity.
- [Self-hosting on a Raspberry Pi 5: 15 apps that run well on 8 GB](https://appsgit.com/blog/raspberry-pi-5-self-hosted-apps): Self-hosted apps for the Raspberry Pi 5: 15 that run well on 8 GB, each with a verified ARM64 Docker image, plus storage, cooling and the limits to know.

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Canonical page: https://appsgit.com/apps/audiobookshelf
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