ShelfPlayer is a powerful iOS app for listening to audiobooks and podcasts, built for people who run their own self-hosted Audiobookshelf libraries. Written in Swift 6 for iOS 18+, it's fast, privacy-respecting, and deeply integrated with the Apple ecosystem.
ShelfPlayer does not include any media content. A running Audiobookshelf instance is required to use the app.
Why Choose ShelfPlayer?
- One app for everything: A single native experience for audiobooks, podcasts, episodes, authors, narrators, series, collections, and playlists
- Connect your own libraries: Works with multiple Audiobookshelf servers and libraries at the same time
- Flexible sign-in: Supports both username/password and OpenID, plus custom HTTP headers for advanced setups
- Find anything fast: Global and per-library search across books, podcasts, people, series, and episodes
- Stay in sync: Listening progress and sessions stay synchronized with your Audiobookshelf server
- Made for Apple devices: Native iPhone and iPad layouts, CarPlay, Siri, Shortcuts, Spotlight, Home Screen widgets, Live Activities, and Dynamic Island
Features at a glance:
- Listen Now to continue and discover content across connected libraries
- Chapter navigation with quick-access controls in playback
- Configurable skip intervals for forward and backward jumps
- AirPlay and native Apple media controls
- Bookmarks with optional notes to save key moments
- Detailed, item-level listening history and daily listening goals
- Offline mode with manual and automatic background downloads
- Built-in tools to create, edit, and organize collections and playlists
- In-app PDF viewer for attached documents
- Customizable tabs, sorting, and filters
Premium features
ShelfPlayer subscription unlocks the following:
- Offline listening: Download audiobooks and episodes and keep listening without a connection
- Custom playback speed: Adjust the rate beyond the default 1×
- Flexible sleep timer: Choose any duration or a chapter-based timer, beyond the default 5 minutes
- Bookmarks: Save and revisit key moments with notes
- Add to queue: Build your own listening order with the main and Up Next queues
- Statistics: Track your listening time, streaks, and finished titles
Download ShelfPlayer today and get the most out of your Audiobookshelf library!
Subscribe to access premium app features; subscription details are the following:
- Length: weekly or yearly
- Free trial: only on selected subscriptions
- Your payment will be charged to your Apple Account as soon as you confirm your purchase
- You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal from your Account Settings after the purchase
- Your subscription will renew automatically, unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the end of the current period
- The cost of renewal will be charged to your account in the 24 hours prior to the end of the current period
- When canceling a subscription, your subscription will stay active until the end of the period. Auto-renewal will be disabled, but the current subscription will not be refunded
- Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when purchasing a subscription
Terms & Conditions:
https://magic-cake-e95.notion.site/Shelf-Player-Terms-Conditions-39ccf6557a0880139826d06e6b87f4eb
Privacy Policy:
https://magic-cake-e95.notion.site/Shelf-Player-Privacy-Policy-39ccf6557a088010979bc16876532f5c
If you have any questions, please contact us at aitools@gmail.com
Great app to interact with Audiobookshelf. This replaced multiple apps in one go and is now my podcast and audiobook player. It integrates really well with CarPlay, arguably the best feature since cars are the perfect place for long form audiobook listening.
Pretty good but lots of bugs
earl189
There is a bug where the audio stops playing at midnight and cannot be restarted without going to the app. Also the chapter selection from the book page is broken but it works in the playback menu with visual bugs. Sometimes the downloads randomly disappear.
Overall great, but keeps losing my progress
Mattbladez
I like everything about this app, except there’s a few UC oddities, such as preferences/settings being behind the bookmark icon.The dealbreaker is that it keeps losing my progress. I’ll have 2-3 good listening sessions and boom, book restarts when I resume. ABS knows my progress, I checked, so why does this client keep restarting?Fix this and my review goes straight to 4 or 5.
Developer Response
I am working on a fix and it should be ready soon!
Unstable
jopeek
Unfortunately horribly unstable even in offline mode, particularly with car play. Can go weeks without issues and then suddenly refuse to display anything or even play an audio book even if it’s on the phone and it’s been downloaded.
Bug fixing and improvements
Version 3.3.1
The developer, AI Tools Apps SRL, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Used to Track You
The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:
Identifiers
Usage Data
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
Identifiers
Usage Data
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
The developer indicated that this app supports the following accessibility features. Learn More
Supported Features
VoiceOver
Voice Control
Larger Text
Dark Interface
Information
Seller
AI Tools Apps SRL
Size
65.1 MB
Category
Books
Compatibility
Requires iOS 26.0 or later.
iPhone Requires iOS 26.0 or later.
iPad Requires iPadOS 26.0 or later.
Mac Requires macOS 26.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
