Are the iOS and Android apps free?

Yes. Both apps are free and fully open-source (GPL-3.0). They connect to your self-hosted server and sync listening progress, bookmarks and playlists across all your devices.

Which audio formats does Audiobookshelf support?

Audiobookshelf supports MP3, M4A, M4B, AAC, OGG, FLAC, WAV, OPUS, AIFF and WMA. M4B chapter markers are fully supported. For Audible AAX files, you need to convert them to a DRM-free format first using a third-party tool.

Can multiple users share the same library?

Yes. Audiobookshelf supports multiple user accounts, each with their own listening progress, bookmarks, playlists and ratings. Permissions can be set per library, so you can control who sees what.

Share information and collaborate.

Audiobookshelf

Audiobookshelf — self-hosted audiobook and podcast library with mobile apps, Subsonic streaming and multi-user support.

< 512 MB RAM 1 vCPU Port 80 In validation

In validation

Automatic installation for this solution is ready and currently going through our tests on a real server. Ordering will open as soon as validation is complete.

Tech stack

DockerNode.jsSQLite

Minimum RAM< 512 MB

Minimum CPU1 vCPU

Default port80

Compatible OSChoice of Linux distributions

Audiobookshelf is a self-hosted, open-source (GPL-3.0) audiobook and podcast server, built in Node.js with SQLite. It lets you serve your own audio library from a VPS — with no subscription, no data sharing with third parties.

The app includes a full-featured web player with chapter-accurate position tracking, plus official iOS and Android apps that are entirely open-source. Every family member can have their own account with their listening history, bookmarks and playlists.

On a ServOrbit VPS, Audiobookshelf runs in a single lightweight Docker container (under 512 MB RAM), reads your audio files directly from a volume, and exposes an HTTPS interface via the nginx reverse proxy — accessible from any browser or mobile app with no extra configuration.

Key features

Audiobook and podcast streaming — serve your entire library from your VPS to any device.

Official iOS and Android apps — open-source mobile clients with offline download and progress sync.

Subsonic API support — use any compatible client alongside the built-in web player.

Multi-user accounts — each listener has their own progress, bookmarks and playlists.

Automatic metadata fetching — covers, chapters and descriptions from Audnexus and OpenLibrary.

Backup and restore — export your library metadata and progress to a JSON file at any time.

When to use this solution?

1

Replace Audible without losing your library

Import your DRM-free audiobooks into Audiobookshelf and access them from any device — no subscription, no lock-in, no monthly fee.

2

Centralise podcast subscriptions

Add any podcast RSS feed and let Audiobookshelf download new episodes automatically. Listen on the web or sync to your phone over Wi-Fi.

3

Share a family library

Create individual accounts for each family member. Everyone keeps their own progress and bookmarks without seeing each other's history.

Deploy Audiobookshelf on your VPS

Guide optimized for ServOrbit Cloud VPS.

01

Access Audiobookshelf

Audiobookshelf does not require a domain name. Open an SSH tunnel from your local machine: ssh -L 13378:127.0.0.1:{{ expose_port }} root@<your-vps-ip> then open http://localhost:13378 in your browser. For permanent mobile access, attach a domain from your ServOrbit dashboard — nginx proxies to the container over HTTPS — or use the free {app}.{dns_slug}.servorbit-dns.com subdomain included with every VPS.

02

Create your admin account

On first visit, Audiobookshelf shows a setup wizard to create the root admin account. Enter a username, email address and password. This account controls all library and user settings.

03

Add your library folders

In the admin panel, go to Libraries → Add Library. Choose the type (Books, Podcasts or Music), give it a name and point it at the /audiobooks or /podcasts volume paths inside the container. Audiobookshelf scans and indexes all supported audio files automatically.

04

Upload your media

Transfer audiobook folders via SFTP or rsync to the volume directory on the VPS. Audiobookshelf monitors the folder and adds new items to the library within a few minutes. For podcasts, paste the RSS feed URL directly in the podcast library interface.

Frequently asked questions

No. Audiobookshelf works without a domain via SSH tunnel: ssh -L 13378:127.0.0.1:<port> root@<vps-ip> then http://localhost:13378. For permanent access from the iOS or Android app without a tunnel, attach a domain from your ServOrbit dashboard or use the free {app}.{dns_slug}.servorbit-dns.com subdomain included with every VPS.

Audiobookshelf stores all metadata, progress and settings in the /config and /metadata Docker volumes. Back them up with a standard volume snapshot or by copying the directories via SFTP. The audio files themselves live in /audiobooks and /podcasts — those are your original files and are never modified by the server.

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Collaboration & Productivity

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Self-hosted music server compatible with Subsonic/Airsonic: stream your audio library from your VPS to any device or mobile app.