Audiobookshelf Self-Hosted, Deploy in One Click
Audiobookshelf is an open-source server for audiobooks and podcasts. Automatio deploys it to a dedicated server with HTTPS in one click for total library...
Audiobookshelf
Media & StreamingAudiobookshelf is a self-hosted server designed to manage and play your audiobooks and podcasts. It works best when you have an organized directory structure.
What you get when you deploy Audiobookshelf
The server we rent for it, what it costs, and what the installer will ask you.
- Server
- CX23 · 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM
- From
- $9/month
- Setup
- No configuration required
Included with every deployment
- Dedicated server, one app per machine
- HTTPS certificate issued automatically
- Free subdomain, custom domain optional
- Restart, resize, snapshot and restore
The project
Everything this page links to outside Automatio.
Deploy Audiobookshelf in one click
On your own server, with your own data. No terminal, no Docker commands, no certificate setup.
- 1
Pick a size
Start on the smallest server that fits the app. Resize later without reinstalling.
- 2
Press deploy
We rent the server, install the app with Docker, and point a subdomain at it.
- 3
Watch it come up
Provisioning runs unattended and takes a few minutes. When the HTTPS certificate lands, the app is live and your login details are on the deployment page.
Server size
Billed monthly with your Automatio subscription. Destroy the server any time and the charge stops.
Key Capabilities
Explore what Automatio can do for this use case
Library Management
The server organizes thousands of audiobooks and podcasts by author, series, and narrator. It automatically scans your media folders and pulls metadata from providers like Audible and Google Books to create a professional interface. This ensures your collection is searchable and visually consistent across all your devices.
- 1Multiple library support
- 2Metadata scraping and mapping
- 3Series and author grouping
- 4Folder-based organization
Key Capabilities
- Library Management
The server organizes thousands of audiobooks and podcasts by author, series, and narrator. It automatically scans your media folders and pulls metadata from providers like Audible and Google Books to create a professional interface. This ensures your collection is searchable and visually consistent across all your devices.
- Multiple library support
- Metadata scraping and mapping
- Series and author grouping
- Folder-based organization
- Playback Progress Sync
The app tracks exactly where you left off and syncs that position across its web interface and mobile applications. You can start a book on your computer and pick it up at the exact same second on your phone during a commute. This provides a connected experience similar to high-end commercial audiobook platforms.
- Cross-platform syncing
- Adjustable playback speed
- Sleep timer functionality
- Offline listening support
- Multi-User Support
Share your collection with family and friends while maintaining separate accounts. Each user gets their own personal progress tracking, favorites list, and bookmarks without seeing other users' history. Admin controls allow you to limit which libraries or features specific users can access.
- Granular user permissions
- Individual listening history
- Custom user bookmarks
- Simple admin dashboard
- Podcast Aggregator
Audiobookshelf functions as a powerful podcast aggregator that lives on your own hardware. You can subscribe to external RSS feeds or host your own downloaded episodes, complete with chapter support and automatic episode fetching. This allows you to build a permanent archive of your favorite shows that no platform can delete.
- RSS feed subscriptions
- Automatic episode downloading
- Chapter marker support
- Local podcast storage
Why self-host Audiobookshelf
What to know first
Managed, DIY, or One-Click?
The three realistic ways to run {name}, compared honestly.
| Aspect | Managed SaaS | DIY on a VPS | Automatio one-click |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to Running | Instant | 1-2 Hours | A few minutes |
| Data Ownership | Provider Owned | 100% You | 100% You |
| Maintenance | None | High (Manual Patches) | Automated |
| HTTPS/SSL | Included | Manual Setup | Automatic |
| Privacy | Low (Tracked) | Absolute | Absolute |
Time to Running
Data Ownership
Maintenance
HTTPS/SSL
Privacy
Who this is for
People who actually run Audiobookshelf on their own server, and what changes when they do.
a digital archivist
Worried about losing access to a digital library bought on commercial stores.
Maintains a permanent, local copy of every audiobook they own with full metadata control.
- Import 1,000+ DRM-free audiobooks
- Manually tag rare first-edition recordings
- Set up automated nightly backups
a heavy podcast listener
Frustrated with podcast apps that delete old episodes or fail to sync across devices.
Creates a personal, persistent archive of every favorite show that works on all devices.
- Subscribe to 50+ RSS feeds
- Archive entire back-catalogs of finished shows
- Sync playback progress to their phone
a head of household
Tired of paying for multiple individual audiobook subscriptions for the family.
Provides one central server for everyone to use at no extra cost per seat.
- Create separate accounts for kids
- Limit specific libraries to adult users
- Share a single book with multiple listeners
About This App
What this app does and where it fits.
The Premier Self-Hosted Audio Server
Audiobookshelf is an open-source project designed from the ground up to handle the specific needs of audiobooks and podcasts. While traditional media servers often treat audiobooks as simple music files, this software understands the importance of narrators, series order, and chapter markers. It provides a library experience that rivals high-end paid apps while giving you total control over the underlying media files. By hosting it yourself, you ensure that your listening habits remain private and your collection is never at the mercy of a corporate platform license change.
How the Server Operates
The application runs as a central server that scans your media folders. It reaches out to multiple metadata providers, including Audible, Google Books, and Open Library, to pull in high-resolution cover art and detailed descriptions. It supports a wide variety of formats, including mp3, m4b, m4a, and flac. A key technical feature is its ability to handle chapter markers natively, which is vital for navigation in long-form audio. The server also includes built-in tools to embed metadata directly into your audio files or merge multiple mp3 files into a single m4b for a cleaner library view.
Your First Hour with the App
After the automated install finishes, you'll create an admin account and point the server to your media directories. You can spend the first few minutes watching the scanner populate your dashboard with cover art and narrator data. Once the library is ready, you can create additional user accounts for family members. If you're on Android, you'll download the official app; iOS users can connect via the web interface or third-party clients like Plappa. Once connected, your listening progress syncs in real-time, allowing you to switch between devices without losing your place.
Beyond Audiobooks
The server also includes basic ebook support for epub and pdf files, and can even function as a robust podcast aggregator. You can subscribe to any public RSS feed, and the server will automatically fetch new episodes as they drop. This makes it a comprehensive hub for all your spoken-word content, hosted on a single dedicated server that you control without recurring platform fees or data tracking.
Community Feedback
See what the community thinks about Audiobookshelf
“Audiobookshelf is the only reason I could finally leave the Audible ecosystem and actually own my collection.”
“The initial setup for metadata can be finicky if your folders aren't clean, but once it's set, it's reliable.”
“Audible -> audiobookshelf + plappa... What a lovely setup.”
“The ability to sync progress between the web player and my phone without a cloud middleman is perfect.”
“Storage space is the only real hurdle, once you start downloading high quality flac audiobooks.”
“It handles podcasts better than most dedicated podcast apps I've tried in the last year.”
Related Videos
Watch tutorials, reviews, and discussions about Audiobookshelf
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Pro Tips
Expert tips to help you get the most out of Audiobookshelf and achieve better results.
Organize Folders First
For the best metadata matching, move your files into an Author/Book Title folder structure before your first scan.
Prioritize M4B Files
Use the M4B format whenever possible. It allows for embedded chapters and a cleaner single-file view compared to split MP3s.
Verify ISBN Numbers
When manually matching a book, look for an entry with an ISBN number to ensure the metadata links to the correct physical edition.
Testimonials
What Our Users Say
Join thousands of satisfied users who have transformed their workflow
Jonathan Kogan
Co-Founder/CEO, rpatools.io
Automatio is one of the most used for RPA Tools both internally and externally. It saves us countless hours of work and we realized this could do the same for other startups and so we choose Automatio for most of our automation needs.
Mohammed Ibrahim
CEO, qannas.pro
I have used many tools over the past 5 years, Automatio is the Jack of All trades.. !! it could be your scraping bot in the morning and then it becomes your VA by the noon and in the evening it does your automations.. its amazing!
Ben Bressington
CTO, AiChatSolutions
Automatio is fantastic and simple to use to extract data from any website. This allowed me to replace a developer and do tasks myself as they only take a few minutes to setup and forget about it. Automatio is a game changer!
Sarah Chen
Head of Growth, ScaleUp Labs
We've tried dozens of automation tools, but Automatio stands out for its flexibility and ease of use. Our team productivity increased by 40% within the first month of adoption.
David Park
Founder, DataDriven.io
The AI-powered features in Automatio are incredible. It understands context and adapts to changes in websites automatically. No more broken scrapers!
Emily Rodriguez
Marketing Director, GrowthMetrics
Automatio transformed our lead generation process. What used to take our team days now happens automatically in minutes. The ROI is incredible.
Jonathan Kogan
Co-Founder/CEO, rpatools.io
Automatio is one of the most used for RPA Tools both internally and externally. It saves us countless hours of work and we realized this could do the same for other startups and so we choose Automatio for most of our automation needs.
Mohammed Ibrahim
CEO, qannas.pro
I have used many tools over the past 5 years, Automatio is the Jack of All trades.. !! it could be your scraping bot in the morning and then it becomes your VA by the noon and in the evening it does your automations.. its amazing!
Ben Bressington
CTO, AiChatSolutions
Automatio is fantastic and simple to use to extract data from any website. This allowed me to replace a developer and do tasks myself as they only take a few minutes to setup and forget about it. Automatio is a game changer!
Sarah Chen
Head of Growth, ScaleUp Labs
We've tried dozens of automation tools, but Automatio stands out for its flexibility and ease of use. Our team productivity increased by 40% within the first month of adoption.
David Park
Founder, DataDriven.io
The AI-powered features in Automatio are incredible. It understands context and adapts to changes in websites automatically. No more broken scrapers!
Emily Rodriguez
Marketing Director, GrowthMetrics
Automatio transformed our lead generation process. What used to take our team days now happens automatically in minutes. The ROI is incredible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about Audiobookshelf