# Prologue Audiobook Player — For Plex & Audiobookshelf

> Self-hosted audiobook player for Plex and Audiobookshelf with advanced playback. (iPhone/iPad app by Prologue Audio Pty Ltd.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prologue-audiobook-player/id1459223267 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Prologue Audio Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1097476026)
- Category: Books, Entertainment
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 5,610 App Store ratings · 642 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.1 · 79 MB
- Languages: Russian, American English, European Spanish, German (Germany), Norwegian Bokmål, Brazilian Portuguese, Ukrainian, Finnish, French (France)
- Released: 2019-07-28
- Data updated: 2026-08-27
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prologue-audiobook-player/id1459223267/reviews.md

## What is Prologue Audiobook Player?

The self-hosted audiobook player for Plex and Audiobookshelf.

Your Library
- Connect Plex, Audiobookshelf, or both
- Offline downloads
- Collections & series
- Bookmarks + reading list
- Streaks, stats & playback history

Advanced Playback
- Per-book settings
- Sleep timer (chapter or time)
- Smart rewind after pauses
- Voice Boost + equalizer

Works Everywhere
- iPhone, iPad & Apple Watch
- Siri, Widgets & CarPlay

## Key features

- Connects to Plex and Audiobookshelf
- Offline audiobook downloads
- Collections and series organization
- Bookmarks and reading list
- Playback statistics and history
- Per-book playback settings
- Sleep timer and smart rewind

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large tip | $5.99 | one-time |
| Prologue for Apple Watch | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium (Family) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Premium (Family Upgrade) | $7.99 | one-time |


## Chart rankings

- #177 in Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

## What do users think of Prologue Audiobook Player?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Seamless Plex integration
- 👍 Excellent audiobook management
- 🚀 Reliable and stable performance
- 👍 Beautiful and intuitive UI
- 🚀 Efficient offline listening
- 👍 Comprehensive feature set
- 🚀 Responsive developer support

**Cons**

- 🐛 Occasional sync and playback issues
- 🔒 Lack of family sharing support
- 🔒 Download feature locked behind paywall

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Slide-out pane not working in latest version
- Inconsistent behavior when removing/signing out of account

**Most requested features**

- Apple Watch app
- Improved search and filtering
- Automatic bookmarking and sleep tracking
- Integration with other media platforms (e.g. Jellyfin)

## Recent user reviews (10 of 642)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prologue-audiobook-player/id1459223267/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Incroyable 😻

*2026-08-06*

Bonjour 
Cette appli est vraiment géniale 
Que ce soit pour les enfants ou les adultes 
Tu télécharge ce que tu veux, tu peux les réécouter en boucle . 
Cents vraiment bien 
Je conseille 
💘💖💗

### 4/5 — Vergisst leider oft den adb login

*2026-08-05*

Tolle app und super, dass audiobookshelf als Server unterstützt wird. Leider muss der ständig neu autenthifiziert werden. Dass bedeutet einfach nur, dass man das Passwort neu eingeben muss... Das müsste noch gefixt werden.

### 5/5 — Jetzt einfach perfekt

*2026-08-04*

Ich nutze diese App jetzt schon seit längerem und bis sehr zufrieden. Gerade habe ich gesehen, dass der Schlaftimer nun auch über die Airpods zurückgesetzt werden kann. Das hat mir noch gefehlt. Ich hätte vorher schon 5 Sterne vergeben. Einfach perfekt. Danke für die Arbeit.

### 4/5 — Works well for the most part

*2026-07-22, version 4.2.3*

While using the CarPlay app, the controls for next and last chapter are too close to the bottom and I bump them sometimes when driving my truck.  I wish they were higher up or in the middle of the screen.

The Apple Watch app has issues with intermittent internet connectivity even if the book is download to the watch.

Other than those 2 issues, the program works extremely well to connect to my Plex library audio books.

### 5/5 — Great for Plex

*2026-07-14, version 4.2.2*

This is a great app to use for plex audiobooks.

### 3/5 — Okay

*2026-07-14, version 4.2.2*

Sort by title does not work very well.

### 3/5 — Good ui, pretty buggy

*2026-07-14, version 4.2.2*

title

### 5/5 — NUMERO UNO

*2026-07-13, version 4.2.2*

Perfect listening program

### 5/5 — Phenomenal

*2026-07-11, version 4.2.2*

Such a fantastic app. Love having such a great user experience for hosting my own books and podcasts. Recently upgraded to premium so my family and I can download books to listen on the plane and while we travel. Highly appreciate the one time purchase vs subscription model. Rare to see anymore.

### 1/5 — No longer useful

*2026-07-10, version 4.2.2*

I was a fan, but it seems to no longer function. I’m not sure but given Reddit and the GitHub forums not having any response to login issues, and this being a paid app, I’d say it’s an abandoned/retired app. If anyone is still working on it, they are doing so very part time.

## Frequently asked questions about Prologue Audiobook Player

### What does this audiobook player do?

This app serves as a dedicated player for audiobooks hosted on your personal Plex or Audiobookshelf servers. It allows you to connect to your existing libraries, download audiobooks for offline listening, and manage your collection with advanced features.

### What are the key features of this app?

Key features include connecting to Plex and Audiobookshelf, offline downloads, organizing books into collections and series, bookmarking, tracking listening streaks and stats, per-book playback settings, a sleep timer, smart rewind, and voice boost with an equalizer.

### How much does this app cost?

The app is free to download and use, with optional in-app purchases available. These purchases likely unlock additional features or customization options beyond the core functionality.

### What devices is this app compatible with?

The app is designed to work across the Apple ecosystem, including iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. It also supports integrations with Siri, Widgets, and CarPlay for a convenient listening experience.

### Who would benefit from using this app?

This app is ideal for users who have invested in setting up their own audiobook servers using Plex or Audiobookshelf. It offers a superior playback experience compared to generic media players, with features tailored specifically for audiobook listeners.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.2.4 — 2026-08-22

In 4.2.4:

Improved:
- App responsiveness when returning to the foreground

Fixed:
- Family Sharing purchases could fail to restore
- Playback progress could sometimes fail to sync
- Several crash fixes

In 4.2.3:

Improved:
- Search results now close after selecting a book, author, or collection

Fixed:
- Potential freeze when attempting to add initial account or server
- Sleep Timer Live Activity could fail to update after extending a timer
- Sleep timer countdown could be clipped on iOS 26
- Chapter-relative playback times could display incorrect values near chapter boundaries

In 4.2.2:

- Various UI adjustments and fixes

In 4.2.1:

Improved:
- Bookmark lists now support sorting, show clearer progress, and allow bookmarks to be deleted from the player

Fixed:
- VoiceOver could announce empty or incorrect text for the download button on book view
- Player could open automatically on launch when no book was loaded

In 4.2.0:

Added:
- Sleep Timer live activity
- Dynamic player theming based on cover art. Can be enabled from the player settings sheet (near playback speed/voice boost controls) either globally or for books on an individual basis
- Settings for the finished books widget (Include manually marked books / Include reset books)

Improved:
- Widgets now respect selected app font
- Playback started from intents (widget/siri/shortcuts etc) no longer clears buffer when the book is already queued

Fixed:
- [Audiobookshelf] Handle empty bitrate values
- [Plex] Skip load of embedded chapters with invalid duration/time values
- Various issues with tinted/accented widgets
- Multiple crashes

### 4.2.3 — 2026-07-15

In 4.2.3:

Improved:
- Search results now close after selecting a book, author, or collection

Fixed:
- Potential freeze when attempting to add initial account or server
- Sleep Timer Live Activity could fail to update after extending a timer
- Sleep timer countdown could be clipped on iOS 26
- Chapter-relative playback times could display incorrect values near chapter boundaries

In 4.2.2:

- Various UI adjustments and fixes

In 4.2.1:

Improved:
- Bookmark lists now support sorting, show clearer progress, and allow bookmarks to be deleted from the player

Fixed:
- VoiceOver could announce empty or incorrect text for the download button on book view
- Player could open automatically on launch when no book was loaded

In 4.2.0:

Added:
- Sleep Timer live activity
- Dynamic player theming based on cover art. Can be enabled from the player settings sheet (near playback speed/voice boost controls) either globally or for books on an individual basis
- Settings for the finished books widget (Include manually marked books / Include reset books)

Improved:
- Widgets now respect selected app font
- Playback started from intents (widget/siri/shortcuts etc) no longer clears buffer when the book is already queued

Fixed:
- [Audiobookshelf] Handle empty bitrate values
- [Plex] Skip load of embedded chapters with invalid duration/time values
- Various issues with tinted/accented widgets
- Multiple crashes

### 4.2.2 — 2026-06-01

In 4.2.2:

- Various UI adjustments and fixes

In 4.2.1:

Improved:
- Bookmark lists now support sorting, show clearer progress, and allow bookmarks to be deleted from the player

Fixed:
- VoiceOver could announce empty or incorrect text for the download button on book view
- Player could open automatically on launch when no book was loaded

In 4.2.0:

Added:
- Sleep Timer live activity
- Dynamic player theming based on cover art. Can be enabled from the player settings sheet (near playback speed/voice boost controls) either globally or for books on an individual basis
- Settings for the finished books widget (Include manually marked books / Include reset books)

Improved:
- Widgets now respect selected app font
- Playback started from intents (widget/siri/shortcuts etc) no longer clears buffer when the book is already queued

Fixed:
- [Audiobookshelf] Handle empty bitrate values
- [Plex] Skip load of embedded chapters with invalid duration/time values
- Various issues with tinted/accented widgets
- Multiple crashes

### 4.2.1 — 2026-05-20

In 4.2.1:

Improved:
- Bookmark lists now support sorting, show clearer progress, and allow bookmarks to be deleted from the player
- Purchase restoration now handles Family Sharing and connection failures more clearly

Fixed:
- VoiceOver could announce empty or incorrect text for the download button on book view
- Player could open automatically on launch when no book was loaded

In 4.2.0:

Added:
- Sleep Timer live activity
- Dynamic player theming based on cover art. Can be enabled from the player settings sheet (near playback speed/voice boost controls) either globally or for books on an individual basis
- Settings for the finished books widget (Include manually marked books / Include reset books)

Improved:
- Widgets now respect selected app font
- Playback started from intents (widget/siri/shortcuts etc) no longer clears buffer when the book is already queued

Fixed:
- [Audiobookshelf] Handle empty bitrate values
- [Plex] Skip load of embedded chapters with invalid duration/time values
- Various issues with tinted/accented widgets
- Multiple crashes

### 4.2.0 — 2026-03-02

Added:
- Sleep Timer live activity
- Dynamic player theming based on cover art. Can be enabled from the player settings sheet (near playback speed/voice boost controls) either globally or for books on an individual basis
- Settings for the finished books widget (Include manually marked books / Include reset books)

Improved:
- Widgets now respect selected app font
- Playback started from intents (widget/siri/shortcuts etc) no longer clears buffer when the book is already queued

Fixed:
- [Audiobookshelf] Handle empty bitrate values
- [Plex] Skip load of embedded chapters with invalid duration/time values
- Various issues with tinted/accented widgets
- Multiple crashes

## Apps similar to Prologue Audiobook Player

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Storytel - Audiobooks Library](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storytel-audiobooks-library/id348177651) | 4.7 (10,916) | Free | Books |
| [Audiobooks HQ - audio books](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiobooks-hq-audio-books/id632306630) | 4.6 (6,815) | Free | Books |
| [Audible: Audiobooks & Podcasts](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audible-audiobooks-and-podcasts/id379693831) | 4.9 (5,574,249) | Free | Books |
| [LibriVox Audiobooks](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librivox-audiobooks/id596159212) | 4.8 (32,518) | Free | Books |
| [MP3 Audiobook Player](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mp3-audiobook-player/id891797540) | 3.9 (427) | Free | Books |
| [Everand: Audiobooks & Ebooks](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/everand-audiobooks-and-ebooks/id542557212) | 4.3 (27,422) | Free | Books |

## More apps by Prologue Audio Pty Ltd

- [Herd Absurd!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/herd-absurd/id577357125)
- [Prism Music](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prism-music/id1335007451)

All apps by Prologue Audio Pty Ltd: https://appshunter.io/developer/1097476026

## Related topics

[prologue](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/prologue) · [prologue audiobook player](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/prologue-audiobook-player) · [audiobookshelf](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audiobookshelf) · [m4b](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/m4b) · [shelfplayer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/shelfplayer) · [audio book player](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audio-book-player) · [offline audio book player](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/offline-audio-book-player) · [m4b player](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/m4b-player) · [audiobook maker and player](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audiobook-maker-and-player) · [audio books player](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audio-books-player) · [free audiobook player](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/free-audiobook-player) · [smart audio book player](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/smart-audio-book-player) · [bookplayer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bookplayer) · [self hosted](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/self-hosted)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*
