# Bound vs BookPlayer

The clearest difference is price: BookPlayer at Free against Bound's $4.99. BookPlayer also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Bound's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 15) and chart position (#1 vs #60). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

BookPlayer is free to download; Bound costs $4.99 up front. BookPlayer sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Bound asks for nothing beyond the download.

BookPlayer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BookPlayer has 20K ratings behind it against 2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Bound's written reviews are positive against 83% of BookPlayer's.

Bound ships an update every 2 months, BookPlayer every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bound | BookPlayer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bound-audiobook-player/id1041727137/reviews) | **[4.8 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookplayer/id1138219998/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2K | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | 72.6% of reviews | **82.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | #60 |
| Size | 48 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Deadpan, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1521868530) | [Gianni Carlo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1138219997) |

## What reviewers say

### Bound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bound-audiobook-player/id1041727137)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Paid · Book (US App Store)

Listen to your DRM-free audiobooks with a modern interface. Import files from cloud services or your computer, manage your library, and enjoy features like automatic playback saving, adjustable speed, and chapter support.  Includes CarPlay integration and a sleep timer.

**Highlights:** Import from cloud services (Dropbox, OneDrive), Web uploader via WiFi, Automatic playback position saving, Adjustable playback speed (0.5x-3.0x), Chapter support, Sleep timer, CarPlay support

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app!
- 👍 Excellent audiobook player
- 💡 Seamless cloud storage integration
- 🚀 Efficient and reliable
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🐛 Issues with cloud storage connectivity
- 🐛 Inconsistent playback behavior
- 🐛 Trouble with large audiobook files
- 🐛 Missing features like folders/playlists

**Reported bugs**

- Audiobooks disappearing from library after device restart
- Inability to delete audiobooks from library
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps
- Playback issues with multi-part audiobooks
- Problems with web uploader functionality

**Requested features**

- Add support for Apple Watch
- Implement search and filtering options
- Allow bookmarks with notes/labels
- Add Chromecast support
- Introduce dark mode


### BookPlayer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookplayer/id1138219998)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Free · Book, #153 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

This app provides a dedicated listening experience for audiobooks in M4B, M4A, MP3, and FLAC formats. It offers robust import, management, and playback features, including chapter navigation, variable playback speed, and cloud sync for seamless listening across devices.

**Highlights:** Import audiobooks via AirDrop, Files, iTunes, servers, and zip files, Manage library with progress tracking, sorting, and playlists, Advanced playback controls including speed, rewind, and volume boost, Chapter navigation and lock screen controls, Cloud sync for cross-device listening, CarPlay and Apple Watch companion app support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $1.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $2.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly (1 Month) | $4.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $6.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly (1 Year) | $49.99 | per year |
| Kind tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Kind Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Excellent Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Flawless playback
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 💡 Ability to import from various sources
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Remembers playback position

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🐛 Issues with importing or playing certain files
- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
- 🐛 Unreliable performance after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues with certain audio formats
- Importing problems with large audiobook libraries
- Crashes when deleting books

**Requested features**

- Bookmark management
- Percentage completion tracking
- Improved multi-file book handling
- Customizable sleep timer
- iCloud/cloud sync between devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bound free?

Bound costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BookPlayer free?

BookPlayer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bound or BookPlayer?

BookPlayer is rated higher. Bound averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while BookPlayer averages 4.8 from 20K ratings.

### Do Bound or BookPlayer have ads?

Neither Bound nor BookPlayer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bound or BookPlayer?

Bound ships an update every 2 months, and BookPlayer every 9 days. Most recently, Bound was updated on October 26, 2026 and BookPlayer on October 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Bound or BookPlayer?

Bound currently peaks at #1 in the App Store charts, and BookPlayer at #60. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*