ShelfPlayer vs MagicReader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ShelfPlayer
This app provides a native iOS experience for managing and listening to audiobooks and podcasts from your self-hosted Audiobookshelf library. It offers robust playback controls, offline access, and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem.
- Unified audiobook and podcast management
- Multi-server support
- Flexible authentication options
- Global and library search
- Playback queues and chapter navigation
- Configurable playback speed and skip intervals
- Offline mode and automatic downloads
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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
MagicReader
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Read without touching the screen. MagicReader is a hands-free reader for EPUB, PDF and comics: turn your head, wave a hand, wink, or just say "next page" — and the page turns. Or sit back and let a natural voice read to you. Whether your hands are busy, wet, full, or simply resting — or touching the screen is difficult for you — MagicReader keeps the story going. NEW: OPENS LIKE A REAL BOOK • Ready for iPhone Duo — unfold it and your book becomes a two-page spread, with the spine right on the fold • Landscape reading — two pages side by side on iPad and most iPhones, for EPUB, PDF and comics, including vertical Japanese books • Flip page turns — pages turn over like paper and follow your finger • Split View on iPad and iPhone Duo TOUCH-FREE READING • Head control — turn your head left or right to flip pages; look up to open or close a book • Wink control — wink your right eye to go forward, your left to go back (Face ID devices) • Hand control — a cursor follows your hand; close your hand to grab a book, swipe from the screen edge to flip • Voice control — say "next", "back", "open", "read aloud" and more, in English, Japanese, Spanish, French or German • A guided tour teaches every gesture with live practice NATURAL READ-ALOUD • Natural, expressive voices read your EPUB books aloud — in English and Japanese • The sentence being spoken is highlighted, and pages turn in step with the narration • English narration powered by Kokoro; Japanese voices powered by VOICEVOX (VOICEVOX:No.7, VOICEVOX:四国めたん, VOICEVOX:青山龍星, VOICEVOX Nemo) • Books in Spanish, French and German are read by your device's system voice for that language, with nothing to download • Natural voices are downloaded once, then work fully offline — all speech is generated on your device YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR WAY • EPUB and PDF books, plus CBZ/CBR comics and manga • Beautiful animated bookshelf themes — drifting watercolour clouds, a starry cosmos, and story worlds that come alive behind special books • Japanese vertical text (縦書き) done right, with optional automatic furigana (ふりがな) above kanji • Comfortable reading themes, adjustable fonts (including OpenDyslexic for dyslexia-friendly reading), and remembered positions THOUSANDS OF FREE CLASSICS • Browse and download public-domain classics from Project Gutenberg and Aozora Bunko (青空文庫) — from Alice in Wonderland to 銀河鉄道の夜 — right inside the app PRIVATE BY DESIGN • The camera and microphone are used only to recognize your gestures and commands, entirely on your device • Nothing is recorded, nothing is uploaded, and there are no accounts, no ads, and no tracking — ever MagicReader began in 2012 as one of the first face-controlled book readers on the App Store. It has been rebuilt from the ground up for today's devices — same magic, new tricks. Reading is best when nothing comes between you and the story. Not even your hands.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MagicReader at none against ShelfPlayer's 4. MagicReader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. ShelfPlayer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. MagicReader asks for nothing beyond the download.
ShelfPlayer ships an update every 4 weeks, MagicReader monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ShelfPlayer | MagicReader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (134 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 134 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 62 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | AI Tools Apps SRL | Leo Rivas-Micoud |
Bugs and requests
ShelfPlayer
Reported bugs
6 issues- Unable to present all books from an author
- Keeps resetting book progress
- Offline mode broken, can't play downloaded books
- Crashes after recent update
- Widgets not updating with last played book
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- Login issues and app getting stuck in offline mode
Requested features
6 requests- Option to load fully downloaded books without server handshake
- Ability to filter library view to only downloaded books
- Add support for ebooks and PDF files
- Customizable playback speed options beyond 2x
- Implement a static reading queue/playlist
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- Add Apple Watch support for offline listening
MagicReader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ShelfPlayer
- Weekly premium7 Days trial$2.997 Days
- Weekly premium$2.997 Days
- Yearly premium7 Days trial$29.991 Year
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- Yearly premium$29.991 Year
MagicReader
No in-app purchases









