Booken vs Auribook
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Booken
This app provides a simple and efficient way to listen to your audiobook files. It offers features for importing, managing, and tracking your listening progress, with playback controls accessible from your phone and Apple Watch.
- Import own audiobook files
- Track listening progress
- Mark books as finished
- Lock screen playback controls
- Apple Watch companion app
- Variable scrubbing speed
- Adjustable playback speed
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A lightweight and easy to use player for your audiobook files. Manage your files - Import your own files straight into the app - Manage and see the progress of the books you've listened to - Mark books as finished Listening features - Control playback directly from the lock screen/control center or from the Apple Watch companion app - Easily navigate books with variable scrubbing speed and chapter selection - Change playback speed Listen from your watch - Easily download your favorite books to your watch when you need to listen without your phone - Navigate local files on your watch with chapter selection and custom skip duration - Keep your progress synced between your phone and watch with both automatic and manual syncing options
Auribook
Listen to audiobooks and podcasts directly on your Apple Watch. Access a library of public domain classics or connect to your own server for offline playback. Enjoy seamless syncing and a private listening experience.
- Offline audiobook and podcast playback
- Public domain audiobook library
- Connect to Audiobookshelf server
- Progress syncing
- Watch face complications
- Sleep timer
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Auribook is a focused, standalone Apple Watch app for listening to audiobooks, podcasts, and relaxing sounds on the go. Discover and download classic public domain audiobooks right from your watch, no server required. Or connect your own library through Audiobookshelf, OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox to browse, download, and listen offline — directly from Apple Watch. Google Drive and Dropbox support are currently in beta. They are available for testing and everyday use, but some files, formats, or account setups may not work perfectly yet. OneDrive and Audiobookshelf are the recommended options if you want the most stable experience. Why you will love it * Robust offline playback: Download reliably to Apple Watch for runs, commutes, flights, sleep, and phone-free moments. * Multiple library sources: Connect Audiobookshelf, OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox and bring your own audiobooks to your wrist. * Public domain library: Browse a growing collection of free classics across multiple languages, with curated lists and new titles added regularly. * Podcasts: Browse shows and episodes, filter for unplayed items, sort your feed, and download episodes for offline listening. * Ambient sounds: Play relaxing nature sounds and noise colors such as rain, fireplace, white noise, pink noise, and brown noise. * Complications: Add Auribook to your watch face for quick controls, jump back to your last title, or see progress at a glance. * Audiobookshelf syncing: Start on your watch and continue elsewhere. Progress stays in sync with your Audiobookshelf server. * Sleep timer: Set a timer to pause audiobooks, podcasts, or ambient sounds automatically. * Direct connection: Point Auribook to your Audiobookshelf server URL or connect a supported cloud provider and enjoy your library on your terms. * Private by design: No analytics, no tracking, no third parties. Your listening stays with you. * Simple setup: Connect once, then get straight to your books. Built with the community in mind Auribook started as a contribution to the open-source Audiobookshelf ecosystem and has grown into a flexible phone-free listening app for Apple Watch. Requirements * Public domain library access is available via an optional in-app purchase. * Cloud provider access for Audiobookshelf, OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox is available via a one-time in-app purchase. * Google Drive and Dropbox are currently beta features. * For Audiobookshelf libraries: access to your own Audiobookshelf server and a valid server URL. * For cloud libraries: a valid OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox account. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Auribook at 5.0 against Booken's 4.0. Auribook also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Booken's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, ratings volume, ads 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. Auribook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 3 months. Booken asks for nothing beyond the download.
Auribook holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.
Booken ships an update every 2 months, Auribook every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Booken | Auribook |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Riley Brookins | Jonas Minke |
Customer experience
Booken
Auribook
In-app purchases
Booken
No in-app purchases
Auribook
- Premium Catalog$1.993 Months
- Cloud Providers$1.99









