Comparison

SoundLeaf vs Absorb

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SoundLeaf

This app provides a premium iOS client for the open-source Audiobookshelf server. It offers a beautiful, intuitive interface for listening to your personal audiobook collection with features like CarPlay support and offline downloads.

Highlights
  • CarPlay support
  • Connect to Audiobookshelf server
  • Intuitive library browsing
  • Variable playback speed
  • Offline listening
  • Smart sleep timer
  • Cross-device progress tracking
Features
Read full description

SoundLeaf is a premium iOS client for Audiobookshelf, the open-source, self-hosted audiobook and podcast server. Connect to your own server and get your whole collection — audiobooks, podcasts and ebooks — in a beautiful, fast app built for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and CarPlay. Learn more, read setup guides and see the app in action at https://soundleafapp.com OFFLINE FIRST • Your library syncs to the app, so you can browse everything even with the server off • Download books and episodes and play them anywhere, no connection needed • Downloads are free for everyone, podcast auto-download included • Local and remote server addresses: the app uses your local address on home Wi-Fi and your remote address everywhere else, on its own BUILT FOR LONG LISTENS • A powerful player with chapters, variable playback speed and position memory • A smarter sleep timer: tell it your night hours and it starts itself, fades out instead of stopping cold, and restarts when you press play • Progress syncs with your server, so every device stays on the same page • Background playback, lock screen controls and full landscape support PODCASTS, DONE RIGHT • Podcast transcripts: when a show publishes one, it runs along with the audio, and a tap opens a full reader • Smart Downloads keep the next episodes ready before you ask • A queue that shows what is playing, what is next and what is on the phone • Episode management per show: keep counts, auto-download, mark played THE EBOOK READER • Read the ebook that lives next to your audiobook • One tap jumps the page to where the narrator is, and back • Fonts, text size, line spacing, margins, and Light, Sepia and Dark pages EVERYWHERE YOU LISTEN • A real Apple Watch app, with offline playback on your wrist if you want it • CarPlay with library switching and a downloaded-only filter • Home screen widgets: now playing, recent books, your listening time MAKE IT YOURS • 32 themes and 55 app icons • Listening stats with streaks, totals, a year heatmap and daily patterns • Multiple libraries, series, authors, collections and search SoundLeaf is made for self-hosters and their families: people who keep their audiobook library on their own server with Audiobookshelf and want the best way to listen to it on Apple devices. Note: SoundLeaf requires an Audiobookshelf server to connect to. Audiobookshelf is free and open source; learn how to set one up at https://audiobookshelf.org and find help at https://soundleafapp.com/server/ Website: https://soundleafapp.com Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Absorb

This app provides a streamlined mobile experience for listening to audiobooks and podcasts from your self-hosted media server. Enjoy features like offline playback, chapter navigation, and listening statistics. It's a free, open-source solution with no ads or data collection.

Highlights
  • Offline listening
  • Chapter navigation
  • Sleep timer
  • Playback speed control
  • Home screen widgets
  • Listening statistics
  • CarPlay support
Features
Read full description

Absorb is a free, open source audiobook and podcast player built for Audiobookshelf, a self-hosted media server for your personal book library. Connect to your own Audiobookshelf server and enjoy your audiobook collection with a clean, polished mobile experience built specifically for iOS. Features: Stream or download books for offline listening Full playback controls with chapter navigation, sleep timer, and playback speed Home screen widgets for quick playback controls Listening stats and streaks to track your progress Bookmarks with notes Series tracking and discovery Light and dark mode CarPlay support And much more!!! Absorb is built by a solo developer and is completely free with no ads, no subscriptions, and no data collection. Your library stays between you and your server. Requires a self-hosted Audiobookshelf server. Visit audiobookshelf.org to learn more.

Screenshots

SoundLeaf4 screens
Absorb4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Absorb at none against SoundLeaf's 3. Absorb also leads on review sentiment (97% vs 71%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). SoundLeaf's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SoundLeaf sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Absorb asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Absorb holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 43 and 164 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of SoundLeaf's written reviews are positive against 97% of Absorb's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SoundLeaf ships an update fortnightly, Absorb every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
SoundLeaf versus Absorb: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSoundLeafAbsorb
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (43 ratings)4.9 (164 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.4% of reviews97.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings43164 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHemant KumarNathan Poulson

Customer experience

SoundLeaf

All ratings34 ratings
Positive85.3%
Neutral11.8%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral21.4%
Negative7.1%

Absorb

All ratings157 ratings
Positive98.1%
Neutral1.3%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews39 reviews
Positive97.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

SoundLeaf

Subscriptions2
  • SoundLeaf Supporter$0.991 Month
  • SoundLeaf Supporter$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro$9.99
None

Absorb

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SoundLeaf free?
SoundLeaf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Absorb free?
Absorb is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SoundLeaf or Absorb?
Absorb is rated higher. SoundLeaf averages 4.6 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while Absorb averages 4.9 from 164 ratings.
Do SoundLeaf or Absorb have ads?
Neither SoundLeaf nor Absorb shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SoundLeaf or Absorb?
SoundLeaf ships an update fortnightly, and Absorb every 5 weeks. Most recently, SoundLeaf was updated on October 27, 2026 and Absorb on October 28, 2026.

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