Comparison

SoundLeaf vs Audire Audiobook Player

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

Audire Audiobook Player

Features
Read full description

Audire is a beautifully simple audiobook player built for listeners who want control without complexity. Import your own audiobooks, edit and organize them your way, and pick up exactly where you left off with smooth playback, chapter support, and persistent progress tracking. Designed for personal libraries, Audire makes large collections easy to navigate with fast search, smart grouping, and flexible sorting. Customize metadata, covers, and display options so your library looks and behaves the way you want. Create backups, restore your data, and keep your listening setup safe over time. Whether you’re working through a long nonfiction series, fiction playlists, or study content, Audire gives you a focused, reliable listening experience centered on your books, your progress, and your preferences. IMPORTANT NOTE: This application does NOT include audiobooks. You need to bring your audiobook collection in unprotected m4b format and add them to the app. There is an extensive library of public domain audiobooks on sites such as the Internet Archive.

Screenshots

SoundLeaf4 screens
Audire Audiobook Player4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SoundLeaf at Free against Audire Audiobook Player's $4.99. SoundLeaf also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). Audire Audiobook Player's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On update cadence and ads 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

SoundLeaf is free to download; Audire Audiobook Player costs $4.99 up front. SoundLeaf sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Audire Audiobook Player asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SoundLeaf ships an update fortnightly, Audire Audiobook Player every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
SoundLeaf versus Audire Audiobook Player: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSoundLeafAudire Audiobook Player
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating4.7 (53 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews77.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings53 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHemant KumarDaniel Ducat

In-app purchases

3 purchases

SoundLeaf

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

Audire Audiobook Player

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SoundLeaf free?
SoundLeaf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Audire Audiobook Player free?
Audire Audiobook Player costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do SoundLeaf or Audire Audiobook Player have ads?
Neither SoundLeaf nor Audire Audiobook Player shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SoundLeaf or Audire Audiobook Player?
SoundLeaf ships an update fortnightly, and Audire Audiobook Player every 2 weeks. Most recently, SoundLeaf was updated on November 8, 2026 and Audire Audiobook Player on October 31, 2026.

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