Auribook vs Sponge Audiobooks
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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. Queue several books or episodes and they download one after another, and Auribook checks free space before each download. * Multiple library sources: Connect Audiobookshelf, OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox and bring your own audiobooks to your wrist. * Public domain library: Browse free classics from LibriVox across multiple languages, with curated categories and search across more than 20,000 titles. * Covers everywhere: See book covers in your library, downloads, and Continue Listening, or switch Now Playing to a full-screen cover and tap it to play or pause. * Listening your way: Choose your skip intervals, let smart rewind replay a few seconds after a pause, and adjust playback speed. * Sleep timer: Pause after a set time or at the end of the chapter, with a gentle fade-out. Works for audiobooks, podcasts, and ambient sounds. * Siri and Shortcuts: Say "Resume Auribook", pause, skip, or start a sleep timer, also from the Action button. * Widgets and complications: Continue Listening with cover and a play/pause button, time remaining, chapter progress, and quick access to the player, your books, and sounds — on your watch face and in the Smart Stack. * Audiobookshelf syncing: Start on your watch and continue elsewhere, or the other way around. Progress stays in sync with your Audiobookshelf server, and your watch picks up where you left off on other devices. * 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. * 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 * A selection of free classics is included. * 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/
Sponge Audiobooks
Listen to audiobooks directly on your Apple Watch without needing your iPhone. Supports offline playback and connects to various audiobook sources like Librivox and Audiobookshelf. Ideal for children to enjoy stories independently.
- Play audiobooks directly on Apple Watch
- No iPhone required
- Offline playback via downloads
- Supports Librivox and Audiobookshelf
- Sync progress to Audiobookshelf
- Designed for Apple Watch For Your Kids
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Play audiobooks directly from your Apple Watch. No iPhone required. Connect to multiple different sources of audiobooks, from the great Librivox site online, or use your own self-hosted audiobooks with Audiobookshelf. And more sources are on the way! Designed particularly for Apple Watch For Your Kids (formerly "Family Setup"). Kids can listen to audiobooks instead of staring at screens. Features: - No iPhone required - Download to play books offline. Swipe to the left to download. - Auto sync progress to Audiobookshelf server (when available) - Add many audiobook sources. Press+Hold to copy a source - No need to type URL or password on your tiny watch: https://spongeaudio.com/setup-sources.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sponge Audiobooks at none against Auribook's 5. Sponge Audiobooks also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 3 months. Sponge Audiobooks asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Auribook against 5.0 for Sponge Audiobooks. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.
Auribook ships an update every 3 weeks, Sponge Audiobooks monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Auribook | Sponge Audiobooks |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jonas Minke | Expeditionary Logic |
Customer experience
Auribook
Sponge Audiobooks
In-app purchases
Auribook
- Premium Catalog$1.993 Months
- Small Tip$0.99
- Cloud Providers$1.99
- Medium Tip$3.99
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- Large Tip$5.99
Sponge Audiobooks
No in-app purchases









