Comparison

Auribook vs RunningBook

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

Head to head
About

Auribook

Listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and ambient sounds offline directly from your Apple Watch. Connect your own library via cloud services or explore a catalog of free public domain classics. Enjoy customizable playback and seamless syncing.

Highlights
  • Offline playback on Apple Watch
  • Connect cloud libraries (Audiobookshelf, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox)
  • Browse and download public domain classics
  • Customizable playback speed and skip intervals
  • Sleep timer with fade-out
  • Siri and Shortcuts integration
  • Widgets and complications for watch face
Features
Read full description

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/

About

RunningBook

Listen to your audiobooks directly from your Apple Watch, even without your phone. Perfect for workouts or commutes, this app lets you enjoy your favorite stories on the go.

Highlights
  • Listen to audiobooks on Apple Watch
  • Phone-free playback
  • Load audiobooks directly
  • Ideal for running and workouts
Features
Read full description

Load your audiobook onto Apple Watch, leave your phone behind, and listen directly from your watch while you run.

Screenshots

Auribook1 screens
RunningBook2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RunningBook at none against Auribook's 5. Auribook's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume 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

Both are free to download. Auribook sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 3 months. RunningBook asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Auribook against 5.0 for RunningBook. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Auribook versus RunningBook: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAuribookRunningBook
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJonas MinkeArseniy Akopyan

Customer experience

Auribook

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

RunningBook

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Auribook

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Catalog$1.993 Months
One-time4
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Cloud Providers$1.99
  • Medium Tip$3.99
Show 1 more
  • Large Tip$5.99
None

RunningBook

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Auribook free?
Auribook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RunningBook free?
RunningBook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Auribook or RunningBook?
Auribook and RunningBook are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Auribook or RunningBook have ads?
Neither Auribook nor RunningBook shows ads.

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