# Absorb vs AudioAmber

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Absorb at 97% against AudioAmber's 0%. Absorb also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.0) and ads (none vs shown). AudioAmber's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 5 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Absorb holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Absorb has 164 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 97% of Absorb's written reviews are positive against 0% of AudioAmber's.

Absorb ships an update every 5 weeks, AudioAmber daily. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Absorb | AudioAmber |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (164 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absorb-for-audiobookshelf/id6760673498/reviews)** | [2.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audioamber/id6764409576/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **164** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **97.4% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 65 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nathan Poulson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885644242) | [Mindaugas Ramanauskis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895768108) |

## What reviewers say

### Absorb

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absorb-for-audiobookshelf/id6760673498)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### AudioAmber

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audioamber/id6764409576)

Access thousands of classic audiobooks from LibriVox, read by volunteers. Enjoy a distraction-free listening experience with a modern player, background playback, and adjustable speed. Browse by genre or curated lists to discover timeless literature.

**Highlights:** Thousands of classic audiobooks, Distraction-free player, Background playback, Adjustable playback speed, Sleep timer, Bookmarks and progress tracking, Browse by genre

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Absorb free?

Absorb is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is AudioAmber free?

AudioAmber is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Absorb or AudioAmber?

Absorb is rated higher. Absorb averages 4.9 out of 5 from 164 ratings, while AudioAmber averages 2.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Absorb or AudioAmber have ads?

AudioAmber shows ads; Absorb does not.

### Which is updated more often, Absorb or AudioAmber?

Absorb ships an update every 5 weeks, and AudioAmber daily. Most recently, Absorb was updated on October 31, 2026 and AudioAmber on October 31, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*