# HydraShelf vs Voca Player

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HydraShelf at none against Voca Player's 1. HydraShelf also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 5 days). Voca Player's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 1). On price and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Voca Player sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. HydraShelf asks for nothing beyond the download.

HydraShelf ships an update daily, Voca Player every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HydraShelf | Voca Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voca-player/id6762044756/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Federico Sebastiani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801020587) | [VeloSec](https://appshunter.io/developer/1887415837) |

## What reviewers say

### HydraShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydrashelf/id6761987101)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Voca Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voca-player/id6762044756)

Stream audiobooks from your personal media server, including local files, Plex, or Audiobookshelf. Enjoy features like companion file playback, offline downloads, and customizable playback controls. Organize your entire library with ease and enjoy a privacy-focused listening experience.

**Highlights:** Stream from personal media servers (Local, Plex, Audiobookshelf), Companion file playback (maps, liner notes, PDFs), Offline downloads with one-time purchase, Apple Watch transfer and controls, Adjustable playback speed and sleep timer, Gapless playback and chapter navigation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Offline Playback | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HydraShelf free?

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

### Is Voca Player free?

Voca Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do HydraShelf or Voca Player have ads?

HydraShelf shows ads; Voca Player does not.

### Which is updated more often, HydraShelf or Voca Player?

HydraShelf ships an update daily, and Voca Player every 5 days. Most recently, HydraShelf was updated on October 10, 2026 and Voca Player on October 17, 2026.

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