Audiobookshelf

Application512MB+ RAM

Self-hosted audiobook and podcast server with mobile apps

Download Server Compass Install Audiobookshelf to server

audiobookspodcastsmediastreaming

Deploy Audiobookshelf in 3 Steps

Connect Your VPS

Add your server credentials to Server Compass

Select Audiobookshelf

Choose from our template library

Deploy & Configure

Fill in settings and click Deploy

No Docker knowledge required

Step-by-step deployment guide

Deploy Audiobookshelf on a VPS with Server Compass

Use the Audiobookshelf template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted audiobook and podcast server with persistent audiobook, podcast, config, and metadata volumes on your VPS, then verify the Audiobookshelf web UI in a browser.

About 7 minutesBrowser verified

Step 1

Open the server Apps tab

Select your VPS, open the Apps tab, and start a new app deployment. Keep sensitive server details hidden before capturing or sharing screenshots.

Server Compass Apps tab before creating an Audiobookshelf app

Step 2

Choose an app template

Click New App and choose the template deployment path so Server Compass can load the built-in catalog.

Choosing to deploy an app from a Server Compass template

Step 3

Search for Audiobookshelf

Use the template picker search to find Audiobookshelf in the Server Compass template catalog.

Searching for Audiobookshelf in the Server Compass template picker

Step 4

Select the Audiobookshelf template

Choose the Audiobookshelf template. Server Compass fills the Audiobookshelf image, host port, published server URL, and persistent audiobook, podcast, config, and metadata volumes.

Audiobookshelf template selected in Server Compass

Step 5

Review the Audiobookshelf settings

Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named audiobookshelf-demo and used host port 13378.

Reviewing Audiobookshelf project settings and compose services

Step 6

Deploy Audiobookshelf

Review the generated environment values, confirm the port is available, and click Deploy Now.

Reviewing Audiobookshelf environment variables and port before deployment

Step 7

Watch the deployment progress

Keep the deployment modal open while Server Compass uploads the compose file, pulls the Audiobookshelf image, starts the container, and verifies the stack.

Server Compass deploying the Audiobookshelf template on the VPS

Step 8

Confirm Audiobookshelf is running

After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Audiobookshelf app is marked Running with its application URL available.

Audiobookshelf template running in the Server Compass Apps tab

Step 9

Open Audiobookshelf in the browser

Open the application URL in a browser. The Audiobookshelf web UI confirms the site is reachable.

The deployed Audiobookshelf web UI loaded in a browser

After Audiobookshelf Opens

Complete the Audiobookshelf setup wizard before adding production audiobook and podcast libraries.
Mount real audiobook and podcast directories into the Audiobookshelf container before indexing a library.
Add a domain and HTTPS before exposing the audiobook and podcast server to users.
Configure users, libraries, metadata providers, and remote access settings before production use.
Back up the Audiobookshelf config and metadata volumes before relying on the server for production audiobook and podcast libraries.

Verified Result

The Audiobookshelf web UI loaded successfully in a browser.

Download Server Compass Docs

Audiobookshelf deployment questions

What does the Audiobookshelf template deploy?

It deploys the official Audiobookshelf container with persistent audiobook, podcast, config, and metadata volumes mounted at /audiobooks, /podcasts, /config, and /metadata.

Which port did the tutorial use?

The tutorial used host port 13378, which maps to the Audiobookshelf web server on container port 80.

Why does the guide stop at the first-run web UI?

The tutorial verifies the clean first-run web UI because real library paths, users, metadata providers, and remote access settings depend on the production server.

Should this become a blog post?

No. The deployment guide should live on the Audiobookshelf template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.

Why Self-Host Audiobookshelf?

Audiobookshelf is the leading self-hosted audiobook and podcast server. Self-hosting means your audiobook collection is always available, tracks your listening progress across devices, and eliminates the need for Audible subscriptions for content you already own.

Stream audiobooks and podcasts from your own server

Track listening progress, bookmarks, and chapters across devices

Native Android and iOS apps with offline download support

Automatic metadata fetching for cover art and book details

Multi-user support with individual progress tracking

Audiobookshelf vs Alternatives

Audiobookshelf vs Audible

Audible requires a subscription and DRM-locks your books. Audiobookshelf streams your DRM-free collection with full ownership.

Audiobookshelf vs Plex audiobooks

Plex handles audiobooks as an afterthought. Audiobookshelf is purpose-built with chapter support, bookmarks, and progress sync.

Audiobookshelf vs BookPlayer

BookPlayer is device-only. Audiobookshelf syncs across all your devices through your self-hosted server.

Why Deploy Audiobookshelf with Server Compass?

Server Compass deploys Audiobookshelf with persistent storage for your library metadata and user progress data. Point it at your audiobook directory and start listening across all your devices.

Download Server Compass

After Deployment

After deploying Audiobookshelf with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup

Create admin account

Add audiobook and podcast libraries

Install mobile app and connect

Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.

Audiobookshelf FAQ

Common questions about self-hosting Audiobookshelf

How do I deploy Audiobookshelf with Server Compass?

Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Audiobookshelf from the templates list. Fill in the required configuration and click Deploy. The entire process takes under 3 minutes.

What are the system requirements for Audiobookshelf?

Audiobookshelf requires a minimum of 512MB RAM. We recommend a VPS with at least 1024MB RAM for optimal performance. Any modern Linux server with Docker support will work.

Can I migrate my existing Audiobookshelf data?

Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Audiobookshelf backup and restore procedures.

How do I update Audiobookshelf to the latest version?

Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Audiobookshelf image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.

Is Audiobookshelf free to self-host?

Audiobookshelf is open-source software. You only pay for your VPS hosting (typically $5-20/month) and optionally Server Compass ($29 one-time). No subscription fees or per-seat pricing.

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Ready to Self-Host Audiobookshelf?

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