Lorecaster

Your private audiobook library — Mac server, iPhone player, CarPlay, and optional Hardcover.

Run Lorecaster on a Mac to host your collection. Stream or download on iPhone, open .m4b files directly, and keep every listener’s progress separate. No cloud subscriptions — your files stay on your hardware.

Mac App (Server) iPhone App CarPlay Beta

Beautiful to look at, effortless to use

Native Mac library with fast grid, series & author grouping, and rich metadata

🎧

Full-featured players on Mac and iPhone

Chapters, fine speed control, sleep timer, smart rewind, CarPlay shelves, and resume that follows you.

Progress stays in sync — and stays private per user

One Mac. Whole library. Every device.

The Mac app is the brain: scan your folders, play locally, and run a private embedded server. The iPhone app is the remote: browse, stream, download for offline, and use CarPlay on the road.

Open an audiobook file on iPhone when you need to — or upload it to your Mac server so the rest of the household can stream it. Switch devices mid-chapter; each person keeps their own place in the book.

No cloud library rent. No “your files on our servers.” Your audiobooks live where you put them.

Highlights in the latest beta

Hardcover integration (beta) — Connect your personal API token, link titles (preferring audiobook editions), optionally apply metadata and covers, and mark books Read when you finish. Token and links can sync across your devices via the Lorecaster server.

Open .m4b on iPhone — Import local audiobooks as playable downloads, then optionally upload them to your Mac server.

Smarter streaming resume — Positioned streaming for long books (including m4b) so mid-book resume is less of a wait. Download still wins for offline and rock-solid resume.

True multi-user progress — Shared library, separate history. List, detail, and live updates are scoped per account so one listener’s place doesn’t become someone else’s.

Home that helps you keep going — Continue the Series, download nudges when a stream would resume slowly, and clear Auto / Light / Dark appearance.

Made for listening

• Native Mac library scanning, metadata tools, series/author grouping, and cover art

• Players with chapters (multi-file and embedded .m4b), fine speed control, sleep timer (including end of chapter)

• Smart rewind, book-absolute progress, and multi-device resume for each user

• Private embedded server: Bonjour discovery, range streaming, positioned resume, realtime updates

• iOS companion with lock screen controls, background playback, offline downloads, and CarPlay

• Local file import on iPhone and optional upload into the Mac library

• Hardcover linking and finish sync (beta) with optional metadata import

• Multi-user accounts so a shared Mac never mixes up who left off where

Private by design

• Your audiobooks live on your Mac (and optional offline copies on your phone) — not in our cloud

• Connect over your local network (Bonjour) or by address — works great with Tailscale too

• Optional multi-user accounts keep each listener’s progress private

• No analytics from us, no Hyperscribe accounts required, no tracking. Data not collected.

Getting started (Beta)

Lorecaster is in beta. Start with the Mac app — library, player, and server in one package — then add the iPhone client.

Join the beta Discord for the latest Mac and iOS builds (TestFlight).
On your Mac, install the beta, add your audiobook folders, and start the server from the Server tab.
On iPhone, install the iOS beta, discover your Mac via Bonjour or connect with host + port (and sign in if multi-user is enabled).
Browse, stream, download, or open a local .m4b. Progress stays with your account; optional Hardcover connects in Settings.

Everything is local and private. The server only serves files from folders you explicitly add (and books you choose to upload from iOS).

Ready to run your own audiobook server?

Get the Mac app first — then stream to iPhone. Join Discord for TestFlight access.

Join the beta Discord