How to Create an App Like Storytel: A Step-by-Step Guide

Building an audiobook app like Storytel? Here's a clear guide to turning an idea into a fully functional product—covering features, tech, monetization, and strategy to help you meet today’s listening demand.

The audiobook market is growing faster than ever.

More people now prefer listening to books on the go than sitting down to read. This shift is creating real opportunities for businesses, publishers, and startups looking to enter the audiobook space.

How do you create an app like Storytel that truly connects with this growing audience?

From the right features to smart monetization and tech choices—building a competitive audiobook app takes more than just a great idea.

This blog walks you through every step, from market analysis to launch, with practical insights on design, development, and business strategy. No matter who your target listener is, you're in the right place.

How to Build Your Audiobook App?

Before we dive into the steps, it's important to understand the bigger picture.

Audiobook app development is not just about coding—it’s about crafting a product that delivers an exceptional user experience, fits market demand, and scales over time. You'll be dealing with strategy, tech, design, and user engagement all at once.

Let’s walk through the entire development process.

📈 Step 1: Start with Strong Market Research

Before jumping into code or hiring a development team , spend time studying the audiobook industry.

Know your target audience—do they want study material, fiction, or business-related content? Are they looking for free audiobooks or willing to pay for premium audiobooks?

Compare popular audiobook apps like the Audible app, Storytel app, Google Play Books, and Audible Suno. Each one targets a different audience segment and applies varied business models.

Research Focus Areas:

Understand the growing demand and regional trends to match your product with your country’s economy.

🧰 Step 2: Define Features Based on User Demands

To stand out in the audiobook app space, your features need to match modern expectations. Focus on building features that support real-time user needs, comfort, and listening flexibility.

Must-Have Features:

• Offline Listening: For poor or no internet connection

• Playback Speed control: Let users customize tempo

• Personal Library: Save and access favorite audiobooks

• Download Audiobooks: Stream or store for later

• Push Notifications: Alerts about new releases and offers

• Voice Assistance: Search and navigate using voice

• User-friendly interface: Easy navigation with a low learning curve

• Manage Subscriptions: Simple to cancel, upgrade, or renew

• Multiple Payment Options: Include Apple Pay, cards, and wallets

• Interactive Features: Bookmark, rate, or share audio content

Your app should support multiple devices so users can switch between phones or tablets easily.

🎨 Step 3: Design an Intuitive User Interface (UI)

A smooth user interface is key for any audiobook app. The design must focus on usability, speed, and accessibility. Users expect to access audiobooks with a few taps.

Keep the UI minimal, visually clear, and avoid clutter. Prioritize large tap areas, readable fonts, and simple navigation.

Key UI/UX Design Elements:

• Custom theme options (light/dark mode)

• Real-time search suggestions

• Easy playback controls

• Clear library and download management

Use color coding to guide attention and personalize experiences based on listening history.

⚙️ Step 4: Choose the Right Tech Stack

Selecting a suitable tech stack is one of the most important decisions. Your stack must support high scalability, real-time syncing, and high-quality audio streaming.

Here’s a recommended stack for building a scalable audiobook streaming solution:

This stack supports mobile devices, allows real-time analytics, and lets you build for both platforms using React Native. Integrate Google Analytics to study behaviors and tailor your experience.

Don’t forget:

• Secure payment gateways

• Cloud CDN for fast loading

• Notification services (Firebase, OneSignal)

💰 Step 5: Pick Your Business Models

Making your audiobook app profitable depends on your revenue plan. Multiple business models are available:

Common Models:

The most prominent monetization strategies today combine ads and subscriptions. This reaches a wider audience while still ensuring profits.

🔧 Step 6: Start the Development Process

With designs, stack, and models in place, begin the development process. You’ll need a skilled development team to handle front-end, back-end, and QA.

Divide tasks:

• Frontend (UI/UX)

• Backend (user accounts, library, payments)

• DevOps (deployment, updates)

• QA (testing on different devices)

Use agile sprints and tools like Jira or Trello for task tracking. You can also outsource to agencies offering audiobook app development services.

Want to skip the complex development process? With Rocket.new , you can build an audiobook app using simple prompts—no coding required.

Launch Your Audiobook App Now!

📣 Step 7: Marketing Strategy & Launch

Before launch, build a powerful marketing strategy. Plan both pre-launch and post-launch campaigns.

Tips:

Here are some practical actions to give your app a solid start and sustain early momentum:

• Tease features on social media: Build excitement by posting sneak peeks, audio clips, or behind-the-scenes moments on platforms like Instagram , Twitter , and LinkedIn.

• Free trials & audiobooks: Help first-time users get a taste of your app by giving access to selected content before they subscribe. It's a smart way to build trust and encourage long-term use.

• SEO + content keywords: Write blog posts, how-to guides, and landing pages using terms like audible app, e-books, and more to improve your app’s visibility in search results.

• Influencer Partnerships: Partner with podcasters, book bloggers, or voice artists in the publishing space to expand your reach and add credibility to your brand.

• Submit to the Google Play Store: Use optimized descriptions and screenshots with clear visuals, concise descriptions, and feature highlights to improve download rates.

Use analytics tools and start collecting feedback immediately. This helps refine features and plan future updates effectively.

🔀 Step 8: Maintain, Update & Scale

Post-launch, your work continues. This is where consistent updates and engagement begin to matter even more. Listening to your users becomes key to retention and loyalty. Stay proactive with new features and content drops.

Keep improving based on user feedback, real-time analytics, and emerging trends.

Key Post-Launch Practices:

• Update content regularly

• Optimize voice assistance

• Scale servers to support growth

• Improve based on Google Play Books or Storytel app users' reviews

• Add advanced features based on demand

Maintain clear customer support and utilize tools to manage subscriptions more effectively.

💸 Development Cost Estimate

Development cost depends on features, team size, and duration.

Here’s a rough breakdown:

Outsourcing to a company offering development services may cut costs without lowering quality.

Your Path to Create an App Like Storytel

Building an app like Storytel requires strategic planning, a strong tech foundation, and real attention to user needs. From choosing the right features and tech stack to understanding audiobook app development trends and running a smart marketing strategy, it’s all about creating value for listeners.

By delivering audio content in a user-focused, accessible, and smartly monetized format, you’ll attract a larger audience and grow within the audiobook market.

Whether you're targeting avid readers or commuters looking for entertainment purposes, this guide sets the roadmap for a winning audiobook app.