DIGITAL PUBLISHING · SUBSCRIPTION ECOSYSTEM
Saba Reader.
The digital home of literature and the SABculture movement.
Building Georgia's largest subscription-based ebook and audiobook platform in partnership with TBC Bank.
Summary
Saba Reader is a flagship digital reading platform powered by TBC Bank, hosting one of the largest catalog collections built for a single regional mobile application. Containing tens of thousands of licensed ebooks and audiobooks in multiple languages, the platform brings together nearly every major Georgian publishing house under one roof. Beyond its technology, Saba is the beating heart of SABculture: a literary movement for a new generation that treats reading not as a quiet pastime, but as an active adventure and a tool to shape modern culture. Leavingstone partnered to deliver a high-craft reading and listening experience designed for long-form comfort, reliable offline access and frictionless subscription access.
Client
TBC Bank / Saba
Industry
Digital Publishing · Media & Culture · Fintech-Backed Ecosystems
iOS & Android
Services
Mobile Product Design
Custom Reader & Audio Engine
Catalog Architecture
Subscription & Payment Integration
The Challenge
Long-form reading.
On a small screen.
Complex typography and rendering. E-reading requires meticulous attention to typography, font scale, leading, hyphenation, and dark and sepia palette controls. Delivering smooth rendering across diverse screen sizes and file formats without lag or battery drain required rigorous engineering.
Unified text and audio experience. Many readers switch between reading on the metro and listening during commutes. The platform had to support dual formats with persistent progress tracking, background audio playback and seamless bookmark sync across devices.
Enterprise scale and catalog security. With virtually every national publisher on board, the platform needed enterprise-grade DRM and content protection alongside a dependable subscription engine integrated with TBC Bank's payment infrastructure.
Inside Saba Reader
Our Solution
Read it. Listen to it.
Anywhere.
Tailored Reading Engine. A custom-tuned text rendering environment offering customizable typography, line spacing, margins, night reading mode and instant full-text search.
Distraction-Free Audio Suite. A background audio player with playback speed controls, sleep timers, bookmarking and chapter navigation optimized for spoken word.
Always-Available Offline Vault. Smart local caching that lets users download entire books or audio chapters for reading anywhere, whether on a flight or in low-connectivity areas.
Frictionless Subscription & Commerce. Direct integration with modern payment rails, letting readers choose between all-access monthly memberships or individual title purchases with zero checkout friction.
Key features
- Dual-format library: instant switching between ebooks and audiobooks with unified library shelves and saved highlights.
- Personalized reading: adjustable font sizes, font faces, contrast modes (Dark, Sepia, Paper White) and vertical or horizontal paging.
- Persistent cross-device sync: progress, highlights and annotations sync automatically across phones and tablets.
- Publisher and author catalog: rich editorial author pages, curated recommendations and book awards integration.
- SABculture community hub: special editions, curated reading lists and cultural campaign tie-ins connecting readers with contemporary writers and thinkers.
Technology & Architecture
Built for readers. Built for publishers.
Rendering Core
Native-optimized rendering engine supporting high-fidelity EPUB and structured text layout.
Audio Pipeline
Low-power background audio service with persistent progress state and chapter caching.
Commerce & Security
Secure content delivery pipeline with encrypted asset storage and direct banking integration.
Let's work.
Tell us about your product. We'll respond within one business day to arrange a conversation with a senior partner.