Web browsing and internet surfing have been the favorite hobbies for many. People love looking out for new things and information.
However, we often don’t feel like reading something now and think about catching it later. But when we look back, the article or piece we were reading seems lost.
In that scenario, it’s very regretful to have missed reading out something that could have been a great piece of information. However, technologies have made it possible for every person not to fall prey to such regretful circumstances.
With applications like Pocket, formerly known as “Read It Later,” it has become possible for anyone to save an article over the web and read it later.
So, you can just put the article in a safe place and return to it whenever you feel like it. You need not worry about the article getting lost in any manner.
Additionally, you can explore the application for more features and functionalities and have great browsing and surfing experiences.
However, this is possible only when you can loosen your pockets. Pocket is a costly application; if you want to use it, you must subscribe for approximately $5 monthly.
Now, that doesn’t seem too much on the face, but paying that much to save some articles for reading in the future seems quite extravagant.
If you feel the same, then luckily enough, we’ve got some Pocket alternatives you could try.
Best Pocket Alternatives – Our Top Pick👌👌
The love for reading is very different, and when you enjoy picking up new things through web browsing and internet surfing, it goes to a whole new level.
However, you always do not find the time or interest to read something you found online.
Applications like Pocket are great to help you save such articles for a read later. However, as much as you love it, paying too much for these applications wouldn’t seem feasible.
Now, Pocket is a great application, but it costs a lot. So, you want to look out for some alternatives. Well, we’ve made the job easier for you.
Although not every Pocket alternative is as good as Pocket, you can try these alternatives. If you like them, they’ll be worth your time, and you’d save some money as well.
So, without any more talks and discussions around it, let’s move on to some of the best Pocket alternatives you can try to save articles online for a later read.
1. Instapaper – Pocket Alternatives To sync the articles and videos
If one application stands in a very similar place to Pocket, it’s Instapaper. It’s the perfect bookmark management application with all the rich functionalities and features for a seamless reading experience.
Although it’s not a free application, you must pay much less than Pocket. Instead of $5 monthly for Pocket, you can get Instapaper for just $3. This is the highest point in being inclined toward this application.
In addition to the lower pricing, the application has a brilliant user interface with easy navigation and control.
You can easily save articles to read later and, in fact, anything that you find over the web and would want to keep preserved on your device.
Be it pictures, videos, ebooks, blogs, or articles, you can use Instapaper to save them all for a read, watch, or view later.
Moreover, the reading experiences here will be phenomenal, with the ability to beautifully customize everything on the application.
You can customize the application for its themes, templates, colors, and backgrounds. With that, you’ll be able to read in a highly personalized setting that will feel more entertaining, fun, and interesting.
Moreover, you can even remove any distractions on the screen while you read by decluttering the article within the application.
This way, you can have a more focused reading experience that feels better on your eyes.
Also, you need not be online to use this application. So, it’s a great thing to have on your device.
In case you ever get stuck in a no-network area and feel like there’s nothing to do, you can go on and read the articles that you bookmarked for later.
Also, if sometimes you don’t feel like reading, you can always hear. All you’d need to do is turn on the text-to-speech feature in the application, and the voice assistant will read the entire article to you.
This feature is particularly helpful when the articles are extremely long, but you want to know all the information quickly and without much effort.
With all these features, the application is certainly one of the best in-store and a catch for its subscription price.
Pocket vs Instapaper:-
Pocket may be the better choice if you’re looking for a free, easy-to-use tool with strong integrations. If you’re willing to pay for additional features and prefer a slightly more polished reading experience, Instapaper may be the way to go.
Here’s a detailed comparison table of Pocket and Instapaper:-
| Feature | Instapaper | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free, premium option available ($4.99/mo) | Free, premium option available ($2.99/mo) |
| Platforms supported | iOS, Android, Web, macOS, Windows | iOS, Android, Web, macOS |
| Save content | Web pages, articles, videos, images | Web pages, articles, videos, images |
| Reading experience | Text-to-speech, dark mode, custom fonts | Text-to-speech, dark mode, custom fonts |
| Organization | Tags, lists, favorites, archive | Folders, highlights, liked articles, archive |
| Sharing | Share via email, social media, messaging | Share via email, social media, messaging |
| Offline access | Yes | Yes |
| Search | Yes | Yes |
| Integration with other apps | Yes | Limited |
| Privacy | SSL encryption, no third-party tracking | SSL encryption, no third-party tracking |
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
2. Raindrop – All-in-one Pocket Alternatives Bookmark Manager
If you’re looking for a one-stop solution for an online bookmarks manager, Raindrop would be the best application for you.
The best part about the application is that it’s free to start. However, if you go for the free version, you’ll have limited options that will not match the Pocket level.
But subscribing to the application is not as costly as Pocket either. Its subscription costs only $2.99 a month.
This is much lower than Pocket. You’d not feel paying this much for phenomenal reading and online articles, videos, and image management applications like Raindrop is too heavy on your budget.
Once you subscribe to the application, you can keep saving things on the application without any limits and constraints.
Be it images, videos, articles, or any webpage, you can bookmark it and put it in Raindrop for viewing, watching, and reading later.
Moreover, using the application’s seamless customization abilities, you can add your bits of personalization for better and more interesting, entertaining, and focused reading experiences.
Also, if you’re a person who loves keeping things in order, then you’re going to love this application. Not only can you just put the bookmarks here, but you can organize them well based on multiple criteria.
You can create different folders for your collection and categorize them according to your preferences. This way, you’ll have more sorted, and you’d be able to find the files, images, videos, and links you’re looking for much faster.
Another major highlight of this application is its ability to collaborate with others. So, this application will be perfect for you if you like to work in teams and need to share online articles and web pages with your colleagues.
Even if you enjoy sharing things with your friends, the application will be helpful, and you won’t have to go through the hassles of copying the links or downloading specific media for sharing the same.
You can use the application and carry on with the sharing partly directly from them.
With all these features and functionalities, going for the paid version rather than the free one seems worth it.
You can try it with the free version for some days and then purchase a subscription if you like it. Either way, you’ll not regret giving your time and space to this application.
Pocket vs Raindrop:-
Pocket might be the better choice if you value a simple and easy-to-use interface. If you want more advanced features and customization options, Raindrop might be the way to go.
Here’s a detailed comparison table between Pocket and Raindrop:-
| Features | Raindrop | |
|---|---|---|
| Bookmarking | Yes | Yes |
| Web Browser Support | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera |
| Mobile App Support | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Tags | Yes | Yes |
| Collections/Folders | Yes | Yes |
| Highlighting | Yes | No |
| Annotation | Yes (Premium) | Yes (Premium) |
| Collaboration | Yes (Premium) | No |
| Search | Yes | Yes |
| Social Media Sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Importing/Exporting | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free with Premium option | Free with Premium option |
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
3. Evernote – Pocket alternatives To Remember everything important
Evernote is one name anyone in the habit of reading and taking notes might have heard of and used. Besides, this is a great application for saving and bookmarking links later.
Unlike other applications that save things in different files and folders, Evernote saves them in digital notebooks.
These digital notebooks are much similar to folders, but they make things more accessible and easier to find.
Whatever you’re looking for, you can go through the tags and find the file you need in no time at all.
Talking about tags, it’s pretty clear that Evernote manages everything and organizes everything.
You can save the links and files systematically per your specific and personal preferences. This makes it easy for you to get on with the reading on the application.
In addition to saving articles and notes for later reads, the application is also designed to store your pictures and videos.
So, if you love some video or picture you’ve been watching online, you can just put it into your Evernote account, and the application will embed the same in a separate notebook.
Another great feature of the application is its ability to work offline. All your notebooks from Evernote are available offline.
So, if you’re facing trouble with the networks and cannot find anything else to do, you can access your notebooks and use your spare time to read the things you have probably saved for situations like these.
The best part is that you get all of this for free. In that sense, it looks like the perfect alternative to Pocket because you get everything you need without spending any money.
However, you can have the best from this application by paying for a subscription. Although unnecessary, paying as little as $3.99 a month can open you up to a new set of features and functionalities on Evernote.
This amount is less than the subscription amount you would pay for Pocket.
Considering all these things, the application is great, and you’ll surely not regret trying it.
Pocket vs Evernote:-
if your main focus is saving and organizing web content, Pocket may be your better choice due to its simple interface and free pricing options.
However, if you need a more comprehensive tool for note-taking and organization across multiple types of content, Evernote may be the better option despite its higher price point.
Here’s a detailed comparison table between Pocket and Evernote:-
| Feature | Evernote | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free, $4.99/month, $44.99/year for Premium | Free, $7.99/month, $14.99/month, $69.99/year for Premium |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera | Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Chrome, Firefox, Safari |
| Offline Access | Yes | Yes |
| Web Clipping | Yes | Yes |
| Annotation | No | Yes |
| Tagging | Yes | Yes |
| Note Sharing | Yes, with limits | Yes, with limits |
| Integrations | 1500+ | 150+ |
| File Uploads | No | Yes |
| OCR (Optical Character Recognition) | No | Yes |
| Audio Recording | No | Yes |
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
4. PaperSpan – Pocket alternatives To Read & Listen to web articles
Another great and brilliant alternative to Pocket is PaperSpan despite its outdated user interface, which gives tough competition to Pocket, especially regarding the cost you’d have to bear for the application.
For starters, you won’t have to bear any costs if you’re okay with using the tool under some limitations.
However, if you want to go premium, you must pay just $8.99 a year, much less than the $44.99 a year you’d pay for Pocket.
Now, moving on to talking about the application’s features, you’ll love the things it has in store.
The features and functionalities are much in tandem with those of Pocket, and some are even better.
You can read in a clutter-free environment with a clean and sleek view. This encourages a more focused reading, and you stay interested and engaged throughout the article.
In addition to forming a more focused reading habit, the application lets you track those habits.
As such, you can get all the insights you need about the reading you’ve been doing over the application.
The application would show you what you’ve been reading, how much time you took to read a certain article if that was good enough reading time, and many other things like that.
With these insights, you’d easily be able to improve your reading time and habits, which will help you big time for many things.
Another great thing about the application is how easy it makes organizing your articles. It’s like a beautifully designed and arranged personal library.
The application would automatically sort and categorize the articles you save. So, you’d get separate folders for different categories and genres. This way, you can pick out whatever you want to read.
Besides that, you can even have the application speak up the articles for you. So, if you don’t feel like reading or want to gather the information in the saved articles on the go, you can tune into the text-to-speech feature of the application, plug in your earphones, and start listening.
The best part is that you can do everything in a no-network zone. All the articles on PaperSpan are available to you, even in offline settings.
So, if you don’t want to be disturbed by notifications or other distractions as you read, you can turn off the data and enjoy the phenomenal reading experience on PaperSpan.
With all that said about the application, it seems perfect for anyone who loves reading and wants to enjoy that love in a fun, focused, interesting, and non-costly manner.
Pocket vs PaperSpan:-
Pocket may be the better option if you are primarily interested in a simple bookmarking tool focusing on reading.
If you want a more robust organizational tool that can help you manage various types of content and improve productivity, PaperSpan may be the better choice.
Here’s a detailed table comparing Pocket and PaperSpan:-
| Feature | PaperSpan | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free with an optional Premium subscription | Free with an optional Premium subscription |
| Platforms | Web, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari | Web, Android, iOS |
| Saving Articles | Yes | Yes |
| Saving Webpages | No | Yes |
| Article Search | Yes | Yes |
| Tagging | Yes | Yes |
| Highlighting | Yes (with Premium) | Yes (with Premium) |
| Note Taking | Yes (with Premium) | Yes (with Premium) |
| Readability | Clean, easy-to-read interface | Clean, easy-to-read interface |
| User Interface | Simple and intuitive | Simple and intuitive |
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
5. Wallabag – Cost Effective pocket alternatives
So far, along with the list, we’ve mentioned Pocket alternatives that cost less; however, Wallabag goes beyond that and offers everything for free.
Of course, there would be in-app purchases, but that’s your choice, and you won’t face limitations even if you don’t make those purchases.
With that, Wallabag is a strong competitor to Pocket even though its user interface and other features and functionalities are less appealing than the original application.
But as we mention, the application being free of cost is not the only factor for it being on our list of the best Pocket alternatives.
The application is pretty good and sleek when it comes to its usage. You can easily understand the application and get the hang of it quickly.
It sure lacks customization abilities, but you can still enjoy a seamless reading experience, considering that it grants a clutter-free view wherein you can have a more focused reading.
Moreover, while the interface is not very good, it will still ensure that your eyes don’t hurt as you read through the articles.
Also, while the application lacks advanced features and functionalities, it offers a medium to integrate those features with the ability to easily and seamlessly import data from other applications like it, for instance, from Pocket, Instapaper, Pinboard, and more.
Considering that fact, it’s not that bad to try, either. What’s more, that’s not all about this bookmarks management application. A major highlight of this particular application is that it’s available as an add-on.
You can easily find Wallabag extensions for browsers like Chrome and Firefox. So, you can install the extension, activate it on your browser, and have more ease and smoothness in using this application.
With the add-on over your browser, saving and bookmarking links will become much faster and easier. Moreover, the access to the articles and links you save will be directly from the browser. So, that would be very fast and easy, and you’ll love a reading experience like that.
Now, when we talk about access to the articles in your collection, another good thing is that you’ll be able to select the genre you want to read and directly get to it.
This is possible because Wallabag allows you to create separate article tags.
So, you can know exactly what genre a certain piece belongs to and ensure you don’t waste time finding the articles you want to read.
With all of that, you’d love to try out the application, and the slightly unpleasant user interface will not become that big an issue after all.
Pocket vs Wallabag:-
Pocket is a good choice for users who want a simple, easy-to-use bookmarking tool that works across multiple devices and platforms.
On the other hand, Wallabag is a good choice for users who want more control over their data and privacy and are comfortable with self-hosting their content.
Here’s a detailed table comparing Pocket and Wallabag:-
| Feature | Wallabag | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free and Premium ($4.99/month or $44.99/year) | Free and Premium (€9/year or €36/lifetime) |
| Platforms | Web, Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Chrome, Firefox | Web, Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, Vivaldi |
| Saving | Save articles, videos, and web pages | Save articles, videos, and web pages |
| Reading | Read saved content offline | Read saved content offline |
| Organization | Tag and archive saved content | Tag, archive, and categorize saved content |
| Searchability | Search saved content by title, tags, or URL | Search saved content by title, tags, or full text |
| Customization | Customize font size, style, and background color | Customize font size, style, and line spacing |
| Integrations | Integration with over 1500 apps and services, including Evernote and Twitter | Integration with over 200 apps and services, including Feedly and Pocket |
| Privacy | Pocket stores user data on its servers but offers privacy settings | Wallabag is self-hosted, allowing for complete control over user data |
| Open source | Not open source | Open source |
| Community support | Limited community support | Active community support |
Download the App from Google Play Store
Download the App from Apple App Store
Pocket vs Flipboard
Pocket saves articles to read later and organizes your reading list. At the same time, Flipboard is more geared towards discovering and consuming news and stories in a visually appealing format.
Here’s a table comparing Pocket and Flipboard:-
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Save and organize articles, videos, and web pages to read later | Curate and discover content based on user interests |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, Kobo, Chrome, Firefox, Safari | Web, iOS, Android |
| Price | Free, with a premium version available for $4.99/month or $44.99/year | Free |
| Saving content | Save content from web pages, apps, and social media platforms | Save articles and videos from within the app |
| Organizing content | Organize content using tags and a filterable list view | Organize content using themed magazines |
| Offline access | Available for saved content | Available for saved content |
| Social features | Share content with friends via email or social media | Follow other users, like and comment on articles |
| Recommendations | No | Yes, based on user interests and activity |
| Ads | No | Yes |
| Privacy | End-to-end encryption for saved content | May collect user data for advertising purposes |
✅ FAQ’s
Now, we’ve detailed five of the best Pocket alternatives for you. However, we are sure you still have some questions about the Pocket application itself and probably about how you’d choose the right alternative from this list of the best five.
Is there a better app than Pocket?
Several alternatives to Pocket offer similar features and functionality, such as Instapaper, Readability, and Pinboard.
Each of these apps has its strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to research and find the one that best suits your needs.
What is the equivalent of Pocket?
The equivalent of Pocket would be an app that allows you to save and organize articles and web pages for later reading.
Some popular alternatives to Pocket include Instapaper, Readability, and Pinboard, each with its unique features and benefits.
Which is better Instapaper or Pocket?
The answer to this question depends on your personal preferences and needs. Instapaper is known for its clean and minimalist interface, while Pocket offers more features for organizing and categorizing saved articles. Ultimately, you should try both apps and see which works best.
What is a self-hosted alternative to Pocket?
Wallabag is a popular self-hosted alternative to Pocket that allows you to save and organize web pages and articles for later reading. It’s an open-source project that offers many of the same features as Pocket, with the added benefit of being completely under your control.
Does Pocket cost anything?
Pocket offers both a free and paid version of the app. The free version allows you to save and organize articles, while the paid version offers additional features such as advanced search, suggested tags, and a permanent library. The paid version of Pocket starts at $4.99 per month or $44.99 per year.
Is Instapaper still alive?
Yes, Instapaper is still alive and well. The app was acquired by Pinterest in 2018 and has received updates and improvements since then.
Why is Pocket better than bookmarks?
Pocket is better than bookmarks because it allows you to save and organize articles and web pages for later reading, with the added benefit of offline access. Bookmarks are simply links you save for future reference without organization or categorization.
Does Instapaper cost money?
Instapaper offers both a free and paid version of the app. The free version allows you to save and read articles later, while the paid version offers additional features such as full-text search and unlimited highlights. The paid version of Instapaper starts at $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year.
Does Mozilla own pocket?
No, Pocket is not owned by Mozilla. It was acquired by Mozilla in 2017, but it operates as an independent subsidiary of the company.
What are some open-source alternatives to Pocket?
Some popular open-source alternatives to Pocket include Wallabag, Shaarli, and Turtl. These tools allow you to save and organize web content for later reading, just like Pocket. However, unlike Pocket, they are open-source, which means you have more control over your data and can customize the software to suit your needs.
What is a self-hosted Pocket alternative?
Some popular self-hosted alternatives include Wallabag, Shaarli, and Turtl.
Well, we’ve attempted to answer some of the questions we often encounter about these bookmarks management applications. Have a read!
(Q) Is the Pocket application the best for bookmarks management?
Well, the application is the best, without a doubt. It’s one of the first bookmarks management applications, and none of the other applications is as feature-rich as Pocket. The only issue with Pocket is its high pricing. Other than that, it’s for sure the best you could get.
(Q) Would it be worth paying the higher price for Pocket?
If you’re an avid reader who loves to research and explore and wants to use as many features and functionalities as possible for a phenomenal reading experience, it would be worth paying the higher price. The Pocket application is worth it.
However, if you want a simple application that would meet your needs for keeping some links saved so that you can go through them later, then any of the alternatives to the Pocket application would be a better choice.
So, whether the application is worth it depends on your personal preferences and needs.
(Q) What are the major things to consider when looking for a bookmarks management application?
The most important things you must consider when looking for a bookmarks management application are its user interface, ease, and simplicity.
Besides that, you must look into the view it provides for reading and ensure it’s distraction-free and soothing to your eyes. It would also be great if you would look for the applications’ customization abilities and features to categorically sort the articles and links that you save to it.
Besides that, you want to consider the pricing and be sure it is worth the value.
Final Words on the pocket alternatives list
So, that’s all about the best Pocket alternatives. Each is unique and brilliant; your choice would depend on your preferences and needs.
We hope that you found the article helpful and are excited to explore and find the best bookmarks management applications for providing you with the most amazing and out-of-the-world reading experiences.
