Reading online articles is often more enjoyable than many jobs, which can be a concern. However, Read It Later Apps provide a solution. Having tried over 20 such apps, I have conducted thorough testing and identified the top 4 bookmarking apps.
What To Look For In The Ultimate Reading List App
Read it later apps do one thing: save the articles you want to read when you are free. Thats what makes it unique from just the bookmarking apps that save the links to articles and note-taking apps which only help in clipping the articles and the ones failing to optimize an ideal read.
Based on this, what, then, constitutes the best dedicated read-later app?I’m glad you asked. For the last 12 years, I have been using these apps, frequently bouncing from one to another in my endeavor to discover an app perfect for offline reading. undefined
- For you to save an article you may read later, a click is enough. Optimally, we have an browser extension and a mobile app, but bookmarklets are fine for quick access as well.
- Save those articles for offline reading through your mobile phone, tablet, eReader, for laptop (or ideally) computer also for offline reading.
- Offer brand-accented typography and color schemes. To start with, the top read later app is to have both dark and light mode, but the more options are all the better.
- Configure the software such as to make your article archive management easy. Both tags and folders do well here, and in addition, you can use highlighting to avoid missing items.
- Get involved on multiple networks. This has to include not only the ability but also the means to change devices without losing the operating progress.
I applied the most commonly used reading list apps on the market using those as the benchmark.
Quick Look: Top Read-Later Apps
| Name | Best for | Standout feature | Pricing |
| Safari Reading List | Apple loyalists | Built into Safari | Free on Apple devices |
| Turning articles into a podcast | Balance of powerful features and ease of use | Free plan available; $4.99/month for Pocket Premium | |
| Omnivore | Reading newsletters | Open source and easy to integrate with anything | Free |
| Instapaper | Speed reading | Can send to Kindle | Free plan available; $2.99/month for Instapaper Premium |
Top Choice For Apple Enthusiasts: Best Read-later App
Safari Reading List (Mac, iOS)
Safari pros:
- An integrated part of Safari browser for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
- Very easy to use
Safari cons:
- You can only use it on Apple devices.
- Limited organization options
Safari, as it is the default browser on Apple devices, has the option to save for later reading. The so-called reading list that syncs with all your devices. And yeah, it’s not the most advanced read later service. But you can use it without any installing the software now. Simply use the shortcut command-shift-D, or select the bookmark icon, add to reading list. For mobile, look up the Add to Reading List option under the Share menu. Articles are optional for offline reading, and you can adjust to the colors. And the fonts via Reader Mode in Safari.
Articles are sorted chronologically and lack any effective organizational method aside from archiving them. There is a search button as a feature, though, so it may not be that complicated. It’s not the most professional tool, but it works.
Safari Reading List pricing: Free on the App Store.
Top Pick For Converting Articles To Podcasts: Best Read-later App
Pocket (Web, Android, iOS)
Pocket pros:
- Prebuilt within many apps as well as devices.
- Feature-rich and full-fledgedly user-friendly.
Pocket cons:
- No notes feature
Pocket is, in my opinion, the most complete read-it-later app on the current hardware. You can use a web app, mobile apps. And in addition a lot of apps got a Pocket API integration, thanks to powerful API. It is going to be easy to add them to Pocket.
Another great feature is that you won’t encounter any difficulties reading those articles since they are screened. And displayed in a clean environment and in a clutter-free way. You can also control how your articles look: there are no more than three colors: dark, paper. And light and two font styles are available in the free version as well.
This is another and more of all, you will know that you wont have any problem reading. Those articles because you can extract them cleanly and you having to read in a clutter-free environment. You can also control how your articles look. Not only this one comes in a dark, paper, and light color scheme, it also has a couple of font types on offer for the free version.
While Pocket is geared to reading, it’s also able to read to you through a text-to-speech engine that is quite realistic. Just tap the audio button in the mobile application and your phone will read them aloud. The voices are somewhere around acceptable, however a little robotic. And you can manage the playback speed if it is necessary. It’s the most unobtrusive manner to turn an article into a podcast outside of engaging voice actors. And fantastic if you’re a foodie or into walking and listening to your favorite writer at the same time.
Pocket pricing: Free; $4.99/Per Month Premium for a permanent personal backup of the articles you’ve saved & search.
Top Choice For Managing Newsletters: Best Read-later App
Omnivore (Mac, Web, iOS, Android)
Omnivore pros:
- Free and open source
- The robots can retrieve the newsletters.
- Webhooks and Obsidian available.
Omnivore cons:
- A popular app that can sometimes be buggy.
- Our beta Android app is already up and running.
Omnivore is the newest app on this list, and it shows: however. It seems to be a little too cheaply made. The Android version is nothing but a beta right now. And sadly the Mac version doesn’t include most of the features present in the web version.
After all, just go underneath the surface and you see how worth it can be. Saving to Pocket is easy, whether it’s through browser add-on or mobile app. The reading experience, on most devices, is also great. Now, there are four different color schemes as well as thirteen font choices. Another big plus: up to now, the software can be downloaded for free. And there’s an opportunity to host the project with yourself.
Distinct among these is the fact that you stand a chance to register for email newsletters. Omnivore can get mail addresses for you which you will use to sign in for newsletters. You will receive new articles automatically via your mail. Excellent way to subscribe to your favorite email newsletter without saturating your inbox. A geekier feature is the integration. Omnivore supports continuous flow of highlights and annotations to Obsidian, which is a powerful note-taking application. Furthermore, webhook support is also provided, implying that Omnivore can be connected to any particular tool.
Frankly, I think Omnivore is not as polished as Pocket and Instapaper. But, at least for the moment, it makes a decent alternative for the both of them already. Omnivore is also evolving ahead of the other two apps which is even more interesting. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see it among the top of the stack two years from now.
Omnivore pricing: Free
Top Choice For Speed Reading: Best App For Reading Later
Instapaper (Kindle, Web, iOS, macOS, Android)
Instapaper pros:
- Extremely simple
- Can then send articles to Kindle devices
- Takes advantage of a speed reading function
Instapaper cons:
- Nothing found in free version.
By far, Instapaper is the simplest app I can recall there is. Colors and illustrations aren’t a big part of the user interface, and the interface is totally text-oriented. This app has been developed by book lovers that explain its nature mainly.
The abundance of extensions for any popular browser, as well as a bookmark, allows you to save material easily. You may read the books on the mobile apps provided for Android or iOS devices. And these support offline reading or you can read on the website if you are using your computer. The reading experience is enjoyable with the ability to choose font color and type.
The main function of this feature is the speed reading button which flash. On one word after another in a short period of time. You can also speed up the speed setting if you would like. But basically the functionality is to force you to read books or articles quickly. It speaks for itself I guess, but maybe not for everybody.
What you will find is that there are lots of ways to manage your article, too. The Home page, on the other hand, will feature articles you have not yet read. And you will be able to archive them once you have finished reading them. The “liked” folders come supplied and you can add as many folders as you like for use as topics.
Several features in Instapaper have some Pocket alternatives. You can bookmark quotations from articles, just like in Pocket. But taking it a step further, you can add comments, a feature which Pocket doesn’t offer. On the other hand, you will be able to see all your highlights. And notes in one place, which is unnecessary to open all the articles again.
This is what puts Instapaper ahead of the others as a great way to go over your lines after reading. An extra feature of forwarding articles to Kindle e-reader. Comes with all these features, if they interest you or you are looking for an alternative for Pocket. Instapaper is probably the app for you.
Instapaper Pricing: Freemium; Instapaper Premium for $2.99/month that give you the ability to search for text through your articles, add unlimited notes and text-to-speech capabilities.
