Saving Sites: Pocket’s bookmarking app and its alternatives -Gudstory

It’s hard to keep up with all the interesting, important, or downright funny things you come across on the web. You may find something that you don’t have time to read right now or that you want to save because it will come in handy later. But as most of us have found, creating a bookmark on the browser for every article and site we want to read later can lead to a huge mess of bookmarks.

Years ago, I started to get around this issue by signing in to Pocket, a popular and long-standing app that allows you to save a bookmarked article to a separate server and then Retrieves it to read in his spare time using the computer. A mobile device. Pockets has been in existence since 2007. Originally called Read It Later, it started life as a Firefox browser extension, eventually becoming its own app, and was acquired by Mozilla in 2017.

Now, a change is underway – not just to the app itself but to the way you sign in. As of June 11, 2023, Pocket users were informed that they needed to transition to Firefox accounts; The change becomes mandatory from August 15. (Originally, the switchover was scheduled to occur in June 2022 but was temporarily postponed.) According to Mozilla, this is because “With this change, it will not only make Pockets more secure, but it will Will also allow you to opt-in.” For advanced security functionality like two-factor authentication (2FA) and account recovery keys.

Still, if you use Pockets and you already have a Firefox account, or if you don’t mind creating an account, you can simply switch accounts and continue with Pockets as before. Can keep. But if you’re reluctant to add a Firefox account for any reason, there are alternative apps you can use to collect bookmarks for reading content.

Following are the details of Pocket and five other bookmarking service apps. This is obviously only a limited list: they all offer free versions and all sync across a variety of devices, including web browsers, Android devices, and iPhones.

I’ve also linked instructions for each for importing and exporting existing bookmarks; Most will work in HTML format, and many will also accept CSV and other file formats.

Pocket has developed a well-designed interface with lots of options that allow you to sort your articles by newest or oldest, choose favorites, display them in list or grid format, and tag the ones you want to keep. Allows storage or organization through. Its home screen shows you your most recent saves, along with your list of “Recommended Reading.” You can share your articles via social media or recommend them within the app for others to find. There is a set of curated reads; Extensions for a variety of browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari; and apps for Android and iOS devices.

Paid version: The premium version ($4.99 per month or $44.99 per year) adds a permanent library of everything you save (in case it disappears from the Web) as well as full-text search and other features.

export instructions , import instructions

Like Pocket, Instapaper started as a simple web add-on and has gone through several iterations (and owners); Currently, it is part of an independent company called Instant Paper. The web app has a nice and simple UI; While there is no grid view, you can toggle thumbnails on and off. It offers (and syncs) web browsers (using a Chrome extension, Safari extension, Firefox extension, or bookmarklet), iOS, Android, and Kindle. A free account lets you save an unlimited number of articles, videos, and other content. You can also highlight text in the articles you save, create up to five notes a month, and edit the name, link, or summary of each article.

Paid version: The Premium version ($5.99/month or $59.99/year) adds full-text search for your saved documents, unlimited notes, a permanent archive, and text-to-speech.

export instructions , import instructions (Only accessible to registered users)

Raindrop may not have the simplicity of Instapaper, but it has a ton of features that can be helpful, especially if you’re serious about your information collection. The web version lets you view your articles in a variety of formats, including an interesting format called moodboard. Like most of the others listed here, the free version of Raindrop offers an unlimited number of bookmark saves on an unlimited number of devices; These include apps for Mac, iOS devices, Android devices, and extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge browsers. You can share with others and edit the title, tags, and description.

Paid version: The Pro version ($3/month or $28/year) adds full-text search, cloud backup, and a permanent library of all your bookmarked sites, along with other features.

export instructions , import instructions

PaperSpan is an old-fashioned, simple app that’s fine if you want a really simple bookmarking service – and it promises no ads and no tracking, which is a plus. You can create separate folders for your saved bookmarks, but that’s about it; However, mobile apps exist for iOS and Android. Unlike the other services listed here, there are no nice graphics, highlighting, or a choice between lists and grids. But if you save being able to read articles easily and don’t care about all the fancy add-ons offered by other options, this is the one for you.

Export Instructions – Import Instructions (Click “Import” in the side menu for both.)

Matter is currently available only for iOS devices (there is a waiting list for the Android app) and with extensions for the web, Chrome, Safari, and Firefox browsers. Once you’ve gotten used to following favorite people on social media and finding new influencers, the app has become more streamlined and focused on content. You can add your Gmail address to bring up your newsletters in the app, add notes, or listen to an audio reading of an article. You can import favorite authors from Twitter and articles from Instapaper, or sync articles with other apps like Notion, Kindle, or Obsidian.

Paid version: Matter Premium costs $14.99 per month or $59.99 per year and adds the ability to highlight, annotate, and sync Notes apps with HD audio and other features in a more natural voice.

Export Instructions: In the web app, go to Settings > Export Data, In the iOS app, click your personal icon and select Account > Export Data,

Import Instructions: In the iOS app, click your personal icon and select Connect Accounts > Pockets,

Omnivore is a relatively recent open-source bookmarking app that shows promise. It has a straightforward UI that lets you view your articles in lists or as a gallery; As with many more sophisticated readers, you can highlight an article, add notes, add labels, or archive them. Interestingly, you can view your notes and highlights both as a sidebar in the article or in the gallery/listing. Extensions exist for a variety of browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari, and mobile apps for iOS and Android. The app is still in development – ​​for example, the export function has apparently been added to the preview version – but it’s something worth keeping an eye on.

Paid version: nobody; Users are asked to donate if they wish.

Updated December 27, 2023, 1:25 PM ET: This article was originally published on February 24, 2022. This has been changed to announce Pocket’s conversion to Firefox Sign-In, add Omnivore, and update other entries.