Instapaper vs Readwise Reader

Instapaper9.4Visit RRReadwise Reader8.9Visit

Higher score Instapaper #1 in Read-It-Later Apps 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 6 features Visit Instapaper

vs

RR Readwise Reader #4 in Read-It-Later Apps 8.9/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 6 features Visit Readwise

• Instapaper fits best

  Most readers seeking a mature all-rounder

• Readwise Reader fits best

  Power readers needing broad format support

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Side by side

Feature	Instapaper 9.4/10 Visit ↗	RRReadwise Reader 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.9
Ranking	#1 in Read-It-Later Apps	#4 in Read-It-Later Apps
Best for	Most readers seeking a mature all-rounder	Power readers needing broad format support
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	$59.99/yr	$9.99/mo
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	30 days
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome extension	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome extension
Support	Email, Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Integrations	6 integrations	6 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Instapaper 1/6 · Readwise Reader 1/6
Offline access	✓	✓
Highlighting	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Full-text search	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Browser extension	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Mobile apps	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Highlight export	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Saved-item limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Free plan supports unlimited saves and cross-device sync Premium adds search, archives, PDFs, notes, and Kindle delivery Works across web, mobile, macOS, browsers, and API integrations	Supports articles, newsletters, RSS, PDFs, EPUBs, videos, and tweets Offers offline full-text search, AI tools, and adjustable text-to-speech Exports to Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research, Logseq, and Evernote
Cons	Full-text search and permanent archives require Premium PDF reading, unlimited notes, and Kindle integration are paid features AI Voices and text-to-speech playlists are limited to Premium mobile use	No free plan is available Reader is included with a full Readwise subscription, not sold separately The annual plan starts at $9.99 per month
Our verdict	Instapaper is a read-later service for individuals who want to save articles, videos, recipes, and other web pages for focused reading later. It combines a web reader with mobile apps, offline reading, synchronization, highlights, notes,… Read the review →	Readwise Reader is a cross-platform reading app for people who collect and revisit substantial amounts of digital content. It supports articles, newsletters, RSS feeds, PDFs, EPUBs, videos, tweets, and other reading material across web,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Instapaper — where it wins

  • Free plan supports unlimited saves and cross-device sync
  • Premium adds search, archives, PDFs, notes, and Kindle delivery
  • Works across web, mobile, macOS, browsers, and API integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Full-text search and permanent archives require Premium
  • PDF reading, unlimited notes, and Kindle integration are paid features
  • AI Voices and text-to-speech playlists are limited to Premium mobile use

• Readwise Reader — where it wins

  • Supports articles, newsletters, RSS, PDFs, EPUBs, videos, and tweets
  • Offers offline full-text search, AI tools, and adjustable text-to-speech
  • Exports to Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research, Logseq, and Evernote

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • Reader is included with a full Readwise subscription, not sold separately
  • The annual plan starts at $9.99 per month

• Instapaper9.4/10 · Free plan

  A mature read-later app with broad saving, reading, search, and annotation tools.

  Visit InstapaperFull verdict →
• RRReadwise Reader8.9/10 · 30-day trial

  A broad reading workspace for power readers who need search, AI, offline access, and exports.

  Visit ReadwiseFull verdict →