Readwise Alternatives (2026): 10 Tools Compared

Readwise gathers your highlights from Kindle, Instapaper, Apple Books and other places into one spot, brings them back for review, and has its own Reader app for saving and triaging what you read. It's a clever idea, and it also asks you to put a lot of your reading life in one service.

If you'd like something different, here are ten Readwise alternatives in no particular order, sorted alphabetically. They include read-later apps, bookmark managers, note tools and a podcast highlighter. I've taken every description from each tool's own website, so check the current details there before you move your highlights anywhere.

Readwise alternatives at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes a free plan, a free tier, or free open-source software. Trial only means a free trial without an ongoing free plan. Offers change often, so confirm on the site itself.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Heptabase	Visual knowledge base	Whiteboards, cards and PDF notes	Trial only
Instapaper	Read-later service	Saving articles to read calmly	Yes
Karakeep	Open-source bookmarks	Links, notes, images and PDFs	Yes
Logseq	Open-source notes	Outlines linked into a graph of notes	Yes
Obsidian	Local notes app	Markdown notes stored on your device	Yes
Raindrop.io	Bookmark manager	Collections, tags and annotations	Yes
Recall	AI knowledge base	Summaries and a graph of saved items	Yes
Snipd	Podcast highlights	Capturing moments from podcasts	Yes
wallabag	Open-source read-later	A self-hosted archive of articles	Yes
Zotero	Research manager	Collecting, annotating and citing sources	Yes

Ten highlighting, read-later and note tools to compare

Heptabase

Best for: Researchers and students who think visually; it annotates PDFs, clips web pages and links with Readwise and Zotero.

Instapaper

Best for: Readers who want a simple queue; the free tier saves unlimited articles and syncs across web, iOS and Android.

Karakeep

Best for: People comfortable with self-hosting who want AI tags and a reader with highlights; a hosted cloud version is also offered.

Logseq

Best for: Note-takers who want a privacy-first open-source tool; it lists Markdown and Org-mode files and PDF annotation.

Obsidian

Best for: People who want to own their notes as plain files on their own device, with a web clipper for saving pages.

Raindrop.io

Best for: Savers of many links; it searches the full text of pages and can back up to Dropbox or Google Drive.

Recall

Best for: People who save videos, podcasts, PDFs and articles and want summaries and chat; you can export everything in Markdown.

Snipd

Best for: Podcast listeners; each snip holds audio, transcript and an AI summary and can export to Notion, Readwise or Obsidian.

wallabag

Best for: Readers who want control; the software is free and open source, with a hosted version offered separately.

Zotero

Best for: Students and researchers; it's free, open source and made by an independent nonprofit, with citations for Word and Google Docs.

Where your highlights live: cloud service or files on your device

The biggest difference between these tools is where your saved text ends up. Some keep everything on their servers so you can read on any device. Others store plain files on your own computer, which you control but must back up yourself.

• Cloud services. Easy sync and search, with your reading history held by the provider. Check how to export it all.
• Local files. You own the notes outright and can open them in any text editor, in return for a bit more set-up.
• Self-hosted software. Open-source tools you run on your own server give the most control and ask for some technical comfort.
• Hybrid. A few tools offer both a hosted version and software you can run yourself.

What a highlighting tool can see of your reading and accounts

A highlighting tool sees what you save, and some also connect to your Kindle, your note apps, your podcast app or your browser. Browser extensions can often read the pages you visit, so read the permission screen, and check whether it works only when you click it.

Be careful with private material such as client documents, contracts or anything covered by a confidentiality agreement. Check each tool's own privacy page for how saved content is stored, whether AI features send your text elsewhere and how to delete everything. Respect the copyright of what you save, and keep your own notes separate from long quotations.

Moving your Readwise highlights somewhere else

Before you move, find out what you can take with you. Most tools can export highlights as text or Markdown, but the format and the extras, like tags and notes, differ.

• Export your highlights from Readwise and keep the file somewhere safe.
• Decide which folders, tags or books matter and which you'll leave behind.
• Import a small batch into the new tool and check the formatting.
• Test a regular routine, such as a weekly review of your highlights.
• Cancel or pause the old service only once the new routine works.

Read-later app or note tool: choosing the job you need done

A read-later app is for the stage before you read, when you save an article for later. A note tool is for the stage after, when you turn highlights into your own ideas. Some people want both, and a few tools try to do both with a little compromise.

If you mostly want to remember what you've read, a tool with review features and easy export will suit you. If you want to write with your reading nearby, a linked notes app may fit better. My guide to other note-taking apps covers the note-taking side in more detail.

Questions to ask before you choose a Readwise alternative

• Where are my highlights stored, and can I export every one of them?
• Does it work with the devices and e-reader apps I use?
• Can it import from my current tool, or will I move things by hand?
• Does an AI feature send my saved text to another provider?
• What does the free plan or trial include today?
• Will I still use it in six months, or does it add a chore?

For help turning your reading into something useful for a business, you can read about working with an AI consultant in the UK. My guide to AI tools for small business owners shows where reading tools fit among the rest.

Why a smaller highlighting tool can be a sensible pick

Smaller tools often focus on one job, such as podcasts or bookmarks, and they can move quickly. They can also change or close, as the Pocket and Omnivore shutdowns showed. Choose tools that let you export in an open format, and keep a copy of anything you'd hate to lose.

Do you make a reading, highlighting or knowledge management tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

A short checklist before you switch highlighting tool

Pick two options that fit how you read, import a small batch of highlights into each, and run a weekly review for a few weeks. Check where the data lives and how you'd leave. Keep the one you'll open.

Frequently asked questions

What can I use instead of Readwise?

You can use a read-later app, a bookmark manager, a notes tool or a research manager. The right choice depends on whether you want to save articles, review highlights or build your own notes.

Where are my highlights stored in these tools?

It varies. Some keep them on the provider's servers, some store plain files on your device and some are open-source software you can host yourself. Check each tool's privacy and help pages.

Can I export my highlights before I switch?

Most tools let you export as text or Markdown, but formats differ. Export first, check the file opens correctly and keep a copy before you cancel anything.

Are there free open-source options?

Yes. A few tools in the list are open source and free to run yourself, while others offer a hosted version for people who prefer not to manage a server.

Is it safe to save work documents in a reading tool?

Be careful with confidential material. Read the tool's privacy page, check whether AI features send your text elsewhere and follow any confidentiality rules you're bound by.