The Readeck Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Readeck in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Readeck
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source, self-hosted read-later and bookmark archive
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among read-later and bookmark apps, read from Readeck’s own pages.
Made by Readeck · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Readeck’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Readeck’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 22 of the 36 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade
Readeck is an open-source web application for saving articles, pictures and videos to read later and keep for the long term. It stores the text and images of each page on your own instance, and adds labels, collections built from saved searches, highlights and e-book export. It is free to host yourself under the GNU AGPL v3.0; a paid hosted service has been announced by its developer but was still listed as coming when this was checked.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Readeck, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You host it yourself, and for now that's the only option, which puts it in the same bracket as any other server you run.
- 1
Best for a private read-later archive on your own server
For now you have to host it yourself: the paid hosted service is still listed as coming, with no price.
- 2
It is free
Readeck has no paid plan at all. Free, open-source software under the GNU AGPL v3.0 that you host yourself. A paid hosted service is announced for 2026, with no price published yet.
- 3
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, macOS, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 4
Articles, pictures and videos
Saves the readable content of a web page, keeping its text and images on your instance, and adapts when a link points to an image or a video.
- 5
Labels, favorites and collections
Bookmarks can be archived, marked as favorites and labelled. Full-text search finds them again, and a search query can be saved as a dynamic collection.
- 6
Highlights and notes
Highlight and annotate the important parts of saved text, browse the highlights from all your content, and add a Markdown note above a bookmark.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 22 of 36
That is against the other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Readeck is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Readeck at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Readeck, since 2023
- Category
- Read Later & Bookmarks
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for a private read-later archive on your own server
Readeck is an open-source read-later app that keeps the text and pictures of every article on your own server, with highlights, full-text search and EPUB export for e-readers. For now you have to host it yourself: the paid hosted service is still listed as coming, with no price. Share links last only 24 hours, paywalled pages need the browser extension, and multi-selection saving is Firefox only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free software with no paid plan at all, in a category where readers charge $3.33 a month in the middle. What you pay for is wherever you host it. A paid hosted service has been announced for 2026, but no price is published yet. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The complete application is free under the GNU AGPL v3.0, with no cap and nothing held back, because there's no paid tier to hold it for. The one condition is a server to put it on. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole read-later job: the text and images of a page kept on your own instance, labels, favourites, full-text search, saved searches as live collections, highlights and Markdown notes, video transcripts, and EPUB export or OPDS for an e-reader. |
| Ease of use | D | You host it yourself, and for now that's the only option, which puts it in the same bracket as any other server you run. It's a single binary or container image with SQLite recommended, but it's still yours to set up and keep going. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Official Android and iOS apps that read offline, a Firefox and Chrome extension that saves pages as your browser sees them, logins included, OPDS for e-readers and links to Obsidian and KOReader. On a computer it's the web app, with no desktop reader of its own, so an A is out. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Readeck is for
- Fits if you want a private read-later archive on a server you control
- Works for e-reader owners, since articles export as EPUB or come over OPDS
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you can't run a server, because for now self-hosting is the only way to get it
- Not for you if you share articles by link a lot, as a public share link only stays valid for 24 hours
- Not for you if you save a lot from behind logins, since that means the browser extension rather than stored sign-ins
- Watch out: saving several text selections from a page at once works only in the Firefox extension
- Skip it if you want a desktop app, as on a computer it's the web app
Good to know
Good for
- People who want a private read-later archive on their own server
- E-reader owners who export articles as EPUB or browse over OPDS
- Readers who highlight and annotate long articles
Worth knowing
- Readeck must be self-hosted for now; the hosted service announced for early 2026 is still listed as coming, with no price set.
- A public share link for a bookmark stays valid for only 24 hours.
- There is no store for paywall logins; pages behind a login are saved through the browser extension instead.
- Saving several text selections from a page at once works only in the Firefox extension.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Readeck is free to use.
What you pay for is wherever you host it.
Self-hosted
$0
The complete application as a single binary or container image for your own server, with SQLite as the recommended database.
The free plan
Free, open-source software under the GNU AGPL v3.0 that you host yourself. A paid hosted service is announced for 2026, with no price published yet.
Read from readeck.org on Oct 6, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, iOS, Android and Browser extension
Open-source, self-hosted read-later and bookmark archive. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, works offline, public API, read later, bookmarks, highlights.
On a computer it's the web app, with no desktop reader of its own, so an A is out.
- Articles, pictures and videos
- Saves the readable content of a web page, keeping its text and images on your instance, and adapts when a link points to an image or a video.
- Labels, favorites and collections
- Bookmarks can be archived, marked as favorites and labelled. Full-text search finds them again, and a search query can be saved as a dynamic collection.
- Highlights and notes
- Highlight and annotate the important parts of saved text, browse the highlights from all your content, and add a Markdown note above a bookmark.
- Video transcripts
- When a saved video has a transcript, Readeck retrieves it so it can be read, highlighted, searched and exported like an article.
- E-book export and OPDS
- Any article, or a whole collection, exports as a single EPUB file, and e-readers that support OPDS can open the Readeck catalog directly.
- Apps and browser extension
- Official Android and iOS apps read saved content offline, and the Firefox and Chrome extension sends the page as your browser sees it, including sites you are logged in to.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Obsidian
- KOReader
- SingleFile
Readeck is made by Readeck, and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
22/36
Other read-later and bookmark apps it is graded above
Readeck's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 22 of the 36 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 26 of 36) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Readeck has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 37 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Readeck’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 23 of 36
- AFree plan and trialAbove 26 of 36
- BFeaturesAbove 10 of 36
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 36
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 10 of 36
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 33 read-later and bookmark apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Readeck is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Readeck is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could make
- Read later, bookmarks and highlights: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Obsidian, KOReader and SingleFile among them, and has an API.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Readeck’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
wallabag, Karakeep, Linkwarden, Instapaper and linkding
The 5 tools Readeck is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
wallabag
Free plan · from €11/yr
Open-source read-it-later app you can self-host or use hosted.
- Only Readeck lists a macOS app.
- Readeck also covers bookmarks.
- 2.8GPA
Karakeep
Free plan · from $4/mo
Open-source bookmark app that tags saved links, notes and images.
- Only Readeck lists a macOS app.
- 2.8GPA
Linkwarden
Free plan · from $3/mo
Open-source bookmark manager that preserves a copy of each page.
- Only Readeck lists a macOS app.
- 3.0GPA
Instapaper
Free plan · from $5.99/mo
Read-later app that strips articles down to clean text.
- Readeck is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Readeck also covers bookmarks.
- 2.8GPA
linkding
Free
Minimal, self-hosted bookmark manager with tags and archiving.
- Only Readeck lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Readeck also covers highlights.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Readeck free?
Yes. Readeck is free to use.
How much does Readeck cost?
Readeck lists one plan. Self-hosted: $0.
What platforms does Readeck work on?
Readeck is available on Web, macOS, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Readeck have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Readeck is listed for Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
Does Readeck have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Readeck is listed for Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
Is Readeck open source?
Yes. Readeck is open source, according to its own site.
Does Readeck work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Does Readeck have an API?
Yes. Readeck offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Readeck integrate with?
Readeck's listing names Obsidian, KOReader and SingleFile. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Readeck?
Readeck is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to Readeck?
The closest alternatives to Readeck in our directory are wallabag, Karakeep, Linkwarden, Instapaper and linkding.
How does Readeck compare with other read-later and bookmark apps?
Readeck's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 22 of the 36 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 9.
Is Readeck good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Readeck A for value for money. Readeck has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Readeck?
Readeck is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Readeck’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Readeck's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-22.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Readeck. Prices change, so check readeck.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Readeck, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/readeck
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Readeck: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/readeck
Know someone choosing between read-later and bookmark apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/readeck/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded read-later and bookmark apps after Readeck, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Read Later & Bookmarks Insider's GuideEvery one of the 37 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, compared
- FeedFlow Insider's GuideFree, open-source RSS reader for mobile and desktop3.2 GPA
- Flipboard Insider's GuideFree news aggregator built around topics and shared Magazines3.2 GPA
- Miniflux Insider's GuideMinimalist open-source feed reader, self-hosted or hosted3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Readeck’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Readeck is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Readeck. Prices and plans change: check readeck.org before you buy.