Pick Instapaper if you want a simple, inexpensive reading queue: it has a real free tier, Premium costs $59.99 a year, and it is the app Kobo chose to replace Pocket on its e-readers. Pick Readwise Reader if you want a power tool: RSS, newsletters, PDFs, and highlights that sync to Obsidian and Notion, for $119.88 a year with no permanent free tier.
They are both good at what they do. The mistake is paying for the one built for the other person's workflow.
Last reviewed: July 12, 2026.
Side by side
| Instapaper | Readwise Reader | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes, unlimited saves | No, 30-day trial only |
| Paid price | $5.99/mo or $59.99/yr | $9.99/mo billed annually ($119.88/yr), or $12.99/mo |
| Full-text search | Premium only | Yes |
| Highlights and notes | Premium (unlimited notes) | Yes, core feature |
| RSS and newsletters | No | Yes |
| Obsidian / Notion sync | No | Yes |
| E-reader story | Kindle integration (Premium) and official Kobo integration | Not a focus |
| Text-to-speech | Premium, AI voices | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android, desktop apps |
| Organization | Folders | Tags, filters, saved views |
Prices verified July 2026 on the official Instapaper Premium and Readwise pricing pages.
Where Instapaper wins
- Price and simplicity. The free tier saves unlimited articles forever. Premium at $59.99 a year is half of Readwise, and the app itself has stayed deliberately minimal since 2008.
- E-readers. Instapaper has Kindle integration on Premium, and in 2025 Kobo made Instapaper its built-in read-later service, replacing Pocket. If you finish your reading on e-ink, Instapaper is the default choice now.
- Longevity. It has run continuously for 18 years through several owners. In a category where apps keep shutting down, that record counts.
Where Readwise Reader wins
- It replaces several apps. Read-later queue, RSS reader, newsletter inbox, PDF and EPUB reader in one place. If you currently juggle Feedly plus a read-later app plus a newsletter reader, Reader consolidates all of it.
- Highlights are the product. Highlight anything, get spaced-repetition review of your highlights, and sync everything into Obsidian or Notion automatically. Nothing else in the category does this as well.
- Search and triage. Full-text search, tags, filters, and saved views are all included, and they are noticeably deeper than Instapaper's folder model.
The decision in one question
Do you want your saved articles to feed a knowledge system, or do you just want to read them?
- Feed a knowledge system (Obsidian, Notion, permanent notes): Readwise Reader, and the $119.88 is buying you three tools, not one.
- Just read, especially on a Kobo or Kindle: Instapaper, free until you need full-text search, $59.99 a year after that.
A third option if both feel like the wrong shape
Instapaper locks full-text search behind Premium. Readwise has no free tier and charges for a lot of machinery you may never use. If your actual need is "save articles, tag them, search everything, own the data," that is the slot Gleamr occupies: full-text search on the free plan, a full JSON export of your library anytime, and $49.99 a year for unlimited articles. No RSS, no highlights, deliberately. There is more on that philosophy in what a personal reading library needs.
| Instapaper | Readwise Reader | Gleamr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid year | $59.99 | $119.88 | $49.99 |
| Free tier | Unlimited saves, title search | Trial only | 50 articles, full-text search |
| Best for | Simple reading, e-readers | Knowledge systems, feeds | Search and data ownership |
Want search on the free plan? Start free with 50 articles
Frequently asked questions
Is Readwise Reader better than Instapaper?
For highlights, RSS, newsletters, and Obsidian or Notion sync, yes. For simple reading, price, and e-reader integration, Instapaper is the better fit. They target different workflows.
Is Instapaper cheaper than Readwise?
Yes. Instapaper Premium costs $59.99 per year versus $119.88 per year for Readwise, and Instapaper also has a permanent free tier while Readwise only offers a 30-day trial.
Which one works with Kobo and Kindle?
Instapaper. Kobo built Instapaper into its e-readers in 2025 as the replacement for Pocket, and Instapaper Premium includes Kindle integration. E-readers are not a focus for Readwise Reader.
Is there an alternative with full-text search on a free plan?
Gleamr includes full-text search on its free plan (up to 50 articles) and exports your whole library as JSON. Its paid plan is $49.99 per year, below both Instapaper Premium and Readwise.
Related comparisons: Pocket vs Instapaper vs Gleamr · Readwise Reader pricing in detail · Best read-it-later apps in 2026
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