No. Omnivore is no longer available. The open-source read-later app shut down permanently in November 2024 after its team was acquihired by ElevenLabs. The service is offline, and all user data has been deleted. There is no read-only mode, no archive, and no way to recover your saved articles if you didn't export before the shutdown.
Looking for the short status answer? See Omnivore App Status 2026.
Here's the full story of what happened, what it means for your data, and where to go next.
What Happened to Omnivore?
Omnivore was a free, open-source read-later app that shut down permanently in November 2024. The team was acquihired by ElevenLabs, and the hosted service went offline with all user data deleted. While the code remains on GitHub, the platform that most users relied on is gone.
Omnivore had launched around 2022 and quickly built a loyal following — especially among developers and Obsidian users — thanks to its clean design, full-text search, and open API. In October 2024, the team announced the acquihire. Users had roughly one month to export their data before omnivore.app went offline.
The shutdown was abrupt. Users who missed the export window lost everything — years of saved articles, highlights, and carefully organized libraries.
Omnivore wasn't the only casualty. Pocket followed with its own shutdown in July 2025, making 2024-2025 a brutal stretch for read-later app users.
What About Your Data?
If you exported before the shutdown: You should have an OPML or JSON file containing your saved articles, highlights, and labels. This can be imported into several alternatives (see below).
If you didn't export: Unfortunately, your data is gone. Omnivore deleted all user data when the service shut down. There is no recovery option.
What About the Obsidian Plugin?
The obsidian-omnivore plugin no longer works. It relied on Omnivore's API to sync articles and highlights into your vault. Since the API is offline, the plugin can't connect to anything. Your previously synced notes in Obsidian are still there, but no new syncing is possible.
If Obsidian integration is important to your workflow, Readwise Reader is currently the best alternative with native Obsidian sync.
If you still have the Omnivore Obsidian plugin installed, you can safely disable or remove it. It won't cause issues, but it will show connection errors since the API no longer exists.
Why Omnivore Failed
Omnivore's death is a cautionary tale about sustainability in software:
- No revenue model. Omnivore was completely free. No paid tier, no premium features, no ads. The team funded it themselves.
- Centrally hosted open-source. The code was open, but 99% of users relied on the hosted service. When the team left, the service died — even though the code technically survived.
- Self-hosting was complex. You could run Omnivore yourself, but it required PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, a content fetcher, and several microservices. Not a weekend project.
- Acquihire economics. ElevenLabs wanted the team, not the product. The service had no value to ElevenLabs, so it was shut down.
The lesson: "free and open-source" sounds great, but if the business model is "we'll figure it out later," eventually they don't.
Best Alternatives for Omnivore Users
Here's how the current options compare, specifically for things Omnivore users cared about:
| Feature | Gleamr | Readwise Reader | Instapaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price/year | $49.99 | Paid only | $59.99 |
| Full-text search | Yes | Yes | No |
| Data export | JSON | Markdown, CSV | CSV |
| Obsidian sync | No | Yes | No |
| Open-source | No | No | No |
| API access | No | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier | 50 articles | 30-day trial | Unlimited |
For a more detailed feature-by-feature breakdown, see our full comparison of read-later apps.
Readwise Reader — Best for Obsidian Users
If you used Omnivore primarily for its Obsidian integration, Readwise Reader is the closest replacement. Highlights sync automatically to your vault, and it handles articles, PDFs, newsletters, and YouTube transcripts. The trade-off is price — it needs a paid Readwise Full subscription, with no free tier beyond a 30-day trial.
Instapaper — Best for Simplicity
If you just saved articles and read them without heavy organization, Instapaper is the simplest option. It's been around since 2008, it's free for unlimited saves, and it works. But no full-text search and no Obsidian integration.
Gleamr — Best for Search and Data Portability
Gleamr offers full-text search across all saved content, tags to organize your library, and full JSON export anytime. If what you loved about Omnivore was the ability to search your library and own your data, Gleamr delivers on both. Start free with 50 articles
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Omnivore still available?
No. Omnivore shut down in November 2024 after its team was acquihired by ElevenLabs. The service is permanently offline and all user data has been deleted.
What happened to my Omnivore data?
All user data was deleted when the service shut down. If you exported your data before the shutdown, you have a local copy. Otherwise, your saved articles, highlights, and labels are gone permanently.
Does the Omnivore Obsidian plugin still work?
No. The obsidian-omnivore plugin relied on Omnivore's API, which is no longer online. Previously synced notes in your Obsidian vault are still there, but no new syncing is possible. Readwise Reader is the current best alternative for Obsidian integration.
Is there a self-hosted version of Omnivore?
The source code is still available on GitHub, but the self-hosted setup is complex — it requires PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, and several microservices. The cloud app is gone, while the repository now points users toward self-hosting.
Looking for a new home for your reading list? 50 free articles, full-text search, and your data stays yours.
Get started with Gleamr