wallabag

wallabag is a read-it-later app that turns saved web articles into a cleaner reading queue, with tools to organize and annotate them. It suits readers who want their saved library to work across devices, and especially those willing to manage their own server for more control.

Its strongest case is the combination of offline mobile reading, search, exports, and a self-hosted option. The trade-off is that self-hosting puts maintenance in your hands, while hosted subscriptions have no published price.

Overview

Save articles from the web and wallabag extracts their content into a focused reading view. Tags and full-text search help keep a growing queue usable; highlights and annotations make it more than a temporary inbox. That breadth suits readers who return to articles, rather than merely collecting links.

There are two ways to use it: subscribe to wallabag.it or run the open-source software on your own server. Self-hosting gives you control over updates, backups, data, and access, but also makes those responsibilities yours. The hosted service instead covers updates, backups, monitoring, and professional support.

Key features

• Reading and organization: Save web articles for a clean reading view, organize them with tags, and search their full text. Highlights and annotations help preserve useful passages and your own notes.
• Offline access: The mobile apps support offline reading of saved articles, useful when connectivity is unreliable or unavailable.
• Imports and integrations: The hosted service imports from Pocket, Instapaper, Pinboard, Omnivore, Shaarli, another wallabag instance, and RSS or Atom feeds. Android and iOS apps, Firefox and Chrome add-ons, RSS readers, and community apps for Kobo and PocketBook extend access beyond the web.
• Exports and privacy: Hosted users can export articles, tags, and annotations in formats including PDF, ePUB, and mobi. wallabag.it says subscriptions fund the service without advertising, tracking, or selling user data; it also says it uses European hosting and is GDPR compliant.

Pricing

wallabag is open-source software, and its self-hosted plan costs nothing. That is the straightforward choice for readers who can provide and maintain their own server. The project’s source code is licensed under MIT.

Hosted subscriptions are offered in three forms: 3 months, billed for 3 months with full service and exports at any time; 1 year, billed as one yearly payment with all features; and The ❤️ subscription, billed per year with the same complete service and extra support for the project. Each has custom pricing. The yearly option suits readers who want a single annual payment; the supporter tier suits those who want to fund professional maintenance without giving up service features.

wallabag.it offers a 14-day trial with no limitations and no credit card required. It does not charge automatically when the trial ends, and subscriptions do not renew automatically. Hosted access trades the work of self-management for covered updates, backups, monitoring, and professional support.

Platforms

wallabag supports Android, iOS, Linux, web, API access, browser extensions, and self-hosting. Its platform range is broad, though readers looking specifically for macOS support should note that it is not among the listed platforms. Mobile apps provide offline access to saved articles.

Who it's for

Choose wallabag if you want a portable article library with search, annotations, and export options, or if keeping data and access under your own control matters enough to manage a server. The hosted service is a better fit for readers who want maintenance handled for them. It is less compelling if you need a published subscription price before deciding, or want a macOS app.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Self-hosting offers control over data, updates, backups, and access; offline mobile reading, full-text search, tags, highlights, and annotations support a lasting reading workflow; hosted imports and exports ease moving content in and out.
• Cons: Self-hosting requires you to manage the instance; hosted subscription prices are custom pricing; the platform list does not include macOS.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Read-It-Later Apps.

• Omnivore is a free, self-hosted alternative with Android, iOS, macOS, web, API, and extension support; its cloud application was deprecated in November 2024.
• PaperSpan offers free article saving, mobile offline reading, highlights, and sending one article at a time to Kindle.
• Couch is an iOS and macOS option with unlimited saves and basic features on its free plan.
• Matter offers an unlimited library on its free plan for iOS and web.
• Freezetab focuses on saving links, tabs, articles, quotes, and feeds, with local use without an internet connection.
• Instapaper offers unlimited article, video, and page saves on its free plan, with sync across web, iOS, and Android.
• ReadNever includes unlimited saves, offline reading, highlights, and browser extensions on its free plan, alongside monthly limits on some activity.
• Reminde offers unlimited savings with one slot on its free plan; its paid plans include unlimited slots.

Verdict

wallabag is a strong choice for readers who want more than a saved-link list: it pairs a focused reading view with search, annotation, offline mobile access, and export. Its self-hosted option is the clearest reason to choose it if control matters and you are prepared to maintain a server. Look elsewhere if you need macOS support or a known hosted subscription price before committing.