Ask HN: Does a good "read it later" app exist?

I feel crazy to ask. Over my lifetime, I have seen endless bookmark and read-it-later apps come and go. I've done research today, and most of the things I come across are dead and gone, or seem abandoned somehow. I'm aware of Instapaper. I haven't tried it (yet).

Here are some thoughts on what might fit my personal taste: - lightweight - very cheap - self-hosting might be nice, since I have a VPS currently - I'd like to easily dump an open tab into a backlog, and get reminded about it later: maybe I go to the app, maybe I get a daily email of suggestions. If I don't feel like reading the page, I can "snooze" it or otherwise put it back in the backlog (or drop it)

I think that's all I really want. I don't need notes or AI summaries or multiple apps for multiple devices, etc.

I might just build it, but curious if anyone has something they love.

Thanks!

4 points | by buchanae 3 hours ago

6 comments

  • randomor 2 hours ago
    This is an inherent value trap that’s really not sustainable for VC backed startups. Which will inevitably burn to the ground as the revenue dwindles. Pocket, Omnivore, Upnext, your next favorite server based read-later app. One of the reason I believe is the market is saturated with undifferentiated apps that’s all free.

    While I think self-hosting is great, you probably want to solve mobile capturing and consumption, hosting a server, then paring a modern maintained mobile app that you can configure so it connects to your self-hosted server. Omnivore maybe your best shot? Although maybe vibe code may get you there sooner?

    If you are on Apple ecosystem though, there is another self-sustainable way that doesn’t require you to host anything on your VPS, that works with mobile, which is iCloud/Cloudkit based apps.

    There are at least a dozen options here. I made one of these:

    - no account, no server, no tracking

    - Liquid Glass Mac app that launch from menu bar.

    - Separate iOS app purposefully designed for mobile

    - Doesn’t use a browser extension, but monitors double copies from clipboard.

    - Shows all the cards in a waterfall grid, so you don’t have to click into these cards to see what the link is about. Every website you use, from TikTok to GoodReads, will show up as well designed cards.

    - Uses Apple Intelligence on device to auto-tag links.

    - free to capture without limit, has a one time purchase option (that removes the sub nudge) as well as affordable subscription option with PPP in 10 territories (purchase power parity pricing).

    I believe it’s the sweet spot in this category, and with the subscription revenue we have, it will never shutdown as long as Apple still offers iCloud, plus, you own the binary.

    It’s at https://doublememory.com if this sounds interesting to you.

    [-]
    • buchanae 1 hour ago
      Hm, leveraging CloudKit is smart. I am fully assimilated into the Apple world.

      I'm a little wary of something watching my clipboard, honestly. A lot of passwords and sensitive information goes through there.

      Drag-and-drop into a menu bar icon is super clever though.

      Well done. It might be a little more than I need, but I'm cheering you on nonetheless.

  • zetanor 3 hours ago
    Since 2019, I've used SingleFile (or equivalent; browsers' Save to HTML and Print to PDF features) to keep potentially ephemeral pages in a folder that I pick stuff out when I feel like it, pruning entries that have lost relevance or appeal. Good articles sometimes get moved into my permanent files. The "system" is exactly as reliable as its operator. No reminders included, but I don't want my computer beeping at me (and maybe you don't want really want that either).
  • al_borland 3 hours ago
    After seeing a comment here on HN, I gave up on the idea of read-it-later services. I’ve tried most of them. They are where my good intentions go to die. If something isn’t worth reading in the moment, I’m probably never going to read it, so I just avoid the shame and guilt these apps brought me.
    [-]
    • buchanae 1 hour ago
      I can relate to that. I have a ton of bookmarks and open tabs that I've been meaning to read for weeks or months now. I guess that's why I'm hoping a daily reading list might give me a bite-sized chunk to work through.
      [-]
      • al_borland 28 minutes ago
        That problem I found is that each day brings more potential things to read. The slow news days where one can dip into their backlog of articles seems to be a thing of the past.

        The key would be having something that could surface what is worth your time, and finding a way for those items to take priority over the new things coming at you… which would also need to be evaluated for whats worth your time.

  • rfarley04 3 hours ago
    I moved to a self-hosted Wallabag (https://wallabag.org/) after Pocket shut down. Not the sexiest but does everything I need it to. It has Chrome/Firefox extensions for saving open tabs.
  • dhruv3006 3 hours ago
    I think no - all are pretty bloated.