In a world where digital content is abundant, it is easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information available. Between social media, blogs, news outlets, and other sources, there are always interesting articles to read. However, we often don’t have the time to read them right away. This is where read-it-later apps like Instapaper and Pocket come in. Both apps allow users to save articles for later reading, but they have some differences that may affect your decision on which one to use.

Instapaper, founded in 2008, was one of the first read-it-later apps to gain popularity. It was initially only available on iOS devices but later expanded to Android, Kindle, and the web. Instapaper’s design is minimalist and straightforward. Users can save articles with a single tap, and the app strips away all the clutter (ads, pop-ups, and other distractions) to create a clean reading experience. The app also allows for customization of the font, text size, and background color.

On the other hand, Pocket, founded in 2007, has a more visually appealing design, and it allows users to save more than just articles. In addition to articles, users can save videos, images, and web pages. The app has a “Recommendations” feature that suggests articles based on the user’s reading history and interests. Moreover, Pocket offers a tagging system that allows users to tag articles to categorize them.

One major difference between the two apps concerns their revenue models. Pocket is owned by Mozilla, the developers behind the Firefox web browser. As such, the company’s focus is more on user data privacy. Pocket has no ads, and the company generates revenue by charging for a premium subscription that offers additional features like offline access, listening to articles, and organizing tags. Instapaper, on the other hand, was acquired by Pinterest in 2018, and it relies on sponsored content to generate revenue. Users are likely to come across ads when using Instapaper.

Both Instapaper and Pocket offer browser extensions and mobile apps that make it easy to save articles for later reading. Users can also access their saved articles offline. However, Pocket is better than Instapaper when it comes to organizational features. The tagging system and the ability to save different types of content (videos, images, web pages) make Pocket more versatile than Instapaper. Instapaper, on the other hand, provides a cleaner reading experience by stripping away ads and other distractions.

In conclusion, the choice between Instapaper and Pocket ultimately comes down to personal preference. If you’re looking for a clean reading experience without distractions and don’t mind seeing ads, Instapaper is a great option. However, if you want a more feature-rich read-it-later app with options for categorizing articles and saving various types of content, Pocket is the better choice. Test both apps and see which one suits your needs best.