Compare Instapaper, Milanote Web Clipper, and Save to Pocket: Which Extension is the Best?

Instapaper lets you save, organize, and highlight articles, videos, and web pages for offline reading. Features include folders, Kindle sync, text-to-speech, and mobile apps
Milanote Web Clipper is a multifunctional tool for capturing and organizing web content. It provides a seamless experience for creatives and professionals to manage and optimize their workflow.
Save to Pocket is a browser extension that lets you save articles, videos, and more. With over 2 M+ users, it promises a cross-device reading experience for perfect organization. But does it deliver?
Key Features
  • Offline Reading: Save web pages to read later without internet connection
  • Text View: Clean, distraction-free reading experience
  • Highlighting: Mark important passages in your saved articles
  • Kindle Integration: Send articles directly to your Kindle device
  • Browser Extension: Quick save functionality across major browsers
  • Mobile Apps: Access your reading list on iOS and Android devices
  • Folder Organization: Create custom folders to organize your saved content
  • Web Clipping: Easily save articles, images, and links to your Milanote boards.
  • Organization: Create and manage boards to keep your projects organized.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design that integrates seamlessly with Milanote.
  • Cross-Platform Availability: Available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Opera.
  • One-Click Saving: Save articles, videos, and more with a single click.
  • Cross-Device Sync: Access your saved content across all your devices.
  • Tagging System: Organize your saved items with tags.
  • Clean Reading Environment: Enjoy a distraction-free space to read your saved content.
  • Pocket Premium: Offers additional features like custom fonts, a permanent library, and unlimited highlights.
Our Rating
8.2
8.5
7.4
Total users
214,048
105,335
2,000,000
Total ratings
657
468
7,810
Average rating
4.1 ⭐
4.8 ⭐
4.2 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
3.8
2.67
542 ratings
200.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.8
4.79
441 ratings
100.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.2
3.34
7.8K+ ratings
2.0M+Users
Edge
-
-
-
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.4
4.39
115 ratings
14.0K+Users
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.7
4.71
27 ratings
5.3K+Users
-
Safari
-
-
-
Features
8.8

Instapaper's feature set is impressive in its core functionality. The service excels at its primary purpose of saving and reading web content offline. The text view feature provides an excellent reading experience, stripping away distractions and presenting content in a clean, readable format. The highlighting and note-taking capabilities are useful tools for active readers, though they could benefit from some refinement. The Kindle integration works seamlessly, making it easy to transfer articles to your e-reader. Mobile apps offer reliable synchronization across devices, ensuring your reading list is always up to date. However, the service lacks some modern features like social sharing that competitors offer. The search functionality in the free tier is somewhat basic, and customization options are more limited compared to other services in this space.

screenshot
8.7

Milanote Web Clipper offers a range of features that optimize the storage and organization of web content. Text, images, and links can be inserted directly into Milanote boards.

save

This is perfect for creative work in particular, as inspiration and resources can be collected quickly and then moved around the board in Milanote. This allows you to present your information visually and clearly.

board

From our point of view, this is also a disadvantage for a certain target group, as it involves a lot of effort to sort them after you have saved something. A direct link with tags or similar is not possible to find the information quickly.

7.2

Save to Pocket offers a range of useful functions.
The standard is that of saving websites with one click and subsequent cross-device synchronization. This worked almost in real-time in the test and is a strong advantage of the tool.

synchro

The tagging system is particularly helpful for anyone who wants to organize and find their tags. This did not always work perfectly in the test. Sometimes websites were tagged, but these did not appear in the search with a unique search term.

search

Compared to competitors such as Web-Highlights, the highlighting function is only possible after saving a website in the pocket and then searching there. It is not possible to highlight directly on the website.

highlight
Performance
8.0

Instapaper’s performance is strong overall, but the initial setup leaves much to be desired. After installing the Chrome extension, there was no response or prompt—no indication that any further action was needed. It wasn’t until we read a user review that we realized we had to manually visit the Instapaper website and log in. Without that information, we likely would have assumed the extension was broken and uninstalled it.

Once past that rocky start, however, the service works reliably. Web pages save quickly, and saved content loads without issue. Offline access is stable, and synchronization across devices keeps your reading list up to date. The mobile apps offer smooth performance and quick navigation, while the text view provides a responsive and comfortable reading experience. The search function is usable, though slightly slow at times. Despite the poor onboarding, Instapaper delivers solid functionality once everything is properly set up.

9.5

The extension worked perfectly in the test. The reviews also speak for themselves, with no complaints about performance and no significant problems reported by users. It is fast and reliable, making it a reliable tool for everyday use.

6.0

The extension works when saving and synchronizing content on different devices. This happens almost in real-time.
However, there are performance problems with the login process, where the tab is closed on the first attempt without a login. It worked on the second attempt. There are many reports of problems with the login process in the reviews.
Searching for tags also did not work properly, 4 pages were tagged with “Web Clipper”, when searching for it only 2 pages were displayed again.

Design
8.5

The design of Instapaper focuses on simplicity and readability. The interface is clean and minimalist, putting the content front and center. The text view is particularly well-designed, offering a comfortable reading experience with good typography and spacing. The mobile apps follow their respective platform design guidelines, providing a native feel on both iOS and Android. The browser extension maintains this simplicity with a straightforward interface. However, some UI elements feel dated and could use a refresh. While the reading experience is consistent across platforms, the navigation could be more intuitive in some areas. The limited customization options might disappoint users who prefer more control over their reading environment.

8.5

The design of the Milanote Web Clipper is clear and intuitive. The interface is simple, allowing users to focus on their content instead of navigating through complex menus. The only time Milanote's design can be a little overwhelming, even for new users, is when processing the data.

8.0

The extension has a clear and intuitive design. The distraction-free reading environment is a good feature. However, the login process could be a little clearer.

Value for Money
8.0

The pricing structure of Instapaper offers a basic free tier that's functional but limited. The premium features are reasonably priced, offering good value for heavy readers. The pricing is competitive compared to alternatives in the market. However, some features that are currently premium could potentially be included in the free tier to provide more value to basic users. The annual subscription offers good savings for committed users. While the premium features are well-implemented, the free tier could offer more value to attract new users and provide a better experience for casual users.

8.5

The web extension is free, but can only be used with a Milanote account. Milanote offers a free version, but this is very limited and will only last a few days with normal use.

However, the paid plans are, in our opinion, good value for money, especially for users who want to work creatively and visualize information.

8.0

The free version offers basic functions that should be sufficient for many users. The premium version offers additional functions such as full-text searches or improved tagging. The price-performance ratio is fine for us but could be too high for many basic users if they only use it occasionally.

Ease of Use
7.0

Instapaper’s setup process is not beginner-friendly. After installing the browser extension, there was no response or guidance—no prompt, login window, or confirmation. We had to manually visit the website and log in, something we only discovered thanks to a tip in another user’s review. Without that, we likely would have uninstalled the extension, assuming it didn’t work. However, once logged in, the service functions smoothly. Saving content is quick, the interface is clean and intuitive, and managing your reading list is simple and efficient.

7.2

From our point of view, the tool could be made a little more user-friendly. After installation, it was not entirely clear to us as non-Milanote users where my data was stored and how to access it. Once this initial hurdle had been overcome and access was granted via the website, the other functions are very intuitive to use and were explained.

7.0

The tool is generally easy to use, but the lack of initial instructions can be a problem for new users. There are also recurring registration problems, which are reported by other users in the reviews.

Security & Privacy
9.0

Instapaper takes user privacy and security seriously. The service maintains a clear and transparent privacy policy, explicitly stating that user data is not sold to third parties. The company has demonstrated a strong commitment to user privacy through its GDPR compliance and Privacy Shield certification. Data storage is secure, and the service regularly updates its security measures. The data collection practices are transparent, with clear explanations of what information is collected and how it's used. This high level of attention to privacy and security makes Instapaper a trustworthy choice for users concerned about their data.

8.5

Milanote Web Clipper requires users to log in to their Milanote account, ensuring that all saved content is secure and private. Milanote only collects data for consent or legitimate reasons and states this in their privacy policy. Also, the data is encrypted and thanks to GDPR and Australian law, you can also access or delete your data. Overall, it's solid, but they could give more details on how exactly they keep everything secure.

8.0

Save to Pocket uses industry-standard security measures, including encryption and firewalls. However, there could be stronger assurances regarding data security and liability for third-party services.

Conclusion

Instapaper is a reliable “read-it-later” service that is characterized by its core features. The service has maintained its position in the market by focusing on what matters most to readers: a clean, distraction-free reading experience and reliable offline access to stored content.

While it doesn't offer the breadth of features of some newer competitors, its simplicity and reliability make it a solid choice for those who primarily want to save articles and read offline. Recent issues with the Chrome extension and some user complaints about the save feature need to be addressed, but the core service remains stable and useful.

For users who appreciate a simple, straightforward approach to saving and reading web content, Instapaper remains a good choice. However, those looking for advanced features or a more modern interface should look for alternatives.

Milanote Web Clipper is a great tool for anyone who wants to organize, optimize, and display their workflows.

Especially for anyone already using Milanote, it is a must-have. New users will initially be overwhelmed by the variety of customizable functions.

It does have some drawbacks, such as limited storage space in the free version, but its overall performance and functionality make it a strong choice for organizing web content.

Save to Pocket is a tool for anyone who wants to save and organize web content efficiently.

Its cross-device synchronization makes it a valuable addition to your productivity toolkit. However, it does have some drawbacks, such as occasional login issues and a lack of detailed instructions. Beginners in particular may struggle here.

Overall, it's a solid choice for anyone who needs a reliable content storage solution.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between Instapaper, Milanote Web Clipper, and Save to Pocket, Milanote Web Clipper came out on top, scoring 8.5.

Save to Pocket is the most widely used, with over 2 million users and 8k+ reviews, but Milanote Web Clipper outperformed it in our review. User reviews for Instapaper reflect our findings, while we rate Milanote Web Clipper and Save to Pocket lower than users do.

Notably, Milanote Web Clipper has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.77, which is even higher than our rating of 8.5.

There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? Instapaper stands out with a rating of 8.8. On the other hand, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.2.
  • Need top performance? Milanote Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.
  • Both look and feel great: Instapaper and Milanote Web Clipper. In the Design category, Instapaper has scored a very good 8.5. The design is appealing and generally effective, with a few minor areas for improvement.
  • Want to get the most for your money? Milanote Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 8.5. On the other hand, Instapaper lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • If you hate complicated tools, Milanote Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 7.2. On the other hand, Instapaper lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Instapaper stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.

If you want a quick recommendation, Milanote Web Clipper is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.