Readwise Reader review
Read-later app for articles, PDFs, ebooks and newsletters
- Readwise
- Subscription
- Web, iPhone & iPad, Android, Mac, Windows
Does it deserve #3?
Is Readwise Reader worth it?
For most people, yes. Readwise Reader scores 8.7/10 and ranks #3 in Reading & News. It's best for researchers, students and heavy readers who highlight and take notes. Skip it if you just want to save a few articles for later at no cost. Price: 30-day free trial, then $9.99 a month billed yearly, or $12.99 monthly.
The verdict
Readwise Reader pulls everything you mean to read into one library: saved articles, PDFs, EPUBs, newsletters, RSS feeds, YouTube transcripts and threads. Highlight anything and it flows to Obsidian, Notion or Logseq. Ghostreader, the built-in AI, summarizes, looks things up and answers questions across your library. It's the most capable reader here. It's also subscription-only after a 30-day trial, and not cheap.
- Articles, PDFs, EPUBs and newsletters together
- Ghostreader AI assistant
- Text-to-speech voices
- Exports to Obsidian and Notion
- Pocket and Instapaper import
Score breakdown
Overall = features 30% · design 20% · speed 20% · value 15% · privacy 15%. Why these weights?
What's new
- Oct 2026New reading themes and 16 more lifelike text-to-speech voices in beta
- Sep 2026YouTube chapters, and a newer default AI model for Ghostreader summaries
- Aug 2026Global Ghostreader answers questions across your whole library, with citations
Privacy 8.2/10
App Store label: no tracking. Email, name, user ID, usage and diagnostics are linked to you for analytics and app functions. Google Play says no data is shared with third parties.
What we like
- Handles nearly every format you read
- Highlights sync to your notes apps
- Apps for phones and desktops, plus the web
What could be better
- No free plan after the 30-day trial
- Not included in the cheaper Readwise Lite plan
Researchers, students and heavy readers who highlight and take notes
you just want to save a few articles for later at no cost
Questions about Readwise Reader
Is Readwise Reader worth it in 2026?
For most people, yes. Readwise Reader scores 8.7/10 and ranks #3 in Reading & News. It's best for researchers, students and heavy readers who highlight and take notes. Skip it if you just want to save a few articles for later at no cost. Price: 30-day free trial, then $9.99 a month billed yearly, or $12.99 monthly.
How much is Readwise Reader?
Reader comes with Readwise Full, which costs $9.99 a month billed yearly or $12.99 monthly after a 30-day free trial. The cheaper Lite plan doesn't include Reader.
Can I import my Pocket saves?
Yes. Reader imports Pocket and Instapaper exports, which helps since Pocket shut down in July 2025.
What are the best alternatives to Readwise Reader?
The closest alternatives are Instapaper, NetNewsWire and Libby. See all of them ranked on our Readwise Reader alternatives page.
Where does Readwise Reader rank?
Readwise Reader ranks #3 of 7 in our Reading & News ranking, with an overall score of 8.7 out of 10.