wallabag is a free, open-source, self-hostable Pocket alternative for saving and reading articles later. Compare features and pricing for 2026.
wallabag is a free, open-source application for saving web articles to read later in a clean, distraction-free format, similar in concept to Pocket or Instapaper but designed to be self-hosted on a server you control.
The project was started in April 2013 by French developer Nicolas Loeuillet under the name Poche, and was later renamed wallabag after receiving a trademark notice from Pocket's developers. It is released under the MIT License, making it free to use, modify, and self-host.
wallabag appeals particularly to privacy-focused users and technical audiences who want to avoid depending on a single commercial company for their reading list, especially after high-profile read-later services like Pocket and Omnivore were discontinued.
Core functionality includes saving articles via browser extensions, mobile apps, RSS feeds, or a public API; automatically extracting clean article content while stripping ads and clutter; and organizing saved items with tags and full-text search.
wallabag supports offline reading, annotations, multiple backend database options (MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite), Docker/Podman deployment, and direct import of existing libraries from Pocket, Instapaper, Pinboard, and Omnivore.
Self-hosting wallabag is entirely free under the MIT License; users only pay for their own server or hosting infrastructure.
For users who don't want to self-host, the official wallabag.it managed service offers paid hosting starting around 4 euros for 3 months, with annual plans around 11 euros (standard) or 30 euros (supporter tier, which funds open-source development), including a 14-day free trial.
Yes, wallabag is free and open source under the MIT License if self-hosted; a paid managed hosting option (wallabag.it) is also available for those who don't want to self-host.
wallabag was created in April 2013 by French developer Nicolas Loeuillet, originally under the name Poche.
The project was renamed after Pocket's developers sent a trademark notice regarding the original 'Poche' name.
Yes, wallabag can be self-hosted on your own server using PHP with MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, or SQLite, and official Docker/Podman images are available.
Yes, wallabag has official Android and iOS apps, along with browser extensions and RSS feed support.
Yes, wallabag supports importing saved articles from Pocket, Instapaper, Pinboard, and Omnivore.
wallabag.it is the official managed hosting service for wallabag, for users who prefer not to self-host, priced from roughly 4 euros for 3 months.
Yes, wallabag is commonly recommended as a Pocket alternative, especially after Pocket was discontinued, due to its open-source nature and self-hosting option.