Self-hosted alternatives to Instapaper
Want read-it-later without handing your data to Instapaper? These 3 self-hosted apps run on your own server. Cheapest estimated hosting starts at about $5/month.
About Instapaper: Read-it-later app for saving articles to read later.
| App | Health | Stars | License | Docker | RAM (est.) | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karakeep | Active | 30.5k | AGPL-3.0 | ✓ | 1 GB | $5/mo |
| Readeck | Active | 1.2k | AGPL-3.0 | ✓ | 2 GB | $10/mo |
| Servas | Active | 838 | GPL-3.0 | ✓ | 1 GB | $5/mo |
The options in detail
1. Karakeep
Bookmark-everything app with a touch of AI for the data hoarders out there.
Active Last commit 2026-11-09. 10+ releases in the past year. Latest release v0.34.1 (2026-10-22). Needs roughly 1 GB RAM. How to run it →
2. Readeck
Save the precious readable content of web pages you like and want to keep forever. See it as a bookmark manager and a read later tool.
Active Last commit 2026-11-11. 17 releases in the past year. Latest release 0.23.5 (2026-10-23). Needs roughly 2 GB RAM. How to run it →
3. Servas
Bookmark management tool. It allows organization with tags, groups, and a list specifically for later access. It supports multiple users with 2FA. Companion browser extensions are available for Firefox and Chrome.
Active Last commit 2026-10-28. 4 releases in the past year. Latest release v1.1.3 (2026-10-28). Needs roughly 1 GB RAM. How to run it →
Why self-host instead of Instapaper?
- Own your data — it lives on a server you control, with backups you decide on.
- Predictable cost — a small VPS often replaces per-seat pricing for a whole team or family.
- No lock-in — open-source licenses let you keep running the software even if a vendor disappears.
The trade-off: you are responsible for updates, backups and security. Pick an app marked Active (a commit in the last 90 days) and with Docker support for the easiest ride.
Browse related categories
Other alternatives guides
Instapaper is a trademark of its owner; this site is not affiliated with it. Listings come from the community-maintained awesome-selfhosted list.