saveto.app

Tool review - Mobile apps · Updated

DEVONthink To Go Review (2026)

iPad and iPhone half of a serious research database

Free tier + $2.99/mo or $19/yr

Visit www.devontechnologies.com ↗

What is DEVONthink To Go?

DEVONthink To Go is the iPhone and iPad companion to DEVONthink, DEVONtechnologies' long-running document and research manager for the Mac. It stores texts, PDFs, web pages, images, emails and spreadsheets in databases on the device, and saving into it runs through the iOS share menu from any app, plus the Files app and drag and drop. It is more editor than clipper once content is in: plain text, Markdown, rich text and formatted notes all have native editors, PDFs get OCR, and RSS feeds from news sites and blogs are pulled in directly. Sync back to the Mac runs over your local network or a cloud service you choose, with strong encryption, so the archive never has to sit on the vendor's servers. Version 4 requires iOS 26 or later, and the app moved to a subscription - the one-time purchases sold from January 2024 remain valid until the end of 2026.

Key features

Where it saves to

DEVONthink databases on the device, synced to DEVONthink for Mac over a local network or a cloud service of your choice

Pricing

The app is freemium: a restricted version costs nothing, and full functionality needs a subscription at $2.99 a month or $19 a year, both covered by Family Sharing. It is free for holders of an eligible DEVONthink Pro or Server licence on the Mac, which includes 5 mobile seats on Pro and 25 on Server. One-time purchases made on or after 1 January 2024 remain valid until the end of 2026; there is no new one-time option for DEVONthink To Go 4.

Best for

Researchers, lawyers and academics already running DEVONthink on the Mac, for whom this is the mobile half of an existing archive rather than a standalone purchase - and free with a Pro or Server licence. Heavy for anyone else.

Pros

  • Free with an eligible DEVONthink Pro or Server licence, which includes 5–25 mobile seats
  • Syncs over your own local network, so the archive never needs a vendor's cloud
  • Handles PDFs with OCR and reads RSS feeds directly into the database
  • Subscription is cheap at $19 a year given the app's scope

Cons

  • Requires iOS 26 or later, so older devices are cut off
  • No new one-time purchase - version 4 is subscription-only for new buyers
  • Makes little sense without DEVONthink on the Mac at the other end

Alternatives to DEVONthink To Go

Anybox

Native Apple bookmark manager with a floating save dock

Free + $1.99/mo or $39.99 once

GoodLinks

Native Apple read-later app, one-time purchase

$9.99 one-time

Instapaper

Classic minimalist read-later service since 2008

Free + $5.99/mo

FAQ

Do I need DEVONthink for Mac to use it?

Not strictly - it runs standalone with its own databases - but most of its value is being the mobile half of a Mac archive. An eligible DEVONthink Pro or Server licence also makes the mobile app free, which is the cheapest route in.

How much does DEVONthink To Go cost?

The restricted version is free. Full functionality is $2.99 a month or $19 a year, both with Family Sharing. It is included at no cost with an eligible DEVONthink Pro (5 seats) or Server (25 seats) licence on the Mac.

Is there still a one-time purchase?

Not for new buyers of version 4 - DEVONtechnologies moved to a subscription. One-time purchases made on or after 1 January 2024 stay valid until the end of 2026, after which those users need a subscription or a Mac licence.

Does my data go through DEVONtechnologies' servers?

Only if you choose that. Sync runs over your local network or a cloud service you nominate, with strong encryption applied to the data, so the archive can stay entirely on hardware and accounts you control.

Where DEVONthink To Go fits

Hit a wall with DEVONthink To Go?

Something it wouldn’t save, or a format it mangled? Tell us what happened →