Self-hosted web archiving in HTML, PDF, and WARC
Free
- Open source
- App
- Self-hosted
Capture surface - Web apps
Best Web-Based Save Tools - No Extension Needed (2026)
Not every save has to start in a browser extension. These tools accept a URL pasted into their own web interface, which matters more than it sounds: it is how you save from a work laptop that forbids extensions, from a machine that is not yours, or from a script. Raindrop.io, Pinboard and Instapaper all take a pasted link; the self-hosted tools - Wallabag, Linkwarden, Karakeep, linkding, Shiori, LinkAce and ArchiveBox - are web apps by construction, since the thing you install is the site itself.
How they compare
| Tool | Price | Free tier | Type | Saves to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ArchiveBox | Free | Yes | Open source, App, Self-hosted | Your own server · Cloud storage |
| Instapaper | Free + $5.99/mo | Yes | Extension, App | Its own library · Kindle |
| Karakeep | Self-host free | Yes | Open source, Extension, App, Self-hosted | Your own server · Its own library |
| LinkAce | Free | Yes | Open source, App, Self-hosted | Your own server |
| linkding | Free (self-hosted) | Yes | Open source, Extension, Self-hosted | Your own server |
| Linkwarden | Self-host free; $3/mo cloud | Yes | Open source, Extension, App, Self-hosted | Your own server · Its own library |
| Matter | Free + $8/mo | Yes | Extension, App | Its own library · Notion · Obsidian |
| mymind | From $4.99/mo | No | Extension, App | Its own library |
| Pinboard | $22/yr | No | Extension | Its own library |
| Raindrop.io | Free + ~$3/mo | Yes | Extension, App | Its own library · Cloud storage |
| Readwise Reader | $9.99/mo (annual) | No | Extension, App | Its own library · Notion · Obsidian · Evernote |
| Shiori | Free | Yes | Open source, App, Self-hosted | Your own server |
| Wallabag | Self-host free; €11/yr hosted | Yes | Open source, Extension, App, Self-hosted | Your own server |
| Web Highlights | Free + Premium | Yes | Extension, App | Its own library · Notion · Obsidian · Local files |
| Zotero | Free + storage from $20/yr | Yes | Open source, Extension, App | Local files · Its own library |
All 15 tools
Classic minimalist read-later service since 2008
Free + $5.99/mo
- Extension
- App
Bookmark-everything app with AI auto-tagging (ex-Hoarder)
Self-host free
- Open source
- Extension
- App
- Self-hosted
Self-hosted link archive with tags and monitoring
Free
- Open source
- App
- Self-hosted
Minimal fast self-hosted bookmark archive
Free (self-hosted)
- Open source
- Extension
- Self-hosted
Collaborative bookmarks with full-page preservation
Self-host free; $3/mo cloud
- Open source
- Extension
- App
- Self-hosted
Polished iOS reader with high-quality text-to-speech
Free + $8/mo
- Extension
- App
Private AI-organized visual memory for everything saved
From $4.99/mo
- Extension
- App
Bare-bones paid bookmarking, running since 2009
$22/yr
- Extension
Visual bookmark manager with collections and tags
Free + ~$3/mo
- Extension
- App
Power-user reader with highlights, RSS, and newsletters
$9.99/mo (annual)
- Extension
- App
Simple Go bookmark manager with offline article archiving
Free
- Open source
- App
- Self-hosted
Open-source read-later, the main Pocket successor
Self-host free; €11/yr hosted
- Open source
- Extension
- App
- Self-hosted
Highlight and annotate web pages and PDFs
Free + Premium
- Extension
- App
Research manager with browser connector for saving sources
Free + storage from $20/yr
- Open source
- Extension
- App
FAQ
Can I save links without installing an extension?
Yes. Every tool on this page accepts a URL pasted into its own web interface. Several also offer a bookmarklet, which is a link you drag to your bookmarks bar - it needs no install permissions and works on locked-down machines.
What is the best option if my employer blocks extensions?
Raindrop.io and Pinboard both work fully from a browser tab, and Pinboard's bookmarklet needs no install at all. If you can run your own server, linkding is the lightest self-hosted web app in the directory.