Alternatives
Omnivore Alternatives: Where to Go After the Shutdown (2026)
Omnivore was one of the best free, open-source read-later apps — free, clean, with strong EPUB/PDF support and a community that genuinely loved it. Then it was acquired and shut down in 2024. Below is an honest list of what to use instead, including the open-source options that are the truer successors to Omnivore's ethos.
What happened to Omnivore?
Omnivore was acquired in 2024. The team moved on to the acquiring company, the hosted service went read-only, and eventually offline. A data export window was offered before the shutdown. The community — which had chosen Omnivore specifically because it was open-source and free — had to find alternatives fast. The Omnivore GitHub repo is still public if you want to self-host the original codebase, but it's unmaintained.
Quick comparison: 5 Omnivore alternatives at a glance
| # | App | Platform | Price | Open-source | AI | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burn 451 | iOS + Chrome | Free to start | 24h deadline stops save-never-read loops | ||
| 2 | Readwise Reader | Web / iOS / Android | $9.99/mo annual | AI highlights + spaced repetition | ||
| 3 | Raindrop.io | Web / iOS / Android / Desktop | Free + Pro | Best archive import, every platform | ||
| 4 | Karakeep | Self-hosted (web + apps) | Free (server cost) | Closest OSS successor to Omnivore | ||
| 5 | Wallabag | Self-hosted (web) | Free (server cost) | Stable OSS, OPDS + e-reader support |
If open-source and self-hosted is your priority, skip to Karakeep and Wallabag — those are the truer Omnivore successors.
1. Burn 451 — for ex-Omnivore users who saved a lot and rarely read it
iOS · Chrome · Free to start · AI summaries · Not open-source
Let me be upfront: I built Burn 451, so I have a stake in how this reads. I'll be honest about what it is and what it isn't.
Burn is not open-source.Omnivore was, and a lot of Omnivore users chose it specifically for that reason. If open-source and self-hosted matter to you, skip to Karakeep — it's the truer successor. Burn is a closed, managed service.
What Burn does differently from Omnivore: every article you save has a 24-hour deadline. Read it before it expires and it moves to your vault permanently, with an AI summary. Ignore it and it auto-deletes. The vault is queryable via an MCP server (26 tools, works with Claude Desktop) — you can ask “what did I read about AI last month?” and get answers from your actual history.
The honest use case for ex-Omnivore users: if you had a large Omnivore queue you never got through, Burn's 24-hour mechanic is designed for exactly that habit. Not for self-hosters, not for OSS purists — for people who want a habit fix and don't mind a managed service.
Free tier (no credit card required): 5 Flame saves/day, 30 Spark + 100 Vault slots, metadata search, Chrome extension, 24h timer, 30 MCP calls/day. Pro ($4.99/mo, 7-day trial): AI Read, voice notes, transcripts, auto-tag, full-text search, Markdown export, unlimited Spark+Vault, unlimited MCP. No CLI. No Android app yet. Not open-source — say it clearly.
Pros
- Free to start — real free tier, not a trial
- AI summaries on every vaulted article
- iOS native app + Chrome Web Clipper
- MCP server: query your reading history from Claude Desktop
- 24h deadline addresses the save-never-read problem directly
Cons
- Not open-source — Omnivore was; Burn isn't
- No Android app yet
- No bulk import from Omnivore archive
- 24h auto-delete is polarizing — some users hate the pressure
- Managed service: you're trusting hosted infrastructure
Best for
iPhone users who want a read-later app with AI and are OK with a managed service and the 24-hour mechanic. If you valued Omnivore's open-source ethos, look at Karakeep instead.
If you want to break the save-never-read habit, Burn is free to try:
Try Burn 451 free →2. Readwise Reader — best managed alternative for active readers
Web · iOS · Android · $9.99/mo annual · AI highlights + spaced repetition
Readwise Reader is the premium managed option. It handles the read-later core — clean reading mode, offline access, save from share sheet — and layers on a substantial AI system. Ghostreader generates summaries and answers questions about articles. Spaced repetition resurfaces highlights from past reading. The Android app is well-maintained and close to iOS parity.
Omnivore users who highlighted heavily and wanted to remember what they read will find Readwise Reader the most direct upgrade path. It's not open-source and it costs $9.99/month on annual billing. The trade-off is quality and feature depth vs. data ownership.
Pros
- Strong iOS + Android apps (near parity)
- Ghostreader AI summaries, Q&A, and daily digest
- Spaced repetition for highlights — best retention tool in the category
- Sustainable business model with paying subscribers
Cons
- $9.99/month — no meaningful free tier
- Not open-source
- Feature-dense; onboarding can overwhelm simple use cases
Best for
High-volume readers who highlight and annotate, want AI retention tools, and are willing to pay for a well-maintained product. The best non-OSS option for Omnivore power users. See the best read-later app 2026 comparison for the full breakdown.
3. Raindrop.io — best cross-platform option with archive import
Web · iOS · Android · Desktop · Free + Pro · Not open-source
Raindrop is the most cross-platform read-later and bookmark manager on this list: iOS, Android, web, Mac desktop, Windows, and extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. If you read across multiple devices, no other option here comes close on coverage.
For Omnivore archive import: Raindrop accepts bookmark exports in multiple formats. If you exported your Omnivore data before the shutdown, Raindrop is a reliable landing pad for the history. The free tier is genuinely unlimited on saves — AI search is Pro-only, but core saving and organizing are free forever.
Pros
- Every platform covered — the widest reach on this list
- Unlimited free saves — no quota on the core feature
- Good import tooling for archive migration
- Excellent organization with collections and tags
Cons
- Not open-source
- Organizer-first DNA — reading mode is secondary to collecting
- AI features are Pro-only
Best for
Multi-device users and anyone who wants to preserve their Omnivore archive in a durable, well-organized home. Best combined with a dedicated reading app (Burn or Readwise) for active reading.
4. Karakeep — the truer open-source successor to Omnivore
Self-hosted · Web + iOS + Android · Free (server cost) · Open-source · AI auto-tagging
If you chose Omnivore because it was open-source and free, Karakeep (formerly Hoarder) is the most honest replacement. It's self-hosted via Docker Compose, open-source on GitHub, and actively maintained. It auto-tags your saves using your choice of AI model — OpenAI API, Anthropic, or local Ollama — and has full-text search across everything you've ever saved. Browser extensions and iOS/Android apps connect to your own instance.
The gap from Omnivore: setup. Omnivore had a hosted option; Karakeep is self-hosted only. You need a VPS or local server, Docker comfort, and willingness to maintain it. For anyone who ran Omnivore self-hosted already, Karakeep is a natural migration. For anyone who used Omnivore's hosted service and isn't technical, the setup bar is real.
Pros
- Open-source — the ethos Omnivore had
- Complete data ownership, no service to shut down
- AI auto-tagging with your own model key (or Ollama locally)
- Full-text search over your entire archive
- iOS + Android apps connect to your self-hosted instance
- Active GitHub community and ongoing development
Cons
- Self-hosting required — Docker + VPS or local server
- No plug-and-play hosted version
- Setup and maintenance overhead vs. a managed service
Best for
Anyone who valued Omnivore's open-source nature and wants to stay true to that ethos. Developers, homelab users, and technically inclined readers who can run Docker. This is the recommendation I'd give anyone who says “I want what Omnivore was.”
5. Wallabag — minimal, battle-tested open-source read-it-later
Self-hosted · Web · Free (server cost) · Open-source · No AI · OPDS + API
Wallabag is the original open-source read-it-later tool — predates most apps on this list. Self-hosted, minimal, no AI, no frills. It strips article content and stores it locally. OPDS support means you can read your saves on a Kindle or Kobo. The API is well-documented and stable.
Compared to Karakeep, Wallabag is older and more stable but less actively developed. No AI auto-tagging, no modern UI. If you want the most proven self-hosted option, Wallabag has the longer track record. If you want AI features and a more modern interface while staying self-hosted and OSS, Karakeep is the better starting point for Omnivore migrants.
Pros
- Open-source, battle-tested over many years
- Complete data ownership
- OPDS integration for e-readers (Kindle, Kobo)
- Well-documented API for custom workflows
Cons
- No AI features, no AI roadmap
- Self-hosting required
- UI is dated compared to Karakeep or Omnivore
- Slower development pace
Best for
E-reader users, developers who want a stable API to build on, and people who prefer the most proven OSS option over the most modern one. For new Omnivore migrants, Karakeep is the better starting point.
Where Burn 451 fits — and where it doesn't
Burn fits for ex-Omnivore users who: had a queue that grew faster than they could read, want AI on their reading history, and don't need open-source or self-hosted infrastructure.
Burn does notfit if: you specifically want open-source software (Omnivore was; Burn isn't), you need Android (iOS only right now), you want to bulk-import your old Omnivore archive, or you need a command-line interface (there isn't one).
The honest recommendation for OSS-first Omnivore users: go to Karakeep. It's the right tool for that use case. If you come back and want to try Burn for a different reason — the habit mechanic, the AI querying, the iOS app — it's free to start.
Omnivore is gone. Try Burn 451 free — no credit card required.
Not open-source. iOS + Chrome only. 5 saves/day free, Pro at $4.99/mo after 7-day trial.
Try Burn 451 free →Frequently asked questions
What replaced Omnivore?
No single app replaced it — the community split. OSS-first users moved to Karakeep or Wallabag (both self-hosted and open-source). Users who wanted a managed service moved to Readwise Reader or Raindrop.io. Burn 451 is a free option for people who want to break the save-never-read habit with a 24-hour deadline mechanic.
Is there an open-source Omnivore alternative?
Yes — Karakeep (karakeep.app) is the closest in spirit: self-hosted, open-source, with AI auto-tagging, full-text search, and active GitHub development. Wallabag is the older, more minimal OSS option with OPDS e-reader support. Both require self-hosting. If open-source is a hard requirement, these are the honest answers — Burn 451 is not open-source.
What happened to Omnivore?
Omnivore was acquired in 2024 and shut down. The service went read-only and then dark. A data export window was offered before the closure. The GitHub repo remains public but is unmaintained. Omnivore was genuinely loved — free, open-source, clean, good EPUB/PDF support. The shutdown was a real loss for the community that chose it specifically for those reasons.
Can I export my Omnivore data?
If you requested your export during the shutdown window, you should have a JSON or markdown file. Karakeep has import tooling that can accept it. Raindrop.io accepts bookmark exports in several formats. If you missed the export window, recovery options are limited — check your email and downloads folder for any export files you may have requested.
Is Burn 451 open-source like Omnivore was?
No. Burn 451 is a closed, managed service. Omnivore was open-source — that was a core part of its appeal. If open-source and data ownership are your priorities, Karakeep is the right recommendation. Burn is for people who want a managed service with a different reading mechanic (24-hour deadline) and AI features.
Related reading
Omnivore is gone. If you want to try a different approach to reading what you save:
Not open-source. iOS + Chrome. Free to start — Pro at $4.99/mo after 7-day trial. If you want open-source, use Karakeep.
Try Burn 451 free →