Instapaper: Read It Later Tool—Reviewed
Instapaper is a cross-platform app that provides a single place to save and store links for later. I have used it on a daily basis for several years now. It helps me remember to read articles that stick out to me but that I don’t have time to read right away.
Purpose & Functionality
Saving articles is easy with browser extensions available for Chrome and Safari, integration with IFTTT, support for saving via email and more. Before iOS 8, Instapaper was integrated with 140+ other apps, and the iOS 8 update provides integration with any app that supports native share sheet functionality.
Instapaper is available at Instapaper.com for reading, sharing and archiving articles that you have saved. You can also read your saved links with the Instapaper apps for iPhone, iPad and Android or by syncing your saved articles to your Kindle.
Rating: simplicity, usefulness, beauty and necessity
Simplicity. (9/10) "It just works" is often touted by tech companies nowadays. Many times I don't agree, but in this case, "It just works" aptly describes the simplicity and reliability of Instapaper.
Usefulness. (10/10) I’ve found Instapaper extremely useful over the years. Reliable syncing and one-click saving makes it a must-try app.
Beauty. (9/10) This area pushed me to chose Instapaper over its competitors. I love its mix of modern and classic elements. They've created a design that (in my opinion) stands above the rest.
Necessity. (8/10) We’ve always had ways to “save” articles. Writing down the url, leaving tabs open and bookmarking are just a few methods that work. Instapaper takes the same idea and improves on it dramatically. It makes my life easier.
Stickiness. (8/10) I’ve been using Instapaper practically non-stop since it was the Starbucks app of the week during the summer of 2012.
Alternatives
You can download Instapaper for iOS or Android, sync with your Kindle and install free extensions for Chrome and Safari.