6 best reader apps

Pocket alternatives for the discerning reader

- Reviewed by ALEX BLAKE

Sometimes, you don't have time to read that fascinating article you chanced upon on your iPhone, but you also don't want to lose it to the ether, never to come across it again. In cases like that, a great read-it-later app can be a godsend, saving your articles in a readable format - with ads and distractions filtered out - ready for when you have more time to read.

Pocket used to be the go-to app for this purpose, but unfortunately it was recently shut down by developer Mozilla. If you're a diehard Pocket fan - or just want a read-it-later app for your content consumption needs - there's a new void in your iOS arsenal that needs filling.

Fortunately, you're not without options. Here, we've pitted six of the best read-it-later apps against each other to see which is the true heir to Pocket's crown. From beautiful reading experiences to pro-level customisations that power users will love, there are plenty to choose from. Let's see which deserve the highlighter's touch and which will be banished to the archive.

How we tested

We spent a few weeks saving articles from around the web into these apps, assessing the reader view, and testing out each app's builtin features and customisation options. Where possible, we also imported a list of thousands of saved articles from Pocket to see how existing tags, highlights and favourites were handled. As well as that, each app's customisation features were put under the microscope, as were their overall app experiences.

Things to consider...

Article discovery

Pocket had a dedicated section where it would curate and suggest articles you might want to save. If you love that kind of feature, your choices are limited.

Make it yours

Don't like an app's default swipe gestures? Want to read your articles in a different font? Check if your chosen app lets you change its look and feel.