Pocket Is Gone. ReadMonkey Pro Keeps Your Articles Safe.
Mozilla shut down Pocket in July 2025. Users who missed the export window lost everything. ReadMonkey Pro is a Chrome extension that syncs your articles through Chrome's built-in sync — no vendor cloud that can disappear. No PlugMonkey servers, no accounts with us, no tracking. Distraction-free reader, highlighting, tagging, and multi-format export.
Last updated: March 2, 2026
TL;DR
Pocket was the world's most popular read-later service until Mozilla shut it down on July 8, 2025 — eight months after Omnivore met the same fate. Users had until October 8 to export their data; after that, everything was permanently deleted. ReadMonkey Pro is a Chrome extension alternative that syncs your saved articles through Chrome Sync — the sync infrastructure already built into your browser. No PlugMonkey servers, no accounts with us, no risk of another vendor cloud deleting your library. Data syncs across every Chrome browser where you're signed in. Distraction-free reader with themes, 5-color highlighting with notes, smart tagging, and export to JSON, Markdown, HTML, or CSV. Free tier: 25 saves/month. Pro is $6.99/month or $49.99 lifetime.
Pocket Is No Longer Available
Mozilla shut down Pocket on July 8, 2025, citing changes in how people browse and save content. Data export closed October 8, 2025; all user data permanently deleted. Pocket API disabled November 12, 2025. This happened in July 2025.
Why People Need a Pocket Alternative
Pocket shut down permanently
Mozilla discontinued Pocket on July 8, 2025. No new signups, no downloads, no service. Users who missed the October 8 export deadline lost their entire reading library — years of saved articles, tags, and highlights gone forever.
Vendor cloud dependency was the fatal flaw
Pocket stored everything on Mozilla's servers. When the service died, so did your data. Omnivore — the open-source read-later app — suffered the same fate eight months earlier when it was acquihired by ElevenLabs. This is the fundamental risk of any vendor-specific cloud: the company decides your library's fate, not you. ReadMonkey Pro sidesteps this entirely by using Chrome Sync — infrastructure you already have that doesn't depend on any third-party service.
Privacy was never the priority
Despite Mozilla's reputation, Pocket collected URLs, page content, browser type, device type, and advertising identifiers. Users could not opt out of tracking even as paying customers. A privacy-focused browser company ran a tracking service.
No offline resilience
When Pocket's servers went down — and they did go down — your reading list was inaccessible. Cloud-first meant internet-required. ReadMonkey Pro stores data in Chrome's storage, so your articles are always accessible locally — even offline. Chrome Sync keeps everything updated across your browsers when you're connected, but you're never locked out.
ReadMonkey Pro vs Pocket
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | ReadMonkey Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Shut down (July 2025) | Active and maintained |
| Data storage | Cloud servers (data deleted) | Chrome Sync — syncs across browsers, no vendor cloud |
| Account required | Yes — Mozilla/Firefox account | No — works immediately |
| Privacy | Tracked URLs, content, device info | Zero tracking or telemetry |
| Monthly cost | Was $4.99/mo (Premium) | $6.99/month |
| Lifetime option | Never offered | $49.99 one-time payment |
| Highlighting | Basic (Premium only) | 5 colors with inline notes |
| Export formats | HTML export only | JSON, Markdown, HTML, CSV |
| Distraction-free reader | Yes — clean layout | Yes — light, dark, sepia themes + adjustable typography |
| Offline reading | Required server sync first | Fully offline — data stored in Chrome's local storage |
Pricing: ReadMonkey Pro vs Pocket
Pocket Premium was $4.99/month or $44.99/year. Now shut down — no longer available at any price.
- Subscription-only pricing
- Lose access when you cancel
ReadMonkey Pro
ReadMonkey Pro's $49.99 lifetime license is roughly what Pocket Premium cost for a single year. Own it forever instead of renting access to a service that can disappear.
30-day money-back guarantee
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Is ReadMonkey Pro Right for You?
Switch If You...
- You used Pocket and need a replacement since it shut down
- You want a read-later tool that can't be killed by a corporate decision
- You care about privacy and don't want your reading habits tracked
- You want your saved articles synced through Chrome — not locked in a vendor cloud
- You need multi-format export (Markdown, HTML, CSV) for your workflow
- You want highlighting with inline notes, not just basic saves
Consider Other Options If You...
- You relied on Pocket's article recommendations (Pocket Discover) — ReadMonkey Pro is a saving and reading tool, not a content discovery platform
Your reading library shouldn't depend on a company's survival.
ReadMonkey Pro: save articles with Chrome Sync, read distraction-free, highlight in 5 colors, export to Markdown/HTML/CSV. No vendor cloud, no tracking, your data.