ReadMonkey Pro vs Pocket
Pocket was the world's most popular read-later service until Mozilla shut it down in July 2025. ReadMonkey Pro is a Chrome extension that saves articles using Chrome's built-in storage and syncs them across your Chrome browsers — no external servers, no accounts, no risk of losing your library. Here's how they compare.
Last updated: March 2, 2026
TL;DR
Pocket shut down in July 2025 when Mozilla discontinued the service. Users who missed the October export deadline lost their entire reading library. ReadMonkey Pro takes a different approach: all articles, highlights, and notes are stored in Chrome's built-in storage and synced across your Chrome browsers via Chrome Sync. No external servers to shut down, no account with PlugMonkey required. ReadMonkey Pro offers 5-color highlighting with notes (vs Pocket's basic highlighting), multi-format export (Markdown, HTML, CSV), and a $49.99 lifetime license. Pocket relied on vendor-specific cloud servers; ReadMonkey Pro uses Chrome's native storage infrastructure.
Head-to-Head Comparison
5 categories compared honestly
🔒Availability & Data Ownership
ReadMonkey Pro WinsActive and private: data stored in Chrome with sync across devices and zero tracking.
- Currently available and actively maintained
- All articles stored in Chrome's built-in storage with sync via Chrome Sync
- No external servers — syncs through your existing Chrome account
- Zero telemetry, analytics, or tracking
Shut down permanently in July 2025. Cloud-only with user tracking.
- Mozilla discontinued Pocket on July 8, 2025
- All data stored on Mozilla's servers (now deleted)
- Collected URLs, page content, and advertising identifiers
- Data export closed October 8, 2025 — missed it, lost everything
Verdict: ReadMonkey Pro is the only option that exists. Pocket's vendor-specific cloud made the shutdown devastating — ReadMonkey Pro uses Chrome's native storage, so your data persists in your browser regardless of what happens to PlugMonkey.
📖Reading Experience
= TieDistraction-free reader with 3 themes, adjustable typography, and keyboard shortcuts.
- Light, dark, and sepia reading themes
- Adjustable font family, size, and line height
- Configurable reading width (narrow, medium, wide)
- Full keyboard navigation
Clean reading view with text-to-speech and article recommendations.
- Clean, distraction-free reading layout
- Dark mode and font adjustments
- Text-to-speech playback
- Pocket Discover for recommended articles
Verdict: A close match on core reading features. Pocket had text-to-speech and content discovery; ReadMonkey Pro has more granular typography controls and theme options.
🖍️Annotation & Export
ReadMonkey Pro Wins5-color highlighting with inline notes and 4 export formats.
- 5 highlight colors with inline notes
- Highlights aggregation panel for quick review
- Export to JSON, Markdown, HTML, and CSV
- Export highlights separately or with the article
Basic highlighting (Premium only) and limited HTML-only export.
- Simple text highlighting — single color, Premium only
- No inline notes on highlights
- HTML was the only export format
- Export window closed October 8, 2025
Verdict: ReadMonkey Pro has significantly richer annotation and export: 5 colors, inline notes, and 4 export formats vs Pocket's single-color highlighting and HTML-only export.
🏷️Organization & Cross-Device Access
= TieTag-based organization with Chrome side panel and cross-device sync via Chrome Sync.
- Custom tags with filtering
- Side panel library without leaving current tab
- Sort by date, title, or domain
- Full-text search across all content (Pro)
- Syncs across Chrome browsers via Chrome Sync
Cross-device sync with native mobile apps and Firefox integration.
- Seamless sync across web, iOS, Android, and macOS
- Native mobile apps for reading on the go
- Built-in Firefox sidebar integration
- Full-text search (Premium only)
Verdict: ReadMonkey Pro syncs across all Chrome browsers where you are signed in via Chrome Sync, covering desktop cross-device use. Pocket had a broader ecosystem with native mobile apps and Firefox integration. If you read primarily on desktop Chrome, ReadMonkey Pro covers cross-device sync. If mobile apps were essential, Pocket had the edge.
💰Pricing & Value
ReadMonkey Pro Wins$6.99/month or $49.99 lifetime. Free tier included.
- $6.99/month, $29.99/year, or $49.99 lifetime
- Free tier: 25 saves/month, 5 tags, 2 highlight colors
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Sustainable model that funds ongoing development
Was $4.99/month. No lifetime option. Now unavailable.
- Free tier with basic saving
- Premium: $4.99/month or $44.99/year
- No lifetime option ever available
- Now shut down — not available at any price
Verdict: Pocket was slightly cheaper monthly, but never offered a lifetime option. ReadMonkey Pro's $49.99 lifetime is roughly one year of Pocket Premium — then it's free forever.
At a Glance
Quick feature comparison
| Feature | ReadMonkey Pro | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Active | Shut down (July 2025) | |
| Data storage | Chrome storage + sync | Cloud (deleted) | |
| Privacy | Zero tracking | Tracked users | |
| Monthly price | $6.99/mo | Was $4.99/mo | |
| Lifetime option | $49.99 | Never offered | |
| Highlighting | 5 colors + notes | Basic (Premium) | |
| Export formats | JSON, Markdown, HTML, CSV | HTML only | |
| Cross-device sync | Yes (via Chrome Sync) | Yes (via cloud) | = |
| Text-to-speech | No | Yes | |
| Mobile apps | Chrome extension only | iOS, Android (removed) |
Need a Second Opinion?
Ask AI to break down the key differences and help you decide.
AI responses are generated independently and may vary
Pricing: ReadMonkey Pro vs Pocket
Pocket Premium was $4.99/month or $44.99/year. Now shut down — not available at any price.
- Subscription-only pricing
- Lose access when you cancel
ReadMonkey Pro
ReadMonkey Pro's $49.99 lifetime is about the cost of one year of Pocket Premium. Pocket never offered a lifetime option, so you'd be paying $4.99/month indefinitely — if it still existed.
30-day money-back guarantee
Which Is Right for You?
Choose ReadMonkey Pro
- You need a read-later tool that actually exists and is available right now
- You want your articles stored in Chrome's own storage, synced across browsers, not on vendor servers that can be shut down
- You care about privacy and don't want your reading habits tracked
- You want rich highlighting with 5 colors and inline notes
- You need Markdown or CSV export for your workflow
- You want a lifetime license instead of paying monthly forever
Choose Pocket
- Pocket is no longer available — it shut down in July 2025
- For native mobile apps, consider Instapaper (though it has its own issues)
- For text-to-speech, use your browser's built-in reading features alongside ReadMonkey Pro
Pocket is gone. Your reading library shouldn't be.
ReadMonkey Pro: save articles in Chrome, sync across browsers, read distraction-free, 5-color highlighting, Markdown export. No external servers, your data.