What to Consider in a Quality Read-It-Later App

Before we explore the reasons for our preference for Omnivore, let's discuss the key attributes that define a great read-it-later service. A strong app should facilitate easy article importing, support browser extensions, and offer seamless sharing options. It should efficiently parse articles to retain original content and allow straightforward article management. Additional features such as note-taking, highlighting, and compatibility with third-party note-taking applications like Logseq and Obsidian are significant advantages.

By the conclusion of this article, you will see how Omnivore not only meets these standards but also provides extra functionalities that enhance its usability.

The Omnivore User Interface

Omnivore features a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. Upon signing up, you'll notice a distinctive layout—rather than traditional folders, the sidebar showcases customizable saved searches. When you launch the app, your Inbox displays all imported articles, with a "Continue Reading" section for articles you've started but haven't finished yet.

You can easily edit and personalize your saved searches by clicking on the "Edit Saved Searches" option. Customizing saved searches is straightforward, allowing you to filter by labels, reading status, article type, and more. For instance, creating a filter for articles tagged with "productivity" is a breeze.

Importing Articles Made Easy

Omnivore simplifies article importing with extensions available for popular browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Regardless of your preferred browser, you can use the extension to save articles for later reading.

When you click the extension to add an article to your library, you can also append notes and tags, ensuring the article is categorized appropriately and reminding you of its relevance. A handy "Read Now" option allows you to open the article directly in Omnivore for an immediate distraction-free experience.

For mobile users, importing articles on an iPhone is equally straightforward. Just tap the share button in your browser and select the Omnivore icon, where you can also add notes and tags before saving.

Reading Environment in Omnivore

Omnivore provides a clean reading interface, enhancing the article consumption experience. You can customize this environment by clicking the TT button, adjusting the font, size, margins, line heights, and themes to your preference. Advanced settings allow for text justification and high-contrast options for better readability.

On the left side of the interface, several buttons enable you to add labels for organization, access notes and highlights, and edit article metadata if needed. The app also includes straightforward options for deleting or archiving articles.

Including PDFs in Omnivore

Users can also import PDF documents into Omnivore, which features basic reading capabilities along with highlighting and note-taking functions. Although it may not rival dedicated PDF readers, it fulfills essential user needs effectively.

Subscribing to Newsletters

One of Omnivore's standout features is the ability to subscribe to newsletter feeds using unique email addresses. To create a new email, simply click your profile icon and navigate to the email settings. You can generate multiple email addresses for different newsletters, making it easy to manage subscriptions.

Omnivore's Handy Features

Omnivore includes a universal command bar, accessible via the ⌘K shortcut on Mac, allowing for quick searches of saved searches and theme adjustments. While inside an article, it provides various options to modify your reading environment.

My favorite aspect of Omnivore, exclusive to its mobile app, is the text-to-speech feature that lets you listen to articles. This is particularly useful when reading isn't convenient. The app provides excellent voice quality, often surpassing some paid alternatives. You can even try different voices, including ultra-realistic options, to find your preferred audio experience.

Integration with Note-Taking Apps

Another appealing feature of Omnivore is its integration with popular note-taking applications like Logseq and Obsidian. By installing a simple plugin and entering an API key, you can streamline your workflow and transfer knowledge effectively.

Omnivore also supports integrations with Webhooks, Pocket, and Readwise, though user experiences may vary. If you have tried these features, feel free to share your feedback.

Is Omnivore the Best Read-It-Later App?

Having used Omnivore for over a year, I can confidently say it ranks among the top read-it-later applications available. Its ability to parse articles effectively and its unrivaled text-to-speech feature make it stand out. While there are minor drawbacks, such as the absence of article search in the command bar, its overall performance is remarkable, especially for a free application.

Explore the features of Omnivore in this video.

Watch our review on why Omnivore is the only read-it-later app you'll need.