I have been looking for a "good" read-it-later application for a long time. I have used established products like Instapaper, Pocket, and Raindrop.io, and I have also tried deploying wallabag myself. They each have their features, but there are also aspects that I am not very satisfied with. Recently, a newly released native-like application for Apple platforms—MarkMark—has caught my attention. Although it is still in the early stages of development and may have some minor bugs, it does not prevent me from recommending this excellent application to Apple users.
First, let me talk about my needs#
I believe MarkMark is an excellent application based on my needs. Before this, I mainly used Instapaper and self-hosted wallabag, both of which have some shortcomings. For example, Instapaper currently cannot capture images from WeChat public account articles, and it does not provide offline saving services for free users. Although self-hosted wallabag overcomes these two issues, the speed is relatively slow due to my server's low configuration. Additionally, wallabag's page design is too "old-fashioned," making it very inconvenient to organize text, and the iOS app is extremely poor, resulting in a bad user experience—usable but not user-friendly.
To summarize my needs:
- Ability to save articles offline, especially WeChat public account articles. (Instapaper ❌, Wallabag ✅)
- A smooth and excellent client experience. (Instapaper ✅, Wallabag ❌)
- Easy organization of saved articles. (Instapaper ✅, Wallabag ❌)
- Low cost. (Instapaper ❌, Wallabag ✅)
Introduction to MarkMark#
MarkMark is an application that was just released a month ago and is currently in a phase of rapid updates and iterations. Its functionality is simple: it helps users collect and organize articles, websites, and various web pages. However, what sets it apart is that MarkMark is a native-like application specifically designed for Apple users. It can sync and back up using iCloud and provides applications for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Currently, the client is free across all platforms.
Download link
Features#
1. Native-like application experience#
As described in the application software introduction, this is an application designed specifically for Apple users. MarkMark supports various Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and can sync and back up saved articles via iCloud, so Apple users need not worry about privacy and security issues. Additionally, even the UI interface is consistent with the style of native applications; while not overly flashy, it is simple and aesthetically pleasing, making it very easy for Apple users to get started. MarkMark supports organizing and classifying articles using tags and folders, with simple and intuitive operations. Compared to Wallabag's "retro" design, the user experience is significantly better.
2. Supports offline articles#
Since I often encounter situations where saved articles cannot be read due to broken original links, whether a read-it-later application supports offline articles is something I care about very much. MarkMark provides offline functionality; by clicking the download-style icon at the top of the saved article, you can complete the offline saving of the article. Even if you lose internet access or the original link becomes invalid, you can still read it in the app. Additionally, you can export offline articles to your local storage in .webarchive format. Right-click the file and open it with Safari to read it. (Since the .webarchive file format is not very common and inconvenient, I contacted the author via email, and he mentioned that he is considering saving websites in PDF format, which may be updated in future versions.)
3. Supports annotating article content#
For websites and articles that can be viewed in reading mode, you can annotate the content and make notes, which is a very practical feature for those who like to take notes while reading. Additionally, it is very convenient to review the annotated notes within the app.
Expectations for future updates#
As a read-it-later application exclusive to the Apple platform that has just been released, MarkMark already has a good foundational experience, but I still have higher expectations for it. Here are the areas I personally think need improvement or updates:
- I hope to see Android and Windows versions provided (although the author has clearly stated that there are no such plans);
- I hope to have a toggle option for whether to default to offline saving of articles;
- More formats for offline saving of articles;
- Ability to export notes.
Aside from being limited to the Apple ecosystem, MarkMark seems to meet all my expectations for a read-it-later application. The interface is clean and simple, operations are straightforward and intuitive, it supports offline articles, the software runs smoothly, and it is currently free to use. If you are also an Apple user and have a need for such software, you might as well download MarkMark and give it a try; you may end up liking this application just like I do.
Instapaper or Pocket? Why not try this new application -- MarkMark was first published on Jack's Space