Hands-On Tech 246: Replacing Pocket

Host: Micah Sargent
Date: December 14, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Micah Sargent tackles a common dilemma for tech enthusiasts and avid readers: what to do now that the beloved read-it-later app Pocket is gone. Responding to a listener question from Kurt, Micah explores the reasons for Pocket’s demise and dives deep into the best alternatives for saving, curating, and listening to articles across devices. The show provides tailored recommendations for both Apple users and those seeking third-party solutions, covering the nuances of features, pricing, and user experience for each alternative.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Happened to Pocket?

[03:23]

• Pocket Recap:
  • Micah reminisces about his heavy usage of Pocket, describing himself as a “save it for later kind of person.”
  • Pocket was acquired by Mozilla in Feb 2017 and ran independently until Mozilla shut down the app in July 2025.
  • Leading up to its shutdown, new signups were paused and web access was discontinued as Mozilla prepared users for the discontinuation.
• Reflecting on Pocket’s Demise:
  • Micah notes the challenge of maintaining a free, high-usage service as more users added content and rarely pruned their collections.
  • The popularity and accumulation of stored data contributed to operational costs and likely influenced the shutdown.

Notable Quote:

“Let’s be real, how many people were actually going through their whole Pocket and removing old stuff? …That all together kind of made it difficult to keep around.”
— Micah Sargent [08:38]

2. Best Read-It-Later Alternatives

A. Matter

[04:52]

• Overview: A dedicated “read-it-later” service found at getmatter.com, Matter is presented as the closest Pocket replacement and even welcomes ex-Pocket users on its homepage.
• Features:
  • Article curation based on your reading habits.
  • Human-like text-to-speech capabilities.
  • Handles articles from across the web.
• Downsides:
  • Many features, especially more natural-sounding voice reading, are behind a paywall.
• Searchability:
  • The common name “Matter” can make it tricky to find online, hence the importance of the direct link.

Notable Quote:

“If you’re looking for a really good replacement for Pocket, I feel like Matter is right there at the top of the list.”
— Micah Sargent [06:07]

B. Instapaper

[07:10]

• Overview: A long-standing competitor with staying power, offering a visually clean reading experience.
• Features:
  • Focuses on presenting just the core article content, minimizing clutter.
  • Robust integrations with various devices (iPad, iPhone, desktop).
  • Core features available for free; advanced features like text-to-speech require a subscription.
• User Base: Some users have mixed feelings about recent changes and Instapaper’s “opinionated” approach.

Notable Quote:

“For me, when I’m looking for a service, I’m wanting to commit to something that’s going to commit to me, be around for a while.”
— Micah Sargent [07:28]

C. Apple’s Safari Reading List

[12:36]

• Overview: For Apple users, Safari’s built-in Reading List offers basic “read it later” functionality without installing third-party apps.
• Features:
  • Seamless syncing across Apple devices.
  • Offline saving of articles.
  • Integration with Apple’s accessibility feature “Read and Speak” for text-to-speech.
• Limitations:
  • Lacks curated article recommendations, unlike Pocket and Matter.

D. 11 Reader (11 Labs)

[13:44]

• Overview: A newer player, focusing specifically on high-quality human-like text-to-speech.
• Features:
  • Able to read articles, books, and PDFs aloud.
  • Free tier available; pay-as-you-go for more usage via a “credit” system.
• Key Use Case: Ideal if listening to articles is the top priority.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Naming Woes:

  “Nothing like reusing a common name for making searching your product nice and easy.”
  — Micah Sargent, referencing the difficulty of searching for the Matter app [06:37]

• Pocket Tribute:

  “Rest in peace, Pocket. We loved you. We hardly knew you…”
  — Micah Sargent [15:16]

Timeline / Timestamps

• [03:23] — Micah discusses his history with Pocket and how/why it shut down
• [04:52] — Introduction and in-depth look at Matter as the top replacement
• [07:10] — Instapaper: strengths, weaknesses, and subscription model
• [12:36] — Using Apple Safari Reading List with Accessibility features
• [13:44] — Mention of 11 Reader for high-quality article narration
• [15:16] — Closing thoughts and listener shout-out

Conclusion & Recommendations

• Matter is recommended as the most similar replacement to Pocket, especially for those who value curated recommendations and advanced text-to-speech (with caveats about subscription costs).
• Instapaper is ideal for a reading-focused, minimalist interface and device flexibility.
• Apple users can leverage Safari Reading List + built-in accessibility for a seamless, cost-free experience, though curation is missing.
• 11 Reader is suggested for those prioritizing high-quality AI-generated narration.
• The shift to paid services is deemed necessary for service sustainability post-Pocket.

For further listener questions, contact: hotwit TV
Next episode: Coming later in December!