Glasp vs Readwise Reader
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
AI tool · Free
A social web highlighter that saves highlights and notes, with AI summaries of YouTube videos.
AI tool · Paid
A read-it-later app and extension for articles, PDFs, newsletters and feeds, with an AI reading assistant.
The short answer
Choose Glasp if you need…
- Highlighting while reading online
- YouTube transcript summaries
Choose Readwise Reader if you need…
- Serious readers
- Syncing highlights to notes apps
Side-by-side
| Glasp | Readwise Reader | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Plugins & extensions · Reading & highlights | Plugins & extensions · Reading & highlights |
| Price | Free | Paid |
| Platforms | Chrome | Web, Chrome, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows |
| Works with | Chrome, Notion, Obsidian | Notion, Obsidian, Chrome |
| Hands-on tested by us | Not yet | Not yet |
| Last checked | 2026-10-29 | 2026-10-29 |
What each one is
Glasp
A social web highlighter that saves highlights and notes, with AI summaries of YouTube videos. Simple and free. Highlights are public by default, so check privacy settings.
Readwise Reader
A read-it-later app and extension for articles, PDFs, newsletters and feeds, with an AI reading assistant. Excellent reading workflow. Subscription-only.
Best for
Glasp
- Highlighting while reading online
- YouTube transcript summaries
Readwise Reader
- Serious readers
- Syncing highlights to notes apps
Strengths
Glasp
- Web highlighting
- Notes export
- YouTube summaries
- Public highlight profiles
Readwise Reader
- Save articles, PDFs and feeds
- Highlighting
- Ghostreader AI
- Export to notes apps
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Glasp and Readwise Reader?
Glasp: A social web highlighter that saves highlights and notes, with AI summaries of YouTube videos. Readwise Reader: A read-it-later app and extension for articles, PDFs, newsletters and feeds, with an AI reading assistant. Glasp suits highlighting while reading online, while Readwise Reader suits serious readers.
Are Glasp and Readwise Reader free?
Glasp: Free. Readwise Reader: Paid.
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.