Shiori vs wallabag
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.
Open source · MIT
A simple self-hosted bookmark manager written in Go, usable from the terminal or a web page.
Open source · MIT
Self-hosted app that saves web pages so you can read them later, without clutter.
The short answer
Choose Shiori if you need…
- People who want a self-hosted alternative to Pocket for saving articles
- Users who prefer a command line tool for managing bookmarks
- People who want a simple web interface for their bookmarks
- Anyone who wants offline copies of saved web pages where possible
Choose wallabag if you need…
- People who want a read-later app they control on their own server
- Users who want an alternative to hosted read-it-later services
- Developers who want to self-host a PHP/Symfony application
- Anyone who wants distraction-free reading of saved articles
Side-by-side
| Shiori | wallabag | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 11.7k | 13k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Download the app | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | Go | PHP |
| Last code update | 11 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Shiori
Shiori saves links you want to read later or keep, and lets you search and organize them. It is described as a simple clone of Pocket and can be used as a command line app or as a web application. It is distributed as a single binary file, so it is easy to install and move between machines.
wallabag
wallabag is a web application for saving web pages to read later. You click to save an article, and it extracts the main content so pop-ups and other distractions are removed. You can install it on your own server or use the hosted service at wallabag.it.
Best for
Shiori
- People who want a self-hosted alternative to Pocket for saving articles
- Users who prefer a command line tool for managing bookmarks
- People who want a simple web interface for their bookmarks
- Anyone who wants offline copies of saved web pages where possible
wallabag
- People who want a read-later app they control on their own server
- Users who want an alternative to hosted read-it-later services
- Developers who want to self-host a PHP/Symfony application
- Anyone who wants distraction-free reading of saved articles
Strengths
Shiori
- Distributed as a single binary, which makes it portable and simple to install
- Supports several databases, including sqlite3, PostgreSQL, MariaDB and MySQL
- Offers both a command line interface and a web interface
wallabag
- Self-hostable, so you keep control of your saved articles
- Extracts article content to remove pop-ups and clutter
- Open source under the MIT License with official Android, iOS and browser extension projects
Not ideal for
Shiori
- People who want a hosted service with no setup, since the README describes it as a tool you run yourself
- Users who need advanced collaboration or sharing features, which the README does not mention
- People who need the browser extension to be fully stable, since the README marks it as BETA
wallabag
- People who do not want to run or maintain a server (the README points to the hosted wallabag.it option instead)
- Users who need a ready-made app without any setup, since installation requires a web server and following the documentation
Trade-offs
Shiori
- The browser web extension for Firefox and Chrome is marked BETA in the README
- The README is truncated and does not give full setup details, so you must check the docs folder for installation steps
- Offline archiving only works 'where possible', so it is not guaranteed for every page
wallabag
- Self-hosting requires a web server setup, following the documentation for requirements and virtual hosts
- The README does not describe the full feature list, so some capabilities are unclear from this text
- The GNOME app listed is not maintained by this project
Getting started
Shiori
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/go-shiori/shioriwallabag
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/wallabag/wallabag.gitInstall from the project folder
cd wallabag && make installFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Shiori and wallabag?
Shiori: A simple self-hosted bookmark manager written in Go, usable from the terminal or a web page. wallabag: Self-hosted app that saves web pages so you can read them later, without clutter. Shiori suits people who want a self-hosted alternative to pocket for saving articles, while wallabag suits people who want a read-later app they control on their own server.
Are Shiori and wallabag free?
Shiori: Free and open source. wallabag: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Shiori or wallabag?
Shiori is easier to get started with (rated beginner); wallabag is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Shiori or wallabag more popular?
wallabag has more GitHub stars (13k) than Shiori (11.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Shiori and wallabag?
Other options people compare them with include linkding, Grav.
Keep comparing
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.