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Browser Extensions · head to head

Instapaper vs uBlock Origin

Instapaper logo

Instapaper

Browser Extensions

Save anything for reading later

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
uBlock Origin logo

uBlock Origin

Browser Extensions

Free, open-source ad content blocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Instapaper full text search across saved articles is Premium only, at $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year; uBlock Origin cNAME uncloaking of third-party trackers disguised as first-party is only available on Firefox, because the required DNS API does not exist in Chromium
  • They diverge on capability: Instapaper covers Save for later, uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Instapaper and uBlock Origin actually diverge.

Attributes where Instapaper and uBlock Origin differ
AttributeInstapaperuBlock Origin
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Kindle, E-readers (BOOX)Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera
Founded20082014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Browser Extensions).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Instapaper

  • Save for later
  • Clean reading
  • Highlighting
  • Full-text search
  • Safari support

Only in uBlock Origin

  • Ad blocking
  • Tracker blocking
  • Malware domain blocking
  • Custom filter lists
  • Opera support

Both cover

  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Instapaper

  • Saving articles to read later with the clutter stripped outnot uBlock Origin
  • Building a searchable personal archive of things worth keepingnot uBlock Origin

uBlock Origin

  • Blocking advertisements and third-party trackers in the browsernot Instapaper
  • Running a default-deny policy on third-party scripts and resourcesnot Instapaper
  • Element picking and cosmetic filtering of unwanted page contentnot Instapaper

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Instapaper

  • Full text search across saved articles is Premium only, at $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year
  • Free accounts are limited to 5 notes a month, against unlimited on Premium
  • Text to speech, speed reading and the permanent archive are all Premium only
  • The free web experience carries advertising

uBlock Origin

  • CNAME uncloaking of third-party trackers disguised as first-party is only available on Firefox, because the required DNS API does not exist in Chromium
  • HTML filtering of response bodies requires the webRequest.filterResponseData API, which is only available in Firefox
  • On Chromium-based browsers uBO is not reliably ready at browser launch, so tracker and advertisement payloads can reach already-open tabs before filtering starts
  • Pre-fetch blocking is not reliable on Chromium-based browsers because they give websites precedence over user settings
  • The Chromium build does not use the WebAssembly filtering code paths, because the extra manifest permission would create friction publishing to the Chrome Web Store
  • LZ4 storage compression is Firefox only, and on Chromium in incognito mode IndexedDB resets, so uBO launches with out-of-date filter lists

Pricing, plan by plan

Instapaper

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Instapaper review.

uBlock Origin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Ad blocking
    • Tracker blocking
    • Custom filter lists

Which should you pick?

Choose Instapaper if

  • You need save for later.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Kindle, E-readers (BOOX).
  • You also want clean reading.
Instapaper review

Choose uBlock Origin if

  • You need ad blocking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
  • You also want tracker blocking.
uBlock Origin review

Questions people ask

Is Instapaper or uBlock Origin better?
Neither clearly leads. Instapaper starts at Free and uBlock Origin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Instapaper or uBlock Origin?
Instapaper starts at Free and uBlock Origin at Free.
Does Instapaper or uBlock Origin run on more platforms?
Instapaper runs on Web, iOS, Android, Kindle, E-readers (BOOX). uBlock Origin runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
Can I use Instapaper for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Instapaper best used for?
Instapaper is most often used for saving articles to read later with the clutter stripped out, building a searchable personal archive of things worth keeping. Of those, saving articles to read later with the clutter stripped out and building a searchable personal archive of things worth keeping are not what uBlock Origin is typically brought in for.
What can Instapaper do that uBlock Origin cannot?
Instapaper covers Save for later, Clean reading, Highlighting, Full-text search. uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking, Tracker blocking, Malware domain blocking, Custom filter lists. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support.
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