Softwr

News · head to head

Medium vs Readwise Reader

Medium logo

Medium

News

The best place to read and write stories on the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Readwise Reader logo

Readwise Reader

News

The read-it-later app for power readers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Medium unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership; Readwise Reader there is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
  • They diverge on capability: Medium covers Story publishing, Readwise Reader covers Read-it-later.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medium and Readwise Reader actually diverge.

Attributes where Medium and Readwise Reader differ
AttributeMediumReadwise Reader
PlatformsWeb, MobileIos, Android, Web
Founded20122017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News).

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 Medium

  • Story publishing
  • Member program
  • Earning potential
  • Reading time estimates
  • Clap reactions
  • Highlighting & annotations
  • Story recommendations
  • Following system

Only in Readwise Reader

  • Read-it-later
  • RSS aggregation
  • Newsletter inbox
  • PDF support
  • Highlighting
  • Notion
  • Obsidian
  • Roam Research

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Medium

  • Publishing articles without running your own blognot Readwise Reader
  • Reading long-form writing across technology, culture and newsnot Readwise Reader
  • Earning from writing through the Medium Partner Programnot Readwise Reader

Readwise Reader

  • Reading and note-takingnot Medium
  • Highlight managementnot Medium
  • Learning and studynot Medium
  • Content curationnot Medium

Where each one falls short

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

Medium

  • Unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
  • Audio versions of stories are a member-only feature
  • Earning money from writing requires joining the Medium Partner Program rather than being automatic
  • The iOS app requires iOS 17.0 or later

Readwise Reader

  • There is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
  • Reader is bundled into the full plan rather than sold separately, so it cannot be had at the cheaper Lite price
  • The Lite plan at $5.59 a month billed annually is daily email review only, without the web app or tagging
  • Paying monthly rather than annually raises the full plan from $9.99 to $12.99

Pricing, plan by plan

Medium

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited reading
    • Publishing platform
    • Story drafts
  • Medium Membership$5/month
    • Unlimited access
    • Exclusive stories
    • Member earnings

Readwise Reader

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • 30 days free
    • No credit card required
  • Readwise Annual$9.99/month
    • Full Readwise and Reader access
    • Billed annually
    • Includes unified reading platform
  • Readwise Monthly$12.99/month
    • Full Readwise and Reader access
    • Billed monthly
    • Includes unified reading platform

Which should you pick?

Choose Medium if

  • You need story publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want member program.
Medium review

Choose Readwise Reader if

  • You need read-it-later.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want rss aggregation.
Readwise Reader review

Questions people ask

Is Medium or Readwise Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. Medium starts at Free and Readwise Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medium or Readwise Reader?
Medium starts at Free and Readwise Reader at Free.
Does Medium or Readwise Reader run on more platforms?
Medium runs on Web, Mobile. Readwise Reader runs on Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Medium for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Medium best used for?
Medium is most often used for publishing articles without running your own blog, reading long-form writing across technology, culture and news, earning from writing through the medium partner program. Of those, publishing articles without running your own blog and reading long-form writing across technology, culture and news are not what Readwise Reader is typically brought in for.
What can Medium do that Readwise Reader cannot?
Medium covers Story publishing, Member program, Earning potential, Reading time estimates. Readwise Reader covers Read-it-later, RSS aggregation, Newsletter inbox, PDF support. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Readwise Reader: How much does Readwise Reader cost?

Readwise (including Reader) costs $9.99 per month when billed annually or $12.99 per month when billed monthly USD. Readers can access articles, PDFs, newsletters, RSS feeds, and YouTube videos across web and mobile.

Source
Readwise Reader: Is there a free trial for Readwise Reader?

Yes, Readwise offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. Some users who let their trials expire may qualify for an additional extended trial.

Source
Readwise Reader: How much can students save on Readwise?

Readwise offers 50% discounts to verified students, educators, non-profits, military, first responders, and individuals in countries where US pricing is unaffordable. Interested users should contact [email protected] to request eligibility.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Medium

More on Readwise Reader

Keep looking

Other head to heads