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Browser Extensions · head to head

Pocket vs Stay

Pocket logo

Pocket

Browser Extensions

Save articles and videos for later

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stay logo

Stay

Browser Extensions

Safari userscript manager that runs Tampermonkey scripts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Pocket no note-taking feature despite competitor Instapaper offering this; Stay apple only. No Chrome, Firefox or Edge build, so it cannot serve a cross-browser workflow.
  • They diverge on capability: Pocket covers Save for later, Stay covers Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey compatibility.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pocket and Stay actually diverge.

Attributes where Pocket and Stay differ
AttributePocketStay
Pricing modelUnknownone-time
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, SafariSafari, iOS, macOS
Founded2007Unknown

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 Pocket

  • Save for later
  • Offline reading
  • Clean reading view
  • Tagging
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Safari support

Only in Stay

  • Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey compatibility
  • Userscript management
  • Cross-device bookmark sync
  • Download manager
  • Dark mode
  • One-time purchase across platforms

What people use each for

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

Pocket

  • Saving articles from across the web to read later on any devicenot Stay
  • Discovering curated articles and stories through algorithmic recommendationsnot Stay
  • Managing personal reading lists and organizing saved content by topicsnot Stay

Stay

  • Running Tampermonkey scripts on Safarinot Pocket
  • Running userscripts on iPhone and iPadnot Pocket
  • Syncing bookmarks across Apple and non-Apple devicesnot Pocket
  • Managing downloads into categorised folders on iOSnot Pocket
  • Forcing dark mode on sites that do not offer itnot Pocket

Where each one falls short

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

Pocket

  • No note-taking feature despite competitor Instapaper offering this
  • Full-text search of saved articles limited to premium tier ($4.99/month)
  • Highlights feature was unreliable and often failed to work properly with large libraries
  • Images, particularly infographics and data-heavy charts, frequently failed to display properly in the reading view
  • Limited sharing capabilities with non-Pocket users

Stay

  • Apple only. No Chrome, Firefox or Edge build, so it cannot serve a cross-browser workflow.
  • The free tier is deliberately limited, so the practical product is the paid one.
  • Compatibility with Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey scripts is a translation layer rather than the real thing, and a script relying on an unusual GM function may not behave identically.
  • It bundles bookmark sync, downloads and dark mode alongside the script manager, which is more surface area than some people want from an extension with access to every page.
  • A much smaller project than the established managers, so fewer scripts are tested against it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Pocket

Free
  • Premium$4.99/month
    • Permanent library backup
    • Full-text search
    • AI-suggested tags
  • Premium Annual$45/year
    • Permanent library backup
    • Full-text search
    • AI-suggested tags

Stay

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited functionality
  • Lifetime$5/one-time
    • All features
    • iPhone, iPad and Mac
    • Lifetime updates

Which should you pick?

Choose Pocket if

  • You need save for later.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari.
  • You also want offline reading.
Pocket review

Choose Stay if

  • You need tampermonkey and violentmonkey compatibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Safari, iOS, macOS.
  • You also want userscript management.
Stay review

Questions people ask

Is Pocket or Stay better?
Neither clearly leads. Pocket starts at Free and Stay at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pocket or Stay?
Pocket starts at Free and Stay at Free.
Does Pocket or Stay run on more platforms?
Pocket runs on Web, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari. Stay runs on Safari, iOS, macOS.
Can I use Pocket for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Pocket best used for?
Pocket is most often used for saving articles from across the web to read later on any device, discovering curated articles and stories through algorithmic recommendations, managing personal reading lists and organizing saved content by topics. Of those, saving articles from across the web to read later on any device and discovering curated articles and stories through algorithmic recommendations are not what Stay is typically brought in for.
What can Pocket do that Stay cannot?
Pocket covers Save for later, Offline reading, Clean reading view, Tagging. Stay covers Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey compatibility, Userscript management, Cross-device bookmark sync, Download manager.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Pocket: Does Pocket work offline?

Yes. Pocket syncs articles to your device for offline reading access on phones, tablets, and computers.

Source
Stay: Can Stay run Tampermonkey scripts?

Yes. It supports its own native scripts and also scripts written for Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey, which is the main reason to choose it on Safari.

Source
Pocket: Is Pocket free to use?

Pocket was free with unlimited article saves, offline reading, and basic tagging. Premium was $4.99/month or $45/year, adding features like permanent library backup, full-text search, and AI-suggested tags.

Source
Stay: How much does Stay cost?

A one-time payment, reported at around $5, covering iPhone, iPad and Mac with lifetime updates and no subscription. A free version with limited functionality is available.

Source
Pocket: How do I export my saved articles?

Users could export data via CSV file by visiting getpocket.com/export before the October 8, 2025 deadline. The export includes links and metadata but not full article text or offline cached content.

Source
Stay: Does Stay work on iPhone?

Yes. It supports Safari across iPhone, iPad and Mac, and the single purchase covers all three.

Source
Pocket: Can I take notes while reading articles in Pocket?

Pocket did not have a native note-taking feature. Premium subscribers could highlight and annotate articles, but text notes were not supported, unlike competitor Instapaper.

Source
Stay: What can userscripts do in Safari through Stay?

The vendor's examples are automatic pagination, immersive translation, redirect blocking and aggregated search. Anything a userscript can do on another browser is broadly in scope, subject to Safari's own restrictions.

Source
Pocket: Does Pocket sync across my devices?

Yes. Saved articles, tags, and reading progress synced automatically across iOS, Android, Web, and browser extensions.

Source
Stay: Is Stay open source?

The project publishes source on GitHub, and the app is distributed through the App Store as a paid product with a limited free tier.

Source
Pocket: What happened to Pocket?

Mozilla shut down Pocket on July 8, 2025, as part of a strategic shift to focus resources on Firefox. Users could export data until October 8, 2025, after which all saved data was permanently deleted.

Source
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