Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

wallabag VS HackMD

Compare wallabag VS HackMD and see what are their differences

wallabag logo wallabag

Save the web, freely.

HackMD logo HackMD

Fast and flexible, real-time collaborative markdown, inspired by Hackpad.
  • wallabag Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-03
  • HackMD Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-08-04

wallabag features and specs

  • Open Source
    Wallabag is an open-source application, meaning its source code is freely available for anyone to inspect, modify, and enhance.
  • Self-Hosting
    Users can self-host Wallabag, providing full control over data privacy and security.
  • Cross-Platform
    Wallabag has applications for multiple platforms, including web, Android, and iOS, ensuring wide accessibility.
  • Offline Access
    Content saved in Wallabag can be accessed offline, which is useful for reading articles without an internet connection.
  • Customizable
    Being open-source, Wallabag can be customized to fit specific needs or integrate with other tools and services.
  • Import/Export Feature
    Wallabag allows users to import and export their saved content in various formats, making data migration easier.
  • Support for Multiple Formats
    Wallabag can save content from a wide range of sources and formats, providing a versatile reading experience.

Possible disadvantages of wallabag

  • Technical Complexity
    Setting up a self-hosted Wallabag instance can be technically complex and may require familiarity with server management.
  • Interface Usability
    Some users may find the interface less user-friendly compared to other read-it-later services.
  • Potential Performance Issues
    Performance issues can arise, especially if the hosting server is underpowered or not properly configured.
  • Limited Official Support
    As an open-source project, official support is limited, relying on community help which might not always be timely.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    New users might face a steeper learning curve in understanding how to fully utilize all features of Wallabag.

HackMD features and specs

  • Collaboration
    HackMD offers real-time collaborative editing, which allows multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously. This feature enhances teamwork and productivity, especially for remote teams.
  • Markdown Support
    HackMD is built around Markdown, providing a simple yet powerful syntax for formatting documents. Markdown compatibility makes it easy to create well-structured content with minimal effort.
  • Version Control
    The platform includes version history, allowing users to track changes, revert to previous versions, and compare different iterations. This feature ensures that work is not lost and can be systematically reviewed.
  • Integration
    HackMD integrates with popular platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Dropbox, allowing for seamless workflow integration. This makes it easy to incorporate HackMD into existing development and project management processes.
  • Accessibility
    HackMD is a web-based tool, meaning it can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. This ensures that users can collaborate and edit documents from different locations and devices.

Possible disadvantages of HackMD

  • Limited Offline Support
    Since HackMD is primarily a web-based tool, it offers limited functionalities when offline. Users may face challenges accessing and editing documents without an internet connection.
  • Subscription Model
    While HackMD offers a free tier, advanced features and greater collaboration capacities are locked behind a subscription model. This could be a disadvantage for users and small teams with limited budgets.
  • Learning Curve
    Users unfamiliar with Markdown or collaborative editing tools may have a learning curve to overcome. This could affect initial productivity and user experience.
  • Data Privacy
    As a cloud-based service, users may have concerns about data privacy and security. Sensitive information stored on the platform could potentially be accessed by third parties or become vulnerable to data breaches.
  • Performance Issues
    Under heavy usage or with large documents, some users might experience occasional performance issues such as lag or slow syncing. This can disrupt the workflow and collaborative efforts.

Analysis of wallabag

Overall verdict

  • Wallabag is a solid choice for those seeking a self-hosted, privacy-focused read-it-later service. It offers a robust set of features and flexibility that can cater to the needs of avid readers and tech enthusiasts who prefer open-source solutions.

Why this product is good

  • Wallabag is an open-source read-it-later application that allows users to save web articles for offline reading, stripping away unnecessary elements for a clean reading experience. It offers features such as customizable reading styles, tagging, annotation, and syncing across devices. This can be particularly appealing for users who value privacy and control over their saved content, as they can self-host the application.

Recommended for

    Wallabag is recommended for users who appreciate open-source software, self-hosting capabilities, and prioritizing privacy. It's ideal for individuals who want to organize and read web content without distractions, and have the technical skills to set up and manage the application on their own servers.

Analysis of HackMD

Overall verdict

  • Overall, HackMD is a strong choice for those looking for an effective and flexible markdown editor with robust collaboration features. Its convenience, ease of use, and extensive features make it a good option for both personal and professional use.

Why this product is good

  • HackMD is popular because it offers a collaborative markdown editing environment that's particularly useful for teams and individuals who need to work on documentation, notes, or any kind of markdown-based content. It allows real-time collaboration, version control, and easy sharing, making it ideal for productivity. Its interface is user-friendly, and it supports a variety of integrations with tools like GitHub, Google Drive, and Dropbox. This flexibility and the ability to seamlessly work across different platforms make HackMD a valuable tool for many users.

Recommended for

  • Teams needing real-time collaboration on documents
  • Developers working on project documentation
  • Educators and students for note-taking and sharing
  • Writers preferring markdown for content creation
  • Anyone looking for a cloud-based markdown editor with integrations

wallabag videos

My Overview of the Wallabag Read It Later Service Which You Can Self-Host For Free

More videos:

  • Review - Wallabag on Terminal.com
  • Review - GNOME 3.36: Read It Later 0.0.2 - Wallabag GTK/Rust Client
  • Review - Quick Look - Wallabag for Saving Articles and Websites
  • Review - Wallabag - Save Web Pages for Later on Docker
  • Review - Wallabag. It's like pocket but not stupid

HackMD videos

hackmd.io opensource application review

More videos:

  • Demo - Techstars Paris 2018 Demo Day - HackMD pitch
  • Review - Screencast-Tutorial zu HackMD

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to wallabag and HackMD)
Bookmark Manager
100 100%
0% 0
Task Management
0 0%
100% 100
Bookmarks
100 100%
0% 0
Productivity
41 41%
59% 59

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare wallabag and HackMD

wallabag Reviews

11 Pocket Alternatives You Must Try Out!
With addons for Chrome and Firefox, saving and bookmarking content real quick has become a reality with Wallabag. You can even categorize your bookmarks through tags and retrieve your saved content anytime!
Source: blog.elink.io
10 Best Apps like Pocket in 2021 - Pocket Alternatives
Wallabag looks to be a strong contender for those looking for a free open-sourcePocket alternative that includes most of the essential tools for managing bookmarks. It doesnโ€™t have a particularly appealing interface or a plethora of appealing features. However, it has a high score for simplicity and easy-to-use parameters, making it convenient. The app creates a comfortable...
Source: asoftclick.com

HackMD Reviews

We have no reviews of HackMD yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, HackMD should be more popular than wallabag. It has been mentiond 75 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

wallabag mentions (19)

  • KOreader
    I am using koreader.rocks on my ereader and KOreader has a native support for https://wallabag.org/. They are both fantastic opensource projects, whenever I like to read something I am sending them to my wallabag and therefore I can easily have them on my ereader too. Also the fact that you can install different plugin on KOreader and customize it in a way you like is fantastic. - Source: Hacker News / 13 days ago
  • Ask HN: Does a good "read it later" app exist?
    I moved to a self-hosted Wallabag (https://wallabag.org/) after Pocket shut down. Not the sexiest but does everything I need it to. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Mozilla shutdown Pocket on July 8, 2025
    I'm looking into setting up Wallabag for myself, maybe it could work for you too? https://wallabag.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Mozilla shutdown Pocket on July 8, 2025
    I use KOReader [1] on my Kobo. It supports Wallabag [2]. Wallabag offers both hosted [3] and self-hosted options. There's also a standalone kobo client for Wallabag [4]. In addition, Wallabag also supports direct import from Pocket. [1] https://koreader.rocks/ [2] https://wallabag.org/ [3] https://www.wallabag.it/en [4] https://gitlab.com/anarcat/wallabako. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Trust in Firefox and Mozilla Is Gone โ€“ Let's Talk Alternatives
    Instapaper[1] and Wallabag[2] would be the two main alternatives to Pocket, I think. Wallabag is self-hosting although I believe there are hosted services around as well. Cannot get either of them to integrate with my Kobo ereader like Pocket does, though. :-( [1] https://www.instapaper.com/ [2] https://wallabag.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

HackMD mentions (75)

  • Axios Compromised on NPM โ€“ Malicious Versions Drop Remote Access Trojan
    Many of the suggestions in this thread (min-release, ignore script) are defenses for the consumers. I've been working on Proof of Resilience, a set of 4 metrics for OSS, and using that as a scoring oracle for what to fund. Popularity metrics like downloads, stars, etc are easy to fake today with ai agents. An interesting property is that gaming these metrics produces better code, not worse. These are the 4... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth
    Bluetooth works most reliably across all devices (within its limited range), but all these p2p apps are indeed moving towards multi-transport support to diversify and widen the connectivity grid: https://hackmd.io/@grjte/bitchat-wifi-aware. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Building a Rust-Style Static Analyzer for C++ with AI
    Https://hackmd.io/@rust-lang-team/rJvv36hq1e I don't know if they later changed their minds. From the meetings notes it seemed they didn't want implement a C++ frontend in rustc. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Hack Club has been handling children's data for 4 years without a privacy policy
    More transparency on the background of this poster: https://hackmd.io/@alexjs/Bkm1KIpxR. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Writing a Good Design Document
    Https://hackmd.io might fit the bill. I use it for some open source projects I work on, but don't really touch the advanced features. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing wallabag and HackMD, you can also consider the following products

Raindrop.io - All your articles, photos, video & content from web & apps in one place.

Documize - Enterprise-grade wiki and knowledge management platform

Instapaper - Instapaper is a simple tool to save web pages for reading later.

ReadTheDocs - Spend your time on writing high quality documentation, not on the tools to make your documentation work.

Email This - Save ad-free articles and web pages and articles to your email inbox for reading later.

Boardist - Personal workspace for all the data