About Readwise
Readwise is a subscription service that automatically syncs all your reading highlights from Kindle, Apple Books, articles, PDFs, podcasts, and more into one place, then resurfaces them through a daily review powered by spaced repetition. Its companion app, Readwise Reader, is a read-it-later app built for power readers that consolidates articles, RSS feeds, newsletters, EPUBs, PDFs, and YouTube videos into a single annotatable inbox.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Syncs highlights from an unusually wide range of sources (Kindle, Apple Books, articles, PDFs, podcasts, YouTube) automatically
- Spaced-repetition Daily Review genuinely helps you retain and revisit what you read
- Deep two-way integrations with Notion, Obsidian, Roam, and Logseq for knowledge workers
- Readwise Reader handles EPUB import and YouTube transcript highlighting in one product without external add-ons
- Ghostreader AI features (summaries, Q&A, simplification) are built directly into the reading workflow
Cons
- No permanent free plan — a paid subscription is required after the 30-day trial
- More expensive than simple RSS or bookmarking apps, especially for casual readers
- The two-product structure (Readwise + Reader) can be confusing for newcomers
- EPUB reading and the RSS feed experience still feel underdeveloped to some users
- Feature density creates a learning curve
Key Features
Automatic Highlight Sync
Continuously syncs highlights and notes from Kindle, Apple Books, Google Play Books, physical books (via OCR), web articles, PDFs, podcasts, and YouTube transcripts into one library.
Daily Review with Spaced Repetition
Resurfaces your best highlights at scientifically optimal intervals via a daily email and app so you actually remember what you read.
Readwise Reader
A read-it-later reading app that brings articles, RSS feeds, newsletters, EPUBs, PDFs, and YouTube videos into a single inbox with consistent annotation tools across every format.
Note-App Exports
One- or two-way syncs your highlights to Notion, Obsidian, Roam, Logseq, Evernote, and other knowledge tools automatically.
Tags, Notes & Search
Organize highlights with tags and personal annotations, then instantly search your entire highlight library.
Ghostreader AI
AI assistant inside Reader that summarizes articles, answers questions about content, simplifies difficult passages, and generates explanations.
Text-to-Speech
Listen to any saved article, document, or EPUB with built-in text-to-speech in Reader.
Developer API
Public API for programmatically accessing and exporting your highlights and reading data.
Pricing
- Full access to Readwise and Reader
- No credit card required to start
- Sync highlights from all sources
- Daily Review with spaced repetition
- Daily Review (email & app)
- Browse & search your entire highlight library
- Sync new highlights from all sources
- Organize highlights with tags & notes
- Export to Notion, Obsidian, and more
- Billed annually
- Everything in Readwise Lite
- Readwise Reader reading app
- Early access to beta features
- Lock in your price for life
- Billed annually
Best For
Remembering What You Read
Avid readers resurface Kindle and article highlights daily via spaced repetition so insights stick instead of being forgotten.
Building a Second Brain
Knowledge workers pipe highlights into Obsidian, Notion, or Roam to feed a personal knowledge management system.
Research & Learning
Students and researchers consolidate highlights from PDFs, books, and papers, tag them, and review them over time.
Read-It-Later Power Reading
Heavy readers use Reader to triage articles, newsletters, RSS feeds, and YouTube videos in a single annotatable inbox.
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