Comparison

LinkBuddy vs Readeck

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

LinkBuddy

This is a free, open-source client for a self-hosted bookmark management service. It allows users to add, edit, archive, and search bookmarks, with support for a share sheet extension and an in-app browser. It's privacy-focused and ad-free.

Highlights
  • Add, edit, archive, delete bookmarks
  • Search bookmarks (active, archive, unread, untagged, shared)
  • Share sheet extension for external app sharing
  • In-app browser with Safari Reader View
  • Dark and light mode themes
  • iPad compatible
  • Privacy focused and ad-free
Features
Read full description

LinkBuddy is a free and open source client for linkding, a selfhosted bookmark management service. NOTE: This does not work without a selfhosted instance of linkding and an associated API access token. Please see more information about setting up linkding here: https://linkding.link/ Features: - Add, edit, archive and delete bookmarks - View and search your active, archive, unread, untagged, and shared bookmarks - Supports share sheet extension to share URLs from other apps into LinkBuddy - Open and view links in in-app web browser - Supports Safari Reader View via in-app web browser - Supports dark mode and light mode themes - iPad compatible - Privacy focused - this app doesn't store or track any personal user information, logs, or display any ads - Free and open source: https://github.com/peterto/LinkBuddy

About

Readeck

Organize your web links with categories, tags, and offline reading capabilities. This app offers a native iOS design with customizable layouts and annotation tools for an enhanced reading experience. It prioritizes user privacy with a self-hosted backend option.

Highlights
  • Organize links by categories and tags
  • Offline reading with background sync
  • Share extension for easy saving
  • Customizable card layout styles
  • Highlight and annotate text
  • Self-hosted backend for privacy
Features
Read full description

Organize all your links with categories, offline support, and native iOS design. The native iOS client for readeck.org brings professional bookmark management to your iPhone and iPad. iOS 26 ready – Optimized for the latest iOS version Smart Organization • Organize bookmarks in categories: All, Unread, Favorites, Archive, Articles, Videos, Pictures • Dynamic tag system with search functionality • Swipe actions for quick management Share Extension • Add URLs directly from Safari and other apps • Works with any app that supports sharing • Automatic metadata extraction Three Card Layout Styles • Compact layout for quick browsing • Magazine style for visual appeal • Natural layout for optimal readability Universal App • Native iOS design with Dark Mode support • iPad support with multi-column split view and sidebar menu • Also available for Mac • Responsive design for all devices Offline Reading • Read articles without internet connection • Automatic background sync keeps unread articles cached • Choose how many articles to cache (5–100) • Pre-download images for offline viewing • Save bookmarks offline via share extension Enhanced Reading Experience • Highlight and annotate text passages with multiple colors • 10+ fonts including Literata, Merriweather, SF Pro and New York • Article view with reading time and word count • Reading progress tracking • Undo delete system with visual progress Privacy & Control • Self-hosted backend - your data stays on your server • Secure OAuth 2.0 login via browser • VPN and private network support (e.g. Tailscale) • HTTP and self-signed certificate support • No tracking or analytics Important Note: This app requires your own Readeck server instance. You must run your own Readeck server or have access to one to use this app.

Screenshots

LinkBuddy4 screens
Readeck4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: LinkBuddy at 5.0 against Readeck's 4.6. LinkBuddy also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.1). Readeck's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LinkBuddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Readeck has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LinkBuddy ships an update every 2 months, Readeck every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
LinkBuddy versus Readeck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLinkBuddyReadeck
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.6 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings110 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.1
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB14 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperPeter ToIlyas Hallak

Customer experience

LinkBuddy

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Readeck

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

LinkBuddy

No in-app purchases

None

Readeck

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LinkBuddy free?
LinkBuddy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Readeck free?
Readeck is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, LinkBuddy or Readeck?
LinkBuddy is rated higher. LinkBuddy averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Readeck averages 4.6 from 10 ratings.
Do LinkBuddy or Readeck have ads?
Neither LinkBuddy nor Readeck shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LinkBuddy or Readeck?
LinkBuddy ships an update every 2 months, and Readeck every 5 weeks. Most recently, LinkBuddy was updated on September 21, 2026 and Readeck on October 11, 2026.

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