A Pocket alternative for iPhone
Backpacks is a free iPhone app for people who used to save links in Pocket. Save a link from the Share sheet in one tap, add screenshots from Photos, and find either by typing any word you remember. Text inside screenshots is read on your iPhone. No account, no folders, no tags.
Mozilla announced on May 22, 2025 that Pocket would shut down on July 8, 2025 (Mozilla blog). Pocket’s support article confirms the July 8, 2025 shutdown, and that as of November 12, 2025 user data export was disabled and user data was queued for permanent deletion (Pocket has shut down — Mozilla Support).
What Pocket users need next
- Save in one tap. From Safari or any app, use the Share sheet to drop a link into your library without opening a separate workflow.
- Find it later. Search as you type across titles, sites, page text, and the text inside screenshots.
- Take your data with you. Export the whole library as a zip of original images plus library.json, then import it again when you want.
How Backpacks compares
Pocket was Mozilla’s read-it-later and content discovery app. The table below sticks to facts that are clear for Backpacks 1.0 and for Pocket’s documented product shape (accounts, export, article saving). Where a Pocket cell is uncertain from public docs, it is marked as such.
| Capability | Backpacks (live 1.0) | Pocket (before shutdown) |
|---|---|---|
| Save from Share sheet | Yes — one tap on iPhone | Yes — core save flow for articles |
| Screenshot text search | Yes — text read on device, searchable with links | Not a documented focus (article / link saves) |
| Folders or tags required | No — no folders, no tags, no setup | Tags were part of the product; organization optional but present |
| Account needed | No | Yes — Mozilla disabled new account sign-ups on May 22, 2025 |
| Export your library | Yes — zip of originals + library.json | Yes — export was available until November 12, 2025 per Mozilla Support |
Moving your saved links
Backpacks 1.0 has no Pocket import. There is no one-tap migrate from a Pocket export into Backpacks today. If you still have a Pocket export file from before the export window closed, you can keep it as a backup and add the links you still care about into Backpacks from the Share sheet one by one.
Other options
Fair alternatives people often consider after Pocket. Visit their sites for current features and pricing:
- Instapaper — classic read-it-later for articles.
- Matter — reading app with highlights and listen features.
- Raindrop.io — bookmark manager across devices.
- GoodLinks — offline reading and link library for Apple platforms.
FAQ
Is Backpacks free?
Yes. Backpacks is free on the App Store.
Do I need an account?
No. There is nothing to sign up for.
Can I export my library?
Yes. Export your whole library as a zip of original images plus a library.json file, and import it again whenever you like.
Does it work on Android?
No. Backpacks is for iPhone only, on iOS 26 or later.
Free. No account. Save links and screenshots, then find them by whatever you remember.
Download on the App Store