Explore Readflow's features, integrations, licensing and self-hosting requirements for this open-source Go and React news-reading platform.
Category
Productivity
Pricing
Free and open source (self-hosted), from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2019
APIOpen SourceSelf-Hosted
Overview
Readflow is an open-source, self-hosted news-reading and read-it-later platform created by developer Nicolas Carlier, with development on GitHub dating back to April 2019. It is licensed under AGPLv3 and built on a Go backend with a React/TypeScript frontend and a GraphQL API.
The tool centralizes article reading from multiple sources into a single interface and is aimed at self-hosters who want a customizable, webhook-driven alternative to commercial read-it-later services like Pocket.
Key Features
Readflow's incoming and outgoing webhook system connects it to RSS feeds, Pocket, Wallabag, Shaarli and S3-compatible storage, enabling flexible automation pipelines for how content enters and leaves the platform. Saved articles can be exported offline as HTML, PDF, EPUB or ZIP files.
The app is delivered as a Progressive Web App for a consistent mobile and desktop experience, supports push notifications for new articles, and includes a companion CLI (readflow-ctl) plus an MCP server for AI assistant integration.
Pricing
Readflow is completely free and open source; there is no company or hosted SaaS offering behind it. Users self-host the Go binary, Docker container, or Docker Compose stack on their own infrastructure, requiring a PostgreSQL database.
Key Features
Centralized article inbox — Aggregates articles from multiple sources into one unified reading interface.
Incoming and outgoing webhooks — Connect RSS, Pocket, Wallabag, Shaarli and S3 buckets to automate how content flows in and out of Readflow.
Offline export formats — Export saved articles as HTML, PDF, EPUB or ZIP for offline reading.
Progressive Web App support — Provides an app-like experience on both desktop and mobile without a native app store listing.
Push notifications — Get notified when new articles are pushed into your reading queue.
Ad-free and tracker-free — Deliberately excludes ads and trackers from the reading experience.
CLI and MCP server — Includes the readflow-ctl command-line tool plus an MCP server for AI assistant automation.
Multiple self-hosting options — Deploy via Go binary, Docker, or Docker Compose, backed by a PostgreSQL database.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Completely free and open source under AGPLv3
Flexible webhook system for connecting to RSS, Pocket, Wallabag and more
Multiple offline export formats including EPUB and PDF
Progressive Web App gives a consistent cross-device experience
Includes CLI and MCP server for automation and AI integration
Cons
Requires self-hosting knowledge, including PostgreSQL database setup
Development pace has slowed, with the latest release dating to March 2024
No official hosted SaaS version or vendor support
Smaller community (under 500 GitHub stars) than mainstream alternatives
No native mobile apps, relying instead on the PWA experience
Pricing
Self-Hosted $0 Free forever (open source)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Readflow free?
Yes, Readflow is free and open source under the AGPLv3 license, with no paid tiers.
Who created Readflow?
Readflow is created and maintained by developer Nicolas Carlier, with development dating back to 2019.
What database does Readflow require?
Readflow requires a PostgreSQL database for persistence alongside its Go backend.
Can Readflow connect to other read-it-later services?
Yes, its webhook system supports integrations with RSS, Pocket, Wallabag, Shaarli and S3-compatible storage.
Does Readflow have a mobile app?
There is no native mobile app; instead, Readflow is delivered as a Progressive Web App for mobile and desktop use.
What export formats does Readflow support?
Saved articles can be exported offline as HTML, PDF, EPUB or ZIP files.
How do I self-host Readflow?
You can run the Go binary directly, use a Docker container, or deploy via Docker Compose.
Does Readflow support automation or AI tools?
Yes, it ships with a readflow-ctl CLI and an MCP server that lets AI assistants interact with your instance.