After my last post, I was reminded on Twitter that there is a hosted solution for Wallabag. Wallabag.it has a 14-day free trial. I’ve documented my set-up process and impressions.

Not User-Friendly

When I downloaded and opened the iOS app, first thing I was presented with was “Server.” I had to ask on Twitter and was told to enter https://app.wallabag.it.

Then I had to enter a Client ID and Client Secret, which means I had to create a new client. After I got my keys, I entered them into the app, and after logging in, I was finally able to use the app.

I understand the reasoning for above. Wallabag is an open-source app that was designed to be self-hosted, so obviously most users will be entering their own servers. Designing a separate app for users paying for the hosted solution is not cost-efficient. However, if someone is not savvy enough to install Wallabag on his/her own server, what makes one think he/she will be comfortable generating app tokens?

Same issue for the Chrome extension. I thought if I was logged into the app in Chrome that would be sufficient, but after bookmarking a few articles and not seeing them in my list, I went into the options and saw I needed to once again enter my Client ID and Client Secret, as well as my login credentials.

Accessibility

There are no settings in the iOS app to adjust the text size, and it does not support Dynamic Type. Frankly, I find the default text size a strain to read.

Conclusion

It appears that the annual fee for a one-year subscription on wallabag.it is about 15 US dollars. I would be more than happy to pay for a web service. However, even with the hosted solution, this is not user-friendly out of the box, and it does not make for a pleasant reading experience. As much as I value paying for my apps and owning my data, I’m gonna stick with Pocket.