Documentation

Import from Other Apps

Already have a library somewhere else? Savebase reads the export files from nine other bookmarking and read-later apps directly — no manual copying, no third-party migration service. Drop in the export file you downloaded from your old app and Savebase works out which format it is on its own.

Where to find it

Go to Settings → Data → Import. This is a different flow from the social platform imports (X, Instagram, Reddit and so on), which run through the browser extension's Grab feature instead.

Supported Apps

Each app names its export file differently. Savebase detects the format from the file name and, where the name is unpredictable, from the contents — so you can usually upload the file exactly as it was downloaded, without renaming it.

AppExport fileNotes
Raindrop.ioxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx.csv or JSONRaindrop gives the CSV a random name — Savebase recognises it by its column headers.
Pocketril_export.htmlThe HTML export Pocket emails you.
InstapaperInstapaper-Export-DATE_TIME.csvInstapaper's HTML export works too.
OmnivoreJSON exportExported from Omnivore's settings.
Karakeepkarakeep-export-DATE_TTIMEZ_data.jsonLists and tags come across with the bookmarks.
Linkwardenbackup.jsonCollections are mapped onto Savebase folders.
mymindcards.csvOnly cards that contain a link are imported.
Matter_matter_history.csvMatter's JSON export is also accepted.
Deweydewey-bookmarks.csvDetected by the Tweet Date column, whatever the file is called.

Weighing up the move?

If you're still deciding whether to switch, we keep honest side-by-side breakdowns of Savebase against most of the apps above — features, pricing and the trade-offs each one makes. Browse them on the Savebase comparisons page.

How to Import

1

Export from your old app

Download your export file from the app you're leaving. Keep the file name as-is — Savebase uses it to identify the format.
2

Open Settings → Data

In Savebase, go to the Data tab in Settings and find the Import section.
3

Upload the file

Drop the file onto the upload area, or click Select File to browse for it.
4

Review the preview

Savebase shows how many posts it found and which app it recognised before anything is saved.
5

Confirm the import

Click Import. Your posts appear in your library straight away.

Duplicates are skipped automatically

If a post with the same URL is already in your library, it's skipped rather than added twice. That means you can safely re-run an import, or import from several apps that shared some of the same links.

What Gets Imported

Savebase keeps as much of your existing structure as the export file carries. Exactly which fields are present varies by app — an export that never stored tags obviously can't bring any across.

  • Link and title — always imported.
  • Folders and collections — mapped onto Savebase folders where the export includes them.
  • Tags — carried across and created in your library if they don't exist yet.
  • Notes and highlights — imported into the post's notes where the app exported them.
  • Original save date — preserved, so your library stays in the order you built it.

Media isn't in these exports

Bookmarking apps export links, not files. Images and videos behind those links are fetched fresh by Savebase. If you want your own permanent copies, turn on Permanent Media Backup before or after importing.

Importing a Plain URL List

If your app isn't listed above, check whether it can export a plain text file. Savebase accepts a .txt file with one URL per line and will recognise which platform each link came from. You lose folders, tags and notes this way, but it's a quick way to rescue the links themselves.

Request Another App

We add importers based on what people actually ask for. If you're moving from an app that isn't supported yet, email [email protected] and attach — or describe — your export file. Include the app's name and the file extension, and we'll tell you whether it already works through one of the existing importers or add support for it.

If you'd rather not wait, the plain URL list route above works with any app that can produce a text file, and you can always compare Savebase against the tool you're leaving on our comparisons page.