Do my folders survive the move?

Yes. Instapaper writes each save's folder into the CSV, and Cowpin turns every custom folder into a tag - so the organisation you built by hand comes with you instead of being flattened into one pile.

What happens to my unread queue?

Instapaper's CSV marks each item as Unread, Archive or Starred. Cowpin honours that: Unread items arrive flagged read-later, Archive items arrive without the flag, and Starred stays starred. Your queue is still a queue.

Do I need an API token or a developer account?

No. The whole migration is the CSV you download from instapaper.com/user and upload in your browser. Nothing to install and no key to generate.

Can I get my bookmarks back out later?

Any time, as JSON, Netscape HTML or del.icio.us XML. If Cowpin ever stops being the right home for your reading, your library leaves with you.

Everything is free during the beta, including the import and every Pro feature. Importing or exporting your own bookmarks will never sit behind a paywall.

Instapaper to Cowpin

Moving off Instapaper? Bring the whole reading list, not just the links.

Download one CSV from Instapaper and upload it as-is. Cowpin keeps your custom folders as tags, your unread queue as read-later, your stars starred, and your highlighted passages attached to each save.

Start your free import Read the Instapaper migration guide

Free during beta, and you can export everything back out whenever you want.

How the move works

1
Export from Instapaper
On a desktop browser, sign in and open instapaper.com/user. Scroll to the Export section and click Download .CSV file. You get one instapaper-export.csv - keep it even if you decide not to migrate.
2
Create a free Cowpin account
Sign up with Google or an email address. No card, no waiting list.
3
Upload the CSV
Open Settings, then Bookmarks, then Import, and upload the CSV. There is no conversion step - Cowpin recognises the Instapaper format and reads it directly.

What comes across

Instapaper's CSV carries more than most exports. Here is exactly what survives the move.

Every saved link and its title
Your custom folders, kept as Cowpin tags
Items in your Unread folder arrive flagged read-later
Items in Archive arrive without the read-later flag
Starred saves stay starred
Highlighted passages come across as the bookmark's blurb

The honest version

Instapaper is not shutting down. It works, it is independent again, and it has outlasted most of its rivals. If you are happy there, stay. People move for their own reasons - one library instead of two, an archive that survives link rot, or simply not wanting a reading list they cannot get out of. Instapaper's CSV is a list of links, folders, stars, timestamps and your highlighted text. It does not include the full article text Instapaper saved for offline reading, and no tool can recover that from the export alone, so imported items arrive as plain links. Cowpin archives a readable copy of every page you save from here on, and you can archive an imported link on demand.

Questions Instapaper users ask

Give your reading list a new home

One CSV, your folders and highlights intact, and your unread queue still telling you what you meant to read.

Start your free import