Batata vs Pinboard
Pinboard is fast, private, dependable, and proven — and Batata is built for the people who love it for those reasons. The difference is what Pinboard never set out to build: a free full-text archive, search by meaning, and an Ask that answers from your own pages, with sources.
The honest summary
Pick Pinboardif you want a battle-tested, dirt-simple, tag-based bookmark store from a founder who's kept it running for over a decade — and you don't care about AI.
Pick Batata if you want those same values — fast, private, no social feed, your data is yours — plus a free archive of every page, semantic search, and a cited Ask. Because Batata is API-compatible, trying it costs almost nothing: import in one click, keep your tools.
Side by side
| Feature | Batata | Pinboard |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free up to 100 bookmarks; Pro $36/year unlimited | Paid only; ~$22/year, more for archiving (check pinboard.in) |
| Full-text archive | Included free — every page archived and searchable | A separate, higher-priced archival tier |
| Search by meaning | Yes — semantic search finds ideas, not just exact words | Tag and keyword search only |
| Ask your library | Yes — answers built only from your pages, every claim cited | No |
| Auto tags & summaries | Suggested on every save | No |
| Pinboard-compatible API | Yes — your existing Pinboard clients keep working | The original |
| Privacy / no social feed | Private by default; no feed; no model training on your data | Private by default; no feed |
| Speed & focus | Fast, minimal, no clutter | Famously fast and minimal |
| Track record | New (2026), actively built | Proven since 2009, solo-run |
| Data portability | One-click JSON export anytime | Full export anytime |
Pinboard's pricing and tiers are summarized from memory and change over time — check pinboard.in for the current details.
Where Pinboard wins
- Track record.It's been quietly reliable since 2009. New tools have to earn that trust; Pinboard already has it.
- Minimalism. If you want nothing but tags and a fast text box, Pinboard is gloriously plain.
- Base price. The entry tier is cheaper than Batata Pro (though it has no free tier, and archiving costs extra).
Where Batata wins
- Free full-text archive.Every page you save is archived and searchable, included at no extra cost. On Pinboard that's a higher tier.
- Search by meaning.Find “the article about idempotency keys” without remembering the exact words.
- Ask your library. Ask a question and get an answer built only from your saved pages — every claim cited to its source, and it refuses to make things up.
- Active development. Batata is being built now, in the open.
Switching is low-risk
You don't have to choose all at once. Export your Pinboard library as JSON and import it in one click — tags, notes, and dates included. Your Pinboard scripts keep working because Batata speaks the same API:
# create a token in Settings, then point any Pinboard client at: curl "https://batata.page/v1/posts/all?auth_token=YOURNAME:YOURTOKEN&format=json"
Full steps in the switching guide and import walkthrough. And whenever you want, export everything as JSON — no lock-in.
Bring your Pinboard library over
Import in one click, keep your tools, and gain a free archive, semantic search, and a cited Ask. Free up to 100 bookmarks.
Try Batata free →Free up to 100 bookmarks · Pro is $36/year · export everything anytime
FAQ
- Can I import my Pinboard bookmarks into Batata?
- Yes, in one click. Export your library from Pinboard as JSON, then upload it in Batata's Import screen. URLs, titles, your notes (the 'extended' field), tags, original save dates, and the public/private flag all come across. Archiving and summaries run in the background afterward.
- Will my Pinboard scripts and apps still work?
- Yes. Batata speaks Pinboard's read API, including the familiar username:TOKEN auth. Point your existing Pinboard clients and scripts at batata.page and they keep working.
- Is Batata cheaper than Pinboard?
- Batata has a free tier (up to 100 bookmarks with every feature); Pinboard does not. For unlimited, Batata is $36/year. Pinboard's base tier is cheaper, but its full-text archive — which Batata includes free — costs extra.
- Why would I leave Pinboard?
- You wouldn't have to leave it behind — Batata is API-compatible. People move for the parts Pinboard never built: a free full-text archive, search by meaning, and an Ask that answers from your own saved pages with citations.