If you’ve ever wanted to save a webpage, you’ve probably discovered how finicky it can be. Saving the page via the “Save As” dialogue makes it an HTML file, which can be hard to share with others. Saving the pages as PDF works, but it can take up a little too much room. What’s a good, reliable way of storing web pages as is for later use?
This is the problem that WebSatchel hopes to solve. They specialize in saving pages exactly as they are when you save them so you can store them for later use. The basic function of WebSatchel is to allow users to create a personal Internet knowledge base – like building your own library of webpages.
This is a sponsored article and was made possible by WebSatchel. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author who maintains editorial independence, even when a post is sponsored.
How WebSatchel Works
WebSatchel is very easy to use. You can install it as an extension from the WebSatchel install page, then create an account for the service. An account is important, as this is how WebSatchel saves your web pages for later use.
Once you’re logged in and ready to go, you can begin saving pages. When you come across a page you want to save, click the extension button, and then give the webpage a name so you can easily return to it later. Once done, you have four options to choose from:
- Save Page saves an offline version of the current page.
- Save Link saves just the link to the webpage; it doesn’t save an offline version.
- Save All saves every tab you have open. You’ll have the chance to name this collection of tabs for easy organization.
- Marker allows you to doodle on the webpage before you save it. This is great for highlighting key passages to return to later.
Regardless of what you pick, your choice will be saved in your satchel. You can view your saved pages by clicking on the extension button and then “My satchel.”
Here you can find the offline versions of your saved pages. You can also find a link to the current page if you want to check for any updates and can use the filter options on the left to quickly find what you want.
Searching and Tagging Pages
WebSatchel can do a lot more than just store pages, however. It also has powerful management tools so you’re never stuck looking for a specific webpage.
For one, you can set a custom tag for each page you save. This is great for managing different projects or different aspects of one project. Then, you can use the tag search to find or exclude pages with a specific tag.
Speaking of the search function, it goes a lot further than simple tags. When you save a page, whether it’s a copy or a link, WebSatchel indexes the words on that page. Then, when you use the search function, WebSatchel pulls up all the webpages that include what you searched for, even if the term isn’t in the URL or the webpage’s title. This is very useful when you remember a specific paragraph from a webpage but not what website it was from.
Cloud-Based Storage
Finally, WebSatchel works on the cloud, independent from the extension. This is fantastic for catching up with all your saved pages and links, no matter what device you’re on.
For example, if you’re using a library computer that forbids extensions, you can still find your treasure trove of webpages by visiting the WebSatchel website. No matter what OS, device, or country you’re visiting from, everything is in its proper place.
WebSatchel is generous with the storage space it gives you. Free users get 1GB, which is more than enough for saving hundreds of simple webpages. As such, you can use WebSatchel totally free for a long period of time without any hassle.
How Does this Differ from Bookmarks?
But hold on a moment – why do we need to save pages if we have access to bookmarks? The key here is that a bookmark is a shortcut to a webpage that needs to be loaded, while WebSatchel makes a permanent copy of the page as you see it.
For example, let’s say you’re writing a report and you want to save some articles for research purposes. Bookmarks work well here, but they also have an element of risk to them. For instance, what if the webpage goes down when it’s time to write? Perhaps the content vanishes from the website, and you can’t re-find it!
As such, saving the page is a better choice if you don’t want the content on the webpage to be updated. For example, if you want to save a recipe, you’d like it to stay as is when you come back to it. Saving it as a bookmark puts it at the whim of the webmaster and the server status. Storing it away, however, protects it from change.
Have you tried searching for a bookmark that had one specific piece of text in it? It’s frustrating to open up several tabs to find that one nugget of information you want to use. WebSatchel’s search functionality means you simply have to type what you want to find, and it’s served to you instantly.
Finally, its cloud-based system means your clips go wherever you go. No depending on browser syncs; just load the webpage and you’re ready to go.
My Thoughts on WebSatchel
When it comes to my thoughts on this extension, there isn’t a whole lot to say. Not because it’s bad – it’s anything but – yet it does its job so elegantly and quickly that there’s not a great deal to mull over. If you liked the sound of WebSatchel from the above description, it works just as well as it sounds. You can quickly add a page to your satchel, view its saved page or pages at any time, and view the original page in case something was updated since you last visited.
As such, if you want to save pages for later but dislike how links can break overnight and documents can get cluttered and take up space, I believe WebSatchel is a fantastic alternative that helps organize all of your pages in one place.
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Simon Batt
Simon Batt is a Computer Science graduate with a passion for cybersecurity.
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