If you're looking at bookmark managers, Raindrop.io probably came up. It's popular, looks great, syncs across browsers. So why would you use BookmarkScrub instead?
Honestly? They solve different problems. Raindrop is a full bookmark replacement — you move everything to their system. BookmarkScrub enhances Chrome's native bookmarks without replacing them. Here's when each makes sense.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Raindrop.io | BookmarkScrub |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Separate bookmark system | Enhances Chrome bookmarks |
| Data Storage | Cloud (their servers) | Local (your browser) |
| Cross-Browser | ✓ Yes | ✗ Chrome only |
| Security Scanning | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Dead Link Detection | ✓ Pro only | ✓ Yes |
| AI Categorization | ~ Basic auto-tagging | ✓ Full categorization |
| Tracking URL Cleanup | ✗ No | ✓ Yes (40+ params) |
| Real-time Monitoring | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Full-text Search | ✓ Pro only | ✗ No |
| Collections/Boards | ✓ Yes | ✗ Folders only |
| Pricing | Free / $28/year Pro | Free / $1.99/mo Pro |
The Fundamental Difference
Raindrop: A New System
Raindrop.io creates a separate bookmark ecosystem. Your bookmarks live on Raindrop's servers, synced across browsers via their extension. Think of it as a "second brain" for saved links.
Pros:
- Works across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and mobile
- Beautiful collections with visual previews
- Full-text search of saved pages (Pro)
- Public collections for sharing
- Tags and nested collections for complex organization
Cons:
- Your bookmarks are stored on their servers
- Doesn't integrate with Chrome's native bookmarks
- If Raindrop goes away, so do your bookmarks
- Requires learning a new system
- $28/year for premium features
BookmarkScrub: Enhance What You Have
BookmarkScrub works with Chrome's native bookmark system. Your bookmarks stay in Chrome, synced via your Google account. We just make them cleaner, safer, and better organized.
Pros:
- No new system to learn — uses Chrome's bookmarks
- No separate account — uses Chrome's native sync
- Security scanning (javascript:, malicious domains)
- Automatic tracking URL cleanup
- AI-powered categorization and folder suggestions
- Real-time monitoring of new bookmarks
Cons:
- Chrome only (for now)
- No visual collections or boards
- No full-text search of page content
- Less powerful for research/curation workflows
Who Should Use Raindrop?
Raindrop is ideal if you:
- Use multiple browsers (Firefox at home, Chrome at work)
- Want to create public bookmark collections
- Need full-text search of saved articles
- Prefer visual organization with thumbnails
- Do heavy research and curation work
- Don't mind storing data on third-party servers
Who Should Use BookmarkScrub?
BookmarkScrub is ideal if you:
- Use Chrome as your primary browser
- Want to keep using Chrome's native bookmarks
- Care about privacy and data ownership
- Have security concerns about old bookmarks
- Want to clean up tracking URLs automatically
- Need to organize an existing messy bookmark collection
- Prefer a one-time cleanup + monitoring approach
Can You Use Both?
Yes, actually. Some users use Raindrop for curated collections and research, while using BookmarkScrub to maintain their Chrome bookmarks for quick daily access.
The tools don't conflict — Raindrop manages its own bookmark database, while BookmarkScrub works only with Chrome's native bookmarks.
Even if you use Raindrop, run a BookmarkScrub scan on your Chrome bookmarks. You probably have years of accumulated bookmarks with security risks and dead links that Raindrop won't detect.
Security: The Key Difference
This is where the tools diverge significantly. Raindrop doesn't scan your bookmarks for security threats. BookmarkScrub does.
If you have bookmarks with:
javascript:URLs that could steal session data- Links to domains that were bought by malicious actors
- Data URLs with embedded phishing pages
- Tracking parameters from 40+ ad networks
...Raindrop won't detect them. BookmarkScrub will.
This matters especially if you've been using Chrome for years. Old bookmarks accumulate security risks that you'd never think to check manually.
Pricing Comparison
Raindrop.io
- Free: Unlimited bookmarks, basic features
- Pro ($28/year): Full-text search, broken link checker, nested collections, highlights
BookmarkScrub
- Free: Full scan, see all issues and categories
- Pro ($1.99/mo or $19.99/year): Apply changes, real-time monitoring, auto-cleanup
Both offer free tiers that let you evaluate before paying. BookmarkScrub's free tier shows you everything that's wrong with your bookmarks — you only pay when you want to fix it.
So Which One?
Raindrop if you want a powerful cross-browser system with visual collections and full-text search. You're okay with cloud storage and want to replace Chrome's bookmarks entirely.
BookmarkScrub if Chrome is your main browser and you want to keep using its native bookmarks. You care about security, want to clean up years of accumulated junk, and don't want another account to manage.
Both if you're serious about bookmarks: Raindrop for curated research collections, BookmarkScrub for Chrome bookmark hygiene. They don't conflict.
Try the Free Scan
Even if you choose Raindrop, run a scan on your Chrome bookmarks first. You might be surprised what's been accumulating.
Scan Chrome Bookmarks