How to Choose a Newsreader App for RSS Feeds

Choose a newsreader app based on where you read (phone, desktop, or browser), how many feeds you expect to follow, and whether you want a free tier with a subscription cap. About Feeds lists four starting options — Feedly, Inoreader, NetNewsWire, and The Old Reader — and notes that switching later is fairly easy because most newsreaders let you export your subscription list. That lowers the stakes: pick one that fits your devices and budget now, and move later if it doesn't work out.

What a newsreader actually does

A newsreader (also called a feed reader) works like an email inbox or a social newsfeed. You add the URL of a site's feed once, and the app checks that feed automatically — About Feeds says every few hours — then shows the latest content in a single list. You see new posts from every site you follow in one place, with no algorithm deciding what to hide and no spam, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

This matters for the choice itself: the app is mostly a container. Your subscriptions are the valuable part, and they are portable.

Compare the four options

About Feeds names these apps in alphabetical order and gives the following details:

Use the table as a filter, not a ranking:

• You read mostly on an iPhone or Mac and want no ads or caps: NetNewsWire fits, since it is listed as free with Apple-only platforms.
• You want the highest free subscription limit: Inoreader's 150 is the largest figure in the list.
• You switch between phone and browser, or use Android: Feedly, Inoreader, and The Old Reader all cover web plus Android and iOS.
• You want a web-first experience and don't mind ads: The Old Reader is described as free/ad-supported.

The source does not compare speed, interface quality, or paid plans, so treat those as things to judge yourself after signing up.

Decide in four steps

1. List your devices. If you only use Apple devices, NetNewsWire is viable. If you mix Android and a laptop, choose from the web/Android/iOS group.
2. Estimate your subscriptions. Under 100 feeds, any of the four works. Between 100 and 150, Inoreader is the only listed option whose free tier covers you.
3. Pick one and install it. Download the app or sign up on the website — About Feeds says either path works.
4. Test the switch cost early. Add two or three feeds, then look for an export option in the settings. Confirming export exists now means you can move to another app later without rebuilding your list.

Subscribe to your first feed

Once the app is installed, you need the feed's URL:

1. Go to the site you want to follow and find the RSS link or orange feed icon, often at the bottom of the page.
2. On desktop, right-click the link and choose "Copy Link Address" (or similar). On mobile, tap and hold the link, then choose "Copy link."
3. In your newsreader, find a function labeled something like "Subscribe," "Add Web Feed," or a "+" icon, and paste the URL.

The expected result: the site's latest posts appear in your newsreader, and new ones arrive automatically. If nothing appears, the usual cause is pasting the site's homepage address instead of the feed link — go back and copy the RSS link itself.

Common sticking points

• "One feed doesn't save me time." About Feeds makes this point directly: the benefit appears once you follow 10 or 20 sites and the reader becomes your regular news source.
• Worrying about picking wrong. Because subscriptions can be exported, the cost of a wrong choice is low. Choose based on the table above and revisit later.
• No feed link on a site. Not every site offers one; the guide notes feeds are most common on news sites and blogs.