Software · head to head
Arc Publishing vs The Old Reader

Arc Publishing
Software
The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only The Old Reader has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- They diverge on capability: Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, The Old Reader covers RSS reading.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Arc Publishing and The Old Reader actually diverge.
| Attribute | Arc Publishing | The Old Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2016 | 2012 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Arc Publishing
- Modular CMS
- Content creation
- Publishing workflow
- Paywall management
- Subscription billing
- Analytics dashboard
- API framework
- Commerce integration
Only in The Old Reader
- RSS reading
- Social sharing
- Following friends
- Keyboard shortcuts
- OPML import/export
- Third-party apps
- Browser bookmarklet
- Ios support
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Arc Publishing
- Content management for news and digital publishersnot The Old Reader
- Subscription and paywall managementnot The Old Reader
- Video publishing alongside articlesnot The Old Reader
- Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot The Old Reader
The Old Reader
- RSS readingnot Arc Publishing
- News aggregationnot Arc Publishing
- Social readingnot Arc Publishing
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Arc Publishing
- Now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
- Pricing is not published
- Built for media companies, so the editorial workflow assumptions do not suit a general business site
The Old Reader
Nothing recorded yet. See the The Old Reader review.
Pricing, plan by plan
Arc Publishing
On request- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Custom CMS
- Paywall integration
- Advanced analytics
The Old Reader
Free- FreeFree
- 100 subscriptions
- Social features
- Web access
- Premium$3/month
- 500 subscriptions
- Search history
- Priority refresh
- Supporter$5/month
- Unlimited subscriptions
- All premium features
- Support development
Which should you pick?
Choose Arc Publishing if
- You need modular cms.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want content creation.
Choose The Old Reader if
- You need rss reading.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want social sharing.
Questions people ask
- Is Arc Publishing or The Old Reader better?
- Neither clearly leads. Arc Publishing starts at On request and The Old Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Arc Publishing or The Old Reader?
- The Old Reader has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Arc Publishing and Free for The Old Reader.
- Does Arc Publishing or The Old Reader run on more platforms?
- Arc Publishing runs on Web, Mobile. The Old Reader runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use The Old Reader for free?
- Yes. The Old Reader has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arc Publishing starts at On request.
- What is Arc Publishing best used for?
- Arc Publishing is most often used for content management for news and digital publishers, subscription and paywall management, video publishing alongside articles, multi-site delivery for broadcast and b2b publishers. Of those, content management for news and digital publishers and subscription and paywall management are not what The Old Reader is typically brought in for.
- What can Arc Publishing do that The Old Reader cannot?
- Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Social sharing, Following friends, Keyboard shortcuts. Both handle Web support.
Related pages
More on Arc Publishing
More on The Old Reader
Keep looking
Other head to heads
- Arc Publishing vs Beehiiv
- Arc Publishing vs Feedly
- Arc Publishing vs Inoreader
- Arc Publishing vs Chartbeat
- Arc Publishing vs Cision
- Arc Publishing vs ConvertKit
- Arc Publishing vs CrowdTangle
- Arc Publishing vs Flipboard
- Arc Publishing vs Ghost
- Arc Publishing vs Ghost CMS
- Arc Publishing vs Google News
- Arc Publishing vs Substack
- Arc Publishing vs Agility PR Solutions
- Arc Publishing vs Apple News
- Arc Publishing vs Artifact
- Arc Publishing vs Brightspot
- Arc Publishing vs Business Wire
- Arc Publishing vs Buttondown
- The Old Reader vs Beehiiv
- The Old Reader vs Feedly
- The Old Reader vs Inoreader
- The Old Reader vs Chartbeat
- The Old Reader vs Cision
- The Old Reader vs ConvertKit
- The Old Reader vs CrowdTangle
- The Old Reader vs Flipboard
- The Old Reader vs Ghost
- The Old Reader vs Ghost CMS
- The Old Reader vs Google News
- The Old Reader vs Substack
- The Old Reader vs Agility PR Solutions
- The Old Reader vs Apple News
- The Old Reader vs Artifact
- The Old Reader vs Brightspot
- The Old Reader vs Business Wire
- The Old Reader vs Buttondown

