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APIs · head to head

curl vs NewsBlur

curl logo

curl

APIs

Command-line tool for transferring data using URLs with wide protocol support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NewsBlur logo

NewsBlur

News

A personal news reader bringing people together

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: curl open-source with no vendor pricing: curl is free and open-source under GPL 3.0; no subscription or licensing costs apply; NewsBlur the free account is limited to 64 sites
  • They diverge on capability: curl covers HTTP/HTTPS, NewsBlur covers Intelligence training.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which curl and NewsBlur actually diverge.

Attributes where curl and NewsBlur differ
AttributecurlNewsBlur
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsLinux, MacOS, Windows, Unix, MobileWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryAPIsNews
Founded19972010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 curl

  • HTTP/HTTPS
  • FTP
  • Multiple protocols
  • Universal compatibility
  • Scripting tools
  • Linux support
  • MacOS support
  • Windows support

Only in NewsBlur

  • Intelligence training
  • Story sharing
  • Original site view
  • Text view
  • Blurblogs
  • Pocket
  • Instapaper
  • Evernote

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

curl

  • API Developmentnot NewsBlur
  • API Gatewaynot NewsBlur
  • API Testingnot NewsBlur
  • API Documentationnot NewsBlur
  • Microservicesnot NewsBlur

NewsBlur

  • Reading RSS feeds with training that filters by author, tag or titlenot curl
  • Archiving full article content from followed sitesnot curl
  • Following a large number of feeds with fast refreshnot curl

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

curl

  • Open-source with no vendor pricing: curl is free and open-source under GPL 3.0; no subscription or licensing costs apply
  • Commercial support costs hidden: site references 'commercial support available' but pricing is not detailed or accessible from homepage
  • No SaaS model: curl is a command-line tool and library; costs are limited to optional commercial support contracts (pricing unknown)
  • Self-support burden: free software means customers rely on community forums or undisclosed commercial support pricing

NewsBlur

  • The free account is limited to 64 sites
  • Search and text view extraction require Premium at $36 per year
  • Premium is capped at 1,024 sites and Premium Archive at 4,096 sites
  • Full content archiving and the Daily Briefing require Premium Archive at $99 per year
  • The fastest 5 to 15 minute feed refresh and regex training require Premium Pro at $29 per month
  • Site following is capped at 10,000 even on the top tier

Pricing, plan by plan

curl

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full curl functionality
    • Community support

NewsBlur

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Follow up to 64 sites
    • Real-time RSS updates
    • Train stories by author, tag, title
  • Premium$36/year
    • Follow up to 1024 sites
    • 5x more frequent updates
    • River of News, search, saved stories with tags
  • Premium Archive$99/year
    • Follow up to 4096 sites
    • Web feeds from any website
    • Story clustering, daily briefing, full archive and search
  • Premium Pro$29/month
    • All Archive features plus up to 10000 sites
    • Feeds fetched every 5 to 15 minutes
    • Regex training, priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose curl if

  • You need http/https.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Unix, Mobile.
  • You also want ftp.
curl review

Choose NewsBlur if

  • You need intelligence training.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want story sharing.
NewsBlur review

Questions people ask

Is curl or NewsBlur better?
Neither clearly leads. curl starts at Free and NewsBlur at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, curl or NewsBlur?
curl starts at Free and NewsBlur at Free.
Does curl or NewsBlur run on more platforms?
curl runs on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Unix, Mobile. NewsBlur runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use curl for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is curl best used for?
curl is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what NewsBlur is typically brought in for.
What can curl do that NewsBlur cannot?
curl covers HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, Multiple protocols, Universal compatibility. NewsBlur covers Intelligence training, Story sharing, Original site view, Text view.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

curl: How much does curl cost?

curl is free and open-source software under the GPL 3.0 license. There is no cost to download, use, or modify the software.

Source
NewsBlur: Is NewsBlur free?

NewsBlur offers a free tier allowing users to follow up to 64 RSS feeds with real-time updates, story training, and public sharing.

Source
curl: Is commercial support available for curl?

Yes. The curl website references 'commercial support available,' but pricing and details are not disclosed on the homepage and require visiting the support page.

Source
NewsBlur: What does Premium plan include?

Premium plan costs 36 dollars per year and includes following up to 1024 sites with 5x more frequent updates, River of News feature, search functionality, and saved stories with tags.

Source
curl: Can I sponsor curl financially?

Yes. The curl website offers an option to 'Sponsor curl financially.' Visitors can donate to support curl development, but the donation link must be accessed through the site's support section.

Source
NewsBlur: Is there a free trial?

Every new NewsBlur account starts with a free 30-day premium trial. No credit card is required to start.

Source
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