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News · head to head

Ground News vs Reeder

Ground News logo

Ground News

News

See every side of every story

From
Free
Rated
-
Reeder logo

Reeder

News

Subscription RSS and social feed reader for Apple platforms, with a separate one-time Classic version

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ground News only one paid tier (Vantage) is publicly offered; Reeder the free tier caps at ten feeds, which is restrictive for anyone following more than a handful of sources.
  • They diverge on capability: Ground News covers News comparison, Reeder covers Multi-source feeds.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ground News and Reeder actually diverge.

Attributes where Ground News and Reeder differ
AttributeGround NewsReeder
Pricing modelfreemiumPer user per month
PlatformsIos, Android, WebMac, iOS
Founded2018Unknown

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

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 Ground News

  • News comparison
  • Bias ratings
  • Source transparency
  • Blindspot analysis
  • Ownership data
  • Browser extension
  • Ios support
  • Android support

Only in Reeder

  • Multi-source feeds
  • Gesture-based triage
  • Shared feeds
  • Cross-device sync
  • Reeder Classic option
  • Custom themes

What people use each for

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

Ground News

  • News consumptionnot Reeder
  • Media literacynot Reeder
  • Researchnot Reeder
  • Fact checkingnot Reeder

Reeder

  • A reader who wants YouTube, Reddit and Mastodon alongside RSS feeds in one triage-focused appnot Ground News
  • Someone with more than ten feeds who is comfortable with a low cost subscription rather than a hard capnot Ground News
  • A long time Reeder user who prefers the older interface and wants to avoid a subscription by using Reeder Classic insteadnot Ground News
  • A user who wants shared curated feed lists with friends or colleagues, a Plus-only featurenot Ground News

Where each one falls short

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

Ground News

  • Only one paid tier (Vantage) is publicly offered
  • Annual billing required for the disclosed $8.33/month rate
  • Pricing for monthly billing not disclosed

Reeder

  • The free tier caps at ten feeds, which is restrictive for anyone following more than a handful of sources.
  • Having two separately named and priced apps, Reeder and Reeder Classic, has confused users trying to work out which one to buy.
  • It depends on continued access to YouTube, Reddit and Mastodon APIs for its social feed features, any of which could change terms and reduce functionality.
  • It is Apple platforms only, with no Windows, Android or web version.
  • The subscription, while cheap, is still an ongoing cost compared with NetNewsWire, which does the core RSS job for free indefinitely.

Pricing, plan by plan

Ground News

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic news comparison
    • Bias ratings
    • Limited stories
  • Pro$9.99/month
    • Unlimited stories
    • Blindspot feed
    • Ownership data
  • Vanguard$19.99/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Support journalism
    • Early features

Reeder

Free
  • Reeder (free)Free
    • Up to 10 feeds
    • Core reading and triage features
  • Reeder Plus$1/month
    • Unlimited feeds
    • Shared feeds
    • Social timelines from Reddit and Mastodon
  • Reeder ClassicFree
    • Separate app, one-time purchase pricing
    • No subscription required
    • Traditional RSS-focused feature set

Which should you pick?

Choose Ground News if

  • You need news comparison.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want bias ratings.

Choose Reeder if

  • You need multi-source feeds.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac, iOS.
  • You also want gesture-based triage.

Questions people ask

Is Ground News or Reeder better?
Neither clearly leads. Ground News starts at Free and Reeder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ground News or Reeder?
Ground News starts at Free and Reeder at Free.
Does Ground News or Reeder run on more platforms?
Ground News runs on Ios, Android, Web. Reeder runs on Mac, iOS.
Can I use Ground News for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Ground News best used for?
Ground News is most often used for news consumption, media literacy, research, fact checking. Of those, news consumption and media literacy are not what Reeder is typically brought in for.
What can Ground News do that Reeder cannot?
Ground News covers News comparison, Bias ratings, Source transparency, Blindspot analysis. Reeder covers Multi-source feeds, Gesture-based triage, Shared feeds, Cross-device sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ground News: Does Ground News have a free option?

Yes. Ground News offers free access through its website, browser extension, or mobile app. The free tier shows news stories and basic information.

Source
Reeder: Is Reeder free?

A free tier exists capped at ten feeds; unlimited feeds and social timelines require the Reeder Plus subscription.

Ground News: How much does Ground News Vantage cost?

Ground News Vantage is $8.33/month when billed annually, with no hidden fees. Users can cancel anytime.

Source
Reeder: What is Reeder Classic?

A separate, older Reeder app kept available as a one-time purchase for users who do not want the new subscription model.

Ground News: What features does Ground News Vantage include?

Ground News Vantage includes blindspot analysis, global coverage maps, unlimited saved stories, full coverage comparison, ownership and funding transparency, bias and factuality ratings, and the My News Bias dashboard.

Source
Reeder: Does Reeder support YouTube and Reddit, not just RSS?

Yes, the current version combines RSS with YouTube channels, Reddit communities and Mastodon timelines in one app.

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