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Ground News vs The Old Reader

Ground News logo

Ground News

News

See every side of every story

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
The Old Reader logo

The Old Reader

News

A classic RSS reader for the modern web

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • They diverge on capability: Ground News covers News comparison, The Old Reader covers RSS reading.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ground News and The Old Reader actually diverge.

Attributes where Ground News and The Old Reader differ
AttributeGround NewsThe Old Reader
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20182012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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

Only in The Old Reader

  • RSS reading
  • Social sharing
  • Following friends
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • OPML import/export
  • Third-party apps
  • Browser bookmarklet

Both cover

  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Ground News

  • News consumptionnot The Old Reader
  • Media literacynot The Old Reader
  • Researchnot The Old Reader
  • Fact checkingnot The Old Reader

The Old Reader

  • RSS readingnot Ground News
  • News aggregationnot Ground News
  • Social readingnot 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

The Old Reader

Nothing recorded yet. See the The Old Reader review.

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

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 Ground News if

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

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.
The Old Reader review

Questions people ask

Is Ground News or The Old Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. Ground News starts at Free and The Old Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ground News or The Old Reader?
Ground News starts at Free and The Old Reader at Free.
Does Ground News or The Old Reader run on more platforms?
Ground News runs on Ios, Android, Web. The Old Reader runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 The Old Reader is typically brought in for.
What can Ground News do that The Old Reader cannot?
Ground News covers News comparison, Bias ratings, Source transparency, Blindspot analysis. The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Social sharing, Following friends, Keyboard shortcuts. Both handle Ios support, Android support, Web support.

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
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
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
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