Softwr

News · head to head

NetNewsWire vs Steno

NetNewsWire logo

NetNewsWire

News

Free open source RSS reader for Mac and iOS, with no subscription, no ads and no feed limit

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Steno logo

Steno

News

AI transcription and analysis for news and media

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only NetNewsWire has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: NetNewsWire it has no built in YouTube, Reddit or Mastodon integration, so a user wanting social feeds alongside RSS needs Reeder instead.; Steno no free tier available; entry point at $500/month
  • They diverge on capability: NetNewsWire covers RSS and Atom parsing, Steno covers AI transcription.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NetNewsWire and Steno actually diverge.

Attributes where NetNewsWire and Steno differ
AttributeNetNewsWireSteno
Starting priceFree$500/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMac, iOSWeb
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: 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 NetNewsWire

  • RSS and Atom parsing
  • Third party sync
  • Unlimited feeds
  • Smart feeds
  • Local search
  • Open source

Only in Steno

  • AI transcription
  • Broadcast search
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Clip creation
  • Media analysis
  • Slack
  • Email
  • API

What people use each for

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

NetNewsWire

  • A reader who only wants traditional RSS and Atom feeds with no cap and no costnot Steno
  • Someone who tried Reeder free tier, hit the ten feed limit, and wants an unlimited free alternative insteadnot Steno
  • A developer who wants an open source reader they can inspect or contribute to on GitHubnot Steno
  • A user who wants feed sync through an existing Feedbin or Feedly account without paying for a separate reader subscriptionnot Steno

Steno

  • AI-powered content creation platformnot NetNewsWire
  • Voice and text content generationnot NetNewsWire
  • Multi-channel content distributionnot NetNewsWire
  • Programmatic content syndicationnot NetNewsWire

Where each one falls short

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

NetNewsWire

  • It has no built in YouTube, Reddit or Mastodon integration, so a user wanting social feeds alongside RSS needs Reeder instead.
  • Cross-device sync requires a third party account such as Feedbin or Feedly for full functionality, which may itself carry its own cost.
  • As a volunteer-maintained project, new feature development and release cadence are slower than a funded commercial app.
  • It is Apple platforms only, with no Windows, Android or web client.
  • Its reading interface is more traditional and less gesture-driven than Reeder, which some users used to modern touch interactions find plainer.

Steno

  • No free tier available; entry point at $500/month
  • Enterprise plan pricing not published; requires custom quote
  • Premium add-ons (iOS/Android app, Pro Voice) pricing not disclosed

Pricing, plan by plan

NetNewsWire

Free
  • NetNewsWireFree
    • Free and open source, no account required
    • No feed limit
    • Optional third party sync services

Steno

$500/month
  • Starter$500/month
    • 16,500 credits per month
    • 1 Twin
    • Web app deployment
  • Growth$1000/month
    • 40,000 credits per month
    • 2 Twins
    • Web app deployment
  • Scale$2000/month
    • 100,000 credits per month
    • 3 Twins
    • Web app deployment
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • 200,000+ credits per month
    • 5 Twins
    • Web app deployment

Which should you pick?

Choose NetNewsWire if

  • You need rss and atom parsing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac, iOS.
  • You also want third party sync.
NetNewsWire review

Choose Steno if

  • You need ai transcription.
  • You also want broadcast search.
Steno review

Questions people ask

Is NetNewsWire or Steno better?
Neither clearly leads. NetNewsWire starts at Free and Steno at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NetNewsWire or Steno?
NetNewsWire has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for NetNewsWire and $500/month for Steno.
Does NetNewsWire or Steno run on more platforms?
NetNewsWire runs on Mac, iOS. Steno runs on Web.
Can I use NetNewsWire for free?
Yes. NetNewsWire has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Steno starts at $500/month.
What is NetNewsWire best used for?
NetNewsWire is most often used for a reader who only wants traditional rss and atom feeds with no cap and no cost, someone who tried reeder free tier, hit the ten feed limit, and wants an unlimited free alternative instead, a developer who wants an open source reader they can inspect or contribute to on github, a user who wants feed sync through an existing feedbin or feedly account without paying for a separate reader subscription. Of those, a reader who only wants traditional rss and atom feeds with no cap and no cost and someone who tried reeder free tier, hit the ten feed limit, and wants an unlimited free alternative instead are not what Steno is typically brought in for.
What can NetNewsWire do that Steno cannot?
NetNewsWire covers RSS and Atom parsing, Third party sync, Unlimited feeds, Smart feeds. Steno covers AI transcription, Broadcast search, Real-time monitoring, Clip creation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NetNewsWire: Is NetNewsWire free?

Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or ads.

Steno: What is the minimum cost to start using Steno?

The Starter plan is $500/month with 16,500 monthly credits. Steno does not offer a free tier, and monthly billing options include annual subscriptions with 10-15% savings.

Source
NetNewsWire: Does NetNewsWire sync across devices?

Yes, through third party sync services such as Feedbin, Feedly or iCloud, rather than a proprietary sync system of its own.

Steno: What are Steno credits and how many do I get?

Credits are the universal currency used for content processing, training, and user interactions across text, voice, and video. Starter includes 16,500/month, Growth 40,000/month, Scale 100,000/month, and Enterprise 200,000+/month.

Source
NetNewsWire: Does it support YouTube or Reddit like the new Reeder?

No. It is focused purely on RSS and Atom feeds with no social feed integration.

Steno: What is a Twin in Steno's pricing?

Twins are included in Steno plans at different quantities: Starter includes 1 Twin, Growth 2, Scale 3, and Enterprise 5. Specific features of Twins are not detailed on the pricing page.

Source
Steno: What are Steno's platform fees?

Steno charges monetization platform fees that decrease with plan tier: Starter at 9%, Growth at 8%, Scale at 7%, and Enterprise at 6%.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on NetNewsWire

More on Steno

Keep looking

Other head to heads