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NetNewsWire vs The Old Reader

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
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: NetNewsWire covers RSS and Atom parsing, The Old Reader covers RSS reading.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where NetNewsWire and The Old Reader differ
AttributeNetNewsWireThe Old Reader
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsMac, iOSWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2012

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 NetNewsWire

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

Only in The Old Reader

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

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 The Old Reader
  • Someone who tried Reeder free tier, hit the ten feed limit, and wants an unlimited free alternative insteadnot The Old Reader
  • A developer who wants an open source reader they can inspect or contribute to on GitHubnot The Old Reader
  • A user who wants feed sync through an existing Feedbin or Feedly account without paying for a separate reader subscriptionnot The Old Reader

The Old Reader

  • RSS readingnot NetNewsWire
  • News aggregationnot NetNewsWire
  • Social readingnot 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.

The Old Reader

Nothing recorded yet. See the The Old Reader review.

Pricing, plan by plan

NetNewsWire

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

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 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 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 NetNewsWire or The Old Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. NetNewsWire 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, NetNewsWire or The Old Reader?
NetNewsWire starts at Free and The Old Reader at Free.
Does NetNewsWire or The Old Reader run on more platforms?
NetNewsWire runs on Mac, iOS. The Old Reader runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use NetNewsWire for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 The Old Reader is typically brought in for.
What can NetNewsWire do that The Old Reader cannot?
NetNewsWire covers RSS and Atom parsing, Third party sync, Unlimited feeds, Smart feeds. The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Social sharing, Following friends, Keyboard shortcuts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NetNewsWire: Is NetNewsWire free?

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

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.

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.

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