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Apple News vs Readwise Reader

Apple News logo

Apple News

News

All the news you want. From sources you trust.

From
$12.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Readwise Reader logo

Readwise Reader

News

The read-it-later app for power readers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Readwise Reader has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apple News apple One Bundle does not break out individual service costs; Readwise Reader there is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
  • They diverge on capability: Apple News covers Curated news feed, Readwise Reader covers Read-it-later.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple News and Readwise Reader actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple News and Readwise Reader differ
AttributeApple NewsReadwise Reader
Starting price$12.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, MacosIos, Android, Web
Founded19762017

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 Apple News

  • Curated news feed
  • Premium magazines
  • Audio stories
  • Personalization
  • Offline reading
  • iCloud
  • Apple One bundle
  • Siri

Only in Readwise Reader

  • Read-it-later
  • RSS aggregation
  • Newsletter inbox
  • PDF support
  • Highlighting
  • Notion
  • Obsidian
  • Roam Research

Both cover

  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Apple News

  • Daily news readingnot Readwise Reader
  • Magazine subscriptionnot Readwise Reader
  • News discoverynot Readwise Reader
  • Staying informednot Readwise Reader

Readwise Reader

  • Reading and note-takingnot Apple News
  • Highlight managementnot Apple News
  • Learning and studynot Apple News
  • Content curationnot Apple News

Where each one falls short

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

Apple News

  • Apple One Bundle does not break out individual service costs
  • 3-month free offer limited to eligible device purchases

Readwise Reader

  • There is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
  • Reader is bundled into the full plan rather than sold separately, so it cannot be had at the cheaper Lite price
  • The Lite plan at $5.59 a month billed annually is daily email review only, without the web app or tagging
  • Paying monthly rather than annually raises the full plan from $9.99 to $12.99

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple News

$12.99/month
  • Apple News+$12.99/month
    • Hundreds of magazines and newspapers
    • Cover-to-cover magazine issues
    • Professionally narrated audio stories
  • Apple One Bundle$39.95/month
    • Apple News+ included
    • Five additional Apple services
    • Family Sharing

Readwise Reader

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • 30 days free
    • No credit card required
  • Readwise Annual$9.99/month
    • Full Readwise and Reader access
    • Billed annually
    • Includes unified reading platform
  • Readwise Monthly$12.99/month
    • Full Readwise and Reader access
    • Billed monthly
    • Includes unified reading platform

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple News if

  • You need curated news feed.
  • You work on Ios, Macos.
  • You also want premium magazines.
Apple News review

Choose Readwise Reader if

  • You need read-it-later.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want rss aggregation.
Readwise Reader review

Questions people ask

Is Apple News or Readwise Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple News starts at $12.99/month and Readwise Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple News or Readwise Reader?
Readwise Reader has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12.99/month for Apple News and Free for Readwise Reader.
Does Apple News or Readwise Reader run on more platforms?
Apple News runs on Ios, Macos. Readwise Reader runs on Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Readwise Reader for free?
Yes. Readwise Reader has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Apple News starts at $12.99/month.
What is Apple News best used for?
Apple News is most often used for daily news reading, magazine subscription, news discovery, staying informed. Of those, daily news reading and magazine subscription are not what Readwise Reader is typically brought in for.
What can Apple News do that Readwise Reader cannot?
Apple News covers Curated news feed, Premium magazines, Audio stories, Personalization. Readwise Reader covers Read-it-later, RSS aggregation, Newsletter inbox, PDF support. Both handle Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apple News: How much does Apple News+ cost?

Apple News+ costs $12.99 per month after a one-month free trial for new subscribers, with automatic monthly renewal until cancelled.

Source
Readwise Reader: How much does Readwise Reader cost?

Readwise (including Reader) costs $9.99 per month when billed annually or $12.99 per month when billed monthly USD. Readers can access articles, PDFs, newsletters, RSS feeds, and YouTube videos across web and mobile.

Source
Apple News: What is Apple One Bundle pricing?

Apple One Bundle is $39.95 per month and includes Apple News+ along with five other Apple services, with Family Sharing available at no additional cost.

Source
Readwise Reader: Is there a free trial for Readwise Reader?

Yes, Readwise offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. Some users who let their trials expire may qualify for an additional extended trial.

Source
Apple News: Can Apple News+ be shared with family members?

Yes, Apple News+ subscriptions can be shared with up to five other family members at no additional cost through Family Sharing.

Source
Readwise Reader: How much can students save on Readwise?

Readwise offers 50% discounts to verified students, educators, non-profits, military, first responders, and individuals in countries where US pricing is unaffordable. Interested users should contact [email protected] to request eligibility.

Source
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