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Apple News vs Reeder

Apple News logo

Apple News

News

All the news you want. From sources you trust.

From
$12.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Reeder logo

Reeder

News

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Reeder 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; Reeder the free tier caps at ten feeds, which is restrictive for anyone following more than a handful of sources.
  • They diverge on capability: Apple News covers Curated news feed, Reeder covers Multi-source feeds.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apple News and Reeder differ
AttributeApple NewsReeder
Starting price$12.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, MacosMac, iOS
Founded1976Unknown

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 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.

Apple News

  • Daily news readingnot Reeder
  • Magazine subscriptionnot Reeder
  • News discoverynot Reeder
  • Staying informednot Reeder

Reeder

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

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

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

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 Apple News if

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

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.
Reeder review

Questions people ask

Is Apple News or Reeder better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple News starts at $12.99/month and Reeder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple News or Reeder?
Reeder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12.99/month for Apple News and Free for Reeder.
Does Apple News or Reeder run on more platforms?
Apple News runs on Ios, Macos. Reeder runs on Mac, iOS.
Can I use Reeder for free?
Yes. Reeder 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 Reeder is typically brought in for.
What can Apple News do that Reeder cannot?
Apple News covers Curated news feed, Premium magazines, Audio stories, Personalization. Reeder covers Multi-source feeds, Gesture-based triage, Shared feeds, Cross-device sync.

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
Reeder: Is Reeder free?

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

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
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.

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
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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