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Reeder vs Steno

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
Steno logo

Steno

News

AI transcription and analysis for news and media

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Reeder has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Reeder the free tier caps at ten feeds, which is restrictive for anyone following more than a handful of sources.; Steno no free tier available; entry point at $500/month
  • They diverge on capability: Reeder covers Multi-source feeds, Steno covers AI transcription.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Reeder and Steno actually diverge.

Attributes where Reeder and Steno differ
AttributeReederSteno
Starting priceFree$500/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
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 Reeder

  • Multi-source feeds
  • Gesture-based triage
  • Shared feeds
  • Cross-device sync
  • Reeder Classic option
  • Custom themes

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.

Reeder

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

Steno

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

Where each one falls short

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

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.

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

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

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 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

Choose Steno if

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

Questions people ask

Is Reeder or Steno better?
Neither clearly leads. Reeder 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, Reeder or Steno?
Reeder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Reeder and $500/month for Steno.
Does Reeder or Steno run on more platforms?
Reeder runs on Mac, iOS. Steno runs on Web.
Can I use Reeder for free?
Yes. Reeder has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Steno starts at $500/month.
What is Reeder best used for?
Reeder is most often used for a reader who wants youtube, reddit and mastodon alongside rss feeds in one triage-focused app, someone with more than ten feeds who is comfortable with a low cost subscription rather than a hard cap, a long time reeder user who prefers the older interface and wants to avoid a subscription by using reeder classic instead, a user who wants shared curated feed lists with friends or colleagues, a plus-only feature. Of those, a reader who wants youtube, reddit and mastodon alongside rss feeds in one triage-focused app and someone with more than ten feeds who is comfortable with a low cost subscription rather than a hard cap are not what Steno is typically brought in for.
What can Reeder do that Steno cannot?
Reeder covers Multi-source feeds, Gesture-based triage, Shared feeds, Cross-device sync. Steno covers AI transcription, Broadcast search, Real-time monitoring, Clip creation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Reeder: Is Reeder free?

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

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
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.

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
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.

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
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