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Calendars · head to head

Rise Calendar vs The Old Reader

Rise Calendar logo

Rise Calendar

Calendars

The modern calendar for Mac

From
$16/year
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

  • Only The Old Reader has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Rise Calendar covers Native Mac app, The Old Reader covers RSS reading.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Rise Calendar and The Old Reader differ
AttributeRise CalendarThe Old Reader
Starting price$16/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, macOS, WindowsWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryCalendarsNews
Founded20212012

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Rise Calendar

  • Native Mac app
  • Natural language
  • Menu bar widget
  • Quick event creation
  • Minimal design
  • Google Calendar
  • iCloud
  • Outlook

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.

Rise Calendar

  • Schedulingnot The Old Reader
  • Appointment bookingnot The Old Reader
  • Time trackingnot The Old Reader
  • Resource managementnot The Old Reader
  • Team coordinationnot The Old Reader

The Old Reader

  • RSS readingnot Rise Calendar
  • News aggregationnot Rise Calendar
  • Social readingnot Rise Calendar

Where each one falls short

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

Rise Calendar

  • Product discontinued as of March 31, 2025
  • Failed to achieve sufficient commercial traction despite 900 teams and 30% month-over-month growth

The Old Reader

Nothing recorded yet. See the The Old Reader review.

Pricing, plan by plan

Rise Calendar

$16/year
  • Annual$16/year
    • Full calendar
    • Menu bar access
    • Natural language

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 Rise Calendar if

  • You need native mac app.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want natural language.
Rise Calendar 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 Rise Calendar or The Old Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. Rise Calendar starts at $16/year and The Old Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rise Calendar or The Old Reader?
The Old Reader has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $16/year for Rise Calendar and Free for The Old Reader.
Does Rise Calendar or The Old Reader run on more platforms?
Rise Calendar runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. The Old Reader runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use The Old Reader for free?
Yes. The Old Reader has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rise Calendar starts at $16/year.
What is Rise Calendar best used for?
Rise Calendar is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what The Old Reader is typically brought in for.
What can Rise Calendar do that The Old Reader cannot?
Rise Calendar covers Native Mac app, Natural language, Menu bar widget, Quick event creation. The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Social sharing, Following friends, Keyboard shortcuts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rise Calendar: Is Rise Calendar still available?

No, Rise Calendar was discontinued on March 31, 2025. The service shut down after failing to achieve commercial traction in a competitive market. All user data was permanently deleted.

Source
Rise Calendar: What were Rise Calendar's main features?

Rise offered calendar management with synchronization to Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud; integrated task and project management; scheduling optimization with FocusGuard; and cross-platform apps for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.

Source
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Related pages

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More on The Old Reader

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