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SmartNews vs The Old Reader

SmartNews logo

SmartNews

News

Local news and breaking news from top sources

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: SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, 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 SmartNews and The Old Reader actually diverge.

Attributes where SmartNews and The Old Reader differ
AttributeSmartNewsThe Old Reader
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsIos, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News), founded (2012).

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 SmartNews

  • Machine learning curation
  • Smart Mode
  • Local news
  • Breaking alerts
  • Offline reading
  • News publishers

Only in The Old Reader

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

Both cover

  • Social sharing
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

SmartNews

  • Daily newsnot The Old Reader
  • Local newsnot The Old Reader
  • Breaking newsnot The Old Reader
  • Quick readingnot The Old Reader

The Old Reader

  • RSS readingnot SmartNews
  • News aggregationnot SmartNews
  • Social readingnot SmartNews

Where each one falls short

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

SmartNews

  • No specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription
  • Requires visiting separate product page for pricing details
  • Subscription service model described but not detailed with costs

The Old Reader

Nothing recorded yet. See the The Old Reader review.

Pricing, plan by plan

SmartNews

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Trending news
    • Local news
    • Smart Mode reading

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 SmartNews if

  • You need machine learning curation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want smart mode.
SmartNews 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 following friends.
The Old Reader review

Questions people ask

Is SmartNews or The Old Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. SmartNews 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, SmartNews or The Old Reader?
SmartNews starts at Free and The Old Reader at Free.
Does SmartNews or The Old Reader run on more platforms?
SmartNews runs on Ios, Android. The Old Reader runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use SmartNews for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SmartNews best used for?
SmartNews is most often used for daily news, local news, breaking news, quick reading. Of those, daily news and local news are not what The Old Reader is typically brought in for.
What can SmartNews do that The Old Reader cannot?
SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, Smart Mode, Local news, Breaking alerts. The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Following friends, Keyboard shortcuts, OPML import/export. Both handle Social sharing, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SmartNews: How much does SmartNews cost?

SmartNews does not publish specific subscription pricing on its main website. The vendor offers SmartNews+, described as a subscription service aggregating paid business news and coupons, but cost details must be found on the dedicated SmartNews+ product page.

Source
SmartNews: Does SmartNews offer a free tier?

SmartNews provides free access to curated news content. For additional business news and coupons, the vendor offers SmartNews+ as a paid subscription service. Pricing and trial details for SmartNews+ are available on the dedicated subscription product page.

Source
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