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Steno vs The Old Reader

Steno logo

Steno

News

AI transcription and analysis for news and media

From
$500/month
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: Steno covers AI transcription, 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 Steno and The Old Reader actually diverge.

Attributes where Steno and The Old Reader differ
AttributeStenoThe Old Reader
Starting price$500/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20202012

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 Steno

  • AI transcription
  • Broadcast search
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Clip creation
  • Media analysis
  • Slack
  • Email
  • API

Only in The Old Reader

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Steno

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

The Old Reader

  • RSS readingnot Steno
  • News aggregationnot Steno
  • Social readingnot Steno

Where each one falls short

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

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

The Old Reader

Nothing recorded yet. See the The Old Reader review.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

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 Steno if

  • You need ai transcription.
  • You also want broadcast search.
Steno 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 Steno or The Old Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. Steno starts at $500/month and The Old Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Steno or The Old Reader?
The Old Reader has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/month for Steno and Free for The Old Reader.
Does Steno or The Old Reader run on more platforms?
Steno runs on Web. 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. Steno starts at $500/month.
What is Steno best used for?
Steno is most often used for ai-powered content creation platform, voice and text content generation, multi-channel content distribution, programmatic content syndication. Of those, ai-powered content creation platform and voice and text content generation are not what The Old Reader is typically brought in for.
What can Steno do that The Old Reader cannot?
Steno covers AI transcription, Broadcast search, Real-time monitoring, Clip creation. The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Social sharing, Following friends, Keyboard shortcuts. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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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