News & Media · head to head
The Old Reader vs Artifact
The short version
- They diverge on capability: The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Artifact covers AI recommendations.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which The Old Reader and Artifact actually diverge.
| Attribute | The Old Reader | Artifact |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2012 | 2022 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News & Media).
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 The Old Reader
- RSS reading
- Following friends
- Keyboard shortcuts
- OPML import/export
- Third-party apps
- Browser bookmarklet
- Web support
Only in Artifact
- AI recommendations
- Article summaries
- Clickbait detection
- Topic following
Both cover
- Social sharing
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
The Old Reader
- RSS readingnot Artifact
- News aggregationnot Artifact
- Social readingnot Artifact
Artifact
- News consumptionnot The Old Reader
- Content discoverynot The Old Reader
- Staying informednot The Old Reader
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
The Old Reader
Nothing recorded yet. See the The Old Reader review.
Artifact
- Wound down in early April 2024. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger closed it, saying the market opportunity was not large enough to keep investing
- Yahoo acquired the personalisation technology and folded it into Yahoo News, so the app itself is not coming back
- The founders stayed only in an advisory capacity through the transition
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Artifact
Free- FreeFree
- AI-powered recommendations
- Article summaries
- Social features
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Artifact if
- You need ai recommendations.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Android.
- You also want article summaries.
Questions people ask
- Is The Old Reader or Artifact better?
- Neither clearly leads. The Old Reader starts at Free and Artifact at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, The Old Reader or Artifact?
- The Old Reader starts at Free and Artifact at Free.
- Does The Old Reader or Artifact run on more platforms?
- The Old Reader runs on Web, Ios, Android. Artifact runs on Ios, Android.
- Can I use The Old Reader for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is The Old Reader best used for?
- The Old Reader is most often used for rss reading, news aggregation, social reading. Of those, rss reading and news aggregation are not what Artifact is typically brought in for.
- What can The Old Reader do that Artifact cannot?
- The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Following friends, Keyboard shortcuts, OPML import/export. Artifact covers AI recommendations, Article summaries, Clickbait detection, Topic following. Both handle Social sharing, Ios support, Android support.