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The Old Reader vs TinyLetter

The Old Reader logo

The Old Reader

News

A classic RSS reader for the modern web

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TinyLetter logo

TinyLetter

News

The simplest way to send newsletters

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • They diverge on capability: The Old Reader covers RSS reading, TinyLetter covers Newsletter publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where The Old Reader and TinyLetter differ
AttributeThe Old ReaderTinyLetter
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20122011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 The Old Reader

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

Only in TinyLetter

  • Newsletter publishing
  • Email templates
  • Subscriber management
  • Archive creation
  • Email delivery
  • Simple editor
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

The Old Reader

  • RSS readingnot TinyLetter
  • News aggregationnot TinyLetter
  • Social readingnot TinyLetter

TinyLetter

  • Email newsletter distribution to subscribersnot The Old Reader
  • Automated email marketing campaignsnot The Old Reader
  • Customer communication and engagementnot The Old Reader
  • E-commerce order notification systemsnot 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.

TinyLetter

  • TinyLetter merged into Mailchimp; no longer offered as standalone product
  • Free tier limited to 250 contacts maximum
  • Pricing varies significantly by contact volume tiers
  • Premium plan at $350/month may be cost-prohibitive for small newsletters

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

TinyLetter

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 250 contacts
    • Basic email campaigns
    • Customer insights
  • Essentials$13/month
    • A/B testing
    • Scheduling
    • Limited templates
  • Standard$20/month
    • Automations
    • Personalization
    • Generative AI
  • Premium$350/month
    • Phone support
    • Priority support
    • Multivariate testing

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 social sharing.
The Old Reader review

Choose TinyLetter if

  • You need newsletter publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email templates.
TinyLetter review

Questions people ask

Is The Old Reader or TinyLetter better?
Neither clearly leads. The Old Reader starts at Free and TinyLetter at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, The Old Reader or TinyLetter?
The Old Reader starts at Free and TinyLetter at Free.
Does The Old Reader or TinyLetter run on more platforms?
The Old Reader runs on Web, Ios, Android. TinyLetter runs on Web.
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 TinyLetter is typically brought in for.
What can The Old Reader do that TinyLetter cannot?
The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Social sharing, Following friends, Keyboard shortcuts. TinyLetter covers Newsletter publishing, Email templates, Subscriber management, Archive creation. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

TinyLetter: Is TinyLetter still available separately?

No, TinyLetter has been merged into Mailchimp and is no longer offered as a standalone product. Existing TinyLetter users were migrated to Mailchimp's marketing platform.

Source
TinyLetter: Does Mailchimp offer a free email plan?

Yes, Mailchimp's free plan supports up to 250 contacts and allows you to create email campaigns and learn customer insights at no cost.

Source
TinyLetter: What discounts does Mailchimp offer for annual billing?

Mailchimp offers 15% off the first 12 months for accounts with 10,000 or more contacts.

Source
TinyLetter: Is there a free trial available for Mailchimp's paid plans?

Yes, a 14-day free trial is available for Standard and Essentials plans without requiring a credit card for the first 100 emails.

Source
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Related pages

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