NetNewsWire review
Free, open-source RSS reader for Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Brent Simmons
- Free
- Mac, iPhone & iPad
Does it deserve #2?
Is NetNewsWire worth it?
Yes. NetNewsWire scores 9.1/10 and ranks #2 in Reading & News. It's best for Apple users who want to follow blogs and news sites without an algorithm. Skip it if you use Android or Windows, or prefer a feed picked for you. Price: Completely free, with no in-app purchases.
The verdict
NetNewsWire is an RSS reader that does one job very well: it shows you new posts from the sites you choose, in order, with nothing pushed by an algorithm. It's native on Mac, iPhone and iPad, and syncs through iCloud, Feedbin, Feedly, Inoreader and others. It's free and open source, with no ads and no tracking. The catch: it's Apple-only, and its feature set stays deliberately simple.
- iCloud, Feedbin and Feedly sync
- Reader view
- Smart feeds like Today and All Unread
- Custom article themes
- Safari extension for subscribing
Score breakdown
Overall = features 30% · design 20% · speed 20% · value 15% · privacy 15%. Why these weights?
What's new
- Oct 20267.2 can hide unread counts or show a dot, plus a big performance and battery fix on iOS
- Jun 20267.1 adds an Activity Log, Account Stats and other diagnostic windows
- Jan 20267.0 brought the Liquid Glass design to Mac, then to iPhone and iPad
Privacy 9.8/10
App Store label: no tracking and no data linked to you, only a user ID not tied to your identity. Crash logs are opt-in, and the website uses no cookies or trackers.
What we like
- Free, open source and ad-free
- Collects almost no data about you
- Fast native apps for Mac, iPhone and iPad
What could be better
- No Android, Windows or web version
- Reader view isn't guaranteed to work on every site
- Long backlog of requested features
Apple users who want to follow blogs and news sites without an algorithm
you use Android or Windows, or prefer a feed picked for you
Questions about NetNewsWire
Is NetNewsWire worth it in 2026?
Yes. NetNewsWire scores 9.1/10 and ranks #2 in Reading & News. It's best for Apple users who want to follow blogs and news sites without an algorithm. Skip it if you use Android or Windows, or prefer a feed picked for you. Price: Completely free, with no in-app purchases.
Is NetNewsWire free?
Yes. NetNewsWire is free and open source under the MIT licence, with no ads or in-app purchases.
Does NetNewsWire sync between devices?
Yes. It syncs through iCloud or services such as Feedbin, Feedly, Inoreader, NewsBlur and FreshRSS.
Is NetNewsWire on Android?
No. It's available only for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
What are the best alternatives to NetNewsWire?
The closest alternatives are Ground News, Readwise Reader and Instapaper. See all of them ranked on our NetNewsWire alternatives page.
Where does NetNewsWire rank?
NetNewsWire ranks #2 of 7 in our Reading & News ranking, with an overall score of 9.1 out of 10.