The 3 Best RSS Reader Apps and Read It Later Apps in 2026
Your feed is picked by an algorithm that thinks you want outrage at bedtime. An RSS reader hands the choice back to you, in order, with no surprises.
The short answer
NetNewsWire Best overallThe best RSS reader app is NetNewsWire, a free, open-source reader for Mac, iPhone and iPad that shows new posts from sites you pick, in order, with no ads or tracking. If you want one library for feeds, articles, PDFs and newsletters, choose Readwise Reader. For a simple, free read it later app, pick Instapaper.
Which one is for you?
- NetNewsWire is the top RSS reader: free, open source and calm, but only on Apple devices.
- Readwise Reader puts feeds, articles, PDFs and newsletters in one library, for a subscription.
- Instapaper is the simple read it later app, with unlimited free saving and Kobo and Kindle support.
Social feeds decide what you see. The best RSS reader app flips that: you choose the sites, and new posts arrive in order, nothing boosted and nothing buried. A read it later app handles the other half, saving the long article you found at lunch for a quiet moment tonight.
Keep reading
These three cover both jobs. They're ranked on how pleasant they are to read in, how well they sync, price and how much they track your reading.
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Best overall
1. NetNewsWire
0Your favorite sites in order, with no algorithm, no ads and no bill. Reading feels quiet again.
- Free
- Mac · iPhone
- No subscription
Saturday morning, coffee, and a fresh stack of posts from the blogs you actually chose. NetNewsWire shows them in order, with nothing pushed by an algorithm. Smart feeds like Today and All Unread keep the pile tidy, and reader view can strip a cluttered page back to the words.
More about NetNewsWire
It syncs through iCloud, Feedbin, Feedly, Inoreader and others, a Safari extension makes subscribing easy, and the latest version can hide unread counts if they stress you out. It's open source and collects almost nothing. The catch: it's Apple only, and the feature list stays deliberately simple.
Great forApple users who want blogs and news sites without an algorithm
The catchNo Android, Windows or web version
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Best all-in-one2. Readwise Reader
0One library for feeds, articles, PDFs and newsletters, with an AI sidekick that knows them all.
- Subscription
- Web · iPhone · Android +2
- No ads
You're researching something and the sources are everywhere: a newsletter, a PDF, a few blogs and a YouTube talk. Readwise Reader pulls them all into one library. Highlight a line anywhere and it flows to Obsidian, Notion or Logseq, so your reading turns into notes without copy and paste.
More about Readwise Reader
Ghostreader, the built-in AI, summarizes, looks things up and answers questions across your whole library with citations, and text-to-speech reads aloud. It imports Pocket and Instapaper saves and runs on phones, desktops and the web. The catch: there's no free plan after the trial, and it isn't cheap.
Great forResearchers, students and heavy highlighters who read to take notes
The catchSubscription only after the free trial, and not cheap
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Best read it later app3. Instapaper
0Save it now, read it later in clean, quiet text. The classic, still doing the job well.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone · Android · Mac +1
- Works offline
You find a long article at lunch and there's no way you're reading it between meetings. Tap Instapaper in the share sheet and it waits for you as clean text, ready to highlight, annotate, tag or have read aloud tonight. Saving is unlimited and free.
More about Instapaper
It syncs with Kobo e-readers and sends to Kindle, and the privacy label links only your email and user ID. With Pocket gone, it's the simple replacement. The catch: full-text search and a permanent archive need Premium, and the free plan limits notes to five a month.
Great forReaders who want a simple, private place to stash articles for later
The catchSearch and a permanent archive need Premium
Side by side
| # | App | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
NetNewsWire |
Best overall |
| 2 |
Readwise Reader |
Best all-in-one |
| 3 |
Instapaper |
Best read it later app |
How to choose
What is the difference between an RSS reader and a read it later app?
An RSS reader follows whole sites: subscribe once and every new post shows up. A read it later app saves single articles you pick by hand. NetNewsWire is a pure RSS reader, Instapaper is pure read it later, and Readwise Reader does both in one library.
What should the best RSS reader app do?
Show new posts from your sites in order, sync what you've read across devices, and offer a clean reading view. After that, decide whether you want it free and simple, like NetNewsWire, or paid with highlights, AI and newsletters, like Readwise Reader.
Get NetNewsWire if you're on Apple devices and want your favorite sites back without an algorithm, all for free. If you read everything everywhere and live on highlights, Readwise Reader earns its subscription.
See why NetNewsWire is #1Compare the top picks
NetNewsWire
9.1
vs
Readwise Reader
8.7
NetNewsWire
9.1
vs
Instapaper
8.7
Readwise Reader
8.7
vs
Instapaper
8.7
Questions people ask
What is the best free RSS reader app?
NetNewsWire is the best free RSS reader, open source with no ads or in-app purchases, on Mac, iPhone and iPad. On Android or Windows, Readwise Reader handles RSS feeds, but only with a subscription after the trial.
NetNewsWire or Readwise Reader: which should you choose?
Choose NetNewsWire if you want a free, simple feed reader on Apple devices. Choose Readwise Reader if you also save articles, PDFs and newsletters, highlight a lot or use Android or Windows.
What is the best Pocket replacement?
Instapaper is the simplest Pocket replacement, with unlimited free saving on iPhone, Android, Mac and the web. Readwise Reader also imports Pocket exports if you want more power.
Do RSS readers sync between devices?
Yes. NetNewsWire syncs through iCloud or services such as Feedbin, Feedly, Inoreader, NewsBlur and FreshRSS, and Readwise Reader works across its phone, desktop and web apps.
