NetNewsWire vs Feedly
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
NetNewsWire is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.4. NetNewsWire wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Feedly on 1.
Apple users who want to follow blogs and news sites without an algorithm
Readers who want a simple, free feed of their favorite sites on any device
Score by score
The details
| Feature | NetNewsWire | Feedly |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reading & News | Reading & News |
| Category rank | #2 of 11 | #7 of 11 |
| Developer | Brent Simmons | Feedly Inc. |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is NetNewsWire better than Feedly?
NetNewsWire is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.4. NetNewsWire wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Feedly on 1.
Which is cheaper, NetNewsWire or Feedly?
NetNewsWire: Completely free, with no in-app purchases. Feedly: Free for 100 feeds; Pro is $6 a month and Pro+ $12, both billed yearly. On value for money, NetNewsWire scores higher.
Do NetNewsWire and Feedly work on the same devices?
Only NetNewsWire runs on Mac. Only Feedly runs on Android, Web.
Which is more private, NetNewsWire or Feedly?
NetNewsWire scores higher on 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.
Strengths and weaknesses
NetNewsWire
- Free, open source and ad-free
- Collects almost no data about you
- Fast native apps for Mac, iPhone and iPad
- No Android, Windows or web version
- Reader view isn't guaranteed to work on every site
- Long backlog of requested features
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.
Full NetNewsWire review
Feedly
- Free plan is enough for casual readers
- iOS app collects no data, per its privacy label
- Clean, simple reading on every device
- Free plan has sponsored ads and only 3 folders
- Search and sharing tools need Pro
- New features mostly target business plans
Feedly is one of the best-known RSS readers, and its free plan still covers most people: up to 100 sources in three folders, on the web, iPhone and Android. Follow news sites, blogs, YouTube channels and Reddit in one calm feed. Pro adds search, notes and no sponsored ads, while Pro+ adds AI filters, newsletters and Google News feeds. Just know that most of Feedly's new work now goes into its business plans.
Full Feedly review
