NetNewsWire vs Inoreader
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
NetNewsWire is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.5. NetNewsWire wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Inoreader on 1.
Apple users who want to follow blogs and news sites without an algorithm
Researchers and news fans who want to filter and automate lots of feeds
Score by score
The details
| Feature | NetNewsWire | Inoreader |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reading & News | Reading & News |
| Category rank | #2 of 11 | #5 of 11 |
| Developer | Brent Simmons | Innologica |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is NetNewsWire better than Inoreader?
NetNewsWire is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.5. NetNewsWire wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Inoreader on 1.
Which is cheaper, NetNewsWire or Inoreader?
NetNewsWire: Completely free, with no in-app purchases. Inoreader: Free for 150 feeds; Pro is $7.50 a month billed yearly, or $9.99 monthly. On value for money, NetNewsWire scores higher.
Do NetNewsWire and Inoreader work on the same devices?
Only NetNewsWire runs on Mac. Only Inoreader runs on Android, Web.
Which is more private, NetNewsWire or Inoreader?
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
Inoreader
- Generous free plan with 150 feeds
- Rules and filters do the sorting for you
- Very little data linked to you
- Rules, newsletters and offline reading need Pro
- Busier screens than simpler readers
- AI Intelligence features are a paid add-on
Inoreader is the RSS reader for people who want control. Follow sites, YouTube channels and podcasts in one place, add newsletters and social feeds on Pro, then let rules and filters sort, tag and trim the flood. The free plan covers 150 feeds, and Pro adds monitoring feeds and offline reading. It's busier than Feedly, and its AI Intelligence features cost extra, but it links very little data to you.
Full Inoreader review
