Winds

Discontinued

Overview

Winds is an open-source RSS reader and podcast app built with React/Redux on the frontend and Express.js on the backend. It supports subscribing to RSS feeds, playing podcasts, and personalized content feeds using Stream's activity feeds. Users can run a self-hosted version or use the free hosted instance, with discovery features powered by Algolia search.

Key Features

RSS Feed Subscription - Subscribe to and read RSS feeds from various sources.
Podcast Playback - Play podcasts directly within the app interface.
Personalized Feeds - Generates personalized content based on user follows and engagement using Stream.
Search Functionality - Search feeds and content powered by Algolia.
Activity Feeds - Discovery of new content through Stream-powered feeds.
Self-Hosting - Run the app on personal servers with Docker support.
Cross-Platform Desktop - Available as desktop apps for major operating systems.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Free Hosted	Free	Access to hosted version with Stream, Algolia, AWS, MongoDB Atlas, SendGrid free tiers.
Self-Hosted	Free	Full open-source code to run on own server; requires setup of dependencies.

Platforms & Requirements

Desktop apps available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Web version accessible via browser. Self-hosting requires Node.js, MongoDB, and other services; Docker image provided for easier deployment. No mobile apps.

Integrations & Ecosystem

Stream (activity feeds)
Algolia (search)
MongoDB (database)
AWS (hosting)
SendGrid (email)
RSS/Atom feed import
Docker deployment
Podcast enclosures

Alternatives

App	Difference
Feedly	Proprietary service with AI features and paid tiers; no self-hosting.
NewsBlur	Focuses on feed filtering and sharing; offers premium subscriptions.
Inoreader	Feature-rich with advanced rules and archiving; freemium model.
FreshRSS	Self-hosted open-source RSS reader without podcast support.

Reputation

Winds was praised for its modern interface and integration of RSS with podcasts, powered by Stream's feeds. Criticisms include heavy reliance on multiple third-party services like Electron, MongoDB, and others, making self-hosting complex. The project appears inactive since around 2018, with limited recent updates on GitHub.

Sources (7)