NetNewsWire

Active

Country: United States (US)
Founded: 2002
Developer: Ranchero Software
Pricing: Free (open-source)
Open source: Yes
Platforms: macOS, iOS, iPadOS

Indexes

RSS Readers Read Later

Overview

NetNewsWire is an RSS reader that displays articles from subscribed blogs and news sites, tracking read status. It supports RSS, Atom, JSON Feed, and RSS-in-JSON formats, offering local storage or syncing with third-party services.¹³⁹ Designed for users seeking control over news consumption without browser navigation or social media algorithms, it emphasizes speed, stability, and accessibility across Apple devices.³

Key Features

Direct feed downloading - Fetches feeds directly without intermediaries.
Syncing support - Integrates with iCloud, Feedbin, Feedly, BazQux, Inoreader, NewsBlur, The Old Reader, and FreshRSS.
Custom article themes - Allows personalization of article display appearance.
Reader view - Provides clean, distraction-free article reading.
Starred articles - Permits marking and tracking favorite articles.
Smart feeds - Includes All Unread and Today feeds for quick access.
Folders - Organizes feeds into hierarchical structures.
OPML import/export - Supports importing and exporting feed lists in OPML format.
Background refreshing - Updates feeds automatically in the background.
Searching - Enables searching across feeds and articles.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Free	$0	Full access to all features, no paid tiers.

Platforms & Requirements

Runs natively on macOS, iPhone, and iPad with Apple-native interfaces. Requires modern macOS and iOS versions; local accounts do not sync across devices without third-party services. iOS supports home screen widgets and share extensions.¹³⁷

Integrations & Ecosystem

iCloud
Feedbin
Feedly
BazQux
Inoreader
NewsBlur
The Old Reader
FreshRSS
OPML import/export

Alternatives

App	Difference
Feedly	Cloud-based service with web access and broader platform support, requires subscription for advanced features.
NewsBlur	Self-hosted option with detailed analytics and web interface, unlike NetNewsWire's Apple-exclusive focus.
Inoreader	Web-first reader with powerful search and automation rules, less emphasis on native Apple apps.
Reeder	Paid app with similar Apple platform support but no open-source model.

Reputation

NetNewsWire receives positive feedback for reliability, speed, and seamless integration with Apple ecosystems, particularly for users migrating from services like Feedly. Reviewers praise its distraction-free reading and feature completeness without cost. Some note limitations in cross-platform syncing without paid third-party services.⁴⁸

Sources (10)