Read-later and RSS apps for Mac and iPhoneHead to head
NetNewsWire vs Reeder
NetNewsWire ranks #2 and Reeder ranks #3 in our guide to the best read-later and RSS apps for Mac and iPhone. NetNewsWire is the better pick for most people.
NetNewsWirePick NetNewsWire if you follow blogs and news sites and want a free, ad-free list of new posts.Free, open source#3 in the guide
ReederPick Reeder if you follow YouTube channels and Mastodon accounts too and want to scroll them as 1 feed.Free to startWhat decides it
- NetNewsWire costs less over 3 years: Free, against $44.97 for Reeder.
- Both run on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- NetNewsWire has the higher App Store rating: 4.7 from 890 ratings, against 4.3 for Reeder.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | NetNewsWire | Reeder |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free and open source on Mac, iPhone and iPad | Free to download. The subscription is $1.99 a month or $14.99 a year |
| How you pay | Free | Free, with paid upgrades |
| 3 years of use | Free Cheaper | $44.97 Yearly plan |
| Free trial | Free to start | Free to start |
| Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Mac, iPhone, iPad |
| Where to buy | App Store, Developer | App Store |
| Rating | 4.7 890 ratings Higher | 4.3 906 ratings |
| Features | Open source, iCloud sync, Widgets | iCloud sync, Privacy, Family Sharing |
| Made by | Brent Simmons | Silvio Rizzi |
| Last updated | 21 Oct 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 |
Who should get which
Get NetNewsWire if
You follow lots of blogs and news sites and want every new post in 1 place, in order, with no ads.
Get Reeder if
You follow blogs, YouTube channels and Mastodon accounts and want to scroll them like one feed.
Skip NetNewsWire if
You get your news from newsletters and social apps and have no wish to manage a list of sites.
Skip Reeder if
You like clearing unread badges folder by folder; NetNewsWire works that way and is free.
Our verdicts
NetNewsWire
Social feeds and their algorithms decide which posts from your favorite sites you ever see. NetNewsWire pulls every new article from the blogs and news sites you follow into one list, in order, and tracks what you've read. It's free and open source on Mac, iPhone and iPad, syncing via iCloud, Feedbin or Feedly, while Reeder costs $14.99 a year for a timeline that also mixes in YouTube and podcasts.
Reeder
There are no unread counts in Reeder; it remembers your spot in one timeline of RSS feeds, YouTube channels, podcasts and Mastodon and Bluesky posts, and syncs that spot through iCloud. You can also build filtered timelines by keyword or media type. If you like working through folders until the badge hits zero, the free NetNewsWire is the better fit, and Reeder's subscription is $14.99 a year.
What each one helps you do
NetNewsWire
- Read every new post from sites you follow
- Sync your feeds across devices with iCloud
- Strip clutter from articles with reader view
- Move your feed list over with OPML
Reeder
- Follow blogs, YouTube and podcasts in 1 place
- Pick up reading where you left off
- Filter your timeline down to 1 topic
- Save links from Safari to read later
Where to get them
NetNewsWire
Free and open source on Mac, iPhone and iPad
Reeder
Free to download. The subscription is $1.99 a month or $14.99 a year
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App Store, every deviceWith in-app purchasesFree downloadApp Store
Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best read-later and RSS apps for Mac and iPhone.
Readwise ReaderPick it if you read dozens of articles and PDFs a week and want every highlight searchable later.From $9.99
MatterPick this if you save more than you read and would rather hear articles on a walk, on iPhone or iPad.Free to start
Read the full guideAll NetNewsWire alternativesAll Reeder alternatives