Read-later and RSS apps for Mac and iPhoneHead to head

Readwise Reader vs NetNewsWire

Readwise Reader ranks #1 and NetNewsWire ranks #2 in our guide to the best read-later and RSS apps for Mac and iPhone. Readwise Reader is our pick for most people, and NetNewsWire is the best free option.

The Useful TechResearched and written with AI under our rulesUpdated 14 Oct 2026

Our pickReadwise Reader app iconReadwise ReaderPick Readwise Reader if you read dozens of articles and PDFs a week and want every highlight searchable later.From $9.99Best freeNetNewsWire app iconNetNewsWirePick NetNewsWire if you follow blogs and news sites and want a free, ad-free list of new posts.Free, open source

What decides it

  • NetNewsWire costs less over 3 years: Free, against $359.64 for Readwise Reader.
  • Both run on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
  • NetNewsWire has the higher App Store rating: 4.7 from 890 ratings, against 4.6 for Readwise Reader.

Side by side

Prices are checked every day.

At a glanceReadwise Reader app iconReadwise ReaderNetNewsWire app iconNetNewsWire
PriceFree for 30 days, then $12.99 a month or $119.88 a yearFree and open source on Mac, iPhone and iPad
How you paySubscriptionFree
3 years of use$359.64 Yearly planFree Cheaper
Free trialYesFree to start
Runs onMac, iPhone, iPadMac, iPhone, iPad
Where to buyApp Store, DeveloperApp Store, Developer
Rating4.6 590 ratings4.7 890 ratings Higher
FeaturesFree trialOpen source, iCloud sync, Widgets
Made byReadwise, IncBrent Simmons
Last updated27 Oct 202621 Oct 2026

Who should get which

Get Readwise Reader if

You read dozens of articles, newsletters and PDFs a week and want every highlight in 1 searchable place.

Get NetNewsWire if

You follow lots of blogs and news sites and want every new post in 1 place, in order, with no ads.

Skip Readwise Reader if

You save an article now and then, and Safari's free Reading List holds those fine.

Skip NetNewsWire if

You get your news from newsletters and social apps and have no wish to manage a list of sites.

Our verdicts

Readwise Reader app iconReadwise Reader

If your reading is split between saved articles, newsletters clogging your inbox, RSS feeds and PDFs, Readwise Reader pulls all of it into 1 library you can highlight and search. It reads anything aloud, Ghostreader AI answers questions about the page, and Readwise resurfaces your highlights later. It costs $9.99 a month billed yearly after a 30-day trial, with no free tier, while Matter has a free plan for plain read-later.

NetNewsWire app iconNetNewsWire

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.

What each one helps you do

Readwise Reader app iconReadwise Reader

  • Move newsletters out of your inbox
  • Highlight PDFs and articles in one place
  • Listen to saved articles on a walk
  • Remember what you highlighted months ago

NetNewsWire app iconNetNewsWire

  • 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

Where to get them

Readwise Reader

Free for 30 days, then $12.99 a month or $119.88 a year

  • App Store, iPhone and iPadWith in-app purchases
    Free downloadApp Store
  • From the developer30-day free trial, with apps for Mac, Windows, Android and the web
    From $9.99 a monthGet it

NetNewsWire

Free and open source on Mac, iPhone and iPad

  • App Store, iPhone and iPad
    FreeApp Store
  • From the developerThe Mac version downloads from the developer's site
    FreeGet it

Neither one quite right?

The other picks in our guide to the best read-later and RSS apps for Mac and iPhone.

Read the full guideAll Readwise Reader alternativesAll NetNewsWire alternatives

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