NetNewsWire

At a glance

• Editor score
  7.9 / 10
• Pricing
  Free plan
• Best for
  Free Apple users wanting a dependable RSS reader
• Free plan
  Yes
• Paid from
  Free
• Founded
  2002 · Seattle, Washington
• Facts checked
  22 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Free and open source with direct feed downloads
  • iCloud and major RSS service syncing
  • Reader View, smart feeds, filtering, and search

• Where it doesn't

  • Limited to macOS and iOS
  • No paid tiers for expanded capabilities
  • Team-sharing capabilities are not part of its stated focus

Our verdict on NetNewsWire

NetNewsWire is a free, open-source RSS reader for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It collects articles from blogs and news sites, tracks read status, and supports direct RSS feed downloading. Apple users who want a focused way to follow subscriptions across macOS and iOS will find a mature reader with a product history dating to 2002. It also supports Reader View for retrieving full article text, helping keep reading inside the app rather than sending every article back to its source site.

Its strongest area is the combination of organization and reading controls. Folders and smart feeds help group subscriptions, while article and feed filtering can narrow what appears in the reading workflow. Article search, background refreshing, keyboard navigation, and shortcuts add useful controls for regular reading. OPML import and export also supports moving subscription lists into or out of the reader. Safari feed-adding extensions make it easier to add sources while browsing. Together, these features make NetNewsWire a practical fit for individual readers managing a personal collection of feeds.

Syncing is flexible within its Apple-centered ecosystem. Users can sync through iCloud or supported RSS services including Feedbin, Feedly, BazQux, Inoreader, NewsBlur, The Old Reader, and FreshRSS. Direct downloads provide another way to retrieve feeds, while service syncing can connect reading status and subscriptions across supported setups. The trade-off is platform scope: NetNewsWire is designed for macOS and iOS, so it is a better choice for Apple users than for readers seeking broader device coverage. Pick it for a free, focused reader with open-source availability and strong feed-management features; choose an alternative if cross-platform access or team sharing is central to the buying decision.

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NetNewsWire pricing

NetNewsWire fact sheet

NetNewsWire integrations

NetNewsWire lists 8 integrations on its own site.

• iCloud
• Feedbin
• Feedly
• BazQux
• Inoreader
• NewsBlur
• The Old Reader
• FreshRSS

Alternatives to NetNewsWire

• InoreaderA broad RSS monitoring workspace with aggregation, automation, AI summaries, and offline mobile reading.9.4
• FeedlyA flexible RSS workspace for research, team feeds, filtering, and AI-assisted analysis.9.2
• NewsBlurA flexible RSS reader for intelligence features, mobile reading, and self-hosted control.9.0

See all NetNewsWire alternatives →

Featured on iTechGuides

NetNewsWire is listed in our RSS Reader Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update