CommaFeed review (2026): is it any good?
Self-hostable RSS reader inspired by Google Reader
CommaFeed report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for a free web RSS reader you can host yourself
CommaFeed is an RSS reader that runs as a web app, either on the project's free public instance or on a server of your own. It has four layouts, keyboard shortcuts and rules that mark articles read for you. But there's no first-party phone app, the public instance has limits the README only points to, and it lives on donations.
Who CommaFeed is for
- Fits if you want a plain web reader and are happy to let a volunteer project host it
- Works for people who run their own server and read through a Fever-compatible phone app
Who CommaFeed is not for
- Skip it if you want an official iPhone or Android app, because there isn't one
- Tight if you rely on the public instance, since its limits aren't spelled out in the README and it's funded by donations
- Not for you if you want to follow newsletters or social accounts, as it reads feeds only
- Watch out: self-hosting means you run and update it yourself, on your own server
Why CommaFeed gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree on the public instance, with no ads or tracking, and free to self-host under Apache 2.0, so it undercuts the $2.50 that a cheap reading app starts at.
- BFree plan and trialThe public instance is free for good and one person could live on it, though the README says it comes with limits compared with self-hosting and doesn't list them itself.
- CFeaturesFour layouts, keyboard shortcuts, auto-read rules, OPML and a REST API. The gaps the listing shows: no mobile app of its own and a public instance with unnamed limits.
- CEase of useNo rating on record. You sign up on the public instance and add feeds, which is quick, but the self-hosted route means Docker or a JVM build.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWeb only. Phones use the responsive site or a third-party app through the Fever or Google Reader APIs, and there is no desktop or phone app from the project.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from CommaFeed's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make CommaFeed? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/commafeed#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/commafeed.svg" alt="CommaFeed: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where CommaFeed stands among read-later and bookmark apps
CommaFeed's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 21 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 34 of 52) and worst on features (C, above 0).
CommaFeed has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 53 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. CommaFeed’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 34 of 52, level with 18
- BFree plan and trialAbove 22 of 52, level with 15
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 52, level with 19
- CEase of useAbove 6 of 52, level with 18
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 52, level with 15
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 47 read-later and bookmark apps. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep CommaFeed, or make your own?
Keep it
CommaFeed is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- RSS reader: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- An API that other software can build on.
What this rests on. CommaFeed’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is CommaFeed?
CommaFeed is an open-source feed reader you can run on your own server, or use on a free public instance run by the project. It offers four layouts, keyboard shortcuts for most actions and rules that mark articles read automatically. Fever and Google Reader APIs let native mobile apps connect to it.
Worth knowing
- The public instance has limits compared with self-hosting; the README points to a discussion thread that lists them.
- The public instance is funded by donations, so continued availability depends on them.
- There is no first-party mobile app; phones use the responsive web app or a Fever-compatible app.
Key features
- Layouts and themes
- Four layouts, light and dark themes, and a responsive design that the README says works on mobile and desktop.
- Keyboard and rules
- Shortcuts for almost everything, plus user-defined rules that mark matching articles as read automatically.
- Native app support
- Fever and Google Reader APIs let outside mobile apps connect, and a REST API is available.
- Import and export
- Moves subscriptions in and out with OPML, and sends push notifications when new articles are published.
- Customizable
- Custom CSS and JavaScript change the look and behavior, and a separate browser extension is published for it.
CommaFeed pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, CommaFeed is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Public instance | $0 | Free hosted instance with no ads or tracking, funded by donations, with a few limits compared with self-hosting. |
| Self-hosted | $0 | Apache 2.0 software you run yourself with Docker, a native package or a JVM build; you pay only for your own server. |
Read from raw.githubusercontent.com on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with CommaFeed before you buy.
CommaFeed alternatives
- CommaFeed vs Miniflux
Free plan · from $15/yr
- CommaFeed vs Feedbin
Free trial · from $7/mo
- CommaFeed vs The Old Reader
Free plan
Common questions
Does CommaFeed have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. CommaFeed is listed for Web.
Does CommaFeed have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. CommaFeed is listed for Web.
Is CommaFeed open source?
Yes. CommaFeed is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
Does CommaFeed have an API?
Yes. CommaFeed offers a public API, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.