The CommaFeed Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about CommaFeed in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
CommaFeed
The Insider’s Guide
Self-hostable RSS reader inspired by Google Reader
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among read-later and bookmark apps, read from CommaFeed’s own pages.
Made by CommaFeed project · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from CommaFeed’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on CommaFeed’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 21 of the 52 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about CommaFeed, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It has four layouts, keyboard shortcuts and rules that mark articles read for you.
- 1
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.
- 2
It is free
CommaFeed has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Layouts and themes
Four layouts, light and dark themes, and a responsive design that the README says works on mobile and desktop.
- 5
Keyboard and rules
Shortcuts for almost everything, plus user-defined rules that mark matching articles as read automatically.
- 6
Native app support
Fever and Google Reader APIs let outside mobile apps connect, and a REST API is available.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 21 of 52
That is against the other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
CommaFeed is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
CommaFeed at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- CommaFeed project
- Category
- Read Later & Bookmarks
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free 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. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The 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. |
| Features | C | Four 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. |
| Ease of use | C | No 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. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
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 it 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
Good to know
Good for
- Self-hosters who want a lightweight, Google Reader style web app
- People who want a free hosted reader without ads or tracking
- Users who read through a third-party mobile app via the Fever API
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
CommaFeed is free to use.
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.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Self-hostable RSS reader inspired by Google Reader. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, keyboard-first, rSS reader.
Four layouts, keyboard shortcuts, auto-read rules, OPML and a REST API.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
CommaFeed is made by CommaFeed project.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
21/52
Other read-later and bookmark apps it is graded above
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
- BFree plan and trialAbove 22 of 52
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 52
- CEase of useAbove 6 of 52
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 52
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 47 read-later and bookmark apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. CommaFeed is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Miniflux, FreshRSS, Tiny Tiny RSS, Feedbin and The Old Reader
The 5 tools CommaFeed is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Miniflux
Free plan · from $15/yr
- 3.0GPA
FreshRSS
Free
- 2.8GPA
Tiny Tiny RSS
Free
Free, self-hosted web feed reader with filters and plugins.
- 2.4GPA
Feedbin
Free trial · from $7/mo
Paid RSS reader for feeds, newsletters, podcasts and YouTube.
- CommaFeed has a free plan. Feedbin does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Feedbin lists an iOS app.
- Only Feedbin lists a browser extension.
- 2.4GPA
The Old Reader
Free plan
Web-based RSS reader with sharing among friends.
- CommaFeed is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is CommaFeed free?
Yes. CommaFeed is free to use.
How much does CommaFeed cost?
CommaFeed lists 2 plans. Public instance: $0.
What platforms does CommaFeed work on?
CommaFeed is available on Web.
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.
Does CommaFeed have an API?
Yes. CommaFeed offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes CommaFeed?
CommaFeed is made by CommaFeed project.
What are the alternatives to CommaFeed?
The closest alternatives to CommaFeed in our directory are Miniflux, FreshRSS, Tiny Tiny RSS, Feedbin and The Old Reader.
How does CommaFeed compare with other 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.
Is CommaFeed good value for money?
ToolGPA grades CommaFeed A for value for money. CommaFeed has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of CommaFeed?
CommaFeed is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: An API that other software can build on.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from CommaFeed’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. 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.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by CommaFeed project. Prices change, so check commafeed.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- CommaFeed, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/commafeed
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "CommaFeed: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/commafeed
Know someone choosing between read-later and bookmark apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/commafeed/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded read-later and bookmark apps after CommaFeed, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Read Later & Bookmarks Insider's GuideEvery one of the 53 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, compared
- FeedFlow Insider's GuideFree, open-source RSS reader for mobile and desktop3.2 GPA
- Flipboard Insider's GuideFree news aggregator built around topics and shared Magazines3.2 GPA
- Miniflux Insider's GuideMinimalist open-source feed reader, self-hosted or hosted3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what CommaFeed’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. CommaFeed is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by CommaFeed project. Prices and plans change: check commafeed.com before you buy.