The FreshRSS Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about FreshRSS 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.
FreshRSS
The Insider’s Guide
Free, self-hosted RSS and Atom feed aggregator
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among read-later and bookmark apps, read from FreshRSS’s own pages.
Made by FreshRSS community · checked Oct 6, 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 FreshRSS’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on FreshRSS’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 22 of the 36 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade
FreshRSS is a free, open-source RSS and Atom feed aggregator that you install on your own server. It is a multi-user web application with search, saved queries, custom tags, themes and extensions, and it can build feeds for sites that publish none by scraping their pages. Third-party mobile and desktop apps connect through Google Reader and Fever compatible APIs. The project sells no plans of its own; hosted instances are offered by independent providers.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about FreshRSS, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Fine if servers are your hobby, a wall if they aren't.
- 1
Best for running your own RSS reader on your own server
The makers host nothing, and on your phone you need a third-party app or a mobile browser where a few features don't work.
- 2
It is free
FreshRSS has no paid plan at all. Free software under the GNU AGPL 3 license, installed on your own server. The project has no paid plan; hosted instances come from independent providers.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Feeds, podcasts and video channels
Follows websites, podcasts and video channels in one place, imports and exports OPML, and receives instant updates from sources that support the WebSub standard.
- 5
Web scraping and generated feeds
Creates feeds for sites that offer none by scraping pages with XPath or reading JSON documents, and can generate new feeds from your own filters.
- 6
Search, saved queries and tags
Articles can be searched, searches can be saved as queries for quick access, and custom tags organize what you want to keep.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 22 of 36
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
FreshRSS is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
FreshRSS at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- FreshRSS community
- Category
- Read Later & Bookmarks
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for running your own RSS reader on your own server
FreshRSS is a free, open-source feed reader that you run on your own server, with search, saved queries, tags, several users per install and feeds built from pages that publish none. You install it and keep it patched: a web server, PHP 8.1 and a database. The makers host nothing, and on your phone you need a third-party app or a mobile browser where a few features don't work.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and substantial: AGPL software with no paid plan anywhere, in a category whose middle plan is $3.33 a month. All you pay for is the server. Hosted instances exist, but they come from independent providers at their own prices. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, with nothing held back, because there is no paid tier to hold it back for. One install even serves several users, so a household can share it. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole job: websites, podcasts and video channels, search with saved queries, custom tags, themes and extensions, feeds scraped out of pages with XPath for sites that publish none, instant updates where a source supports WebSub, and OpenID Connect logins. |
| Ease of use | D | You host it yourself, which is what pins this down: a web server, PHP 8.1 or newer, a PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB or MySQL database, and then keeping the lot patched. Fine if servers are your hobby, a wall if they aren't. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, and the README admits a few features don't work in a mobile browser, but Google Reader and Fever compatible APIs bring in third-party apps on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows. There's a command-line interface too. |
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 FreshRSS is for
- Fits if you want your feeds on a server you control and will look after it
- Works for households or groups, since one installation serves several users
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you've never set up a web server, because it needs PHP 8.1, a database and you to maintain them
- Not for you if you want an official phone app, as native apps are third-party clients using its API
- Not for you if you want the makers to host it, since hosted instances come from independent providers at their own prices
- Watch out: the README says a few features don't work in a mobile browser
Good to know
Good for
- People who want to run their own RSS reader on a small server
- Households or groups sharing one multi-user installation
- Following sites that publish no feed, using the built-in scraping
Worth knowing
- You install and maintain it yourself: it needs a web server, PHP 8.1 or newer and a PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB or MySQL database.
- The project runs no hosted service of its own; public and managed instances come from independent providers with their own prices.
- Reading in a native app depends on third-party clients that connect through the Google Reader or Fever API.
- The README says the web interface works on mobile browsers except for a few features.
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
FreshRSS is free to use.
Hosted instances exist, but they come from independent providers at their own prices.
FreshRSS
$0
The complete aggregator, self-hosted on a web server with PHP and a PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB or MySQL database.
The free plan
Free software under the GNU AGPL 3 license, installed on your own server. The project has no paid plan; hosted instances come from independent providers.
Read from freshrss.org on Oct 6, 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
Free, self-hosted RSS and Atom feed aggregator. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, rSS reader.
- Feeds, podcasts and video channels
- Follows websites, podcasts and video channels in one place, imports and exports OPML, and receives instant updates from sources that support the WebSub standard.
- Web scraping and generated feeds
- Creates feeds for sites that offer none by scraping pages with XPath or reading JSON documents, and can generate new feeds from your own filters.
- Search, saved queries and tags
- Articles can be searched, searches can be saved as queries for quick access, and custom tags organize what you want to keep.
- Multi-user with several login methods
- One installation serves several users and offers an anonymous reading mode, with login by web form, HTTP authentication or OpenID Connect.
- APIs for mobile and desktop apps
- Google Reader and Fever compatible APIs let third-party apps on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows sync with a FreshRSS server. A command-line interface is included.
- Themes, extensions and sharing
- Themes and extensions from a dedicated repository customize the reader, and selections of articles can be reshared as HTML, RSS or OPML.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Capy Reader
- Readrops
- FeedMe
- Read You
- Fluent Reader Lite
- FeedFlow
FreshRSS is made by FreshRSS community.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
22/36
Other read-later and bookmark apps it is graded above
FreshRSS's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 22 of the 36 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 26 of 36) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
FreshRSS has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 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 37 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. FreshRSS’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 23 of 36
- AFree plan and trialAbove 26 of 36
- BFeaturesAbove 10 of 36
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 36
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 10 of 36
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 33 read-later and bookmark apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. FreshRSS 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
FreshRSS 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
- It plugs into other products, Capy Reader, Readrops and FeedMe among them, and has an API.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. FreshRSS’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, Tiny Tiny RSS, NewsBlur, Feedbin and Inoreader
The 5 tools FreshRSS is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Miniflux
Free plan · from $15/yr
- 2.8GPA
Tiny Tiny RSS
Free
Free, self-hosted web feed reader with filters and plugins.
- 3.0GPA
NewsBlur
Free plan · from $36/yr
Open-source RSS reader with trainable story filters.
- Only NewsBlur lists iOS and Android apps.
- NewsBlur also covers read later.
- 2.4GPA
Feedbin
Free trial · from $7/mo
Paid RSS reader for feeds, newsletters, podcasts and YouTube.
- FreshRSS 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.
- 3.0GPA
Inoreader
Free plan · from $7.50/mo
RSS reader with rules, filters and keyword monitoring.
- Only Inoreader lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Inoreader lists a browser extension.
- FreshRSS 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
13
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 FreshRSS free?
Yes. FreshRSS is free to use.
How much does FreshRSS cost?
FreshRSS lists one plan. FreshRSS: $0.
What platforms does FreshRSS work on?
FreshRSS is available on Web.
Does FreshRSS have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. FreshRSS is listed for Web.
Does FreshRSS have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. FreshRSS is listed for Web.
Is FreshRSS open source?
Yes. FreshRSS is open source, according to its own site.
Does FreshRSS have an API?
Yes. FreshRSS offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does FreshRSS integrate with?
FreshRSS's listing names Capy Reader, Readrops, FeedMe, Read You, Fluent Reader Lite and FeedFlow.
Who makes FreshRSS?
FreshRSS is made by FreshRSS community.
What are the alternatives to FreshRSS?
The closest alternatives to FreshRSS in our directory are Miniflux, Tiny Tiny RSS, NewsBlur, Feedbin and Inoreader.
How does FreshRSS compare with other read-later and bookmark apps?
FreshRSS's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 22 of the 36 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 9.
Is FreshRSS good value for money?
ToolGPA grades FreshRSS A for value for money. FreshRSS has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of FreshRSS?
FreshRSS is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: It plugs into other products, Capy Reader, Readrops and FeedMe among them, and has an API.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from FreshRSS’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from FreshRSS's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-26.
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 FreshRSS community. Prices change, so check freshrss.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- FreshRSS, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/freshrss
- 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, "FreshRSS: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/freshrss
Know someone choosing between read-later and bookmark apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/freshrss/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded read-later and bookmark apps after FreshRSS, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Read Later & Bookmarks Insider's GuideEvery one of the 37 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 FreshRSS’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. FreshRSS is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by FreshRSS community. Prices and plans change: check freshrss.org before you buy.