# NetNewsWire

> Free, open-source RSS reader for Mac, iPhone and iPad

NetNewsWire is a free, open-source RSS reader for Mac, iPhone and iPad. It downloads feeds directly or syncs through iCloud and services such as Feedbin, Feedly, Inoreader and NewsBlur, and it keeps track of what has been read. There is no paid tier and no in-app purchase; the app is developed by volunteers and published under the MIT license.

- **Category:** Read Later & Bookmarks
- **Made by:** Brent Simmons (since 2002)
- **Website:** https://netnewswire.com
- **Runs on:** macOS, iOS, Browser extension
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 5, 2026

## Pricing

NetNewsWire is free to use.

- **Pricing model:** Free
- **Free plan:** Entirely free and open source under the MIT license, with no in-app purchases. The project asks people who want to support it not to send money.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0 | The complete app on Mac, iPhone and iPad, including iCloud sync and syncing with third-party feed services. |

Read from https://netnewswire.com/ on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with NetNewsWire before buying.

## Key features

- **Direct feed downloading:** Feeds can be fetched straight from the sites that publish them, so the app works without signing up for a feed service.
- **Sync through iCloud or feed services:** Feed lists and read and starred status sync through iCloud, or through Feedbin, Feedly, BazQux, Inoreader, NewsBlur, The Old Reader and FreshRSS.
- **Reader view and article themes:** Reader view pulls the full article text when a feed carries only a summary and can be set to always apply to a given feed. Article themes are customizable.
- **Smart feeds, folders and stars:** All Unread and Today smart feeds, folders, starred articles and search organize reading, and read articles and feeds can be hidden.
- **Keyboard navigation and Mac extras:** Single-key shortcuts cover everyday navigation. The Mac app adds a customizable toolbar, multiple windows and AppleScript support.
- **Safari extension and OPML:** A Safari extension adds the feed for the page you are viewing, and feed lists can be imported and exported as OPML.

## Good for

- Mac, iPhone and iPad users who want a free reader with no account
- People who already sync feeds through Feedbin, Feedly or Inoreader
- Readers who prefer open-source software

## Worth knowing

- Apple platforms only: Mac, iPhone and iPad, with no web, Windows or Android version.
- The current version needs macOS 15 or iOS 26 and newer.
- Reader view cannot be switched on for everything at once; it is used per article or per feed.
- The app is made by volunteers, with bug reports and requests handled through GitHub issues and a forum.

## What people say

- **App Store rating of the iPhone and iPad app:** 4.7 out of 5 from 884 ratings in the United States, read Oct 5, 2026. This is the store's rating of the app, not a score from ToolGPA. Source: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1480640210

## Works with

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

**Tags:** RSS reader, Open source

## Alternatives

- [Reeder](https://toolgpa.com/tools/reeder): Feed reader for Apple devices with a synced timeline. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/netnewswire-vs-reeder)
- [Unread](https://toolgpa.com/tools/unread): RSS reader for Mac, iPhone and iPad with full-text retrieval. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/netnewswire-vs-unread)
- [Fiery Feeds](https://toolgpa.com/tools/fiery-feeds): Customizable feed reader and read-later client for Apple devices. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/fiery-feeds-vs-netnewswire)
- [News Explorer](https://toolgpa.com/tools/news-explorer): RSS reader with iCloud sync across Apple devices, bought once. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/netnewswire-vs-news-explorer)
- [FeedFlow](https://toolgpa.com/tools/feedflow): Free, open-source RSS reader for mobile and desktop. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/feedflow-vs-netnewswire)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026:

- https://netnewswire.com/
- https://netnewswire.com/frequently-asked-questions.html
- https://netnewswire.com/history.html
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210
- https://github.com/Ranchero-Software/NetNewsWire/
- https://github.com/Ranchero-Software/NetNewsWire/blob/master/Technotes/HowToSupportNetNewsWire.markdown

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/netnewswire
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).