News Explorer
RSS reader with iCloud sync across Apple devices, bought once
What is News Explorer?
News Explorer is an RSS reader from Betamagic, a small software company in the Netherlands, built only for Apple platforms. It reads RSS, Atom and JSON feeds as well as Reddit, Mastodon, YouTube and podcast feeds, and it syncs feeds, articles and read status through iCloud across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV without a separate account. The Mac app and the mobile app are each bought once, and the Mac edition has a 14-day free trial.
News Explorer is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $4.99 one-time for the mobile edition; $9.99 one-time for the Mac edition. See every plan
Good for
- People on Apple devices who want feed sync without creating an account
- Readers who would rather pay once than subscribe
- Following Reddit, YouTube, Mastodon and podcast feeds alongside RSS
Worth knowing
- Built only for Apple platforms, with syncing that relies on iCloud; there is no web, Windows or Android version.
- The Mac app and the mobile app are separate purchases, listed at $9.99 and $4.99 on the US App Store.
- The 14-day trial is a download of the Mac edition; the App Store editions are paid up front.
- Current versions need macOS 15.6 or iOS and iPadOS 18 or later, and the Apple Watch app needs a paired iPhone.
Key features
- iCloud sync without an account
- Feeds, folders, articles, read status, favorites, filters, notes and tags sync through iCloud across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV, with no other service to sign up for.
- Many feed types
- Reads RSS, Atom, RDF and JSON feeds along with Mastodon, Bluesky, Reddit, YouTube channel and podcast feeds, and a built-in search finds new feeds by keyword.
- Automatic Reader view
- For supported sources the app downloads the full original article and shows it in a clean format. Several Reader view engines are available and can be chosen per feed.
- Smart filters and prefilters
- Sidebar filters match on title, content, author, tags or dates, and prefilters stop unwanted articles from being downloaded at all. Both sync between devices through iCloud.
- Article comments
- Comments can be read inside the app for feeds that publish a comment feed per article, and for YouTube, Reddit and Hacker News feeds.
- Notes, tags and sharing
- Rich-text notes and custom tags can be attached to articles, and built-in sharing sends items to Instapaper, Raindrop.io and Readwise.
News Explorer pricing
- Starts at
- $4.99 one-time for the mobile edition; $9.99 one-time for the Mac edition
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of the Mac edition, downloaded from the Betamagic website
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile edition | $4.99one-time purchase (US App Store) | Universal purchase covering iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV. It does not include the Mac app. |
| Mac edition | $9.99one-time purchase (US Mac App Store) | The macOS app. Also sold as a Personal License in the Betamagic Store, where the 14-day trial is offered, and included in Setapp. |
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 6, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with News Explorer before you buy.
Works with
- iCloud
- Instapaper
- Raindrop.io
- Readwise
News Explorer alternatives
- News Explorer vs Reeder
Free plan · from $14.99/yr
- News Explorer vs Unread
Free plan · from $29.99/yr
- News Explorer vs Fiery Feeds
Free plan · from $1.99
- News Explorer vs Newsify
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Common questions
Is News Explorer free?
No, News Explorer is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial of the Mac edition, downloaded from the Betamagic website.
How much does News Explorer cost?
News Explorer lists 2 plans. Mobile edition: $4.99 one-time purchase (US App Store). Mac edition: $9.99 one-time purchase (US Mac App Store). Prices were read from apps.apple.com on Oct 6, 2026.
What platforms does News Explorer work on?
News Explorer is available on macOS and iOS.
Does News Explorer have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. News Explorer is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does News Explorer have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. News Explorer is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is News Explorer open source?
News Explorer is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does News Explorer integrate with?
News Explorer's listing names iCloud, Instapaper, Raindrop.io and Readwise. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes News Explorer?
News Explorer is made by Betamagic.
What are the alternatives to News Explorer?
The closest alternatives to News Explorer in our directory are Reeder, NetNewsWire, Unread, Fiery Feeds and Newsify. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with News Explorer.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 6, 2026.